day 332: IBNO Status (part 4)

Being in but not of the world (IBNO) means not being influenced by all of the behaviors of people around us. At work it is easy to be dragged in and consequently dragged down to the behaviors that are demonstrated, reinforced and sometimes rewarded all around us. We have been in discussion the last few days about many of the actions that can lead to bigger infractions or real value and principle breakdowns. But, there are even more impacting changes that can come from us that can upend our reputation and all the hard work we have put in to keep our character intact. These are things of the world that fill up our work. At work, if not more than any other place in our lives, we need to constantly be checking out IBNO Status. David Wilkerson puts it this way when he says that we must always be questioning ourselves against where the world wants us to go: "In other words, we are to ask ourselves: “Am I becoming more like Christ? Am I growing more patient, or more quick-tempered? Kinder and gentler, or meaner and more argumentative? More tender and forgiving, or more bitter, holding onto grudges? Do I ‘bear with others’? Do I put up with the weaknesses and faults of those near to me, or do I always have to be right?” What Pastor Wilkerson describes is a constant checking of ourselves to be sure that are not drifting or abandoning the ways of Christ in our attitude, our demeanor, our words and our minds. The world wants us to be less like Christ. We want to be more like Him, so it is a daily and continuous scrutiny of ourselves. This would be a great day to dissect your work relationships and see where you have slipped into the ways of the world and where it is time to pull yourself back up and most importantly back towards the true example we should be following.

Reference: Romans 12:2 (New Living Testament)

day 331: IBNO Status (part 3)

"Let's just take a shortcut and we'll be done with this". To anyone who wants to get anything done, that sounds like a fine alternative and when we have been working really, really hard, this alternative could come as such a relief. Unless, that shortcut undermines the quality and/or credibility of the work. Seldom does anyone come right out and use the word "shortcut" but it shows up as the result when the extra quality check is ignored or the preventative maintenance schedule is not followed, or the details on the expense report are too complicated to fill out. They aren't stark and visible shortcuts, but they are things that when not fully completed, cut short ourselves and our potential to be as good as we can be. Many of the cues for these actions come from the world around us. I marvel at how when there is some very egregious crime committed in the corporate world that there will be people who say, "I never imagined he would do that". Any major infraction started a long time ago with a little of this and a little of that going on. The erosion of character, values and disciplines are always evident if we just pay attention and look hard enough for them. But, as a people, we don't. We allow the curve to shift and the standards to slip and before long, "everyone is doing it". This is the world doing this to us and unless we have a strict and strong standard we will find ourselves moving along the curve. We all are in, but we do not need to be of this world, this is why in Romans 12:2 we are given the boundary lines. Our IBNO (in but not of) Status is constantly challenged by the crowds. Books are written about the the wisdom of the crowd. In the technology world we are asked over and over, "are you crowd-sourcing?" When it comes to values, principles and disciplines, may we never allow the crowd to source any of us. Today, if there is an area at work or in your life where you feel that the crowd and the world has pushed you in a direction that makes you not happy with you are, then today is the time to step away from the crowd and start back to being you.

Reference: Romans 12:2 (New Living Testament)

day 330; IBNO Status (part 2)

I once worked at a company where no one felt comfortable wearing blue jeans to work. There was no rule or policy against it and quite the opposite in that the company prided itself on having a casual dress policy. But it would be the very rare day when you would see a senior executive or anyone in management wearing a pair of jeans in the office. Recently I saw a video of an internal meeting of the same company and I commented that all of the senior team were wearing blue jeans. The person who was showing me the video said, "yeah, we all wears jeans these days, almost every day." What was the difference? When I was at the organization the CEO then never wore jeans to work and if someone did, he wouldn't say anything, but he would give them the once over look and would look at what pants they were wearing just long enough that it would let them know that he was frowning inside. Today, the same company has a different CEO and he is known for wearing jeans to work all the time, even though he never did back in the day when he was number two in the company. The point of all of this is that we very easily become the products of our environment. Just like chameleons we can quickly change based on the landscape and the backdrop around us and if we are not careful we will have changed and not even known it. It's nothing new to any of us that we change over time in small increments that begin to add up. It's like gaining weight. Few people just wake up one morning and find that they are overweight. It's the pound here and the pound there that leaves us with 20 extra pounds that has to be taken back off more diligently than how it was put on. So are the things in life that can cause us issues regarding being in but not of this world. Our "IBNO Status" must constantly be monitored. There are many traits and characteristics of others that are fine to take on, but there are others that we have to monitor and not just do because everyone else does them or the person at the top of the company does it that way. Not knowing or recognizing how we have changed is the first sign that our IBNO status needs to be checked.

