tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68557244489086847802024-03-21T21:12:02.408-07:00DAMON'S BLOG - Faith Work LifeIntegrating Faith, Work, and Life. Thriving and helping others thrive.Damon Makhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714068971321206441noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6855724448908684780.post-71105878865263388012018-10-19T18:04:00.000-07:002018-10-19T18:05:28.827-07:00Reflection on Vocation in light of the Beatitudes (Matthew 5)<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "times"; font-size: 13.5pt;">Over the past few weeks, I've been reflecting on
vocation. Vocation may be a career or occupation that God calls us
into and each of us has a unique calling (</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="https://damonmak.blogspot.com/2017/08/god-is-calling-you-life-long-journey-of.html"><span style="color: #954f72; font-family: "times"; font-size: 13.5pt;">see older post on
vocation and calling</span></a></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "times"; font-size: 13.5pt;">). While I understood that I had a
calling something was missing. I experience frustration. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "times"; font-size: 13.5pt;">I feel
lost. Even fear. It stems from anxiety that I am somehow not
fulfilling my vocation especially when things weren't going as planned or when
I encountered failure or when you realize there are people who are scheming
behind your back or use you for their benefit. I find myself comparing myself to others and
feeling inadequate or unable to "measure up" to the success of
others. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>More, others seemed to be further
in fulfilling their calling—yet I seem to be “missing the mark.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My work seemed dull at times and at other
times it was frantic and stressful. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, we spend time worrying or blindly trying
to fill the gap between who we are today, and who we are created to be.
However, is the being who we think is created to be who</span><span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 18px;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 18px;">God desires us to be? Who says that I need to make a certain income, drive a particul</span><span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 13.5pt;">ar car, or a hold a particular title in a company
to be considered successful? Does God even care about that stuff? Are those things
really just false idols and projections of a false self?</span><span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 13.5pt;">Who are we if those things that give us
identity today suddenly vanish? </span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "times"; font-size: 13.5pt;">During prayer time with some of my Brothers in
Christ, the Spirit gave me the word--Beatitude: or
"Be-Attitude". Our society rewards those who accomplish
and achieve monumental challenges and goals especially those who relentlessly
pursue their "dream job" or lifestyle. Our doing often defines who we
are because our culture and society says those things are important. And
while we shouldn't neglect the doing--it needs to come from our being.
Our "BE-attitude" reminded me of the importance of our being--who we
are In Christ and our identity (and security of our identities) in relationship
with the Creator and as God’s children. It is also about our attitude
as we live out our being. Our vocation, therefore, is concerned
less about what we accomplish and do--the doing and the goal--but living daily
with an attitude of being. More, we live out our vocation when
God is at the centre of our lives. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "times"; font-size: 13.5pt;">How do we live each day with a "BE-attitude"?
And how do we make sense of this in light of the beatitudes in Matthew 5?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "times"; font-size: 13.5pt;">To live as beings (and not doings) necessitates
us to journey into a deeper understanding of who we are and whose we are.
This may require us to give up the doing temporarily--to stop and evaluate our vision and values.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It may simply be stepping back each day to
take time to reflect on what and why we do what we do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> What gives us energy and what sucks it dry? </span>This will require discernment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It will also take time as we wrestle with
ourselves and with God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What I’m
proposing is a journey inward and to identify those things in our lives that
give us (perceived?) stability, comfort, status, and so forth and then let them
go. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here, I am not saying to give all
your money away or sell your possessions—that’s between you and Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What I am advancing is both a mental and
spiritual exercise of releasing our grip on our credentials, masks, accolades
and accomplishments of the past and all that has formed our identity up to this
point—and to offer them to God. It means coming before God, humbly stand
before the Creator as if we are naked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While
we are naked, we acknowledge God’s work in our lives, our strengths as well as those
faults, limitations, weakness and sin that corrupt us. For some
this move to understand our being is more frightening because we are left
vulnerable before God. For some, this move is more frightening before
their coworkers and friends than before God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It can be dark. It can feel
lonely (but the Spirit is with us). Sometimes it is frustrating because you want to solve it immediately and run away from the uncomfortable feeling of restlessness. And before God we open our hands, signalling
to God that we are ready to receive, we then say "Father God, thank you
for loving me. This is me. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here I
am. " To live out of our being is to know that we are God's
child and that His grace is enough. Stay there. Stay there as long
as you need. Be patient. I find that entering into that space and
rest brings healing and comfort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But
while I'm in that place of rest... Christ's teachings in Matthew 5 - his
infamous Sermon on the Mount-begins to take form in my life and where I
experience God's <i>shalom </i>and comfort.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<i><span style="color: black; font-family: "times"; font-size: 13.5pt;">2 And he opened his mouth and taught them,
saying:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.4
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.5 “Blessed are the
meek, for they shall inherit the earth.6 “Blessed are those who hunger and
thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.7 “Blessed are the
merciful, for they shall receive mercy.8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for
they shall see God.9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called
sons of God.10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.11 “Blessed are you when others revile you
and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my
account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for
so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.</span></i><span style="color: black; font-family: "times"; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "times"; font-size: 13.5pt;">Christ-likeness is not about being relevant and
spectacular to others, achieving wealth or power or status, or the way we
dress; Jesus' similarly faced the same temptations in the desert and was
victorious over Satan. Rather, it seems from the beatitudes that we live
each day with a different posture and attitude--one that recognizes we are who
God has created us to be and that we belong to God, loved by God, and depend on
God for our existence. Where we are today and who we are today, is
precisely where God intended us to be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> I seems to me that God allow us to be "poor in spirit", "to mourn", "hunger and thirst for righteousness" and so on; those words aren't typically used to describe happy and cheery feelings. </span>Our "Be-Attitude" is an acceptance of this reality. It is a tension. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our
vocation, therefore, is less about what we do but our daily lives oriented, IN
right-relationship and dependence on, the one who calls. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we're still trying to fill the gap between
the now and future--stop it! (I am reminding myself too and stop comparing
yourself to others--live YOUR life as God intended it and not someone else's.) It
doesn’t mean that God leaves us as we are as the Spirit will continue the work
of sanctification and molding of our characters to be like Christ’s and to
become who God intended us to be. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So
there is a sense of being and becoming—a now and not yet. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From that place of being, we step into our
workplaces and live each day with the power and confidence (blessed) to be who
we are, to live each day in faith, hope and love, and to embrace and care for
our neighbours and to love them as God does. From our being we also
receive the strength and courage (with God's help) to confront injustice and
evil even if it means we face persecution and humiliation. More, it is
from that place of being, we can speak truth (pure in heart) without fear and
to act (do) without judgement of ourselves (having and showing mercy) and
others (peacemakers)--to be the salt and light on the earth (v13-16).
This may indeed be the path less traveled but have courage because Christ walks
with you through it all and will give you strength each and every day. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--EndFragment--><br />
<br />Damon Makhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714068971321206441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6855724448908684780.post-89138757736053557632018-01-29T20:00:00.000-08:002018-01-29T20:00:32.884-08:00Meekness: It's not what you think it means. <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">It's been a while
since my last post. It's been a very fruitful couple of months. I'll have to
share another time. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">It's often stressful and life
draining to live out our faith in the marketplace. It will challenge our faith,
integrity, and character. It will be wear us down spiritually, physically, and
mentally. But, I also draw closer to God and depend on God more in those
situations. Importantly, I grow in wisdom and character. I was reflecting on
Matthew 5:5 this afternoon. I hope it encourages the Christ Followers in the
marketplace. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." (Matthew 5:5)</i></span></div>
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Meekness {Gk: <i>praeis</i>} is not about weakness. Our translations and modern
understanding of the word often misses the breath of the word. <i>Praeis </i>often is taken to be understood
as gentle and being nice to others. Maybe fluffy? Christ followers live this
out by become a doormat for others to trample on, passive, showing unwillingness to
challenge the situation before them, and often in the form of escape and retreat. Rather <i>praeis
</i>refers to "exercising God's strength under His control – i.e.
demonstrating power without undue harshness." More, to demonstrate
"gentleness (reserve) and strength." (see <a href="http://biblehub.com/greek/4239.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color: #6611cc;">http://biblehub.com/greek/4239.htm</span></a>)</span><br />
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To be meek is to know how and when to use a sword but to keep the sword in the
sheath. That is the posture of meekness and it is the posture that we are to
enter the workplace each day---to be on the front lines for God. It didn't say it was easy; often times it's frustrating and fearful. But if God put me here, and I am to remain in my calling (1 Cor 7:20), am I not to serve those around me as if I am serving the LORD himself (Col 3: 23-24)? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">More, to "inherit the earth" is to
obtain possession from our Father for we are His children. We are to ground our
identity in knowing and being God's children. Therefore, to be meek and to be a
child of God is to have power and authority, and responsibility to act as
regents of the Kingdom in the world.</span><br />
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Be Strong and Courageous, Christ is in you. God is with you in the workplace.
Be bold.</span><br />
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<br />Damon Makhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714068971321206441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6855724448908684780.post-37700453132152083762017-11-09T17:30:00.000-08:002017-11-09T17:30:01.837-08:00Where Jesus Died: George MacLeod<div style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
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Many churches today struggle to reach out to the next generation. In order to stay relevant post-enlightenment, the church has retreated from the fields of science, business, and arts and focused on developing the spiritual lives of believers. While spirituality is important for the life of a person, the result has also caused the church to be further disengaged with the critical issues that affect our neighborhoods. Platonic thought continues to permeate the church–somehow believing in Jesus became a first class ticket to Heaven. Really? More, one of the repercussions is for Christians to escape from the world and further live dualistic lives where we prize the sacred and denigrate the secular. We are no longer living holistic lives when we do that. This is a misunderstanding of the biblical narrative specifically God redemptive purpose in the world today and into the future. God desires to redeem and reconcile all of creation to himself and invites us to participate in that redemptive purpose. This means, as God's redeemed people, we are to take both our faith and work seriously. We are also to live incarnationally as the God-man Jesus did, 2000 years ago on earth. I would contend that to live disintegrated lives of faith and work is a failure to live out our God ordained purpose for us as his image-bearers who were created reflect His image into the world and back to Him.</div>
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George MacLeod reminds us of the importance of living out an integrated life where spirituality meets the marketplace. </div>
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<b><i>George MacLeod on Where Jesus Died</i></b></div>
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<i><i>Only One Way Left (The Iona Community: 1956), p. 38. Jan 01 . 1970</i></i><br />
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<i><i>The cross must be raised again at the center of the marketplace as well as on the steeple of the </i></i><i><i>church. I am claiming that Jesus was not crucified in a cathedral between two candles, but on a cross </i></i><i>between two thieves; on the town garbage heap, at a crossroads so cosmopolitan they had to write </i><i>His title in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek. At the kind of place where cynics talk smut, and thieves curse,</i><i>and soldiers gamble, because that is where He died and that is what he died about and that is where </i><i>churchmen ought to be and what churchmen should be about.</i></div>
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<span style="color: #212121; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">We are to be rooted in Christ and to grow spiritually to become mature Christ-like followers. But also to Go! Go into the world without fear for God is ahead of us, and with us. To be in the world but not of it. As "Church", in its original Greek meaning, is to be governors in the city who decide matters for city. Reflecting on the account of the blindman according to John 9, he doesn't begin seeing until he goes to the pool of Siloam (which means sent)--and after he goes, washes and returns he then is seeing. Essentially, it's not adequate to simply believe but also to connect what you do <i>after</i> you believe. As Christians, we are not suppose to be clean and tidy or retreating or escaping from the world; we're supposed to be in the thick of it all–in the action with our hands dirty as MacLeod reminds us. And if you listen to your heart, you will know this is true. Jesus Christ didn't seem to mind being in the messy world--I didn't say it was easy. And it is only when we, as the salt and light of Christ empowered by the Holy Spirit, embrace the world and live out our lives in the marketplace will His faith, hope, and love permeate throughout it. </span>Damon Makhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714068971321206441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6855724448908684780.post-3475105079018919802017-10-01T17:16:00.000-07:002017-10-01T17:18:40.016-07:00Reinforcing and Modeling Behaviors: You are all together the team<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It was our second game day with my U7 team
yesterday. We split our team up to be an Away and Home team. I got to
coach the home team which consisted of four players--four players are also
needed to form the basic diamond formation. Our technical trainers have
drilled into the coaches’ heads the importance of the diamond formation.
