Fight, Flight, or The Kingdom Way

Devotional on Matthew 5:38-48

As I write these devotionals, I've used the two-year Daily Lectionary from the Book of Common Worship to help me choose the scriptures. Every day, there's a reading from both the Old and New Testament, and I pick the one I most want to write about.

Today's New Testament reading happens to be the exact scripture we discussed in church this past Sunday. It's something I've been pondering all week... And fair warning: It's still something I have a lot of questions about... And that's okay!

In this section of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus challenges his followers to not repay evil for evil. The pastor said that we sometimes look at these words and think, "Well, Jesus had some nice ideas, but they just don't work in the 'real world.'"

But he went on to explain that Jesus lived in a culture filled with violence. He wasn't naive to the real world. And he wasn't saying these things from an ivory tower, far removed from everyday life. He was in the mess with us. And he wanted us to live in a different way.

It's also easy to think Jesus was telling us to just be a punching bag. Let people slap you around and steal from you. But that isn't the case either.

Jesus was advocating for something so different that it's hard for us to even imagine it. And he gives specific examples related to his culture and time. Examples like:

"You have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury: 'An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also." (v. 38-39)

In that culture, honor and shame were a big deal. If someone slapped you on the right cheek, it means they backhanded you. A huge display of disrespect! It was a sign that you were inferior to them. But if you turned the other cheek, it meant that the other person had to either:

1. backhand you with their left hand, which would bring shame on them because that hand was only used for, um... we'll say hygienic purposes... :) Or,

2. slap you with an open palm, which makes you their equal.

Another example:

If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile, carry it two miles. (v. 41)

A Roman soldier could force you to carry their gear for a mile. As you can imagine, most people did this begrudgingly. It was humiliating, physically taxing, and inconvenient. But by going an extra mile, you are choosing to show love rather than being forced. You are taking power away from your oppressor.

In both cases, you are showing your enemy that you have dignity. Far from being a pacifist, you are very active in your response. It's just that you are choosing a non-violent way. A different way. A more imaginative way.

And within the larger context of the Sermon on the Mount, this makes sense. That sermon is about showing us what life in his kingdom looks like. It's an invitation to build his kingdom in this world using his upside-down methods. And when we do, we see that his kingdom is the true "real world."

When we get into a conflict, we're so used to the "Fight or Flight" options.

FIGHT: We match violence for violence, insult for insult. As my grandma taught her kids, "You don't start fights. But if someone hits you, you hit back!" It makes a certain kind of sense in this world.

FLIGHT: We avoid conflict or allow people to walk all over us. Maybe we even act passive-aggressively as a way to secretly win. Again, it's so easy to choose this path.

But what if there was a third option? The kingdom option.

In this option, we find creative ways to seek peace amid violence. It's an active kind of peace that brings dignity to all, including ourselves.

This kingdom option takes imagination. But I think that's what Jesus was doing in the Sermon on the Mount—giving us a spiritual imagination.

I'm still grappling with what that means.

Let's grapple together!

As we begin our day, here are some questions to ponder:

Take some time to read Matthew 5:38-48. What challenges you about it? What inspires you about it?

How is life in God's kingdom different from what the world expects?

If you get into a conflict today, how can you choose the "third option"—the kingdom way?

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If you enjoyed this devotional, please take a moment to check out my Nobody Left Out series of devotionals. They were written to help ordinary people (like me!) grow in their relationship with Jesus.

Another way to show your support is by making a donation through Ko-Fi. Even a small donation goes a long way in keeping me writing! :)

But I Deserve This!

Devotional on 2 Kings 5:19-27

A few months after we were married, Diana and I had to buy a new car. So we went to a car dealership, and it was an experience we never forgot!

After roaming the lot for a while, we found a car we thought was a good fit for us and our budget. So we went inside with the salesman and did some paperwork. Then the manager said he would bring the car up for us to test drive.

When the car pulled up to us, something was strange. It wasn't the car we wanted to look at. It was a newer car. A nicer car. A more expensive car.

When we questioned the salesman about this, he tried to get us to test drive it.

"You deserve this car!" he said enthusiastically.

Deserve it?

I don't know about you, but anytime I've thought I "deserved" something, I've gotten into trouble!

Yesterday, we looked at the story of when the prophet Elisha healed a big-shot army commander named Naaman. Today, we are continuing the story.

After Naaman is healed of leprosy, he is overcome with gratitude. To show his appreciation, he wants to give gifts to Elisha. But Elisha refuses.

I think Elisha refuses because he wants to show Naaman that gifts from God can't be bought. Naaman was used to buying his way to the front of the line. But that's not how things work in God's kingdom. So Elisha sends Naaman home in peace.

And that's when things get interesting. Because Elisha has a servant named Gehazi. And Gehazi thinks Elisha is being a bit of a pushover. He should have taken Naaman's gifts!