Reference: Romans 12:2 (New Living Testament)

day 329: IBNO Status, Part 1

Managing work relationships comes with challenges. There is the; "I don't want to get too close"; the "I'm getting too close"; the "I don't know much about them"; and the "I don't know them at all" stages of relationships. Work is hard enough without having to worry about if we are in the right relationships at the right levels to be effective at our jobs. We want to get close to the people with who we work and be friends so that if we are going to spend 40+ hours together we can like each other. The problem with all of this is that we have to pick and choose among people at work and we run the risk of falling into cliques that carry with them certain norms and values that are not our own. This can cause a lot of consternation and concern and if we are not careful, we can find ourselves getting lost. That is why it is so important as believers for us to be sure and be able to know our "IBNO Status" IBNO is my abbreviation for "In But Not Of", that is, in the context of "in but not of this world". Paul makes it clear to us in Romans 12:2; "Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think." All the messages we are sent is that we have to play along to fit in and be a part of the cultures of the companies where we work. It is true, but that does not mean that we have to sacrifice our values and principles to go along with the crowd. This is part one of a series on our IBNO Status. I want to spend the next few days exploring this and seeing if we can't come in closer touch with what our status is at all times so that we can course correct when necessary. Today, be thinking about the values and principles that you hold dearly that are challenged because of the gravitational pull of others away from yours and over to theirs.

Reference: Romans 12:2 (New Living Testament)

day 328: Distribution of Work

One of the most difficult tasks of a Manager is to properly distribute the work to be done. First of all, just being able to chunk the work down into easily identifiable and achievable parts is hard enough without having to add on the people part of distributing work. That is really the hardest part as each person has their own definition of what is the proper amount of work for them. My experience is that to get the balance just right all the time is nearly impossible. Someone always wants more and many want less, sometimes a lot less. So many people, regardless of what they have on their plates will feel like they are overburdened with way too much to do, so they complain, etc. That means anyone who has to assign work, who is trying to keep everyone happy, has a very, very hard job. Each of us then have to manage our own level of tolerance to the amount of work that we have and even though we shouldn't, we do it in comparison to the workloads of others who work with us. When we feel like we have too much of the load to carry we can then find ourselves being upset to the point of becoming frustrated, angry and resentful. These are not the emotions that any of us want to harbor, but it is hard to not fall into that set of feelings. As we carry more and more of the burden at work, we have to look for ways to relieve that load. God tells us that He wants to be the one to pick up the load for us. He wants us to distribute the burdens to Him. That doesn't mean that He can take the sales call, make the presentation, or create the spreadsheet for us, but He can be there with us each step of the way. What God wants from us is our load. We read this in Matthew 11:29-30; "Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light." What God is trying to do is to get us to distribute the work to Him and even better, to get us to give Him the hardest of the work so He can give us his light yoke of love for Him. If you are overworked, overburdened and feel like the work is distributed too heavily your way, then look to God to take way the heaviness.

Reference: Matthew 11:29-30 (New Living Testament)

day 327: Where Did We File That Warranty?

You have bought that brand new piece of equipment that could be anything; a laptop, a printer, a copier, a car, a piece of machinery, etc. that is all new and shiny and you couldn't wait to get it and then, "bam" it goes bad in someway. After you do everything you know to make it work right, you are left with no choice but to search for the warranty to see how to get it fixed or replaced at no cost. You obviously shouldn't have to pay for the repair something that is new and turns out to be faulty or to be a lemon. It is then that those warranties come in so handy and you are really glad that you didn't just toss them out with the box. In larger companies, the IT teams are experts at keeping the warranties up to date and purchasing the extended plans where they think it is best. Don't we wish we could get a warranty on all products and work purchased or requested? If we had warranties on the work that we perform for others, and work from them, then we would likely get much better service all the way around. Instead, we are many times left with "the best I can do" not being good enough. So we long for any type of warranty from others that we can get. I wrote about this last week as well in how we search and look for guarantees, only to find that people always can let us down. Even as believers we can find ourselves searching to God for the warranty that He put on us. In Psalm 138:8 David searches at the end of the verse; "Don't abandon me, for you made me." David was saying, God you made me, so please keep your product and service warranty alive and well! It may be that we are having a hard time understanding why God allows us to be stuck in the job that we are in or that we feel like we are abandoned when our careers and our work just aren't working out. It is at these times that we need to fall back on the warranty of God's promises and if we can't seem to find that warranty then look no further than the Bible that He gave us to then dig out of His files, warranty after warranty written just for us.

