tentmaking

The marketplace can be a really fun place to be. Consider the myriad of weird viewpoints that people carry with them. There are daily opportunities to speak Truth into the culture.

I envision the apostle/tentmaker Paul sitting/standing/working in the warehouse cutting and sewing canvas, listening to the weird viewpoints of the people around him and out of a sincere heart of concern, with a great sense of understanding, humor, and love of the Truth, setting things right in his world.

I know from the past that, over time, the frustration of seeing co-workers not respond to Truth could get discouraging, but I also recall that when problems arose, I was usually the one they wanted to talk to.

Keep a sharp sword; there's alot of wacky stuff out there! Speak the Truth.

success and failure

In my fallen mind (which I use too often, even when I don't want to) there is a nagging desire for a form of success. It is a worldly, inferior success based in fulfilling a longing for being right. But even when I know I'm right about something, its not always the right thing to make sure everyone else knows how right I am. Sometimes being quiet is success.

Rightness (or righteousness) can be a source of failure if the rightness comes from my own standard and not from God's. I have lots of standards. Lots of them are opinions. Lots of them are not God's standards even though I think they are. I parade them around and declare them as if they were God's ideas and that is failure.

Here are some successful rules for avoiding failure. Mind your own business; this works especially well in marriages. Speak into other people's business when God tells you to; this is rare (also good advice for husbands, wives, and parents of teenagers and young adults). Walk in love. Before pointing out people's faults, let love cover their many sins. (Often confused as "the discerning of spirits", finding fault with someone is one of the easiest thing a person can do. Much like pooping, it makes one feel better, lighter perhaps, but there is nothing God-like about it. Truly.)

Finally..."Never quit. Never, never, never quit." (Nev-ahhhh...)

Justice is comfort

I started reading in the book of Isaiah today. It has always been a favorite, along with John, Hebrews, Ephesians, and Psalms. I am reading from the Message, (I know, I know...).

It is such a book of hope. Even the prophetic judgments have a certain hope about them in the overall picture. Hope brings comfort. God's justice is comfort. Jesus said that the Father always judges rightly. He never makes an error in judgment. Never. See what I mean?

At the moment I am not anxious to stand in that place. But if I had to, I know whatever would be determined would be both true and just. Stay close.