Here's what happens:

But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha, the man of God, said to himself, "My master should not have let this Aramean get away without accepting any of his gifts. As surely as the Lord lives, I will chase after him and get something from him." So Gehazi set off after Naaman. When Naaman saw Gehazi running after him, he climbed down from his chariot and went to meet him. "Is everything all right?" Naaman asked. "Yes," Gehazi said, "but my master has sent me to tell you that two young prophets from the hill country of Ephraim have just arrived. He would like 75 pounds of silver and two sets of clothing to give to them.” (v. 20-22)

"We deserve this!" thought Gehazi. "And if Elisha is too naive to see that, then I'm going to do something about it!"

So Gehazi chases Naaman down and lies to him. It turns out, Gehazi says, that Elisha does want some money after all. Naaman is all too happy to oblige and gives Gehazi double what he asks for.

Then Gehazi goes home and hides the gifts in his house. He knows Elisha wouldn't be too happy about this...

I think we all have a little Gehazi in us, whispering that we deserve something. We've worked hard. We've paid our dues in life. Don't we deserve "this" (whatever "this" is?).

Maybe we do deserve it, at least by the world's standards. But the problem comes when we try to take what we deserve. It's easy to grow bitter and envious when we think we deserve something.

I know I've been there. It's so easy to think, "Hey, I've worked way harder than that guy! Why does he seem more happier/wealthier/successful than me?"

But the comparison trap is a dangerous game no one wins.

The story of Gehazi doesn't end too happily. Elisha knows what went down. He says these chilling words to Gehazi:

”Because you have done this, you and your descendants will suffer from Naaman's leprosy forever." When Gehazi left the room, he was covered with leprosy; his skin was white as snow. (v. 27)

Indeed, it would be easy to say that in the end, Gehazi DID get what he deserved. But I can't judge Gehazi for his sin. I have been in Gehazi's shoes many times.

Gehazi's punishment seems harsh, and it can make us uncomfortable. Whenever I run up against a Bible story like this, I try to lean into the tension and not resolve it too quickly. I sit in it for a moment and remember that I am no better than any of the characters in it. I need to remember Gehazi's story whenever I feel resentful or entitled. I need God's grace so much.

One thing I do know is that Gehazi's story wasn't over. We see him again in 2 Kings 8, telling the king of Israel about the great things Elisha has done. Some commentators point out that perhaps Gehazi was healed of his leprosy at this point. We can only speculate.

If he was healed, he probably knew he didn't deserve it.

And maybe that's when the whole thing finally clicked!

As we begin our day, here are some questions to ponder:

Why do you think Gehazi was upset that Elisha refused Naaman's gifts?

Have you ever thought you "deserved" something? How did it make you feel and act?

How can you let go of the things you "deserve" and trust God to provide for you today?

—
If you enjoyed this devotional, please take a moment to check out my Nobody Left Out series of devotionals. They were written to help ordinary people (like me!) grow in their relationship with Jesus.

Another way to show your support is to make a donation through Ko-Fi. Even a small donation goes a long way in keeping me writing! :)

All The Small Things

Devotional on 2 Kings 5:1-19

The prophets Elijah and Elisha are two of my favorite characters in the Old Testament. Elijah does some amazing things for God, all while battling depression and self-doubt. And Elisha... well... he's just a bit eccentric!

In 2 Kings 5, Naaman, a commander of the Aram army, comes down with a bad case of leprosy. Naaman's wife happens to own an Israelite girl who was taken captive during a raid. Instead of relishing in Naaman's misfortune—which would have been easy to do given her situation—she comes up with an idea. She says, "I wish my master would go to see the prophet in Samaria. He would heal him of his leprosy" (v. 3).

Naaman tells his king about this, and the king thinks it is worth a shot. So he sends Naaman down to Israel. When Naaman arrives, he goes to the king of Israel and gives him lavish gifts of gold, silver, and clothing. Basically, he was trying to grease the wheels. Naaman was a big shot and used to getting whatever he wanted. He also gives the king of Israel a letter from his own king that says, "With this letter I present my servant Naaman. I want you to heal him of his leprosy" (v. 6).

When the king of Israel reads this, he freaks out a bit. He thinks the king of Aram is playing games with him, trying to pick a fight. How is he supposed to heal this guy of leprosy?

But then Elisha gets word of all this and tells the king to calm down. Take a few deep breaths. Everything will be okay. He tells the king to send Naaman to him.

So Naaman goes to Elisha's house with his whole entourage of horses and chariots. He expects Elisha to roll out the red carpet for him and make a huge deal. But Elisha doesn't even greet him at the door!

But Elisha sent a messenger out to him with this message: “Go and wash yourself seven times in the Jordan River. Then your skin will be restored, and you will be healed of your leprosy.” ( v. 10)

What's up with this?! Doesn't Elisha know who this guy is?!

Naaman can't believe the disrespect Elisha has shown him. He expected Elisha to meet him at the door and wave a hand over him to heal him of the leprosy. Wouldn't that make more sense?

Besides, he says, the Jordan River is kinda gross. Why wouldn't Naaman tell him to wash in a better river?

Naaman was about to go home and forget the whole thing. But then, for the second time in this story, Naaman was saved by one of his servants.

