Growing In Good Manners

“Select only strong, healthy, and good-looking young men,” he said. “Make sure they are well versed in every branch of learning, are gifted with knowledge and good judgment, and are suited to serve in the royal palace.  (Daniel 1:4, NLT)

When the king of Babylon instructed Ashpenaz to select some young men of Israel to serve in the royal palace of Babylon, he gave some specific criteria his chief eunuch should use.  He told Ashpenaz to select strong, healthy, good-looking young men who were well-educated, had good judgment, and were suited to serve in the royal palace (essentially they showed respect and good manners).

While ultimately God’s grace saves us for all eternity, changes us from glory to glory, and empowers us for the work He has called us to, good manners and respect (and even good health) may very well open up doors for us to make an impact on those around us as we go through our journey in life.  Daniel and his friends had the advantage of growing up in royal/noble families (Dan 1:3) to learn and grow in respect and good manners.  In reality though, whatever our backgrounds or upbringing, we all can grow in showing respect and good manners to others (we can also grow in learning and good health also, but that’s a post for another time).

In today’s culture (American anyway), it seems many have not been taught (or have forgotten their training) in common courtesy, respect, and good manners.  Perhaps we’ve gotten so consumed with ourselves we don’t really consider (much less care) about others.  Or maybe we (or those who raised us) never really saw the point in all the rules of etiquette (kind of like not seeing the point in Robert’s Rules of Order).  Possibly, good manners seem archaic in these modern, advanced, technological times.

But whatever the reason for not doing it, by giving them up, we may very well have lost an important key to unlocking the doors of reaching and influencing the world around us.  Have you ever encountered (hopefully so) someone who showed courtesy, respect, and used good manners?  What kind of effect did it have on you as the recipient?  I have the privilege, with my family, of caring for our friend’s son for a little while.  No matter how often he says, “Thank you uncle Brian” it always impresses me.  Whether it’s after I’ve taken him for a walk, prayed for him, or given him something, when he thanks me (without me having to prompt him), it always makes me take notice and causes me to look upon him with great favor.  When he thanks me, it’s like a breath of fresh air or a cool drink on a hot day; it opens up my heart toward him.

Recently, I needed to send some information off to a business associate I had never met in person.  He requested some information and I sent parts of it to him in three separate e-mails.  He responded with a thank you (literally, just “Thank you for sending the information.” on the first e-mail and “Thank you.” on the other two) to every one of those e-mails.  Although I don’t really know him,  I am greatly impressed by him (so often I send e-mails and get no acknowledgment that they even received it, much less appreciated the information I supplied at their request – unfortunately, I too need to work on this).

I could give countless stories (or at least a few more) of different ways I’ve experienced the respect and good manners of others.  The point in all of them is the same.  Respect and good manners helps to build relationships and opens up doors for us to impact and influence those around us (in a positive way).

Here are some of the manners that I’m working on:

• Smiling at and acknowledging people as I pass them (I really need to work on this)
• Saying “Thank you” (unfortunately I don’t always do this)
• Paying attention as others speak (and giving visual cues that I am paying attention) and not allowing the distractions of phones, computers, electronic devices, and my own thoughts interrupt (another one I really need to work on).

How about you?  What manners are you working on?  Do you think they even really matter?

Sons or Servants?

“This is what the Sovereign Lord says: If the prince gives a gift of land to one of his sons as his inheritance, it will belong to him and his descendants forever.”  (Ezekiel 46:16, NLT)

God wants us to be sons, not just servants (compare v 16 to v 17 in Ezekiel 46).  It may sound more humble to desire being a servant rather than a son, but there are important differences.  A son may receive an eternal inheritance, a servant can only receive temporal rewards.  Temporal rewards are great (and are extremely generous gifts by the master) but God desires to bless us as sons (or daughters), not just servants.  When the prodigal son returned, he realized that coming back as a servant would be far better than his current circumstances and situation, “How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!”  (Luke 15:17, NKJV).  But when his son returned, the father didn’t want the prodigal to return as a servant, he welcomed him back as his son.  No matter where we’ve been or what we’ve done, God sees us as his sons.

What God Sees

“You have been brought here so I can show you many things.”  (Ezekiel 40:4, NLT)

A lifetime had seemingly gone by.  25 years of exile and 14 years since the fall of Jerusalem (Ezekiel 40:1).  The Temple completely destroyed along with the rest of the city.  Everything simply a ruinous mess with seemingly no hope and no future.  In the midst of this, God brings Ezekiel to a high mountain in the land of Israel to show Ezekiel and the people of Israel what He saw.

For the next several chapters we read about measurements and rooms and gates and courts that would surely put to sleep even the worst insomniac.  And yet, God describes what He sees, a Temple perfectly built and constructed, holy and set apart, clean and undefiled, ready and waiting for God’s glory and presence, ready and waiting to be put into service for His purpose.

Sometimes we look at our lives and all we see is a big mess.  Bad choices and sin have seemingly ruined us beyond all hope of repair and restoration.  Our present and future is destroyed and there is nothing good that we can see.  But what does God see?  He sees a Temple perfectly built and constructed, holy and set apart, clean and undefiled, ready and waiting for His glory and presence to fill it, ready and waiting to be put into the service of His Kingdom.

Yes we may have blown it.  Yes we have sinned.  Yes we have made a complete mess of our lives and it very may be lying in ruins for all around us to see.  But “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9, NKJV).  If we come to our senses and return to Him, He runs to us, embraces us, kisses us, clothes us in righteousness, and makes us His own (Luke 15:11-24).  This is what God sees.  Won’t you let Him show it to you today?

For My Glory or God’s Purpose?