In our training sessions and in our recent game day we began to also
instill in the players' minds and in game play to form the diamond
shape–reminding them consistently and often, as this is still U7. My
co-coach and I agreed to focus on our diamond formation this week–communication
with the co-coach and having consistent coaching plan is also essential. Then make sure to clearly communicate the goal and desired behavior to your team. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">During the games, I would encourage the boys to get
into their diamond and complement them when they formed one. This is an example
of where praxis is important–it's not enough talk about it–we (as coaches for
these young players) need to be on the field, show them, and to point them to
look at each other. When we had water breaks, I would complement each and
everyone individually on a job well done and praise them on the wonderful
diamonds they were creating on the field. </span>Reinforcement of the goal and desired behavior matters. As an aside, I would say, focus only on the
positive at this level. And I must again complement these kids because by
the end of game day, they played hard, they had fun, scored a bunch as a team;
impressively, these boys got into their diamond formation at the sound of my
voice. They even figured on their own to always have one person stay
behind (as the other 3 played offense) in event of a sudden breakaway from the
opponents. I thought the other team would demolish our team because they
were physically bigger than my boys; however, the other team were disorganized
and simply became demotivated due to the lack of instruction and coaching that
was taking place. After the game, my co-coach shared with me how
impressed the other team's coaches were with our teams because of our ability
to organize. Secretly, I felt a bit like Leonidas from 300. This
was a stark reminder of how important having a coach is in not only the soccer
game, but also strong leadership on ANY team for that matter. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This leads into my second point. As coach (or
managers), we are not only dictating instructions or shouting commands from the
sidelines. We cannot be hiding or highlighting only the negatives and failures.
We need to BE the extra player on the team. In soccer, there are 11
players (10 plus goalie); Coaches are like the 12th player. This is going
to be different for older kids and other parents and coaches will probably see
me running around like a madman. If you know me, you will probably hear
me from a kilometer away. And when the players are running up and down
the field, I’m right behind them and cheering them on. You cannot help yourself
to be excited when you see these players play! They are simply amazing to
watch. Others can say what they want, but my philosophy is the same
whether it is coaching a U7 team or in the workplace–managers and leaders need
to be part of team. They need to know you got their back. The team needs
to know that you are there for them, care for them and work with them in
training and while on the field. Leaders/Coaches are on the field; they
are always energetic, energized and ready to celebrate with the players and always
ready to encourage them. Also, always be ready to tie the laces of one of
your players–they are your All-stars. Contrastingly, when the coaches are
unenthusiastic and lacking passion, these players at this young age will feed
off that energy and passion. Moreover, we need to model the behavior we want to see in others.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Another tip for coaches–when you see the
other team demoralized cheer them on too because it is not about winning; next
season, some of these players could be on your team. In the end, we are
all playing a part in coaching the future superstars of team Canada and the
Vancouver Whitecaps. Be proud of your team but also be proud of all these
players. Celebrate them and motivate them through engagement,
encouragement and empowerment. </span></div>
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fun too! </span></span></div>
Damon Makhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714068971321206441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6855724448908684780.post-33399946203275035622017-09-25T14:33:00.001-07:002017-09-25T14:33:19.463-07:00Are we making work overtly complicated? Faith Work and Soccer<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I signed up to be an assistant coach for a U7 soccer team. Also known as "football" in other parts of the world. We are the Orange Panthers. I've never coached soccer nor have really played the game. Always trying something new and push ourselves by doing something new right? Absolutely and I'm super excited for the upcoming season. First off, do not under estimate what kids at this level can achieve; they are truly amazing to watch. I'm constantly surprised by how they have become more confident in themselves and their abilities in the very short time together. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last week was our first Training Day where we learned some of the drills. But the highlight for me, and what got me started in writing this post, was when we played a few short games of some 2 on 2, 3 on 3 scrimmage. This was my first opportunity to coach players in a game; it was a practice game, but it didn't matter to these kids. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the workplace today, we're inundated with reports, metrics, process, procedures, policies, and progress updates-- the list goes on of the numerous tasks we need to complete. People are less engaged with what they do, they're increasingly confused by the goal and objective of the company, they're burnt out, they need to attend countless meetings, and are often taken away from doing the "real" work. Sounds like your work place?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With 3 boys on one side, and 2 boys on the other. I gave my two teams the exact instructions with equal excitement and enthusiasm. 1) Work together 2) Score in the net! When it was their turn to play, I cheered them on and shouted out a loud "Go!" These kids ran out there, performed, and celebrated as they jetted back with giant smiles after scoring a goal. We did high-5s, low-5s, anti-gravity-5s and celebrated every goal together. And before the next team ran out on the field to play the next round, I reinforced how amazing they were, repeated the same instructions, and cheered them on. We had fun! And I only got one question: What's the score? </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(We're not suppose to keep score, but let's say we did well). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This brings us back to the question. Are we making work overtly complicated? How different would our work environments be if we, as managers and leaders, practiced giving clear and short list of goals, empowering and encourage our teams to do it, and finding ways to celebrate our successes (and misses). This means we celebrate regardless how big or small the task may be or even when we don't score. And remember to have fun while doing it! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It works with a U7 soccer team, and I have a hunch that it would likely work with adults too. </span><br />
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<br />Damon Makhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714068971321206441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6855724448908684780.post-16168228295763873252017-08-18T17:25:00.001-07:002017-08-18T17:25:08.875-07:00God is calling You: A life long Journey of Discovery.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It's not for me to tell you what God's calling is for you. It is a life long journey of discovery; it takes time, patience, asking, seeking, knocking, and discernment. It is important that our life and what we do every day is in line with God's calling for us.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Calling requires a Caller. God is always the caller. Like sheep who know the voice of the Shepherd, we need to know the voice of our Caller. It is the Creator, the Almighty who Calls. It is God who is already doing the work, and calls us to join Him to participate in His work in building for the Kingdom. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Calling requires a Receiver. You and I are the receiver. Again, you need to listen for yourself. It is not for someone else to tell you YOUR Calling. We listen with humble hearts. We need to be actively listening for the Caller and to be open and available to what the Caller will call us to. We participate in what God is already doing in the world. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Calling requires a Message. The message is an invitation. The message may not be what we want to hear. The message will move us into action. When we hear the message, there will be a gut feeling that moves us into action. It will still require discernment-continuous discernment- to ensure that it is indeed Jesus' voice. And while it stirs us and may even give us a feeling of inadequacy and fear, it will also give us peace. The feeling of inadequacy is not to deter us, but it does ensure that we depend on God because our calling is often a bigger than ourselves and does invite us out of our comfort zone. It will draw us into deeper relationship, trust, faith and dependent life in the Triune God. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What is God doing around you? What talents and gifts have God gifted you for service in the Kingdom? What need is in your city or your neighborhood? What are you passionate about? What verse or story in Scripture has God placed in your heart today? Sometimes our calling may be prompted by situations that upset us? What do we care about?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It's important to remember that it is not what others want for you, but what God wants for you; the distinction is important to uncover our motives and motivations because when we encounter failure, it will be the motivations and convictions (remembering it is God who Calls) that will help us through it. Talk about it with elders and people you trust.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">How you live out your calling requires imagination! There is no formula. Be willing, open, and available to what God is doing, trusting in Him, and take steps by talking to others about it, taking action to test it. We may have many passions and have many ideas but we need to incarnate those passions and ideas in practical ways--take action. Remembering that it will take time so be patient and there will be risks. Pray and ask God to bless you if it indeed God's calling for you. More, remember that it is God's calling for you-you are not alone; the Holy Spirit is with you from beginning to end, and God will also bring other people along with you to support you and to encourage you. God will equip you and empower you for the task.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I get anxious when I wonder if i'm doing what God is calling me to. Am I doing what God has called me to? What if I miss my calling? </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I was reminded by a wise friend that our calling is one of the paradoxes of our lives. "Calling" is a military term in response to a King. Fundamentally, it is less about what you do and m</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ore importantly about our response to the One who calls. We can be called to run a company. We can also be called to clean the hallways of a school or clean the sewer pipes. Work is to glorify God and there is therefore no hierarchy of work. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And if and when the King calls you to something else, we respond, we go, and we do it equally well, bringing our best tp our work, and with all our heart, mind, and soul.</span><br />
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Damon Makhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714068971321206441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6855724448908684780.post-79440326789176985362017-07-14T17:35:00.000-07:002017-07-19T10:20:22.942-07:00Living life at Godspeed: It's not what you think.<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">We have presuppositions and expectations of what church should be. We may even believe that if certain elements of church are present or missing, it is therefore church or isn’t. And before you read on, I invite you to watch a short documentary (30 minutes in length) titled “Godspeed: The Pace of Being Known.” It’s a story about an American pastor who journeys to Scotland with presuppositions and expectations of church and desiring to change the world, but arriving and is transformed himself by the life experiences of the Methlick parish. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://vimeo.com/theranchstudios/livegodspeed" target="_blank"><span id="goog_948699710"></span>Godspeed: The Pace of Being Known</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://vimeo.com/theranchstudios/livegodspeed" target="_blank">The Ranch Studios: Danny Lund</a></span><br />
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<a href="https://vimeo.com/theranchstudios/livegodspeed"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">https://vimeo.com/theranchstudios/livegodspeed</span></a><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One of the opening lines of the video, “If you want to walk like Jesus, you have to slow down.” Every city has a unique pulse and speed. In the city, there also seems to be an urgency to get things done and to accomplish something--to be successful; and when we aren’t doing something exciting and if aren’t working towards some goal we often feel inadequate--even guilty. Others may think there is something wrong with us. Spiritually, if we’re not feeling great emotionally about our faith, about God, about church and about life in general, we feel that something must be wrong. </span></span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-e56b4b8a-43a2-786f-0a40-038233e18430" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The video Godspeed is a reminder that if we want to walk like Jesus, to experience the life and what it means to be human, we need to slow down. 3 kilometers an hour. And in walking like Jesus, we slow down to really get to know people--really know people and their stories but to also to allow others to know who we are; knowing means to know each other as persons created in the image of God, to know each other’s fears and aspirations, our insecurities, our struggles and our hopes. The thing is, relationship is organic and it can’t be structured; when we try to force it, or if we have an agenda in mind--trust is broken even before the relationship begins. The foundation of church is on relationships (relationship with the Triune God) and the embrace of the each other. Slow down. Slow down. Slow down. And in walking like Jesus, at Godspeed, we will experience God when we in fact “slow down so that we catch up to God.” This is what I am learning to do; and personally, it starts with being--who we are: a child loved, forgiven, and reconciled with God our father. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">While work is important to God and our work indeed matters, we also need to be reminded that the work is not the end in itself. God is to receive all the glory. We are building FOR the kingdom--we don’t build it. We also have be careful not to be doing for the sake of doing; or doing because of someone else’s expectation for us. Don’t get trapped in the frantic whirlwind of doing or keeping yourself busy. In my experience, that only leads to burnout--work becomes meaningless. In other words, work with purpose and intentionality. As an aside, occasional reflection on where you’re heading, what problem are you trying to solve, our strengths and values, how do I make a difference to the situation, and so forth can help us re-calibrate. Another tool is to think about what are some things in your schedule you need to stop doing, start, or slowdown? There is nothing wrong with slow--slow is good and imagine what life would be like if you began living and working at Godspeed. </span></span></div>
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Damon Makhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714068971321206441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6855724448908684780.post-833608109335981952017-07-13T15:06:00.000-07:002017-07-13T15:06:20.373-07:00World Economic Forum: A growing number of people think their job is useless. Time to rethink the meaning of work<h1 class="article__headline" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #141414; letter-spacing: -0.02em; line-height: 1; margin: 0px 0px 0.5em;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Article from World Economic Forum: A growing number of people think their job is useless. Time to rethink the meaning of work</span></h1>