But his officers tried to reason with him and said, "Sir, if the prophet had told you to do something very difficult, wouldn't you have done it? So you should certainly obey him when he says simply, 'Go and wash and be cured!'" So Naaman went down to the Jordan River and dipped himself seven times, as the man of God had instructed him. And his skin became as healthy as the skin of a young child, and he was healed! (v. 13-14)

Naaman almost let his pride get in the way of allowing himself to be healed. He thought what Elisha asked him to do was "beneath him."

I wonder how often we miss out on what God is doing because it doesn't seem "exciting enough."

I'm eager to obey God in doing the "big things" but not the "small things."

I'm willing to lay down my life for my wife and son. Most husbands and fathers would, no questions asked. But are we willing to lay down our lives in a thousand small ways each day?

Am I willing to help clean the house and spend time playing with my son in ordinary, mundane ways?

It's so easy to fall into the mindset of wanting to serve God in "big ways." That's not a bad desire to have. But like Naaman, our expectation of what that looks like may differ from God's. Naaman thought there were some things that were beneath him. Do we think that sometimes? I know I do!

We may have a desire to go off and change the world. And God may want us to start by greeting people at the door of church on Sunday.

I can promise you one thing: Doing the "small thing" will always make us better prepared if and when God calls us to something that, in our eyes, looks bigger.

As we begin our day, here are some questions to ponder:

Why do you think Naaman was so offended by Elisha's instructions to him?

When was a time you said yes to God even though it seemed like a small thing? How did it change you?

How can you be on the lookout for "all the small things" today?

And yes, for those who know, it's totally a Blink-182 reference.

—
If you enjoyed this devotional, please take a moment to check out my Nobody Left Out series of devotionals. They were written to help ordinary people (like me!) grow in their relationship with Jesus.

Another way to show your support is to make a donation through Ko-Fi. Even a small donation goes a long way in keeping me writing! :)

What's That in Your Hand?

Hello, and happy official start to fall!

Today's newsletter will be more of an update on some things I've been doing. But I've also managed to work in some Scripture, so keep an eye out! ;)

Last week, I participated in an online course called the HB90 Bootcamp. HB90 was developed by a self-published author. It is essentially a way to plan out your schedule 90 days at a time.

Now, I'm leery of anything "productivity" related because I've heard all the tips and hacks. I usually come away from these systems feeling guilty for not getting enough done. But HB90 seemed different. It's not about trying to "do more" but about being realistic with the time and capacity you have. Sometimes that means doing "less," but being more purposeful with your time instead of running from project to project like a headless chicken!

The key to HB90 is choosing 2–3 goals for the upcoming quarter. That doesn't mean you only do 2–3 things, but that everything you work on flows out of those goals. For example, tomorrow I may get an idea for a new video series. It may be an awesome idea, but if it doesn't serve one of those goals, I don't act on it. Instead, it gets put on the "Maybe I'll Do This Next Quarter" list. This "restriction" leads to freedom! (How's that for a biblical analogy?!)

The goals then get divided into projects, which in turn get divided into bite-sized tasks and put onto a Kanban Board. (Or, in my case, a digital Kanban Board, because me and sticky notes don't play nice with each other!) Seeing those tasks move from the "Doing" column to the "Done" column is a momentum builder.

One of the goals I've set for this upcoming quarter is to research and write half of my next devotional book. I am excited to reveal that book #4 in the Nobody Left Out series will be about... the parables of Jesus! Woo-hoo!

This week, I started the research phase by digging into a massive, 800-page book called Stories with Intent. It's a pretty scholarly book, so I can only read it for small portions at a time before I need to take some aspirin. But I want a solid overview of parables as a whole before I choose the individual ones to write about.

The biggest thing I'm learning is that Jesus' parables are not like Aesop's fables. Yes, fables and fairy tales can (and often do) contain elements of truth. But they speak in generalities. Jesus told his parables in the context of his ministry in a first-century world. He had a specific intent for each one. It's important to understand what circumstances prompted Jesus to launch into his tales.

My book will be a 40-day devotional looking at 8 of Jesus' parables. As I approach each parable, this question will guide my writing: What does this story teach us about living out God's kingdom in a messy, broken world?

I hope to start writing in mid-October. My patrons will get access to each devotional as I write it. But I will also post a few here in my newsletter for everyone to read!

Beginning a new project is exciting, but it can also be intimidating. I am already feeling woefully inadequate for the task (or tasks, according to my Kanban Board). And that is where today's Scripture comes in.

When God's people return to Jerusalem from captivity, a man named Zerubbabel is tasked with rebuilding the temple. It is an enormous job. Zerubbabel gets the foundation laid but starts to lose zest for the project. That's when God speaks these words through the prophet Zechariah:

Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel's hand. (Zechariah 4:10, NLT)

A plumb line was a tool that builders used, similar to a level. And God rejoiced that it was in Zerubbabel's hand, even though the work was nowhere near completed.

I imagine God saying to me, "I rejoice to see the work begin, to see that 800-page hefty commentary in your hand."

