day 1045: Year-End Examination

 'Let a man examine himself…'.

At the end of the year we are usually scrambling to get everything on our to do lists out of the way and cleaned and tidied up for a fresh start in the New Year. I also notice that at the end of the year there is a mad dash to use up all of the health reserve money that has been saved up tax-free throughout the year. I always thought that it must be interesting for doctors who get this year-end set of appointments for examinations, whether people need them or not. The end of the year is when most of us do the self-examinations of ourselves. We reflect back over the past year and evaluate how we did in life, work, spiritually, financially, etc. and we then set our goals for the New Year, some being called our "New Year's Resolutions". This self-examination is good. Paul calls for us to do this continually in I Corinthians 11:28. David Wilkerson, the author of The Cross and the Switchblade and former pastor of the Times Square Church in New York City said, "Paul further urges us, 'Let a man examine himself…'. The Greek word for examine here means 'scrutinize, test.' The apostle is saying, 'Test yourself—see if you’re walking according to God’s Word.' We’re to constantly ask ourselves, 'Am I changing? Am I becoming more loving and tenderhearted? Am I treating my family and friends with godly respect? Is my conversation becoming more righteous?” These are great questions of self-examination as we head into our new year of work life.

As we set our goals for the person we want to be at work and to be a person who works to their purpose, we can be assured that our constant self-examination and adjustments and corrections are the way that God wants us to live and pursue His righteousness. So, set those goals this year with confidence and great expectations that this New Year will be a year of positive change for each of us.


Reference; I Corinthians 11:28 (New Living Testament)

day 1044: Fairness

"The LORD demands accurate scales and balances; he sets the standards for fairness."

Last week, there was a significant ruling against the global bank, UBS. It's a long and arcane tale of many years of a group of people scamming the LIBOR ( LIBOR is the London Interbank Offered Rate and among the most common of benchmark interest rate indexes used to make adjustments to adjustable rate mortgages). What had happened was a group of people were colluding to sway the rate up or down in their favor and then would invest on the knowledge of what the changes would be.  The best explanation I heard of what was happening was that it would be like taking the international kilogram weight standard (which happens to be a piece of metal that is locked in a vault in Switzerland) and each day shaving off a little bit or adding some weight and then gauging all of the weight measurements for the day off of the adjusted standard. Imagine that for a day, a pound of coffee could be sold at its' full price, but the manufacturer was able to package an ounce less than a full pound.  There would be a lot of savings in material and as such, a lot of money to be made.  So, that is what happened and some guys got caught with their hands in the cookie jar. What can cause us to lose sight of fairness and take advantage of others?  It can only be greed and our self-serving attitudes.  Let's never lose sight that we must be fair in all that we do, or we risk the loss of reputation, or worse.

Fairness can feel hard to know but when in doubt we must return to the One who holds the ultimate scale for all of us.  We are fortunate that we have God's Word and presence in our lives to help us determine what is truly fair and equitable. That said, we all know where the bright line of fairness is and that we cannot cross. Our example as believers is important and crucial in furthering God's Kingdom. Let's at this year-end take an extra assessment of ensuring that we are being fair and equitable with all of those around us, in our work and at home.

Reference: Proverbs 16:11 (New Living Translation)

day 1043: Instantaneous

"Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” he said. “Be healed!” And instantly the leprosy disappeared."

Blame it on Amazon Prime.  We now expect that our purchases should be almost instantaneous. When we now go online to a site and see that it will take more than two days for something to arrive we might end up looking elsewhere until we find a retailer who will make the delivery happen as fast as we desire.  Of course, this doesn't always work out as planned.  I made a "last minute" Christmas gift decision for Patti.  The package was promised to be delivered by December 20th.  Plenty of time, I thought. The 20th passed, the weekend was here, it became the 24th and I saw from the FedEx tracking that the package went out on the truck at 7:06AM for delivery later that day. No sweat, it would make it.  At 8:00pm on Christmas Eve I went back online to track the package only to find that the driver had returned to their depot without delivering the package.  After a frustrated call with one of their customer service reps, I was told, "the driver just ran out of time:"  As hard as that was to accept as a reasoning, that sometime happens; we all just can run out of time.  The lesson here is that what we promise to our consumers, let's be cognizant of their expectations and how we manage them. What I would have preferred was to have been called the morning of 12/24 and given the choice of a 12/26 delivery or driving to the FedEx service center and picking up the package myself. With that choice, instantaneous, would have been my decision.