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“Let the tree of no other nation proudly exult in its own prosperity, though it be higher than the clouds and it be watered from the depths.  For all are doomed to die, to go down to the depths of the earth.  They will land in the pit along with everyone else on earth.”  (Ezekiel 33:14, NLT)

It doesn’t matter how great I am (or think I am – a legend in my own mind) nor does it matter how many resources and natural advantages I possess, in the end, I (along with every other person, organization, and nation) will go down to the grave.  The question at the end is, “While I am here, how will I use the resources and advantages I have?  For my own boasting or to accomplish God’s purpose?”  Perhaps an even better question is, “How can I use the resources and advantages I have for the sake of God’s purpose today?

What Will Matter In The End?

“I will bring you to a terrible end, and you will exist no more. You will be looked for, but you will never again be found. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!”  (Ezekiel 26:21, NLT)

Tyre had it all.  Incredible wealth (26:12), power (26:17), beauty (27:3-4),and prosperous relationships with many nations (27:5-23) created a thriving people.  Yet in spite of their glory and greatness at the time, in the end, God declared they would lie in ruins, never to be found again.

I can achieve (or at least be trying to achieve) great success  in the eyes of the world and still be completely forgotten in the end.  When I look at all that I’m investing my time and effort into now, will it really matter in the end?

What Has God Called You To?

“I was amazed to see that no one intervened to help the oppressed.”  (Isaiah 63:5, NLT)

There’s a lot of junk going on in the world around us, a lot of junk going on right in our own community.  In what areas are you suppose to intervene and make a difference?  In what area(s) am I?  What has God drawn your attention to and what can you do about it?  Those who are abused?  Those without homes?  Those who are struggling to learn?  Those trying to make ends meet?  Who can I link up with to make a difference?

Time to Reflect

“You did not reflect on your actions or think about their consequences.” (Isaiah 47:7, NLT)

In today’s high speed world we often find ourselves exhausted and frazzled as we run from one activity/event to the next.  We’ve got places to go, people to see, and things to do.  We do, but we never stop to think and reflect on why we do or where those choices are taking us.  Eventually, we find ourselves in a major mess and we have no idea how we got there.  Our world is crashing down around us and we have no clue why.

So what’s the answer to this ever increasing problem?  We must reflect on our actions and think about the consequences of the choices we make.  If we want our lives to matter we must deliberately align our life with God’s purpose and plans.  How do we do that?  Schedule in regular times of solitude and quiet reflection into your daily (or at least weekly) life.  No computer, no phones, no crowds…just a simple list of questions and a little time to reflect and think:

• What did I choose to do today (or yesterday or this past week)?
• Why did I make those choices?
• Where are those choices leading me?

If you write the answers down and keep a record of them you might stop yourself from running off a cliff, or even better, you might find you’ve done something that really matters with your life.

Personal Commentary on Isaiah 42-44

Though I haven’t been posting publicly much lately, I have continued to post privately to myself (some people talk to themselves, I write to myself) some of the thoughts that have come to mind as I read.  I really appreciated today’s reading.

Is 42:1-7 – As a church, this is who we are supposed to be, those who demonstrate God’s righteousness, a symbol of God’s covenant to his people, a light to guide nations, open the eyes of the blind, setting captives free.  we can do this because we have God’s Spirit on us and because he takes us by the hand and guards us.

13-17 – when things are tough and I feel like I’m just getting pounded, this verse is a good one to mediate on.  just don’t forget God, look to him when I’m in distress, not to other sources for help.

18-25 – what does it mean to be deaf and blind?  it means to see and recognize what is right and refuse to act on it, to hear, but to not really listen – to hear God’s direction and instruction and not pay any attention, to just keep doing our own thing.

Isaiah 43:1-7 – Even when we blow it and suffer as a result, good news is God ransoms us, he still claims us as his own, he walks with us through deep waters, he sees us as precious and loves us.

19-20 – If you’re going through hell, here is God’s promise, “…I am about to do something new.  See, I have already begun!  Do you not see it?…I will make rivers in the dry wasteland so my chosen people can be refreshed.”

22 – looking to God is more than just crying out for help – it’s purposefully honoring God and placing him first.

Isaiah 44:1-5 – God is so good, even when we have sinned and messed up God helps and ministers to us.

6-20 – Since we recognize who God is, why do we turn to idols, to anything else but Him for help.  Why are we so foolish?  Part of the reason is we just keep doing and doing without pausing to reflect on what we are doing (v19).

New Site

Just wanted to let those interested know of a new site I started.  The tool time site was my first shot at the blogging medium.  As WordPress has developed and as I have continued to learn a little more about blogging I decided just to start a new site.  I may still post to this site insights I get as I go through the Bible this year but I’ll probably be focusing most of my attention on the new site.

You can check it out at http://knowbs.wordpress.com/ Hope to see you there!

More Proverbial Insights

We’re fast approaching the end of Proverbs, I hope you have been getting as much (or more) as I have reading them through!

Proverbs 24:26 (NLT) – “An honest answer is like a kiss of friendship.”  Do I have people who can be honest with me?  Who will tell me the truth from a heart of love?  When was the last time someone did that for me?  If it’s been a while, is it because I’ve been perfect or unapproachable (i.e. get defensive or angry)?

Proverbs 24:30-34 (NLT) – “I walked by the field of a lazy person, the vineyard of one with no common sense. I saw that it was overgrown with nettles.  It was covered with weeds, and its walls were broken down. Then, as I looked and thought about it, I learned this lesson: A little extra sleep, a little more slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest— then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit; scarcity will attack you like an armed robber.”  The principle of a little more.  A little more, done on a consistent basis will have big effects (for good or for bad) in the end.