<a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2017/04/why-its-time-to-rethink-the-meaning-of-work?utm_content=buffer502a7&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2017/04/why-its-time-to-rethink-the-meaning-of-work?utm_content=buffer502a7&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer</span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And I would say, Work Matters because the Creator God Works! And we get to join in God's cosmos redeeming work!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I met a young man yesterday who was struggling with this question about what does faith have to do with our work. Our society and church cultures continue to promote the dualism between the sacred and secular; the good and bad; and inside and of the world. Rather, everything that we do has the potential to be good work--it is all because of God's common grace. And even when we think its bad work, God has a way to transform it into good in the end. But it does require us to innovate new ideas, seek out new opportunities, and be empowered to make a difference wherever God calls us. You can choose to live as a victim; <i>or </i>embrace our God given identity as children of God, those created in God's image, and ambassadors of His kingdom. We are <i>ekklesia</i>! (I use the Greek, because the modern understanding of 'church' fails to describe its full meaning.)</span>Damon Makhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714068971321206441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6855724448908684780.post-89233455767907961762017-06-30T16:49:00.000-07:002017-06-30T16:50:50.027-07:00MVP (Mission, Vision, Plan): Leading Change and Building for the Kingdom<div dir="ltr">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXFivx8lXHDup95UdWu0jVHvC0G_plsteUfvQWecClT9C1V7H-R1T5Mb-eRxwRiZPK63Wq5AziOfKI29elIdYcxjwNYvek5l6rrUlX5rCE_XSuoRGQlWHSMefAFhyphenhyphenM-CByOdk7RVSxTbxq/s1600/Sketch305154350-02.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="mission vision plan damonmak.blogspot.com" border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXFivx8lXHDup95UdWu0jVHvC0G_plsteUfvQWecClT9C1V7H-R1T5Mb-eRxwRiZPK63Wq5AziOfKI29elIdYcxjwNYvek5l6rrUlX5rCE_XSuoRGQlWHSMefAFhyphenhyphenM-CByOdk7RVSxTbxq/s320/Sketch305154350-02.jpeg" title="" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">An organization's longevity is dependent on having a strong Vision, Mission, and a Plan for execution. I will refer to these three elements as MVP. The MVP will face the greatest test when an organization, company, or church community is in the midst of transition. Businesses desiring to grow or attract increased funding will also need a compelling MVP. Before starting a new venture, it is also important to clearly write down the MVP and invite others to critique it. I argue that all corporate decisions need to be made with the MVP in mind. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Without these key elements and constant reinforcement and review of them, especially if there isn't clarity around the MVP, the company will inevitably face turmoil; for t</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">hose who are part of these communities will likely leave it frustrated or lost. Or if they decide to stay, they will likely either be disengaged or worse, attempt to sabotage it from the inside. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Therefore, the leadership responsible for carrying out the MVP have a crucial role–they need to believe it, live and breathe it, and are willing to carry out the organizations MVP even when the risk of failure is high. More, they are responsible for communicating the MVP to all levels of the organization; we'll talk about how to create greater engagement in another post but <i>communitas </i>begins with a clear MVP. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">While I titled the acronym MVP for easy memorization, Vision comes first. </span><br />
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<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Where there is no vision, the people perish." Proverbs 29.</i></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>VISION</b>: When crafting the vision, our eschatology (e.g. end-purpose and belief of future new (renewal) heaven and new (renewal) earth, coming down of the new Jerusalem to earth, re-purposing) in relation to "Genesis-intent" (Genesis 1 and 2, creation mandate pre-fall) may help shape the organization's vision; considering the grand narrative of God's past, present and future plan may help inform our vision. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If we are to be faithful stewards of creation and <i>shalom</i>-makers, the vision needs to connect with the <i>missio Dei </i>(God's mission). Ask yourselves, Who is God, what does God care about, what will God do in the end, and what does God desire for creation. Hence, I contend that the vision must include aspects of <i>shalom</i>– <i>shalom</i> of persons and creation in light of God's <i>shalom</i> and <i>telos</i> (end-purpose and ultimate glory). Seek to clearly articulate how the organization's vision of the future better the lives of people in way that they flourish, thrive, and become more whole persons, how the organization will improve the relationships between people and with God, or help humanity become better stewards of creation. T</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">he vision doesn't have a time limit; and it is best that it doesn't. All to say, w</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">hen crafting the vision statement, dream big and be open to the possibilities; more often than others, the vision will not be achievable pre-</span><i>parousia</i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">. While the vision is a big, it includes clarity of what the organization is specially called to do. Be attentive to what particular area of that vision God is calling the group to. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It may include a statement of the problem in which the organization is desiring to solve. In addition, it may reflect what a changed society, people, persons and so forth could become when the vision is achieved. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Essentially, the vision should include why the organization does each day matters–its purpose for existing, </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">raison d'être,</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> and/or purpose for serving others.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>MISSION</b>: Vision and mission can often sound the same. For me, they are different but are intricately connected and interdependent; I make the distinction by stating that vision is future oriented and our hope for the future. Mission brings greater focus by helping us to understand who we are today and what we are to do specifically in light of that grand vision. In other words, what does God desire for us to do today. Both vision and mission are therefore important. It is, if you will, our mission-role in the inaugurated Kingdom as we set a course towards the vision. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The mission clarifies what the organization is called to do today as we participation with God's work in the world through the power of the Holy Spirit collectively and in each of us. Our mission arises from God and stirs our hearts and calling us to join Him in the work--it is our response and how we are to engage and participate. More, the mission is h</span>ow that vision is incarnated in our context, in our organization or business. Moreover, the mission is for understanding the purpose for the day-to-day. But while the vision is big and bold the mission has to be realistic and practical; individuals within an organization should not find it too hard to connect with the organization's mission. Thus, it is important that when crafting the mission statement, involve as many people from within the organization in the discernment process, to gather other perspectives, and to listen (and to listen well) to what others and essentially what God is saying; further, allowing others to weigh in will receive greater buy in later on. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>"Mission, then, is ultimately not about getting individuals right with God but about incorporating them into a new community that partners with God in redeeming social structures and healing the world." - Tim Keller, Center Church.</i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>PLAN</b>: Before we Plan for execution, come up with the map of how we plan to reach the vision and create structures for implementing the mission, we need to have clarity and focus on our mission. I occasionally run into questions of why actions are being undertaken; when this occurs, it is because people are confused and asking how actions are in line with the mission (and vision). The mission needs to be front and center in the day to day operations. Decisions and organization goals should be considered in light of the mission. There may be many opportunities that arise, but if it doesn't align with the mission, we can say "NO" and not pursue. Having the ability to say "NO" to things should liberate rather than limit us. When establishing the Plan, create a timeline as best as you can to accomplish milestones and goals established by the leadership. Identify strengths and limitations and resources necessary to accomplish the tasks. This is the time to craft the strategy for execution and implementation. Include specific actions and S.M.A.R.T goals for tracking progress. Establish checkpoints for when to evaluate progress and for when to discuss recourse and actions when there are hurdles. In the beginning, it is important to review more frequently but as a "groove" is established, let things simmer. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">More, in the Planning stages identify key players and ensure clear accountability structures and escalation points. Importantly, listen to feedback from the constituents and reassess if we are detracting from our mission--being attentive to God's voice always. Ask questions or ask around if you are not sure. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There is a tension during the execution. We have to remember that we are participating with God in God's mission and work in the world. We need to hold lightly to our agendas. Ultimately, it is for God's glory. Failure is an option--it's reality because we are still in the moment of the "now but not yet". But on this side of eternity, we focus on doing our best and remember that all we do is for God. We are to be good stewards of God's resources in our businesses and communities that we lead. This is another way of saying that we must allow God to be God; allow the process to take its time--enjoy the process and journey. It is about working with God through it all, so remember to not take yourself too seriously. </span></div>
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Damon Makhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714068971321206441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6855724448908684780.post-45190705214443114552017-06-16T18:10:00.001-07:002017-06-16T18:10:52.510-07:00Circle of Friends (Proverbs 27) <div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC5NNbgt-h18_vmDaOLArFQnP3xXq86DC4gyp13otquKRTVe9vBxZ4-HotC7UD_Fdjk734axTlwDen_IotPV-8_KHbd7gjaiN3Ub3PakCzk-_nTqLWj-Wzb0D4J6B2UWNx-USbFaJshd8K/s1600/Sketch165174619-01.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="circle of friends proverbs 27" border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="720" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC5NNbgt-h18_vmDaOLArFQnP3xXq86DC4gyp13otquKRTVe9vBxZ4-HotC7UD_Fdjk734axTlwDen_IotPV-8_KHbd7gjaiN3Ub3PakCzk-_nTqLWj-Wzb0D4J6B2UWNx-USbFaJshd8K/s320/Sketch165174619-01.jpeg" title="" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Proverbs 27 is packed with wisdom. In reflection, several passages reminded me of the importance of who forms your circle of friends and your inner circle. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I have to admit this is not the best exegesis of the text. The one verse that stood out was verse 17 "Iron sharpens iron, and one person sharpens another" which got me thinking about the other parts of the passage that speaks on the importance of friends (neighbours), friendship, and those people who form our circle of friends. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When we speak of "friends", everyone will define it differently. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Jesus had his 3-12-72-1000 and he interacted and related with them differently at each level.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> One</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> question today is who forms your circle of 3, 12, 72, 1000? </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">3: Peter, John (Jesus' beloved disciple), James (Mark 14:33-34, Mark 5:37)</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">12: Jesus' Disciples (Mark 3:14)</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">72: Jesus sends out them out (Luke 10) two-by-two</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1000: The crowds who followed Jesus and witnessed his ministry</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We probably don't think about it too much other than to look at the number of friends you have on Facebook, but who is your 3-12-72-1000? And if verse 17 is true that "iron sharpens iron"--who we "hangout" with day-to-day will shape who we are and become, what we believe, how we behave, our worldview, and how we live out the rest of our life. Our friends matter. And when we clearly understand our circle of friends we can be more intentional and focused on who we spend time with, and who we allow to influence us as individuals. I'm not saying to ditch all your friends tomorrow and pick three people hang out with every day; and maybe you do need to reassess. I am saying to be more aware of those few individuals in your life today who you will allow to be the iron that sharpens you; and vice versa. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Friends allow us to be individuals--loving us and and gracefully accepting us for who we are but also desiring us to be transformed from the inside to be more like Christ each day. As friends, we can be free to be who we are as well as being able to freely speak our hearts to each other. And when you read on, you will find that genuine friends are not necessarily the people who flatter you and simply associate with you because they like the things that you do--in fact will refuse to flatter you and be overly impressed by you or what you do.</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Let me highlight a few verses from Proverbs 27.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span direction="ltr" style="background-color: white;"><span class="vnm gtPointable" style="cursor: pointer; padding-right: 2px; vertical-align: super;">2</span></span><span class="tinySpaceVNM" style="background-color: white;"> </span><span class="gtPointable lang_en" lang="en" style="background-color: white; cursor: pointer;">Let </span><span class="gtPointable lang_en" lang="en" style="background-color: white; cursor: pointer;">another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span direction="ltr" style="background-color: white;"><span class="vnm gtPointable" style="cursor: pointer; padding-right: 2px; vertical-align: super;">5</span></span><span class="tinySpaceVNM" style="background-color: white;"> </span><span class="gtPointable lang_en" lang="en" style="background-color: white; cursor: pointer;">Better is open rebuke than hidden love.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span direction="ltr" style="background-color: white;"><span class="vnm gtPointable" style="cursor: pointer; padding-right: 2px; vertical-align: super;">6</span></span><span class="tinySpaceVNM" style="background-color: white;"> </span><span class="gtPointable lang_en" lang="en" style="background-color: white; cursor: pointer;">Faithful are </span><span class="gtPointable lang_en" lang="en" style="background-color: white; cursor: pointer;">the wounds of a friend; </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">9 Oil and perfume make the heart glad, and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="tinySpaceVNM" style="background-color: white;">10b </span><span class="tinySpaceVNM" style="background-color: white;"> </span><span class="gtPointable lang_en" lang="en" style="background-color: white; cursor: pointer;">Better is a neighbour who is near than a brother who is far away.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span direction="ltr" style="background-color: white;"><span class="vnm gtPointable" style="cursor: pointer; padding-right: 2px; vertical-align: super;">17</span></span><span class="tinySpaceVNM" style="background-color: white;"> </span><span class="gtPointable lang_en" lang="en" style="background-color: white; cursor: pointer;">Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span direction="ltr" style="background-color: white;"><span class="vnm gtPointable" style="cursor: pointer; padding-right: 2px; vertical-align: super;">19</span></span><span class="tinySpaceVNM" style="background-color: white;"> </span><span class="gtPointable lang_en" lang="en" style="background-color: white; cursor: pointer;">As in water face reflects face, so the heart of man reflects the man.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span direction="ltr" style="background-color: white;"><span class="vnm gtPointable" style="cursor: pointer; padding-right: 2px; vertical-align: super;">21</span></span><span class="tinySpaceVNM" style="background-color: white;"> </span><span class="gtPointable lang_en" lang="en" style="background-color: white; cursor: pointer;">The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and a man is tested by his praise.</span></span></li>