What is it for you?

What is that in your hand that signifies an endless road of work ahead of you?

Is it a pen and a blank sheet of paper? Is it a new box of fresh diapers you've just opened? Or those expense reports your boss threw on your desk and said, "I need these done by 5!"

Maybe it's job or college applications, a busy weekend ahead, or a long line of sticky notes on a Kanban Board. Or maybe it's a literal plumb line because you have a building project to tackle.

Whatever it is in your hand, if it honors God in some way (and I trust it does more than you probably think it does), then God rejoices over it!

A Roadmap Back Home

In Jesus' parable of the Prodigal Son, the younger brother packs up his bags and leaves his father far behind. He has grown up in his father's house, a place of love and care. But now, he wants to know what lies beyond his father's doors. Surely there is a life of adventure he is missing out on.

Back home, the father has trouble sleeping. One night, he crawls out of bed and goes outside. A cool breeze blows by as he looks up at the star-filled sky. Too many to count. But many years ago, on nights like this one, he and his son would try. Hand in hand, they would laugh and count up to a bajillion, pointing at each star.

The father sighs as he thinks back. "I myself taught my son how to walk, leading him along by the hand," he says. "But he doesn't know or even care that it was I who took care of him."
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The father begins to pace back and forth. Why does he waste so much time thinking about his son when his son has no regard for him? Why should he even care?

The father can hear the town chattering behind his back. He knows they think he is weak for continuing to lament his son's departure. He should listen to them and just disown his son already!

But then the father stops pacing and drops to his knees. Looking up at the stars, he cries, "Oh, how can I give you up, my son? How can I let you go? My heart is torn within me, and my compassion overflows."
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Okay... So, the father doesn't actually say any of these words in Jesus' parable. But, interestingly enough, a father does say these words in the Old Testament.

In the book of Hosea, God portrays himself as an abandoned spouse. He wants to convey this message so much that he tells the prophet Hosea to marry a prostitute. When she becomes unfaithful, God tells Hosea to redeem her and bring her back into the safety of his house. This is how much God loves Israel, and the imagery of God as a rejected lover is what the book of Hosea is known for.

But towards the end of the book, the metaphor shifts. God becomes a father who has been abandoned by a son:

When Israel was a child, I loved him,
and I called my son out of Egypt.
But the more I called to him,
the farther he moved from me,
offering sacrifices to the images of Baal
and burning incense to idols.
I myself taught Israel how to walk,
leading him along by the hand. (Hosea 11:1-3, NLT)

As I read these words, I couldn't help but think of the Prodigal Son story that Jesus would tell centuries later. A son moves away from his father to chase after the lifeless idols he thinks will bring him life.

And a heartbroken father. Heartbroken, yes—but not hopeless. Because just when you think he's ready to give up on his child, he continues to keep watch for him.

When my friend Marco and I wrote The Prodigal Musical (a musical based on, you guessed it, the parable of the Prodigal Son!), we wrote a song for the father called "All That I Want." In one of the verses, he sang:

Long ago, my child chose to leave me
Still every day I keep watch on the road
Hoping he comes home and praying he knows
My forgiveness is here

This is the same ache we see in God in Hosea. He longs for his people to return to him. He cries out:

Oh, how can I give you up, Israel?
How can I let you go? (Hosea 11:8, NLT)

God is the father who can't give up on us, even when it makes no sense. He is always keeping watch on the road, ready to run like crazy to meet his children when they come home. And it's not simply a "New Testament" thing. It's always been true.

It was true in Jesus' day. It was true in Hosea's day. And it was true in Adam & Eve's day when God lovingly provided them with clothes to cover their shame. As J. Ellsworth Kalas says in his book The Grand Sweep:

The biblical descriptions of God's relationship to our human race are always at personal, relational levels: lovers, friends, parent-child, husband-wife. At the core of our universe, the Scriptures remind us, is not an impersonal computer but a heart—God's heart of love.

It might be a silly exercise, but go ahead and put your name in the blank:

Oh, how can I give you up, _____________?
How can I let you go?

That is not simply a feel-good piece of news for a Friday. It's a roadmap back home when you find yourself covered in pig slop and don't know the way.

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P.S. I want to thank everyone who joined my Patreon! 32 people have joined the Messy, Messier, and Messiest Clubs this past week. I am truly humbled by your generosity. We are already building a fun little community over there. If you'd like to join, you can do so here!

Top 10 Bible Reading Tips For Messy People

Reading the Bible can get messy. So today, I have a list of 10 tips to keep in mind as you engage with it. (Because who doesn't love a good "listicle" these days?!?!)

I hope you find them helpful!

Tip #1: Remember the "Why"

Why do you even want to read the Bible? That's not a trick question! But it's something to think about. I know there were times in my life when I read the Bible because I thought I had to. It was as if God was up in heaven giving out stickers on some cosmic Bible Reading Chart. The more stickers I got, the more "God Points" I earned, and the more God loved me.

But if we're reading the Bible out of guilt or obligation, we won't last. And it won't be any fun, either.