Reference: Psalm 138:8 (New Living Testament)

day 326: Deal or No Deal?

As hard as we all work to push the ball forward it only gets that much harder to close a "deal". The definition of a deal to me is any conclusion of a negotiation or conclusion of a project, or a sale, or a presentation, etc. that takes all we have from us and when we are concluded it feels like we just fall over the finish line. It's not a particularly desirable position to be in, but it is a part of work that we all experience at some point or another. What is also lost in that period is a sense of perspective. The deal becomes all important and all-consuming to the point that our nerves are on end and we find ourselves unhappy with ourselves and others. The boiling point can also take us to a place where we begin to take out our frustrations and anxiety on others. I speak to many people who in this time of job insecurity and worry about the future feel the need to successfully complete each of their "deals" that they become someone who they don't like when they look into the mirror. It is understandable when we think through the stress and pressures that we all have on our plates in this difficult time. God gives us reassurances though that can't be ignored! In Psalm 4:7 David writes of the substance of joy; "You have given me greater joy than those who have abundant harvest of grain and wine". David was saying that God can give more joy and fulfillment than any deal that could ever be made. As we are faced with the challenges of our work and the expectations of being able to bring the deal home, let us not confuse the satisfaction of working well with true joy and fulfillment. When the deal doesn't close and it becomes "no deal", then let us fall back on the promise of God that He will bring so much more joy than we could ever imagine on our own.

Reference: Psalm 4:7 (New Living Testament)

day 325: Teaching to Learn Twice

Invariably we are asked to repeat something to someone else for what will feel like the umpteenth time. It will be someone new into the company, a co-worker who wasn't listening, or a boss who doesn't pay enough attention, etc. At some time we probably all have found ourselves saying, "How many times do I have to repeat myself?" The fact is that if you have ever said this to yourself it only means that you have information and knowledge that others need, so in a sense you are being asked to teach others what to do or how to do something. But in those moments, it does feel like there is not a lot of value added for the repetition. However, with a little attitude adjustment we will be able to see that in fact what is happening is that we are improving ourselves with each repetition and with each time that we teach, we actually learn again. The old saying is; "He who teaches, learns twice". I think this is so true even in situations where the messages being delivered are the same, there is always a better way of delivering or an added part of the story that gets built as the repetitions occur. So, we should not miss the opportunities to teach others, even when it feels like rote and redundant. In Psalm 119:13 we read that David used words spoken out loud to reinforce and learn; "I have recited aloud all the laws you have given us." David learned the laws by heart by reciting them out loud over and over. It is the same with how we repeat and recite those things that are a part of our work. As we get put into the situations where it feels repetitive, let's not miss the opportunity to know that we are teaching others as we go and that the words from our mouth can become the words that are recited and followed by others. Every time we teach, we learn again. Here is to a day of learning.

Reference: Psalm 119:13 (New Living Testament)

day 324: The Need To Exceed...

...expectations, that is. Yes, we are challenged at work daily to not only meet but to exceed the expectations that are put on us by others. Seldom do we really get to totally independently set our goals and objectives. Even when it feels like we get to do so when we are asked to author and submit our goals for the year, the quarter or the month, we are influenced by the larger strategy and objectives of the organization and we can find ourselves reaching to put together a set of goals where we are making a performance difference between ourselves and our peers. From there, we place the pressure on ourselves to find a way to exceed those objectives. When we do, we are pleased and feel like we have grown and been successful. When we don't, we are stressed, down on ourselves and feel like we have disappointed ourselves and others. In all my business years, I have only met a few people who have openly said that they only work to the lowest level of performance expected of them and everyone of those people worked below what I believed to be their full potential. We all are given the potential to do great things and to make a real difference in our work and our lives. The question is how do we tap that potential and bring the best out in ourselves so that we can continue to exceed our expectations? The formula seems to have been given to us by Paul in Ephesians 3:20; "Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think." To unlock our full potential we need first to allow God to be unlocked inside of us and for His glory to be realized through our work. We have to start with Him first and then work backwards to those expectations that we and others have put on us. If we can do that, then the promise of what we can accomplish can be so much further beyond our expectations, or any of the expectations of the people around us. Thinking that we might be able to accomplish anything infinitely more than we might think or ask, should be enough right there to get us each of us to try God's approach rather than our own expectation management.