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<span class="gtPointable lang_en" lang="en" style="background-color: white; cursor: pointer;"><span class="gtPointable lang_en" lang="en" style="cursor: pointer;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span class="gtPointable lang_en" lang="en" style="background-color: white; cursor: pointer;"><span class="gtPointable lang_en" lang="en" style="cursor: pointer;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Proverbs 27 begins with essentially the warning of not being a fool. A food being someone who toots her own horn (2), boasts about what he will do tomorrow (1), provokes others (3), and is wrathful, angry and jealous (4). </span></span></span><br />
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<span class="gtPointable lang_en" lang="en" style="background-color: white; cursor: pointer;"><span class="gtPointable lang_en" lang="en" style="cursor: pointer;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A friend rebukes (5) and it is good that a friend openly and honestly rebukes you and has the permission to be that voice in your life; at moments, our friend's voice can be as Christ Jesus himself to us. To clarify, our friend is not Christ's voice and whenever we think we hear Christ's voice we will need discernment, but regardless our friend's advice should point us to Christ. While rebuking is often sharp and criticism, it must be done respectfully, and with grace, honour and dignity--the relationship must be respected; but sometimes (as my wife does sometimes) needs to do it directly to keep me from making a fool of myself. When your friend rebukes you, it will hurt (6) (not harm us) and you will be upset sometimes; however, we all know that we will be better people and sharpened by those words. For a friend to rebuke us, is to in fact show care, concern, and love for us--they genuinely care that we are being shaped to be as God desires to be. At the foundation, there is trust and agape-love; rebuking "in love." Our friends will keep us honest and be ready to check our motives when needed. </span></span></span><br />
<span class="gtPointable lang_en" lang="en" style="background-color: white; cursor: pointer;"><span class="gtPointable lang_en" lang="en" style="cursor: pointer;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span class="gtPointable lang_en" lang="en" style="background-color: white; cursor: pointer;"><span class="gtPointable lang_en" lang="en" style="cursor: pointer;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">While a friend can rebuke you, your friends are also the ones who will praise you (2) and champion you; your friends are the ones who will support you, pray for you, and give you wise counsel (9). When a friend counsels us and walks with us in our discernment and decision making, it will be sweet and make our heart glad. Our friend is not to tell us what to do, but walks beside us and ensures that we make the decision, trusts that God has spoken to us, and supports us regardless of the outcome. As mentioned earlier, a friend, therefore, is not there to flatter us but is invested in us and desires our hearts to reflect who we are made to be--as God's image bearers and as God intended them to be; in other words, friends care about our character and integrity, and ensure that we live authentic lives and thrive as persons. When we are praised (21) or receive praise, who we are on the inside often is revealed--it is a test of our character and specifically concerning our humility. Our friends are those who will support us, and stand with us in the spotlight or in the "rain" when things get rough; they will also be there to keep our feet on the ground so that the praise doesn't "get to our head". </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We also don't think about who we influence day to day. We definitely influence our close friends and they influence us--the 3 and 12. Often we forget that when we interact with our 72-1000, it can have a profound effect on those people as well as the people who they influence; Our influence ripples out if you will. What we say and do matters; what we don't say or don't do also matters. Each day, we are to be Christ to the world.</span><br />
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Damon Makhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714068971321206441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6855724448908684780.post-59140261527964146202017-06-09T18:00:00.000-07:002017-06-09T20:27:29.823-07:00The Theology of Hiring and Firing<br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If you are running or managing a business, you will need to hire and (hopefully only on the rare occasion) fire an employee. As a follower of Jesus, how do you approach these scenarios? How do you make the right decision? Is there such thing as hiring and firing well? These are massive topics and there are countless books written on each subject. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Both have its unique challenges. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> In reality, every hiring or firing situation is different from the next. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Today's post on the subject is not intended to be a set of rules to follow or does it include everything that is needed when faced with the decision; rather its intention is to help us make better decisions and be faithful to who we are as Christians and leaders in the workplace. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I will also do my best to succinctly highlight the theological implications.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In beginning, we need to remember who we are as our identity matters. We are loved by God and His grace is enough. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">God has given us the ability to think, reason and discern--we are empowered to decide and decide well. We are vice regents in God's Kingdom; again empowered to make decisions with God and to be stewards of God's resources. More, we work in participation with God in the world, and in our businesses, to maximize God's shalom. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is important that we ourselves are committed to making the decision as managers or business owners; while you may consult others, we need to make the final decision ourselves as responsible, accountable, mature adults and mature followers of Christ. To not make a decision is an avoidance and abdication of responsibility as a manager. </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Good management requires us to decide well since we represent the company. Further, w</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">hen we demonstrate good management, we demonstrate good stewardship not only of the company's resources but also God's resources</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> because we also represent God in the world. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It's key to remember that it's not about being or making the perfect decision. The reality is that it is impossible to make the perfect decision--we</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> can only do our best for the moment we're in. And once the decision has been made-made in and at peace and joy with our decision- we commit to it, and accept it as the best decision; we cannot at a later time regret our decision as it is almost always an imperfect situation. Remembering also that hindsight is always 20-20. Importantly, the Holy Spirit (along with our business community) is with us throughout the decision making process--we are not alone in making the decision. The goal, in most decisions is to aim for a win-win-win situation where you, the other party, and God win and win together.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As an aside, I think our culture has adopted a false understanding of love where we accommodate and tolerate inappropriate behavior because accepting their behavior is the "loving" thing to do. However, the loving thing to do may in fact be to correct and reprimand the behavior--including firing. It may be the right thing to do because you love the person. As a father, I will put my boys in time-out or restrict television time if they disobey mom or dad; To ignore or tolerate their disobedient behavior would in fact not be the loving thing to do. In fact, when I am impartial, they definitely know and will behavior differently knowing that I am. Maybe a post on minding children some day. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We also need to be reminded that the person we are hiring or firing is also made in God's image--someone God deeply cares for. He or she is also on a journey to discover who God is, and who and what God has called them to. We get to journey with aiding that individual in that journey--it is a indeed a privileged and why it is such an important task for us as managers and employers to do our best to discern well. As such, we must always treat him or her with respect, dignity, and agape-love. We are to always act justly, fairly, honorably and with grace. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Hiring is about building a flourishing community where individuals can flourish. Hiring is also bringing along side others who are committed to serve a mission and purpose. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is often helpful to begin by understanding what are the </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">budget constraints for the position. Most positions have a limit; if there isn't a limit I'd like to know what company doesn't.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I prefer an interview process that involve multiple interviewers--it helps alleviate biases and potential conflicts of interest. As the hiring team, it is important to talk before the interviews to understand what is required and what are nice-to-haves in a candidate. Also, certain positive or negative characteristics may be observed by other interviewers that we miss which may be important to determining who you hire in the end. More, as hiring is about building community, the interview process should involve those from the community-managers and future team-members. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Hiring often is about looking for potential and possibilities--not only what and who they are today, but what they can become in a few years time in both skills and character. Hiring someone strictly based on skills for the job may give the team temporary relief and lighten the workload; however, from experience h</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">iring based on character, integrity, virtues, teach-ability is of more importance--skills you can teach, character (being) is much harder to shape. That said, we also believe that the Holy Spirit can transform anyone; so i'm not saying its impossible, just takes longer and patience. What i'm also not saying is to ignore skills and competency and hire only based on character; we want to hire those that have relevant skills and demonstrate competency, however, we want to </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ensure the candidate we're hiring is a fit for the team and community--specifically, culture fit.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Building community requires </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">finding the best candidate who will best serve the customers, the team and company, and the community. Wi</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ll the clients trust him? Will she be capable of building relationship and collaborating with the team? Is she interested in their personal success only or are she interested also in success of others and the client? What are the motivations for getting the job? A suggestion would be to l</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ook for individuals who are interested in investing in others and the success and flourishing of others in addition to achieving personal success. Furthermore, look for candidates w</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ho exemplify the company's culture and can add to the existing culture--a person who can flourish in the existing culture, and reinforce the existing culture and promote a culture that is consistent with the vision of the culture and where you desire to see culture become. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If possible we also want to understand the person's purpose and passions, their strengths, and talents so that we can do our best to facilitate them in fulfilling their vocation. We want to hire someone who will thrive in what they do, and also elevate the flourishing of those that he or she works with whether its with people inside or outside the company. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It's a great feeling to see a person who we hire succeed, grow, and become who God created them to be.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There is no perfect candidate and we need to be reminded that we are to do our best. As a cautionary note, do not </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">hire simply to fill a position; there may be challenges later which will impact the team dynamics or morale. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There is always (at least there should be) the option to not hire at this moment and wait with the intent to continue searching for additional candidates. Again, being aware of the reality that we must decide and cannot delay our decision indefinitely; Also being aware that when we delay the process we could be negatively impacting the </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">team productivity and team morale. Unfortunately, we can also loose the position due to budget or business changes. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Hiring is two ways; the person being interviewed is also looking for a match. As you are getting to know the other person, they are doing the same. Don't be disappointed if he or she turn your offer down--it happens. And if you find a candidate, congratulations! Celebrate and welcome them--seriously welcome them! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">While we hope to hire someone for the long term, there may come a time where they may leave the business for another opportunity, or lay the person off. Sometimes, it means we need to fire them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There comes a point when a manager needs to decide whether to terminate the employee from the company. Firing is never easy--if it's easy, something is wrong. As a Christian, we often are unsure of what to do in these situations because the Bible says that we should love our neighbors and we should have grace. Right? At the same time, we are also stewards of the resources of the company and it is our responsibility as managers to represent the interest of the company. But we also want to be faithful and loving follower of Christ. We can be stuck between these tensions. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As managers of the business, we can experience decision-paralysis around firing. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Firing often has a negative connotation and being fired is often associated with failure. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Firing someone is neither a reflection of your character nor connected with your identity. Neither is a person who is fired a bad and evil people--people are intrinsically valuable. There may be all sorts of reasons why the person is not performing at the level expected for the job. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sometimes the reason is a poor choice in making a decision.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We won't go into all the possible reasons for firing in this post.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Again, good management is good stewardship of the company's resources as well as God's resources. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Whether its negotiating a deal or firing, we need to prioritize the relationship; at the beginning, during, and after the process, the relationship between the the manager and employee (or those involved in the process) must be maintained or better. Grace and dignity matter profoundly in these situations. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Alright, here are some considerations:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1) What is the reason for firing? Are laws being broken? Breach of contract? Breach of work relationship?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Is the individual not meeting the requirements of the job? Is the employee aware of the requirements of the job and have those requirements been communicated clearly and understood? As managers, we need to confront the issue as soon as possible. If possible, collect data to substantiate the reason and to eliminate any subjectivity. Some reasons are immediate grounds for termination, some are not; consulting or getting a second opinion is always a good idea in these situations. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">2) How has this employee performed in the past? Is the behavior out of the ordinary for this person? Is he going through a transition outside of work that is affecting his performance? </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Is their performance improving just slower than expected--they may be struggling to learn something. Be sensitive to cultural differences as some people from other cultures are more vocal about expressing their challenges--some not as much. Some employees will be satisfied with meeting the requirements of the job and it is possible that she peaks at some point; remembering also having such individuals on the team bring stability to the team. Coaching the employee may help them break-through the hurdle. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Consult with another manager colleague who you trust to understand if they are observing the same behavior. The intent is not to gossip, but to have a trusted colleague give feedback and shed any wisdom on the situation. Is there data to substantiate the problem you are observing. Make sure you are at peace before addressing the concern with the employee and/or when making the final decision; if you are not at peace, wait or take a break. Take a walk, make sure it is not "emotional leakage" from some else that's happening in your life or from a previous incident. Understand the situation at the moment.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">4) How is the individual's behavior impacting the rest of the team. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If you notice a problem, the rest of the team is definitely aware of the problem. They are observing your leadership and how you address the situation. How you address the situation (or if you choose to ignore) will positively or negatively impact the morale of the team. Once trust is broken with the team, it will be very challenging to regain trust with the team which will be a challenge on its own. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">5) </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Is there a position in the company where the individual may thrive?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There are people that I've worked with who thrive once they move to another team. This should always be considered especially if the person demonstrates commendable character, integrity and work ethic and is a positive impact to the culture of the company.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">6) Do they need additional training and coaching? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Listen and try to understand why the individual is under-performing; it may be an opportunity to pastor. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Do they feel they are contributing to the success of the business? </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Do they understand the business and the purpose of the business. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Are the goals of the company clear? </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Do they have S.M.A.R.T. goals? </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Setup a performance improvement plan for the next few months and plan to coach them to achieve the level expected. If she continues to not meet expectations, your decision to terminate their employment should not come as a surprise. Opportunities to coach and mentor,and discussions around their performance should have been exhausted before going forward with firing. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">7) </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Is the job they are doing the individual's calling? A job isn't necessarily their calling; they may be experiencing a transition point in their life. Future post coming on calling.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The decision to hire or fire is never easy. There is great honor in participating with God in His work in the world. It's also important to remind ourselves that we still work and live in the messy middle between the <i>now and not yet.</i> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Colossians 3:22 states that "</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Bondservants, obey </span><span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-29523BA" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29523BA" title="See cross-reference BA">BA</a>)" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">in everything those who are your earthly masters,</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord." </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We may very well need to obey our bosses, even with great reservations, their orders to hire or fire--we need to follow through. Lord have mercy for we redeemed-sinners. In addition, we can have having faith, hope, and love because the Holy Spirit is with us at each moment as we maximize God's shalom in the world. Do your best. It will require boldness and courage as we integrate faith and work and life. </span></div>
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Damon Makhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714068971321206441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6855724448908684780.post-63432430859999648092017-06-02T09:36:00.000-07:002017-06-02T09:42:59.438-07:00The Reality of Sexual Exploitation (City in Focus Event)<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>May 26, 2017</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - Vancouver Club - City in Focus Event: Human Trafficking </span></div>
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<span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Picture a full bus load of men coming to Vancouver. And instead of going on a cruise together or sight-seeing, they come to Vancouver to buy sex from exploited women and children.</span></div>
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<span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">That was the essence of a comment made by one of the attendees in a conversation I had after the breakfast talk on Human Trafficking hosted by City in Focus last Friday. </span></div>
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<span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">On the panel that morning was Cathy Peters (International Anti-Human Trafficking Advocate), Phil Reilly (Director of Development and Mobilization for IJM, BC), Sister Nancy Brown (Covenant House), and Gwendoline Allison (Foy Allison Law). The discussion was mediated by Tom Cooper.</span></div>
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<span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Surely human trafficking cannot be </span><i style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">that</i><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> big of a problem here in our beautiful city? We would be naïve to believe that the ads in the local newspapers for nail parlors, escorts and massage services are what they advertise. Those are the services that publicly advertised; with the emergence of the Internet, many of those services have gone underground. </span></div>
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<span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Some other comments from the morning:</span></div>
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<li style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">20% of the prostitutes (women and men) are from the streets, and 80% from the Internet. </span></li>
<li style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">50% of those women are aboriginals. </span></li>
<li style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Globally, the sex industry accounts for $120-150 Billion USD which affects approximately 2 million children who are exploited for profit. </span></li>
<li style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Vancouver is the largest Sugar Daddy city. </span></li>
<li style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">There is a child pornography problem right in the city.</span></li>
<li style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Canada has the top 3 sites for hosting material for cyber sex trafficking.</span></li>
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<span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">With sex trafficking affecting so many people and of such big magnitude, why is there so little being said by our media? It’s not difficult to deduce why.</span></div>
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<span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The solution is not easy nor simple. It is multi-faceted and complex. As our panelists pointed out, “Without addressing the demand for buying sex, we cannot hope to reduce the supply of victimized people.” The way forward does begin locally, here in our city. Change begins with raising awareness, increased enforcement and improved laws, education, and the pulpit. </span></div>
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<span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Need for greater awareness. Without reports to the police, the crime hasn’t been committed; that is one of the reasons why media doesn’t talk about it. To simply advocate that the victims go to police and report the problem is also to dismiss the emotions especially fears of a each person who are traumatized by their perpetrators. Our society has turned prostitution into a choice–a choice of work or choice of the individual. However, if you are poor–it is neither a choice nor is it work. We need to name it for what it is–exploitation.</span></div>
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<span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">There is also a need for increased police involvement and enforcement of the law. This will obviously require the review of our existing laws around the selling of sex and buyers of sex. It was troubling to hear a comment made during the session that the police often are not (and cannot be?) involved unless a girl goes missing, or has died from an incident. In Vancouver, there is yet to be a someone charged for the crime. The directive to take action needs to come from the top levels of our government and lead by the leaders of our city and police. More, we need funding and programs to help trafficked individuals transition out of prostitution. </span></div>
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<span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">There needs to be improved education. Some of the girls that are lured into the sex industry are girls; Under aged girls who are too young and naïve to realize what is actually happening. Trafficking of boys and girls are typically for labour or sex. This is Vancouver I’m talking about. Some girls from other countries are lured into the industry with the false promise of better education in Canada. The poor are being exploited. Education of our children needs to happen at an early age. And it needs to begin in our homes; At the core, it’s about helping them understand their value as persons as well as educating them on the dignity of all humans and that all human life needs to be respected.</span></div>
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<span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Lastly, something must change in our local churches. The Church needs to be at the forefront of the battle in what Cathy Peters summarized as a “fight against evil.” In other words, the weekly message from the pulpits needs to change. When we are Pro-Life, we need to be concerned about the entire life and all stages of the individual’s life–”from Womb to Tomb” as Tom Cooper exhorted. We need a renewed understanding of who we are as persons made in the image of God. People, in particular women and children, cannot be equal if they are treated as objects–objects that can be consumed or bought and sold as commodity. All people are precious in the heart of God. If the Christian message is simply about being saved and going to Heaven after we die, we are perpetuating the problem. If the Christian message is about shalom, justice, compassion, love, kindness, rescue and restoration–we, as the Body of Christ, need to take action today to live out what we in fact believe in. This is a calling to the whole people of God, and we need to work together NOW.</span></div>