God loves you even if you never open your Bible again. So before you do open it, take a moment to rest in that.

Tip #2: You Don't Have to Start at the Beginning

Tell me if you can relate to this scenario: It's New Year's Day, and you decide this is the year you're going to read the Bible straight through. So you open your Bible to Genesis 1 and commit to reading three chapters a day.

For a few weeks, you're crushing it. You're waking up early and digging into the Word of God. But then, somewhere along the way—maybe near the end of Exodus or the beginning of Leviticus—you stumble. The story becomes less exciting and even a little confusing. Soon you don't even want to look at your Bible (or open your Bible App) because you're ten days behind and feel like a failure. Or is that just me??? :)

Don't get me wrong. Reading the Bible cover to cover is a great way to get a full scope of the narrative. But if you're not ready to do that, don't sweat it. My tip to you is to start by reading stories about Jesus!

You can find these stories in the New Testament in the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. So maybe try reading one of those books for about ten minutes each day.

Tip #3: Read the Bible a Chunk at a Time, Not a Verse at a Time

It's one of the most hopeful verses in the Bible. You can find it on coffee mugs, plaques, and couch pillows. I'm talking about Jeremiah 29:11:

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (NIV)

But there's one problem. If you read that verse in isolation, you may not fully understand what it's trying to say.

God spoke these words while the people of Jerusalem were in exile in Babylon. God promises to bring his people back home... but only after a period of seventy years! (That part usually gets left off the coffee mugs...)

So yes, it's absolutely a message of hope. But it was also a call for the people to settle in Babylon—a place they didn't want to be—and make the most of their time there.

Reading the Bible a verse or two at a time can be confusing at best and dangerous at worst. I'm not saying you need to read ten chapters in one sitting. But if you can read a big enough chunk to get some context, you'll have a better understanding of what's happening.

Tip #4: Embrace the "Messiness" (AKA, Tension) in the Bible

If you read the Bible long enough, you're going to come across something that makes you uncomfortable. When this happens, we may have one of two reactions.

The first is to dismiss it. Quickly turn the page and move on to sections that are easier to swallow.

The second is to downplay it. Maybe a friend points out something in the Bible that disturbs them. We don't know how to respond, so we shrug and say, "Well, Bible says it, I believe it, end of story."

But there's a third option: Embrace the tension we feel when we read the Bible. The Bible is a book about real life, and real life can get messy.

Sometimes after I read the Bible, I have more questions than answers. That's okay. Sometimes I read a story in the Bible and am disturbed by it. That's okay. I know God is good. So I need to sit in the tension for a while and not jump to resolve it to make myself feel better.

I've discovered that it's in the tension where God loves to reveal himself.

Tip #5: Remember the Bible Is a Collection of Ancient Near East Documents

Yes, the Bible is the Word of God. But God gave it to us in the context of a specific culture and time. When we read the Bible, we tend to view it through our 21st-century, "Americanized" eyes. And that makes complete sense! Anything we read or watch is going to be understood through the lens of our experiences.

But before we can apply the Bible to where we are in life, we need to try to understand it in its original context. And that means taking off our modern lenses and putting on proper cultural ones. Old Testament Scholar John Walton puts it like this:

We must make every attempt to set our English categories aside, to leave our cultural ideas behind, and try our best (as limited as the attempt might be) to understand the material in its cultural context. (From Walton's book The Lost World of Genesis One.)

Doing this takes time, practice, and help from people who are way smarter than me! But at the very least, simply being aware of the cultural divide is the first step toward approaching the Bible with humility.

Tip #6: Use Resources to Help You Understand the Context of Each Book

It's tempting to think God just dropped a complete, leather-bound Bible from the sky one day. (Or if we're reading the Bible App, maybe he uploaded it to the cloud…) But the Bible is a library of 66 books and letters written over a period of about 1500 years.

These books span a wide array of literary genres. Some books tell the story of God's people and the history of Israel. Some books contain poetry and ponderings about God.

In the New Testament, we find letters written to different churches dealing with specific issues. (And often, we only hear one side of the conversation.) And even the four accounts about Jesus—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—were written to different audiences, each with a specific purpose in mind.

No, I'm not saying you have to spend hours poring over commentaries or get a Master of Divinity degree! But before diving into a book of the Bible, take a few minutes to gain some context on it. It can be helpful to know who wrote it, who the intended audience was, and what was going on at the time of writing. Most Bibles even include an introduction with this information at the start of each book.

Tip #7: Remember the Bible Is Not a List of "Do's & Don'ts."

This one may seem counterintuitive depending on how you grew up. The Bible often gets portrayed as a list of "Do's & Don'ts." Do these things, and you'll stay in God's favor. Avoid these other things, or else God will be mad at you.

But when we reduce the Bible to nothing more than an instruction manual, we miss something important. In the first chapter of The Jesus Storybook Bible, Sally Lloyd-Jones sums this up way better than I ever could. She writes:

Now, some people think the Bible is a book of rules, telling you what you should and shouldn't do. The Bible certainly does have some rules in it. They show you how life works best. But the Bible isn't mainly about you and what you should be doing. It's about God and what he has done.