Reference: Ephesians 3:20 (New Living Testament)

day 323: Inventory Management

I have a friend who owns a small business that has been in the family for nearly 50 years. The company is successful on all fronts and has gotten there because my friend, who is the CEO and owner, decided long ago that they would not be able to compete with big guys if they tried to do the same thing, but instead, they would take a different route and become the best in the business in the things the other guys couldn't do because they were too big. What my friend determined was that his little company would be the best at real-time, or just-in-time, inventory management and customer service. If a customer wanted to order something on the spot as a custom item, my friend's business would be able to fulfill that order without hesitation while the big guys would say they couldn't do custom orders. The way his small company is able to do this, in a way that is affordable, is that they have figured out how to manage their inventory and suppliers so that they only have on hand what they need and if they need something different, they can access it within hours, not days or weeks. While this sounds like a simple and elegant way to do business, it is actually very, very hard to manage. Anyone who knows anything about inventory management knows that having the balance between what what you need and what you forecast you are going to need and being able to fulfill the needs with littlest amount of inventory on hand is both a real skill and art. I have been reflecting on the business balancing of inventory needs and the application of this to our work lives. Our lives are like managing inventory in a warehouse. We all have needs and we all have the things of life that we have to draw upon; housing, shelter, food, resources, etc. However, God wants us to manage our worries and our needs just like my friend manages his business, just-in-time and on-demand. We read in Matthew 6:31-33; "So don't worry about having enough food or drink or clothing. Why be like the pagans who are so deeply concerned about these things? Your heavenly Father already knows your needs, and he will give you all you need from day to day if you live for him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern." What these verses say to me is that we are to let God be the Warehouse and Inventory Manager of our lives. We are supposed to let Him worry about the supply and demand and know that if we are working towards the Kingdom of God that He promises, always, that the needs will be me, just-in-time!

Reference: Matthew 6:31-33 (New Living Testament)

day 322: Immunity

Immunity was a word that was seldom used in common language before ten years ago. What it meant then was be immune to a disease or some catastrophic illness. That was the context in which we use the word. Now we hear the word all the time and it means getting to stay for another week on the television show. It means not having to be evaluated and judged by our peers. I have heard the word used in business settings too when someone doesn't have to give a presentation or their budget gets approved without scrutiny, they got "immunity". It is strange, and true, that having immunity at work would be a great thing. Imagine not having to go through the stress and pressure of performance evaluations, or not having to worry about the reaction of a customer, or not having to worry if you are going to be put on the layoff list or not. That level of immunity would indeed be excellent. It would also be nice to have career immunity where you could know that you will be successful in your endeavors and that the set of jobs that you have chosen will all add up to something great in the long-run. Alas, no matter what challenges we win and alliances that we have formed, no one gets that level of immunity at work. And because of that we let the worries of work, the worries of others, the worries of our self-esteem, our worries of performance and ability to contribute, sneak up on us and zap our confidence and courage. It is in those moments that we privately say a prayer to God, "If only I could get immunity from all of this". God certainly wants us to be bringing our work worries and problems to him continuously but His immunity and promise does not come through the work that we do or the man made decisions that happen all around us. He provides us the ultimate immunity through His Son as we read in John 14:6; "I am the way, the truth, and the life." As we wish for immunity in the lives that we live and the work that we do, let's not allow ourselves to get caught up in the temporary immunity that carries us from week to week, but instead stand on the promises of the ultimate immunity over those things that really matter.