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Damon Makhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714068971321206441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6855724448908684780.post-5547569962739033592017-05-30T16:13:00.000-07:002017-05-30T16:13:56.205-07:00Profits Only? Business Purpose-for-others (telos) and need for a third indicator of Success. <div dir="ltr">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Many companies today focus on profits as if that is the key indicator of the corporation's success. Profits are important--it shows that the company is a viable company, the leadership is competent, the business is stable and sustainable, and so forth. This is necessary to attract capital to gain more investors and for further and future growth of the company. But profits alone do not demonstrate the complete picture when we're talking about the "health" of the company today and for the future. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A secondary indicator these days is around social impact and environmental responsibility of the business. Investors want to know, for example, the footprint and impact of the company on the environment and society as a whole. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Chris Houston in his Ebook "For Goodness' Sake: Business for telos" discusses the importance of the purpose of the business. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Houston clarifies that </span>"society is not asking for the business case for purpose. What society is in fact demanding to see is the purpose case for business." (39) Houston argues that "we need businesses that relentlessly deliver on a <i>telos </i>to serve others." (43) <i>Telos </i>being: </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: #fafafa; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A Greek word meaning "intended end." Applied by Aristotle to humans, telos implies a life of virtue, lived for the good of others. Telos has an inherent benevolence and a predisposition towards the common good. It is most precisely defined as a purpose-for-others. Every telos is a purpose, but only the rare purpose is a telos. (44)</span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For the business to formulate and live out its <i>telos </i>"involves the reformulation or clarification of the very identity of the organization and its primary reason to exist." (45) Customers want to know that you care about society and them as a customer. Yes, positive social impact is indeed important and serving others (its purpose-for-others) is of utmost importance. It's important that everyone in the company understands and owns the purpose (telos) of the business and brand. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I want to propose a third indicator of importance that can better the long-term success of a company that demonstrates the true "health" of the business and it relates to its people. Houston does touch on it, but I want to call it out more explicitly.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Over the past years, employee engagement sits around 30% engaged, with the remaining 70% disengaged or actively sabotaging the company (20%?). That's 3 out of 10 employees that are actually engaged in their work. (Cf. Gallup)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A company can be making money and even have a compelling purpose; however, if a company's employees are not engaged in their work--is it truly a viable company? My challenge to today's business leaders is to publicly publish your quarterly/annual earnings with your employee engagement survey results. Yes, show your profits and let the world see how engaged your employees are. I have a feeling that doing so probably scares leadership more than how much money they not making. I believe transparency and openness will build greater trust with your employees, customers, as well as investors--real investors. It demonstrates publicly what you value as a leader, how you are making a difference in the lives of the people that work in your company, how you are investing and caring for your employees, and what you're doing to make your company the best place to work. More, it shows that you can be trusted, you are accountable as a leader inside and outside the company, you are willing to listen, and you're not afraid to admit failure. Measuring and disclosing the company's employee engagement helps leaders understand whether employees are in fact aligned and living out the business purpose-telos, be transparent with the challenges, and work towards creating a plan for how to resolve those challenges. </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Furthermore, d</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">oing so will demonstrate character, vulnerability and humility--again, trust and whether you can be trusted as a brand and business will be a key competitive differentiator in today and future markets. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When businesses focus solely on profits (and sadly, many companies still do), a company will unfortunately rot from the inside. A company that focuses solely on profits will become irrelevant and also loose the customer's interest. To regain momentum towards a more healthy business will be a insurmountable task at that point. I</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> hope leaders have the courage to be different-different where both profits, purpose and people are top priorities and focus. </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Essentially, investors and customers want to know about your product as well as its profits, its <i>telos</i>, and the people </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">behind the brand. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When you focus on these three factors, profits will come and continue come--I believe it. More importantly, employees will be more engaged (and with more joy) and passionate with what they do because you genuinely care about them as persons--they will champion the company and work to delight customers. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Moreover, when profits, purpose and people are valued and aligned, people in and outside the company <i>will</i> want to invest in your company.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If you know someone who would enjoy reading this post, share it with them. Sharing is caring.</span></div>
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Damon Makhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714068971321206441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6855724448908684780.post-78492416326059734412017-05-29T11:08:00.004-07:002017-05-29T11:08:56.100-07:00For Goodness' Sake - "You don't need to be the CEO...(Telosity)<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zPHfrz280IQ" width="480"></iframe></span><br />
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/goog_1879188255"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></a>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chris Houston on making a difference wherever you are in the company doing what you do already-You don't need to be the CEO to make a difference. You <i>can </i>influence and be an agent for change today.</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.telosity.net/you_don_t_need_to_be_ceo_to_make_your_company_better"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://www.telosity.net/you_don_t_need_to_be_ceo_to_make_your_company_better</span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Head to the link above and get his free Ebook on Telosity.net</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Join the movement in transforming our workplaces!</span>Damon Makhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714068971321206441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6855724448908684780.post-80060196303034865972017-05-25T17:00:00.000-07:002017-05-26T18:14:32.879-07:007 Questions to Ask yourself when Engaging "Millennials"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4nO-VgqB8XY8Wr8se0SpQ9q5sHF_1M5nI4VOa81rbmzoDDMMjafQDJb09V-CjgxvTP2PybdkjVGpqIT3W0jsB28Cl4fu3aYKg4JREK0AF5bsE2iwASDIon1TEJ6mYXEYfQkN4RxyGG6iw/s1600/LRM_EXPORT_20170510_210451-01.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="7 questions engaging millenials" border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="1515" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4nO-VgqB8XY8Wr8se0SpQ9q5sHF_1M5nI4VOa81rbmzoDDMMjafQDJb09V-CjgxvTP2PybdkjVGpqIT3W0jsB28Cl4fu3aYKg4JREK0AF5bsE2iwASDIon1TEJ6mYXEYfQkN4RxyGG6iw/s200/LRM_EXPORT_20170510_210451-01.jpeg" title="" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">While a catchy title for today's blog post, I find categories such as "Millennials" unhelpful especially when the term has more of a negative connotation today. Our society is increasingly marginalizes people (and groups) by creating these categories. There is a deep need for communities that exemplify encouragement, support, collaboration, and empowerment at its core--fundamentally, communities built on trust and authentic relationships. We are all made in the image of God. Categories and labels seek to divide and separate. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In Scripture, we read of the relationship between The Apostle Paul and his young disciples Timothy and Titus who traveled, ate, and spent life together. Because of Paul and his investment and pouring his life into in these two young men, Timothy and Titus became heavyweights (in their own ways) in proclaiming the gospel to the people of their time and building up the early Church. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Today we are faced with a challenge of how to work together--cross-generations. There is also a significant need for mentors and coaches. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In order to create more engaging work environments and church communities, we need to make a dramatic shift in our cultures. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> I've compiled a list of seven questions to help spur dialogue for moving forward together. </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Actually, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> don't think these questions are specific to "Millennials". </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> Importantly, the questions are to help us listen better to each other and listening together. Here we go:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1. How well are we communicating the purpose and why?</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Rather than telling others what to do or dictating how another should live their life, how are we helping others discover for themselves who they are and who God has called them to be and do? Rather than tell them what needs to change, begin with explaining the Why and implications, but let the other person come up with the action plan and application. Simon Sinek </span><a href="https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1591846447/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=15121&creative=330641&creativeASIN=1591846447&linkCode=as2&tag=damonmak-20&linkId=807603a1abbede32a273cc97cb25e658" target="_blank">Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-ca.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=damonmak-20&l=am2&o=15&a=1591846447" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> and Ken Costa <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B01CXE9VTQ/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=15121&creative=330641&creativeASIN=B01CXE9VTQ&linkCode=as2&tag=damonmak-20&linkId=f6685a164baa1744f9bd91ebc060fbbf" target="_blank">Know Your Why: Finding and Fulfilling Your Calling in Life</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-ca.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=damonmak-20&l=am2&o=15&a=B01CXE9VTQ" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> have books on the subject. More, we also need to be communicate the vision and bigger picture of God's mission, and how we participate in God's mission. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">2. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">How are we creating a work environments and faith communities that value people as inherently</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> valuable? </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />People (not their wallets, not their gifts, not talents and abilities) are not a resource and a means to an end. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Are we valuing each person as an individual created by God and in God's image? Are we valuing their individual gifts and strengths--there is no hierarchy of skills that God appreciates more or less. We are the body of Christ. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Do others feel that they are valued? It's not good enough that they know--they really need to experience it. Importantly, while we are a body/community/team/company, we are also made up of individuals made uniquely by God. Everyone is a child of God. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">3. Do we trust others and empower them to do it? </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Trust and empowerment is essential for developing people to become mature followers of Jesus and grow into confident mature adults. This means believing in the person, and allowing the person to carry out what they believe to be the best actions forward. I say "best" because in reality, there is no "right" action forward. In other words, to empower them to make a difference and release them to do it. I believe that those same individuals, when empowered, will commit to the initiative and find ways to make it happen when they believe in the purpose themselves and when others believe in them. This also means providing the support, resources, and encouragement when the other encounters failure. As part of this, h</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ow are we coaching and mentoring others--investing in them as they discover God's calling for themselves?</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">4. What are their values and what do others actually value? What is their passion and </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">God's calling for them as best as they can discern at that moment?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Everyone's values are different. What we think is important to another person, is likely not what is important to them. This requires listening--really listening. This means understanding the ways a person is appreciated, motivated, and rewarded; this requires knowing them as individuals. For example, While I enjoy a cup of espresso, don't buy a coffee card for someone who doesn't drink coffee. More, God's calling for everyone will also be unique and it is important to understand (and help others to discern) God's calling for them as best as they can discern at that moment and to support them in their calling; The big mistake is to impose or rush a person into what we think God is calling the other person to. Be patient with others. It's a life long journey. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">5. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Are we creating environments where each person has a voice and creating spaces where new ideas can be expressed and questions can be asked? </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Environments that exude trust, collaboration, and openness allow for a free-flow of ideas and individual expression of who we are uniquely created by God. This includes, creating spaces where people can practice their craft. More, to create spaces where people can ask questions without being judged or criticized. Learning includes learning about failure and how to fail well. Learning is also more effective when a person discovers the answer themselves rather than having answers fed to them all the time. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">6. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Do we invite those on our communities to help define what the path forward looks like? </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Rather than having an agenda and setting a path for others to follow; sometimes leadership does require that, however, how are we facilitating in those discussions for how to move forward together before presenting the path forward? How are we discerning God's call for the community together and coming along side each other for the journey forward. This includes listening to the cries and concerns of the people. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">7. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Lastly, how are we living out these values and being a positive influence to those around us? </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This is about having integrity and being authentic persons. Our theology and what we believe informs our actions, and our actions demonstrate what we believe. More, we need to have the courage to demonstrate vulnerability, humility, and openness with our lives. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I hope the list of 7 questions is helpful; definitely not an exhaustive list. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Who are the Paul's in your life? Who are the Timothies and Tituses who are in need of a mentor and coach? Who are your co-partners in the journey?</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"Be the change that you wish to see in the world." - </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Mahatma Gandhi</span></span></blockquote>