The Bible is way better than a stuffy book of rules. It's the story of God's love for his people. He loved us so much that he came down from heaven to establish his kingdom right in our neighborhood. And he invites each of us to join him in building it.

That's a way better story than "Do this, don't do that..."!

Tip #8: Forget What You Think Is in the Bible Before Reading It

I picked up this tip from one of my favorite writers, Frederick Buechner. Check out this quote from him:

When a minister reads out of the Bible, I am sure that at least nine times out of ten the people who happen to be listening at all hear not what is really being read but only what they expect to hear read. … Only that is too bad because if you really listen—and maybe you have to forget that it is the Bible being read and a minister who is reading it—there is no telling what you might hear. (From Buechner's book The Magnificent Defeat.)

I think we all have the tendency to assume we know what's in the Bible before we read it for ourselves. It's like how I've never read a single Harry Potter book, but somehow I think I know the story because I've heard other people talk about it so much.

A perfect example of this is the book of Jonah. Most people think they know the gist of the story: some guy named Jonah gets swallowed by a whale. But that's not what the book is about. At its heart, Jonah is about God's love for people who we'd prefer not to associate with. But we can only see that message when we approach the Bible with fresh eyes.

Tip #9: Put Yourself in the Shoes of Each Character

When I read Bible stories, I typically put myself in the main character's shoes. I'm Moses, working up the courage to confront Pharaoh. I'm David, getting ready to battle Goliath. I'm Peter, reaching out to Jesus as I'm sinking in the sea. When we read the Bible, it can be easy to view ourselves through the lens of these "heroes."

But the stories in the Bible are not simple fairy tales where there are clear "good guys" and "bad guys." It's a book full of messy humans. That's what makes it so fascinating. And I think it's important to approach a Bible story from the point of view of every character.

What was going on inside Goliath that made him so aggressive? And when have I been a bully?

When have I—like Pharoah—used my power to oppress people instead of serving them?

And what about characters like Judas? What drove him to betray Jesus the way he did, and when have I felt that desperation and fear?

When we open the Bible, we read stories about people like us. People with real character flaws. And yet, God continues to show up in their mess. That's good news for anyone who isn't perfect.

Tip #10: Read the Bible in Community

Reading the Bible by yourself is a great way to connect with God. And using resources like devotionals (hint, hint!) can be a great way to help you engage with the Bible. But if we're not also reading the Bible with others, we're missing out on one of the ways God speaks to us.

Reading the Bible with other believers is how we learn and encourage each other. And it's true—we may not always agree. We may have different interpretations of passages. But I think this can be a good thing, as long as we remain humble and kind as we have these conversations.

Hearing a view different from mine challenges me to think through how I came to my own conclusions. It forces me to consider something I may have never thought of. And even if I still disagree, I've learned something from seeing things from a different perspective.

I'm not saying you need to join an "official" Bible study to have these conversations. Every Tuesday morning, my friend Bob and I meet at Panera to hang out. At some point, we start talking about what we've been reading in the Bible. So grab a friend, some coffee, and a Bible, and see where the conversation goes!

Which tip most resonated with you? Feel free to let me know in the comments!

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If you enjoyed these tips, please take a moment to check out my Nobody Left Out series of devotionals. They were written to help ordinary people (like me!) grow in their relationship with Jesus.

(Links to books included in this article are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. You will not pay a penny more by going through these links.)

What I Did (Or Will Do...) On My Summer Vacation (2nd Annual Edition!)

Last June, I wrote a post outlining a few things I wanted to accomplish over the summer. Looking back on it, I could see that it was a good exercise for me, and I was able to get most of it done. So I decided to do a sequel this year!

I spent most of last fall writing my third devotional book, Waves of Grace. And I spent the spring getting it ready for publication. Later this year, I hope to start work on my next devotional. (More details on that to come!) But summer seems like a great time to take a break from (consistent) writing and tackle some other projects. So here's how I'm spending these summer days:

Putting My Audiobook on YouTube 

One of the things I worked on last summer was producing the audiobook of Nobody Left Out: Jesus Meets the Messes. I was delighted by how it turned out. But despite the growing popularity of audiobooks, I haven't gotten much traction on it. Of all the formats this book is available in (print, digital, audio), over 90% of the sales come from the paperback. And I think it makes sense for this genre—devotionals are a type of book that people prefer to have in their hands.

Since I don't get many audiobook sales, I've decided to put it up on YouTube for free! I've been uploading one chapter a day for the past couple of weeks. At this rate, all 40 days should be up by the end of July. You can check out this playlist if you'd like to listen along.

And please share the playlist with anyone you'd like! I hope that having the entire audiobook on YouTube will help the channel grow.

Producing a "Bible Tips for Messy People" Video Series

My sister is helping me record a series of ten 2-minute (ish) videos giving some tips on how to engage with the Bible. If you've seen any of my other videos, you are going to see a higher quality in production values, all due to her wizardry. :) I will be using these videos as content for Facebook ads, and they'll be available on YouTube as well. I'll also be putting the content in written form and sharing that soon!