Reference: John 14:6 (New Living Testament)

day 321: Guarantees

A big part of work is looking for guarantees. We want guarantees from vendors and suppliers that the parts or service they are providing will be nothing short of stellar and perfect. We seek their guarantee and want them to stand by their workmanship. We look for guarantees from each other as co-workers. These are the guarantees that work will be done on time, complete and to the satisfaction of our internal customers and our ourselves. We look for guarantees from our bosses. When we work hard and we perform to our best ability, and to our bosses expectations, we want the guarantee that we will be recognized and rewarded for our efforts. In all of these cases we either sit with another person and express our desires and look for their personal guarantee and promise, or we will be even more explicit and try and get the guarantee in writing from the other party. Here is the flaw in our thinking; there are no guarantees that are 100% sure in the human life that we live. People, regardless of how pure, well-meaning or trustworthy, can and will always let us down at some point. The guarantees of this world are only as good as the piece of paper or the words spoken. But yet we still look for them and we need them as a part of our own assurances and confidence. What if we could remove that need from our life and trust forward that God will deliver what guarantees we seek? I think of Abraham in the Old Testament who God would continually ask to do bigger and bolder things and God would continue to tell Abraham; "I will bless you richly. I will multiply your descendants into countless millions, like the stars of the sky and the sand on the seashore." The amazing part of that guarantee from God is that God would tell that to Abraham even before Abraham and Sarah were able to have children. Even more amazing is that Abraham, while he could not contemplate or fathom what God was promising, believed without doubt in God's promise and guarantee. In my own faith I would like to have a lot less need for the guarantees of men and a whole bunch more of the faith of Abraham. As we march through our working days and we look for the guarantees from others, let us reflect on the difference of the unsecured guarantees of people and the firm and 100% guarantee of God.

Reference: Genesis 22:17 (New Living Testament)

day 320: Watercooler Talk

The watercooler buzzes on Monday mornings to catch up on the weekend activities and also when something has happened at work that everyone wants to discuss. It's almost like a tractor-beam that gets us up out of our chair and pulls us towards the place where we gather to drink coffee, eat and share a story or two. It's hard in those moments to not get sucked into the gossip and what can turn out to be not-so-kind words about others. We all have experienced the feeling of being somewhere we shouldn't be, and sometimes the watercooler takes on that characteristic. We all know the people who are there at every chance and they fuel the conversation and become known for spreading the news. Unfortunately, people love to hear the negatives and these people are the carriers of the negative sentiments and sometimes hurtful words about others. We don't want to be one of those people. The Bible has so many great stories that take place around a well that it would be good for us to revisit some of those in the Old and New Testament to reset how we think about what conversation and what can happen around our own watercoolers. You can read in the book of Genesis Chapter 24 an example of how a well yielded a wife for Isaac because the right conversation with the right people occurred at their watercooler. Let us take the opportunity to turn our own wells, springs and watercoolers into a place of positive and uplifting conversations. And if we can't, then let's not be seen hanging out at the watercooler literally or metaphorically.

Reference: Genesis Chapter 24

day 319: Waiting Times

Not long ago I was heading into a meeting but the person I was meeting with was not yet out of his other meeting so his assistant, said; "You can wait here in this room". She offered me coffee or water and then shut the door to leave me waiting. Any one who works and goes to meetings has had the experience of having to wait. Sometimes formal like this, like a doctor's office. Other times, it is standing or sitting in a hallway, just waiting either by ourselves or with others. On this one instance, I did not have my usual waiting helpers. I usually carry my laptop, my Kindle, a newspaper or my phone with my email on it. I did have my phone with email on it but with no data coverage inside of the office, it was not of any help. So instead of scrounging around for something to read, I decided to just take the time and try and relish some silence and peace, both which are hard to find these days. If I could have anticipated or heard when the door would open, I would have just closed my eyes for a few minutes. Instead, I took the time to be silent and see what I could hear inside myself. I would like to say that I heard the voice of God, but I didn't. I just rested and waited. By the time I was asked to get up and move to another office for the meeting, I was in a different state of mind than I was when I entered the office. While I was not really stressed on this day, I was even that much more at peace by having a few minutes of waiting time. It was rejuvenating and restorative. I am going to try and remember this day and look forward to waiting times as times that are good for me. God also tells us that waiting time is good for us. In Psalm 37:7, we are encouraged to wait; "Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act." Sometimes I suspect that we are given waiting time, just so we can learn to be still and practice this as we wait on Him. Maybe what we are supposed to do with the waiting times (literally and figuratively) that we are given within our work is to turn that time into the dual purpose of finding time of peace and to be still in the presence of God. If faced with waiting times this week, see if you can turn that waiting time into time of even larger productivity and meaning.