God is not always about instantaneous and I do sometimes ponder why, when made in His image, we are so much about instant gratification.  Possibly, this flaw of ours was the real reason that Eve took the fruit.  So, here we sit, wanting God to answer all of our prayers today.  Sometimes He does and it certainly was in Jesus' way to heal and cure the sick on the spot.  But, today, we sometimes just have to wait, be patient, and assure that our faith is strong and able to withstand doubts and fears.  This week, as we think about the coming goals for 2013, it would be unrealistic to think that they will all instantaneously be achieved.  Many times, the best in our lives comes from the wait and the journey to get there.  So, let's not be too caught up on the instantaneous but instead put our time frame in His hands.

Reference: Matthew 8:3 (New Living Translation)

day 1042: Rule of Reciprocity

“Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets"

Christmas has passed and the presents are open and it's time to think about thank you cards being sent.  Why do we send thank you notes? It comes down to it's in our culture and that we do actually follow the rule of reciprocity.  This example was taken from a recent NPR story by reporter, Alix Spiegel.

"In 1974, Phillip Kunz and his family got a record number of Christmas cards. In the weeks before Christmas they came daily, sometimes by the dozen. Kunz still has them in his home, collected in an old photo album.

"Dear Phil, Joyce and family," a typical card reads, "we received your holiday greeting with much joy and enthusiasm ... Merry Christmas and Happy New Year's. Love Lou, Bev and the children."
The cards from that year came in all shapes and sizes, but the basic message was the same. The writers wanted Kunz to know that he and his family were cared for, and also they wanted to share their own news. They included pictures of family members and new homes and smiling graduates with freshly minted diplomas. It all seems pretty normal, except for one thing: Kunz didn't know any of them.
Kunz was a sociologist at Brigham Young University. Earlier that year he'd decided to do an experiment to see what would happen if he sent Christmas cards to total strangers. And so he went out and collected directories for some nearby towns and picked out around 600 names. "I started out at a random number and then skipped so many and got to the next one," he says. To these 600 strangers, Kunz sent his Christmas greetings: handwritten notes or a card with a photo of him and his family. And then Kunz waited to see what would happen.

"It was just, you know, a shot in the dark," he says. "I didn't know what would happen."
But about five days later, responses started filtering back — slowly at first and then more, until eventually they were coming 12, 15 at a time. Eventually Kunz got more than 200 replies. "I was really surprised by how many responses there were," he says. "And I was surprised by the number of letters that were written, some of them three, four pages long." Why would someone send a three-page letter to a complete and total stranger? Why did so many people write him back at all?"

And, today the Kunzs' continue to receive those cards.

How often do we think of the rule of reciprocity for our businesses?  The rule is the same for businesses as individuals.

As believers we know the rule of reciprocity as the "Golden Rule".  We also know that we don't give to be given to, but instead we give because of the ultimate that gift that was given to us.  As we begin to think about the coming year and we set our goals, etc.  let's consider how we can mesh the rule of reciprocity and the Golden Rule even more so in our lives.

Reference:  Matthew 7:12 (New Living Translation)

day 1041: Watching For The Light

The last few years have caused any of who work to stop and rethink everything. We have had to rethink our company directions, the access to capital, the loyalty of our customers, the regulations that comes with doing business and all these and more causing a lot of us to rethink our careers and the feelings we have about the jobs currently hold. At the end of the year, it is always a good time do an inventory of how the year has unfolded and take stock of how things have gone. For many, and at least 1 out 10 Americans, this past year has still not gone well in the job market. What has happened to us has not been any fun and it has taken its toll emotionally collectively and individually. It seems everyone has been touched by the economic woes, or knows of many who have. As we finish a year with anticipation, we look for the light at the the end of the tunnel and expect for it to show up for us at any moment. 

 

I again reflect on the night of Christ's birth when the shepherds were in the fields, going about their work. Their work being hard, dirty, lonely and not on the list of most desired jobs. When, suddenly they were exposed to a new light, a light from heaven that revealed to them something that would forever change their lives and the course of mankind. These were just men going about their jobs, that day being just like all others, when they began to see things in a different light. That is what God does for us. He gives us through free will the ability to go through our daily lives, to do our jobs, and chart a life course. And then when we have drifted or out there where it is lonely, dirty and undesirable, He will give us His light to find our way to, and back to Him. His light shines as brightly today as it did over 2000 years ago in Bethlehem. All we need to do is look for it and follow. Today, we start Christmas week. Can you look for the light to follow this week?