Going "Wide" with Waves of Grace

The third thing I hope to do this summer is make Waves of Grace available outside of Amazon. (This is known as "Going Wide" in the cool world of self-publishing!)

I don't want to go too far down the nerdy rabbit hole, but when I published this most recent book, I did so under my own ISBN rather than the one Amazon assigns. (ISBN stands for International Standard Book Number. It's that 13-digit number you see on barcodes of books. I fear we are too far down the rabbit hole now!) Having my own ISBN allows me to publish the book with other online retailers like Barnes & Nobles, Target, etc. It also opens the door to the book being available in physical bookstores! Remember those??? (Of course, there's no guarantee a bookstore will stock a particular book, but it makes it a possibility.)

Going wide with a book isn't hard, but there is a learning curve. I haven't made the time to sit down and dig into the process, so I hope to do that over the next month.

And that's about it for summer plans! (Other than getting into the pool with Emmett as much as possible. I'll tell you—that kid is the next Michael Phelps!)

What about you? What are you working on this summer?

Let me know!

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P.S. If you’d like to support my writing, you can buy me a sweet tea to keep me caffeinated and it would be much appreciated.

Is the Glass Half Full or Half Empty?

Whenever I skip a week (or two...) of publishing my newsletter, it's usually because I think I don't have anything to say. And that can be a good thing. Even a fool is considered wise if they stay silent, I believe the proverb goes.

Other times, I do have a thought rattling in my head, but I just don't think it's developed enough to warrant a whole email about it. Well, today I'm going to go for it! Here is a brief thought I had this week:

Don't celebrate instead of mourning. Find the celebration by going through the mourning.

Logically, it seems like celebrating and mourning are opposites. But what if they are somehow connected? What if we don't have to see the glass as half full OR half empty? What if we don't have to be defined as an optimist OR a pessimist? What if there is room for both?

When the Jews returned to Jerusalem from exile, they rebuilt the city walls and gates. Then the priest Ezra read from the Book of the Law, and the people wept. I think they wept because they knew how far they had strayed from God. They were reminded of their brokenness.

But then Ezra and Nehemiah tell the people to stop weeping and celebrate.

Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were interpreting for the people said to them, "Don't mourn or weep on such a day as this! For today is a sacred day before the Lord your God." For the people had all been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law.

And Nehemiah continued, "Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don't be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!" (Nehemiah 8:9-10, NLT)

Yes, the people were told to stop weeping and to celebrate instead. But here's the thing: Maybe the people could only get to a place of celebration because they had first wept. Maybe the weeping made the drinks sweeter and the foods richer. If the people hadn't wept, Nehemiah could not have told them to stop weeping and celebrate. (And in the next chapter, the people do have a time of mourning as they reflect on their collective history.)

We can't celebrate the grace of God until we have wept over our brokenness.

Maybe happy tears can only flow out of sad tears.

It reminds me of a line from a song in The Addams Family musical (yes, they made a musical of that):

Life is full of contradictions
Every inch a mile
And the moment we start weeping
That's when we should smile

Don't celebrate instead of mourning. Find the celebration by going through the mourning. Because God is close to the brokenhearted.

That's my thought for this week, and I'm still unsure what I think about it!

What do you think?

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P.S. If you’d like to support my writing, you can buy me a sweet tea to keep me caffeinated and it would be much appreciated.

Bringing Heaven to Earth

A couple of Sundays ago, I had the privilege of preaching a sermon at my church (you can listen to it here). We were in a series on the book of Colossians, and my sermon was about how to live as mature Christians. I talked about how many things in life can distract us from living as mature Christians. But there is one distraction that might not be so obvious: The destination of heaven.

When we see how messed up this world is, it's tempting to want to say things like, "This world is not my home" or "I'm just passing through." And after seeing multiple shootings over the past two weeks, I'm tempted to lean into these phrases right now. Throw me a life preserver, God, and get me off of this sinking ship of a world.

But the vision of the New Testament is not that we would wait around to get scooped up and taken to heaven. Instead, the vision of the New Testament is that God is bringing his beautiful kingdom down to earth. And while that won't fully be completed until Jesus returns, we can begin the process now. (Or, more accurately, continue the process Jesus began when he rose from the grave on Easter Sunday.)

But how do we do that?

Well, Paul says we do it by putting on "the new self":

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. (Colossians 3:12-14, NIV)

This is what it looks like to be heavenly-minded in the here and now. And it looks a lot like Jesus.

Yesterday, I came upon a Twitter conversation about Tuesday's school shooting in Texas. One person said, "It shouldn't be this way. It doesn't have to be this way."

To which someone else responded, "Total depravity says differently."

Now, I most certainly believe in total depravity. I write about messy, broken people, after all! But this is an area where we need to embrace some tension.

Total depravity is not a reason to throw our hands up and say, "Nothing can be done; this is just the way it is!"

