Month: February 2014

I need help.

Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid. (Proverbs 12:1 ESV)

I need help.

This is one of the more difficult statements to make as a red blooded American male (or maybe for anyone). I like to be right. I want to be right. However, I am not always right (which should come as a shock to absolutely no one). This desire to be right is simply pride, nothing less. If I am right and you are wrong then I am better (smarter, wiser, etc.) than you. When I put it like that it sounds pretty ugly. Pride is ugly.

In my past, I have hated reproof. It doesn’t matter if I am right or wrong, I’ll argue until the proverbial ship goes down. This is pride, an unwillingness to accept that I am not infallible. If I was wrong and/or made an error, I would hide it or run from it. This is also pride, an unwillingness to let anyone know that I am not infallible. This does not lead to correction. Therefore I would make the same mistakes over and over again. I was unwilling to ask for help.

Discipline must be proceeded by transparency, whether voluntary or not. Someone must know what I have done in order to correct me. If a police officer discovers that I am speeding, he corrects me with a ticket. I must be transparent and willingly accept discipline (correction) if I am to learn. I must ask for help frequently.

The opposite of pride is humility. I recently heard an interview with Jim Collins on Dave Ramsey’s EntreLeadership podcast. In the interview Collins made a statement about watching our “statement to question ratio.” Ask more questions, make less statements. This is a good way to practice humility. Questions imply “I want your input on this issue.” Statements say “You should listen to my input.”

I am going to start asking more questions.

Say Yes

And Jesse said to David his son, “Take for your brothers an ephah of this parched grain, and these ten loaves, and carry them quickly to the camp to your brothers. (1 Samuel 17:17 ESV)

David didn’t know that this day would change his life. When David woke up, he probably didn’t think “Today, I will defeat the greatest warrior of my peoples enemies. Who is also a giant.” David was just doing what he was asked. Maybe God, in his infinite wisdom, whispered in Jesse’s ear, “Today would be a good day to have David take lunch to his brothers.” 

We don’t know when or how God is going to use our lives. 

On Student Sunday in 2012, Pastor Brett preached the message at Crossroads Community Church in Harrison, Arkansas. His message that day discussed about how many young people, were leaving the church after high school. Pastor Brett talked about strong relationships with adults greatly increased the probability that a teen would stay involved in a church after high school. He ended his sermon with a call to action, saying that the church needed adults to be small group leaders in the student ministry. Lacey and I had started attending Crossroads in December, so we had only been going there for 5 months. After the service, Lacey and I talked and I decided to volunteer. 

I was terrified. I was 30 and hadn’t been around many teens since I was a teenager. I wasn’t crazy about teenagers. I was just doing it because the church needed people. I went and met with Brett and told him that I was willing but I didn’t know if I was qualified. Brett reassured and encouraged me that it would be good. 

I am so glad that Pastor Brett  asked for volunteers and so greatful to God for encouraging me to volunteer. I didn’t know then what God had planned for my life. I have been so blessed by serving in the student ministry. I love getting to spend time with these kids. I absolutely look forward to Wednesday nights. I am excited about getting to hang out with this group of boys for the next six years. 

I pray that God will help me to be a positive influence on their lives. I pray for wisdom to help guide them as they become young men. I pray for strength, when (if) I am called on to help them in a time of need. I hope that I can encourage and love and teach them. 

In our recent management meetings at Methvin Sanitation, we have adopted a new motto, “Trust you Hunches.” I am seeing more evidence of the truth in this statement, the more I look around. I could have easily talked myself out of volunteering. I had zero experience with teenagers. I could have easily disqualified myself from serving because of my past. What if God, in his loving kindness, whispered in my ear, “Hey, you should volunteer.” 

So if you are (or have ever) considering serving at church, or volunteering for a charity, or sponsoring a child from another country, do it! Your life will be blessed more than you can even fathom today. Sometimes all we have to do is say “yes” to God.