Reference: Psalm 37:7 (New Living Testament)

day 318: Untrained

Training. The definition of the word is; 1. the education, instruction, or discipline of a person or thing that is being trained: He's in training for the Olympics. 2. the status or condition of a person who has been trained: athletes in top training. Training is about being trained for something different to occur with the outcome not being the same and where improvement happens. When we are "in training" for something we are doing so so that we reach a higher level of performance and in most cases for a specific event or occasion. But, at work, its not always that way. People go to training all the time but who expects something different from them when they get back or who measures the difference in their performance? Unfortunately it doesn't happen often, if ever. That is why I am not a huge fan of training for the sake of training. There is some underlying message in the world of work that if you are being trained that you are special, good, or better than others. It's an interesting irony in that those who do go to training should be the ones that need it the most...not the other way around. That said, we all need coaching, but that's a different subject all together. I hear all the time, "But, I'm just not trained to do that." Unfortunately, this attitude leads to just not trying and giving up. This is true in the realm of people, like ourselves, who are trying to work to God's purpose but don't always feel adequate to minister or think that because we don't have the "training" that we aren't as effective or as "called" to be on the front line for God. In Acts Chapter 4, Peter and John had to do some things that they weren't trained to do and they did just fine, and it was all because of their attitude and their courage to ignore their lack of training and just do what God asked them to do. We read in Acts 4:13; "The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men who had no special training". Peter and John's large impact was partly based on the fact that they were untrained but could still do the job regardless and they did it boldly. What is it in your life that you are untrained for and you have been holding back because you think that without the training others won't appreciate or take you seriously? A different attitude and a little boldness and you may find that God wants to let you do something remarkable and yes, all without training.

Reference: Acts 4:13 (New Living Testament)

day 317: Each Day Is a New Beginning

This first week into the New Year the list in front of us looks fresh and manageable, although challenging. The gyms are full too as those pledged pounds are coming off. But just like the gym that will empty out in the next couple of weeks, in a couple of months we may have a hard time finding that list of objectives and goals we set for the year. That is why as we plan our work it is so much better to lay out a long look vision and then back into it with chunked up goals and objectives, small bites that are achievable and look like they are doable when we see them on the list. Taking things day by day and step by step can keep us going. I read a great quote from an ultra-marathon runner who says that when he is out there on the road for 100 miles or more in front of him that he has to remind himself that the finish line doesn't move...it is only him that has to keep moving forward one step at a time. Our work objectives can be the same. We don't have to let them be overwhelming if we realize that one step at a time, one day at a time, one task at a time will get us there. The same is true of how we are working to work and live our purpose. Paul gives us this promise in Philippians 1:6; "And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns." As we start this new year, this new decade, this new time for each of us, let us not get discouraged or side-tracked in our purpose. Let us take each day, one step at a time with each day, like today, being a new beginning.

Reference: Philippians 1:6 (New Living Testament)

day 316: "It Was Just Bad Judgment"

Before we even get to work each day we are bombarded with messages and news of people using or having bad judgment. Whether it a celebrity, a politician, a high-profile business executive, a sports figure, or someone we know, we are confronted with examining instances of others' judgment each and every day. I once had a situation in my career where a senior executive had just received a gift and decided to bring it to work to show his staff and in particular his personal assistant. As he unwrapped the gift and brought it up in front of her, she saw it and ran from the office. Her next stop, after sitting at her desk trying to figure out what to do next, was my office. This senior executive had just showed her a new pistol that he had received. As we talked to this senior executive about why he had brought the gun to work, he didn't think anything of it at all. We had rules in our business that weapons and guns were not allowed in the workplace, but for him, he couldn't see the difference between a gun and the golf putter that another executive kept in his office. It was a case of very bad judgment. Even without our no-tolerance policy, he would have still lost his job for the use of bad judgment. Like I said, we hear of these things everyday as in the case now of the NBA player who brought a gun to the locker room (or in his case, to his office). We are confronted by big judgment lapses and smaller indiscretions that are also the by-product of poor and bad judgment. When we process these through our own experience and try to do our best to not lapse into using bad judgment ourselves, we need to take each and every lesson and ensure that we are not allowing ourselves to miss or not see what is right and pure. I know only one way to do this and always be sure. That is to stay in God's word and to not lose the lessons and words that He gives us. We can read this in Proverbs 4:5; "Get wisdom; develop good judgment. Don’t forget my words or turn away from them." Being in God's Word daily, studying and remembering what we read, is the anchor of good judgment that we can have that will keep us steady and in the right place when everything else around us is blowing and moving around. Good judgment is a great example to others and the example that God wants us to have as work towards His purpose.