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Damon Makhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714068971321206441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6855724448908684780.post-76218687340375840222017-05-22T14:53:00.000-07:002017-05-30T16:10:41.312-07:00I Stand Near the Door - Rev. Samuel Moor Shoemaker<div style="text-align: start;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjccFzvyrDM4_ckxEzF41wtMCdemJ717NT3D5VtZPpwO5kE6A08yp60QyxYc21wglJfrL3e_e-iLqDFq1KGwkQTpTB_Zrl0xfldz3HMX1okOp8fFsjdakofknm1zSXB-hWoe7JS2VdUk3I3/s1600/LRM_EXPORT_20170510_205954-02-01.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjccFzvyrDM4_ckxEzF41wtMCdemJ717NT3D5VtZPpwO5kE6A08yp60QyxYc21wglJfrL3e_e-iLqDFq1KGwkQTpTB_Zrl0xfldz3HMX1okOp8fFsjdakofknm1zSXB-hWoe7JS2VdUk3I3/s320/LRM_EXPORT_20170510_205954-02-01.jpeg" width="256" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="text-align: justify;">Rev.Samuel Shoemaker </span><span style="background-color: white;">(1893-1963)</span><span style="background-color: white;"> was the rector at Calvary Episcopal Church in New York and co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Poem "So I Stay Near the Door-An Apologia for my life" known better as "So I Stand by the Door" written by Shoemaker in 1958 highlights his motto for ministry. This poem acts as a daily reminder of what it means to "incarnate Christ" to my neighbors--'tis also my place to "stay near the door."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>I stay near the door.</i></span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>I neither go too far in, nor stay too far out,</i></span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>The door is the most important door in the world—</i></span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>It is the door through which people walk when they find God.</i></span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>There’s no use my going way inside, and staying there,</i></span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>When so many are still outside, and they, as much as I,</i></span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Crave to know where the door is.</i></span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>And all that so many ever find is </i></span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>only the wall where a door ought to be.</i></span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>They creep along the wall like [the blind].</i></span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>With outstretched, groping hands,</i></span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Feeling for a door, knowing there must be a door,</i></span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Yet they never find it . . .</i></span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>So I stay near the door.</i></span></span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>The most tremendous thing in the world</i></span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Is for [people] to find that door—the door to God.</i></span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>The most important thing any [person] can do</i></span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Is to take hold of one of those blind, groping hands,</i></span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>And put it on the latch—the latch that only clicks</i></span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>And opens to the [person's] own touch.</i></span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>[People] die outside that door, as starving beggars die</i></span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>On cold nights in cruel cities in the dead of winter—</i></span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Die for want of what is within their grasp.</i></span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>They live, on the other side of it—live because they have found it.</i></span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Nothing else matters compared to helping them find it,</i></span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>And open it, and walk in, and find Him . . .</i></span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>So I stay near the door.</i></span></span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Go in, great saints, go all the way in—</i></span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Go way down into the cavernous cellars,</i></span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>And way up into the spacious attics—</i></span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>In a vast, roomy house, this house where God is.</i></span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Go into the deepest of hidden casements,</i></span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Of withdrawal, of silence, of sainthood.</i></span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Some must inhabit those inner rooms,</i></span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>And know the depths and heights of God,</i></span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>And call outside to the rest of us how wonderful it is.</i></span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Sometimes I take a deeper look in,</i></span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Sometimes venture a little farther;</i></span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>But my place seems closer to the opening . . .</i></span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>So I stay near the door.</i></span></span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>The people too far in do not see how near these are</i></span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>To leaving—preoccupied with the wonder of it all.</i></span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Somebody must watch for those who have entered the door,</i></span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>But would like to run away. So for them, too,</i></span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>I stay near the door.</i></span></span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>I admire the people who go way in.</i></span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>But I wish they would not forget how it was</i></span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Before they got in. Then they would be able to help</i></span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>The people who have not even found the door,</i></span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Or the people who want to run away again from God.</i></span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>You can go in too deeply, and stay in too long,</i></span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>And forget the people outside the door.</i></span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>As for me, I shall take my old accustomed place,</i></span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Near enough to God to hear Him, and know He is there,</i></span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>But not so far from men as not to hear them,</i></span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>And remember they are there too.</i></span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Where? Outside the door—</i></span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Thousands of them, millions of them.</i></span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>But—more important for me—</i></span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>One of them, two of them, ten of them,</i></span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Whose hands I am intended to put on the latch,</i></span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>So I shall stay by the door and wait</i></span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>For those who seek it. </i></span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>‘I had rather be a door-keeper . . .’</i></span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>So I stay near the door.</i></span></span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="text-align: justify;">(source: </span>http://dickb-blog.com/samshoemaker3.html) </span></span><br />
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Damon Makhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714068971321206441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6855724448908684780.post-83803929606839395022017-05-21T09:10:00.001-07:002017-05-25T14:00:26.189-07:00Learning a new craft<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Blogging is a new craft for me. I am fine with admitting that I am learning. Learning means I will not be good at what I do, yet. I've read that it can take up to 10,000 hours of practice in order to master something. And the only way I will improve is if I keep on writing. I'm glad you are on this journey with me-patient with me. Those of you who are following me this early on in the journey have a glimpse into the process of growing to be a better blogger. You get to read and see my mistakes-my failures. </div>
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Today I'm planning, sitting down with a cup of Starbucks and jotting down ideas for the next series of posts. Mapping out ideas, listening to God's voice and seeking to hear and cries of our generation. </div>
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I encourage you to learn a new craft. Have courage to fail. If you are also new to blogging, let's journey together. </div>
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Damon Makhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714068971321206441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6855724448908684780.post-30053325294771838352017-05-19T09:30:00.000-07:002017-05-26T18:17:20.396-07:00Galatians: Faith through Love-Love with Faith<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The key issue in Paul's letter to the Galatians was whether to obey the Jewish law and whether a person was justified by doing the law or through faith in Jesus Christ. Paul's point was that if y</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ou want to rely on works to save you, then do the law but also you make sure you do it all--or be cursed (Gal 3:10). Rather, Paul argues, live life <i>in</i> Christ--Living <i>in </i>the Spirit. In other words, don't turn following Jesus into legalism. If t</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">he law has been essentially fulfilled in Christ, i</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">t means being in relationship (reconciled) with the Godhead rather than following rules or thinking that you can achieve salvation by completing a to-do list. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ἀλλὰ πίστις δι’ ἀγάπης ἐνεργουμένη. (Gal5:6b)</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(but faith working/made effective through <i>apage</i>-love)</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Indeed we are justified by faith in Jesus (Gal 2:16). However, it is <i>agape</i>-Love with Faith, and faith through love--those things are inter-related and inter-connected. Likewise, i</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">t is faith AND action; Action AND faith. It's a false dichotomy to pitch one against the other. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We can believe in all sorts of things, but until we take action to live out that belief, adopt new attitudes and habits, and change our underlying</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> motivations--it's all cerebral; nothing in us in fact changes. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It's also a false dichotomy</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> to pitch the sacred against the secular and to make doing sacred activities (or spiritual activities) somehow more important to God. That said, it's a gospel only focused only on Social Justice is also of concern; in other words balance and holding those in tension is important. remembering, God is sovereign over ALL creation. Further, i</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">t is not a blind faith we're after where we simply follow and believe something because someone has told us to--we need to check it out ourselves and we need to own it. The Holy Spirit helps us through this. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">It's important to highlight Galatians 3:26/Galatians 4:7, when Paul states that "</span><span class="gtPointable lang_en" lang="en" style="background-color: white; cursor: pointer;">So you are no longer a slave, but a son [and daughter], and if a son [and daughter], then </span><span class="gtPointable lang_en" lang="en" style="background-color: white; cursor: pointer;">an heir [and heiress] through God." Freedom arrives when we stop living life as a list of to-do's but by believing in Jesus through faith. That said, freedom doesn't mean we can do whatever we want--it does come with responsibility; through love, serve one another (Gal5:13)--to love your neighbor as yourself (Gal5:14). Also, don't grow weary of "doing good" as Galatians 6:9-10 says. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Our new identity (we are new Creation Gal6:15) by which we live each day--we are free from slavery, and we are sons and daughters, heirs and heiresses to the creator God.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> How are you embracing your new identity in Christ?</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But what is the gospel--"good news"? It's often simplified to be believing in Jesus and all your life troubles will be resolved. Yes, but that's a t</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">runcated gospel; that's like reading Galatians without reading the rest of the Bible. Whenever Jesus gave parables, it was about the "<b>Kingdom </b>at Hand" (Mark1:15). In the Lord's prayer, we pray "your <b>Kingdom </b>come." More, the gospel is truncated because it doesn't explain WHY it's good news--meaning it is disconnected from the larger narrative of God's plan from creation to the <i>telos </i>(end purpose) and God's mission (<i>missio Dei</i>). It is declaring publicly that Jesus is King-King of the cosmos, and his Kingdom is inaugurated here on earth today. The end of the narrative has been revealed in Him. Death and Sin have been conquered. Satan has been bound and conquered because of Christ and what Christ has done. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It needs reminding that it is not what we do, but what God has done from the beginning--God is the one who is first faithful, and therefore, we can be faithful in our every day living. We get to be a part of God's family and we have free access to God because of Christ. We also participate in God's mission. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In the workplace, there's not much joy in what we do if all we're doing every day is following a list of to-dos; but if following a list of to-dos gives you joy (cf. Brother Lawrence)--that's good! But I feel something is missing if we're not able to express our unique gifts and talents, live out our calling, express our creativity and imagination, be challenged where we need to live in dependence in God every day, and to thrive in what we do--something is missing. I am certain though that we will not be effective leaders if all we're doing is dictating rules for others to follow; and reprimanding others or making them guilty if they don't. Neither will a business last if everyone in it is focused on serving themselves. Galatians challenges us not only to live life differently (life in freedom) but also challenges our attitudes about our work and how we lead and interact with people in our day to day lives. More, to live life in Christ and in the Spirit. Further, o</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ur work doesn't define us, but faith necessitates change in us and change in how we approach work and treat others.</span>Damon Makhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714068971321206441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6855724448908684780.post-45351288560977065242017-05-17T13:39:00.000-07:002017-05-26T18:18:08.454-07:00When we Serve Someone we Serve another who Images God<div dir="ltr">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When we serve another person, we serve one who also Images God. To serve another requires us to do it with humility, with honor, and with love and grace.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Saint Bernard of Clairvaux wrote, regarding humanity made in the image of God, that while our imaging may be tarnished and corrupted by sin, it is not destroyed. Christ's incarnation as human, and willingness to be like us (sleep, eat, play) but for Christ (the perfect and sinless God-man) to redeem and rescue humanity, demonstrates God love for humanity and the whole of creation. Matter <i>matters</i> to God-- He, being God becomes flesh. More, the Resurrection, and our future resurrection, directly opposes the false belief of us dying and going to Heaven. We don't go to "heaven" (maybe temporarily) but it isn't where we dwell eternally. There is a new (renewed) Heaven and new Earth. The New Jerusalem (a city!) comes down to earth. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This has profound implications in how we treat each other, and how we care for the marginalized, the elderly, the ill, the orphans, and others. Importantly, when we embrace each other as one who is made in the image of God, we are to value everyone that we encounter each day as God values them. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I am reminded of this when my Indian friends greet me. "Namaste": meaning, to see God's image in the other person. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Let us serve and love each other with Namaste. </span></div>
