Generous Living

Last weekend I had the opportunity to watch my fourth grade son play in a soccer game. It is such a blast to see him learning new skills and meeting new friends. It was also fun, because my son happens to be on a really good team. (They are very good... as in they won 11-0...) Many of his teammates have been practicing together for years, and it certainly shows. My son is really just trying to catch up, but he still loves it. However, some of the other parents on our team happen to be super competitive. I saw parents on our team arguing over goals when we were already up by multiple points. Now, perhaps this just shows that I don't have the killer mentality to become a professional athlete. I just want the kids to have fun.

These Saturday morning soccer games are just one small example of people living with a scarcity mentality. There are so many times in our recreation, business, and politics that we feel the need to take all that we can. However, the Bible asks us to believe something different. In the Gospel of John chapter 10 Jesus tells us: 

I came that you may have life and have it abundantly"

Jesus wants us to look at the world with a fresh perspective. He doesn't want us to obsess over how much we have. He doesn't want us to worry about whether or not we have more money or or a better car than somebody else. Jesus is concerned about living in the blessings we have. We have the opportunity to open our hearts and receive God's gifts. If we embrace the grace Christ offers, we also have opportunity to share God's Love with others. 

I understand that a competitive spirit isn't all bad. It can drive people to new heights. However, I think it is important that we don't get so caught up that we forget that there is plenty of good in this world that we can share. Instead of focusing on all the gifts we did not receive, lets take a little time to count our blessings. 

Today I hope you can all live in God's abundance. I hope you can live generously and share the blessings Christ offers.

Peace,

Pastor Brian

Learning everyday

Human beings are capable of so many things. We can grow. We can imagine new possibilities, and we can enact change. I love moments when my kids stop and ask questions about the world. "Why are there so many languages?" "How did the universe begin?" "Why are some people homeless?" Our curiosity is a blessing, and can inspire us to change the way we are living in the world.

Conversely, it is also possible to stop learning. Instead of asking questions, we want to live with certainty, have all the answers, and never be questioned by others. Our fear of looking ignorant can drive us away from the childlike curiosity that always desires to learn more.

We are studying our core values here at Community Lutheran, and this week we are discussing the importance of learning. We believe it is important to continue to grow and learn everyday. We confess that we are imperfect and incomplete, but God is always guiding us to discover new paths. Even when times are difficult we can still look for new answers and ways of looking at the world.

“I pray to the God within me that He will give me the strength to ask Him the right questions.”

― Elie Wiesel, Night

There are times I wish I could be as vulnerable as my children when I ask questions. Instead of feeling like I should know everything, I wish I could freely ask, "why?" The bible actually teaches so much on this very topic. Jesus tells us to have the perspective of children, and the proverbs teach us to always search for wisdom. 

Wisdom is not about obtaining all the facts. It is about trusting in God and having faith in something deeper. We learn by becoming vulnerable and opening ourselves up to new possibilities. Today I hope we can all take time to ask the hard questions and open our hearts so that we can receive a new answer.

Blessings,

Pastor Brian