If that were the case, Paul wouldn't have told us to clothe ourselves with the new self. He would have said, "Yeah, this world is terrible. Do your best to sit tight until Jesus gets back."

The way we treat people in the here and now matters. The way we respond to tragedies, pain, and hurt matters. We will never respond to brokenness as perfectly as Jesus did because we are all broken. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't try. God can still use broken vessels to do good works.

There is a song in the musical Godspell called "Beautiful City." And this is my favorite verse in the song:

When your trust is all but shattered
When your faith is all but killed
You can give up bitter and battered
Or you can slowly start to build

There are times—like this week—when the brokenness of the world is so palpable. We have no more tears. We just want God to take us away to a better world. And that is a good and right longing to have. But Jesus has called his church to begin the work of making our city (or town, suburb, school, village, ranch, neighborhood, kitchen table, etc.) a beautiful place that reflects his goodness. Time after time in the Bible, we see that prayers lead to action. People pray and then act on who they believe God to be. But we can't even begin the process until we clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

We need compassion and kindness as we interact with brokenhearted people.

We need the humility and gentleness to realize we don't have all the answers.

We need patience as we seek to work with others to find solutions.

And, as Paul says, the final piece of the outfit is love, which binds all the other pieces together.

And I know—this is all easier said than done. As I type these words, I feel like a fraud because I fail at this way too often. I can't do this on my own strength. The only way we have any hope of doing this is with Jesus.

I ended my sermon by quoting a famous line from the book The Lion, The Witch, & The Wardrobe. When Susan, Peter, Edmund, and Lucy arrive in Narnia, they are trapped in eternal winter. Things look bleak under the reign of the White Witch. There is no hope to be found. But then Mr. Beaver says, "Aslan is on the move."

Sometimes it's hard to see any hope here on earth.

But Jesus is on the move.

And we get to join him in the work of bringing his beautiful kingdom here.

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P.S. If you’d like to support my writing, you can buy me a sweet tea to keep me caffeinated and it would be much appreciated.

God's Kingdom in a High School Theater

A couple of weeks ago, I attended a local high school production of The Music Man. My friend's daughter was playing the lead role of Marian, and she—and the entire cast—did a fantastic job. And after the show, something happened that I can't stop thinking about. But first, let me back up a bit...

As I walked into the lobby of the theater, I looked to my right and saw a picture of a young man framed on the wall. When I took my seat and opened the show program, I learned he was a former student (and chorus member) named Tyler. He died in a tragic car accident in 1998. After he passed away, the school decided to honor him by dedicating the annual musical to his memory. The production I was about to watch was the 23rd anniversary of this tradition.

Tyler's story gripped me, partly because we were born the same year, and the high school I attended is only a few miles away from this one. I wonder if Tyler and I liked the same music or TV shows. I wonder if we would have been friends had we gone to the same school. It made me sad to think of my peer dying way too soon and so tragically. I thought it was wonderful that the school honored him in this way. But I wasn't expecting what came next.

After the final bows, two students from the cast took center stage and shared Tyler's story. Each year, the proceeds from the musical go toward college scholarships for seniors. The two students asked past recipients of the scholarship to stand. A few people in the audience stood as we applauded.

And then (and this is where it took everything in me not to break down and start sobbing loudly)—the cast sang one last song. It was an original song they sing every year, written for Tyler by a Broadway composer. It's titled "There Is Only One You."

Here is what I kept thinking (and what moved me the most about the whole experience): The kids on this stage weren't even born when Tyler died. And yet, they were now connected to his story.

After a tragic event, it can be easy to want to forget about it and "move on." The painful memories are too much to bear. We've all been there. But this high school decided to lean into the pain. Rather than try to forget Tyler's tragic death, they used the pain as a catalyst for good works. This couldn't have been easy, especially in those first few years when the wounds were still fresh.

I experienced a taste of God's kingdom inside that high school theater. 

When Jesus blew the doors off death on Easter Sunday, it was the beginning of establishing his kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. It's a kingdom that doesn't ignore sadness or pain but redeems it. It's a kingdom that acknowledges the brokenness of the world and then begins working to set things right. And no, that vision will never be fully realized until Jesus comes back. But in the meantime, we get to take part in his life-giving work here and now. Sometimes that looks like high schoolers singing a song to honor a life cut short way too soon.

As I watched these students sing Tyler's tribute song, I could see how much it meant to them. Some of them were crying. You got the sense that somehow, in some unexplainable way, they knew Tyler personally. It was as if they were staring Death square in the face and saying, "Yes, I see you. I see your destruction. I feel the hurt and the pain you cause. And yet, I also see the hope in the midst of it."

As I held back my own tears, I thought of my 1-year-old son, Emmett. 13 years from now, he'll be attending this same high school (assuming we don't move!). I thought to myself, Maybe he'll be up on that stage one day, singing that song, honoring Tyler's memory.

Maybe he—and our entire family—will become part of Tyler's story, a story full of profound sadness and pain.

But also one that flickers with hope.

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P.S. If you’d like to support my writing, you can buy me a sweet tea to keep me caffeinated and it would be much appreciated.