Damon Makhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714068971321206441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6855724448908684780.post-71718522601645350692017-05-16T16:30:00.000-07:002017-05-16T17:12:04.713-07:00V is for Victory -Leadership of Geese<div dir="ltr">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">From experience, leadership is knowing when to lead and when to be a follower. If a leader is always in front, they will burn out. When leaders are always in front, others are less inclined to grow because they are always depending on the leader to make the decisions--it only builds dependency on the leader. Leaders are always looking for opportunities to develop other leaders and empowering others to step up to lead. A healthy balance of knowing when to lead and when to follow is always necessary especially if the intention is to journey together for the long haul. When leaders are following, they don't disappear but are cheering others along, supporting the team, and serving them along the way. Importantly, willing to take the blame even when others fail and to work together to make things right when things do go sideways.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This is best illustrated by geese flying in a V formation going south every winter. I love watching them every winter--hundreds of them--take off and begin their long journey. The leader leads in front, taking the brunt of the wind for a while. The rest of the flock draft behind the leader. When the leader becomes tired, another steps up almost without hesitation and goes to the front. As they fly, they call out to one a other as if to cheer each other on and to let the current leader know they are ready to step up to take on the challenge. They're always ready to support each other. They need each other. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It's okay to take a break and let someone else lead for a while. Be a cheer-leader! It takes genuine humility in order to be a follower. We're in it together for the long journey. When we do so, we are also putting our trust in God-God is sovereign and works even when we're not. It demonstrates that we also <u>trust</u> those whom we work with. And when Spring comes, we do it all over again. </span></div>
Damon Makhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714068971321206441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6855724448908684780.post-69511813024345927162017-05-15T16:30:00.000-07:002017-05-15T16:30:35.492-07:00Faith and Work - everyday living<div dir="ltr">
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">The photo is a reminder that our Lord Jesus is the Son of God, second person of the Trinity, and both God and Man, worked as a Carpenter. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Adam and Eve were gardeners. Moses and David tended sheep. Simon and Andrew were fishermen. John and his brother James also fished. Ruth worked in the fields. Paul made tents. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">God desires us to work--purposeful work. The Hebrew word "avodah" means both worship and work. In other words, in our work we also worship our God. Lest us not forget the importance of our daily work--for it is not simply work or just a job that we do everyday; we participate in God's work and God's mission into the world.</span><br />
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A post shared by Damon Mak (@dmakdamon) on <time datetime="2017-05-15T01:49:48+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">May 14, 2017 at 6:49pm PDT</time></div>
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Damon Makhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714068971321206441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6855724448908684780.post-67091150003781634432017-05-12T17:00:00.000-07:002017-05-12T17:00:06.655-07:00We believe that God is present in ...<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The gospel, "good news" is about Jesus and about his inaugurated Kingdom here on earth. In its original meaning, the <i>evangelion </i>was the announcing of a new ruler-a cosmic ruler. It is good news because a new King-Jesus the eternal King-reigns above any power or government or leader. A new age indeed has begin at the death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus. It is also good news because sin and death have been defeated; the curse of death, and the bondage of sin has been defeated on the cross. God has been faithful and accomplished his plan of rescue, redemption, and reconciliation through the God-man Jesus. And God sends another, the Holy Spirit who takes us into the world-to engage the issues, to be light in darkness, to do our best to transform society, and to maximize God's <i>shalom </i>everywhere we are and go. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A powerful prayer found in the Iona Abbey Worship book nicely summarizes our participation in God's mission. </span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;">We believe that God is present </span><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;">in the darkness before dawn; </span><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;">in the waiting and uncertainty </span><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;">where fear and courage join hands, </span><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;">conflict and caring link arms, </span><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;">and the sun rises over barbed wire. </span><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;">We believe in a with-us God </span><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;">who sits down in our midst to share our humanity. </span><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;">We affirm a faith that takes us beyond </span><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;">the safe place: </span><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;">into action, into vulnerability </span><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;">and into the street. </span><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;">We commit ourselves to work for change </span><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;">and put ourselves on the line;</span><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;">to bear responsibility, </span><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;">take risks,</span><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;">live powerfully and face humiliations </span><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;">to stand with those on the edge; </span><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;">to choose life and be used by the Spirit </span><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;">for God's new community of hope.</span></span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i style="background-color: transparent;">Amen. </i></span></span></i></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">- Iona Abbey Worship Book (c) 2001 The Iona Community</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Be faithful to your calling. It is not going to be a smooth light journey and will require perseverance</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">. Suffering may be the new norm for those that follow Christ. God has empowered you with whatever is needed for the mission and with you through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit-have strength and courage. </span>Damon Makhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714068971321206441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6855724448908684780.post-75105906898831607232017-05-11T17:00:00.000-07:002017-05-30T14:51:41.736-07:00But Isn't Having Ambition wrong?<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Being Christian for the longest time meant being nice, submissive, passive, non-confrontational, and generally about being a good person; well, yes and no. The church has a lot to say about piety and spending time praying, reading scripture, and doing work in the church (meaning the four walls of the building)--these are good practices; that said, what does God have to say about the day to day work that we spend years doing in the workplace? I assure you, there is a lot that God has to say and is really the purpose of this blog. When it comes to <i>ambition</i>, it's often given a negative connotation as if desiring success is un-Christian, and unholy. If success becomes an end itself, surely that needs correction; however, if we are the sons and daughters of God, ambassadors of the Kingdom, priesthood of believers, made in God's image, our identity in Christ must give us the confidence to do well, to work hard, and to even to do well financially; these things need not be something we need to be afraid of or shy of. Again, I need to re-emphasize that i'm advocating for some sort of prosperity gospel. Neither am I advocating that the doing of works saves us in the end. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Ken Costa in his book </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B01CXE9VPU/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=15121&creative=330641&creativeASIN=B01CXE9VPU&linkCode=as2&tag=damonmak-20&linkId=bfed1e3b36c7b26c18720066ea3e1e6b" target="_blank">God at Work: Live Each Day with Purpose</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-ca.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=damonmak-20&l=am2&o=15&a=B01CXE9VPU" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> has this amazing quote on ambition and I commend to you.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-ligatures: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>"If our ambition is aligned with what God has called us to do, then we are right to ask for his blessing on it so that we can make a difference in the world and bring him glory." (38)</i></span></span></span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is also worth checking out the God at work website<a href="https://www.blogger.com/goog_1524421805"> </a></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.godatwork.org.uk/">https://www.godatwork.org.uk/</a> for more articles and inspiring videos.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;">Don't be afraid to ask God what our hearts are telling us. Be specific even with our prayers. Write it down in your journal and pray about it daily. God can say No--But what if God says YES and decides to bless you so that we thrive in that work. How different would our lives be? </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;">Each day we should work with the confidence that God is with us, in us and works through us. We cannot work without Him--we participate with Him, and we work together as the Body of Christ. Each day we should also seek God's heart in all matters, and do our best to bring glory to Him in the work that we do. It is important to understand our passions and our motivations and seek counsel from others if necessary to make sure it is aligned with God's heart. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Have faith to do it and living out our calling. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">And we empowered by the Holy spirit to do so--prompting us, guiding us, leading us, encouraging us. It is not enough to simply know this, but deeply and believe that you can achieve much greater things than Jesus himself. Jesus did say it himself: </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: "arimo" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><i>“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will [he/she] do, because I am going to the Father." John 14: 12.</i></span></blockquote>
<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: "arimo" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span>Damon Makhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714068971321206441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6855724448908684780.post-58261463576811058992017-05-09T16:54:00.003-07:002017-05-09T16:55:34.520-07:00Be the light that inspires Hope in Others<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-version="7" style="background: #FFF; border-radius: 3px; border: 0; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 658px; padding: 0; width: -webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width: 99.375%; width: calc(100% - 2px);">
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BS4tiTzh85R/" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">Be the light that inspires hope in others. When others are down, encourage them. Stand alongside others and journey together. We can do it! #motivation #leadership #inspiration #vancouver #vancity #faithwork #friends #inspire #encourage #makeadifference</a></div>
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A post shared by Damon Mak (@dmakdamon) on <time datetime="2017-04-15T00:36:43+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Apr 14, 2017 at 5:36pm PDT</time></div>
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<script async="" defer="" src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script>Damon Makhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714068971321206441noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6855724448908684780.post-72730310897817187852017-05-09T14:08:00.000-07:002017-05-30T14:49:33.530-07:00Passion vesus Pay (Compensation)<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I believe we should always strive to do work that we are passionate about. However, when we talk about following our passion and doing work that is inline with our, we immediately ask the question "what about pay and compensation?" We may be very passionate about what we do but it doesn't pay very well or pay at all. Do we forgo pay and chase our passions? The reverse of this is where we are paid well, yet what we do does not align with our passions but we also need to make sure our kids or parents are cared for. Is it right to then neglect our responsibilities of caring for our families, or rack up lots of debt in order to fulfill our passion? We should do whatever it takes to fulfill our passion, right? I think the answer in fact lies somewhere in between–in other words, balance. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Bill Hybels, founding and senior pastor of Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington Illinois writes in his book <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1414391234/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=15121&creative=330641&creativeASIN=1414391234&linkCode=as2&tag=damonmak-20&linkId=8cae3d5a1455f5ac7d0d79e0b6a69d93" target="_blank">Simplify: Ten Practices to Unclutter Your Soul</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-ca.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=damonmak-20&l=am2&o=15&a=1414391234" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> (paraphrasing Paul the Apostle 1 Tim 5:8) "Put passion aside if you must (at least for a season), and put food on the table. If you're called to provide, you must provide, even if you cannot do so in your area of passion. That's your first priority." (102)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Hybels has a wonderful summary (107):</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Low Pay + High Passion = Supplement Your Income.</i></span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If we are passionate about what we do but it doesn't pay well, we may need to find other part-time work in order to continue doing what you do.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>High Pay + Low Passion = Supplement Your Passion. </i></span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">You may be paid well, but you do less-enjoyable work. Firstly, all work is God good in God's eyes and can glorify God. Staying in your job also doesn't make you less faithful. You may choose to volunteer in work that is aligned with your passion. You can still put food on the table, while pursue your passion. </span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">You don't have to sacrifice your passion neither does sacrificing pay make you more holy or faithful. Be open and flexible. Find ways to enjoy your job–rather, love your job. Find ways to do work that is inline with God's calling for you–work that you are passionate about. You are doing God's work in the world.</span></div>
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Damon Makhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714068971321206441noreply@blogger.com0