Proverbs 4:5 (New Living Testament)

day 315: The Impact of Slipping

Last month I had a business meeting with someone who I know, but don't know all that well. He now represents a financial institution but also is involved in a faith-based for-profit business at a very high level of influence and responsibility. We were having a business meeting over coffee. I was getting briefed on the faith-based business but we were also catching up on how he was doing in a new venture, etc. In the course of the conversation, over an hour or so, he allowed himself to slip out three epitaphs, which were of the non-FCC allowed kinds. Like most of us, we are used to this in business and seldom am I personally phased by any and all of what comes from someones mouth. I can't be judgmental because I have been guilty way too many times in my own career. For years, I will admit that certain four-letter words rolled off my tongue without thought or concern. Those days are past for me now. But still, I don't want to judge. However, in this situation I had last month, there was a lesson to be learned. As this person sat across from me and gave me the update on the faith-based business, each time that one of the words would find their way into the conversation, for me, all credibility of everything else he shared would dissipate. It was like he was speaking two different languages and with each slip of his tongue, I could only hear what I thought was his true language coming through and it eroded his credibility as a leader of a faith-based business. This has stuck with me through the holiday period and I felt it important to write about it now as we start this New Year. This is a year to turn areas of our lives over to God and to let Him take over and take control. As we read in the entire third chapter of James, the tongue is a mighty force and one not to be easily controlled or reckoned. My experience with this other person was exactly what James says in Chapter 3, verse 11-12: "Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water?...No, you can't draw fresh water from a salty pool." all I could hear (taste) in our conversation was the salty and the brackish. Whatever was fresh and life-giving was tainted and ruined by the bitter salt. This is a time of new beginning and this is a year where with the removal of a few words (think about it...it's maybe two handful of words only) out of our vocabulary, we can assure that we are never spoiling fresh water or spoiling the other areas of our lives we are doing our best to work and live to God's purpose. Can we start today with not letting ourselves continue with the slips of our tongues?

Reference: James 3:11-12 (New Living Testament)

day 314: Back To The Ordinary (Redux)

First posted on January 2nd, 2009

January can be one of the most exciting months of the year because of the feeling of a new start that comes with a new year. But for most, January is the month of deprivation. This is the month that we resolve to do more with less, lose a few pounds with less intake and more output, be more diligent with exercise schedules, balance out work and life better, etc. You know the list. At work it is the beginning of a quarter or a fiscal year and even before the year is really started we are already setting down and planning and adjusting to be sure that we can hit the targets that we have set for ourselves. With a swirling external economic climate, we may already be cutting back to make sure that we have breathing room in the coming months and year. So, after all the Christmas build up and holiday enthusiasm, January can feel like a real let down and a hard time for many. As I reflected on the January doldrums I was reminded of how Joseph and Mary must have felt after their first Christmas. What a heady experience to have given birth to a new son, to have experienced the coming of the angel and the visitors being drawn to the stable to see and worship the baby Jesus, and to have gone to the Temple and had Simeon and Anna prophecy over their child. And then, it was over. The angel was gone, the shepherds and visitors had gone their own way and it was time to go home. Mary and Joseph left the temple and the Bible says in Luke 2:39; "...they returned home to Nazareth in Galilee". For Mary it was now to work to raise a child and for Joseph it was back to his carpentry and making a living for his family and now with one new mouth to feed. It was back to the ordinary for both of them. It was a January and a new year, a year to go back to work and do what was needed to make their own ends meet. Our life and work life of purpose is not to always be filled with highs. It would be great if it was that way, but we all know that it just doesn't work out that way. Our lives are filled with the ordinary and the routine. And, even in the ordinary and the routine we are to seek and work to live to the high standards we have been given as followers of Jesus. As we each start this work year, let us take all of the lessons given to us and do our best to apply them each and every day, knowing that like Joseph and Mary, that returning back to Nazareth was one ordinary step on what was to become a miraculous life journey. They didn't know it then, as we don't know today, but what can come from the ordinary, lived and pursued with righteousness, can be nothing short of extraordinary.

Reference: Luke 2:39 (New Living Testament)