This will be the last post until after Christmas as we celebrate together with family and friends the birth of Jesus!  I wish you a Merry, Merry Christmas!
 

Reference: Luke, Chapter 2 (New Living Testament)

day 1040: Who Is Really First?

^"That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”


In business we have become conditioned to think that it is with the people at the top that the best things happen. The press and the media always profile the CEO and Board Members but rarely are the rank and file or front line employees profiled, talked about or given the spotlight. I appreciate the CEOs who go out of their way to make sure that it is their employees who get the credit when the credit is due. But too many people try and take the credit and we when we see that happening there is a resentment than can build up and an attitude within the company that no matter who does what that the person at the top of the organization chart will take the credit. When this infiltrates the culture it is nearly impossible to remove it going forward. What is also scary is that this can sneak up on companies and because leaders don't see it, they may never know it is there, but the employees do. Any of us who are in leadership positions or who are even thought of as leaders on the team of our peers, need to be very sensitive and cognizant of not allowing ourselves to fall into the trap of taking credit. Amazing things are happening to all kinds of people in the company and sometimes even the most fascinating and exciting things can happen to those in the most unlikely positions.

It is this time of year when we study the Christmas story. It is made clear to us that the most lowly of the least desired jobs were the first to be told of the birth of Jesus and see him in the manger. The shepherds who were just out doing their jobs in the middle of the night were chosen to be the ones to go and find Jesus. How come the angels were not sent to Kings, CEOs, and people in important positions? Because, God was telling us once again that He is there for us all and He can't see organization charts, hierarchies, or amounts on W-2s. The angels revealed themselves and the birth of Jesus to the right people, because as we read in Luke Chapter 2, they were frightened and amazed. I only wish I could have heard their first hand account of that night. I suspect that any King or CEO listening to their stories wished they had been able to have been there. This week as you work, remember it is not who we think who has the most amazing things happen to them. Take a moment to recognize those who may feel like they get left out or forgotten. One word of encouragement and thanks this week could make a difference and they may well see your faith and belief coming through your words and actions.

Reference: Luke Chapter 2 (New Living Testament)

day 1039: Office Gift Time

"But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control."

By the end of this week people will be leaving for the Christmas week, so between now and Friday whatever gifts that are going to be exchanged in the office will likely be given. As such, the business media pulls out their annual stories about the gifts that are given in the office and what is appropriate and what is not. Some companies have their own rules around what can be given to vendors or customers and those policies have to be followed. But few talk about what is okay to pass along to other co-workers, the boss, and subordinates. I was never much of a gift giver but if I did give a gift I played it safe and I would give, for example, the same book to all my direct reports. The reason we have to play it safe is that even a gift can be misinterpreted or worse yet animosity can be created if one person gets one gift and another gets something else. So, whether we like it or not, we even have to think hard about the gifts that we give at work. Another reason, I guess why we call it work.

Here is a set of appropriate gifts that you can give to anyone and a set of gifts that can be given all year long, every day, to everyone. No, they are not Harry and David fruits. They are even better. The fruits of the spirit are the gifts that are all age, people and job appropriate. We read in Galatians 5:22; "But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." I cannot imagine a better set of gifts to give to others for this coming year. And how these gifts would multiply if we were able to give them daily and consistently. As we think about what it is that we can give to others, before we go to the superficial and the ones that are soon forgotten, used up, or thrown away, think about the gifts that you have as a believer and follower of Jesus and see if you can't start giving these gifts away, right away, even starting today.

Reference: Galatians 5:22 (New Living Testament)

day 1038: Cliffs

"All living things—the fish in the sea, the birds of the sky, the animals of the field, the small animals that scurry along the ground, and all the people on earth—will quake in terror at my presence. Mountains will be thrown down; cliffs will crumble; walls will fall to the earth."

And so, we face yet another "cliff".  The media likes to find names and monikers for events that signify "the end".  This time it is the "Fiscal Cliff".  While I don't want to make light of the decision that our government officials need to make, I do think that it is good to recognize that each of us in our businesses reach our own "cliffs" and have to decide in what direction we are going to proceed.  What we have learned to do is to minimize the impact and severity of these decisions to everyone in the company.  In the Boardroom or the Executive Suite, these types of decisions are made routinely. The old saying is, "no one wants to see inside of the sausage factory".  That is a true statement and in business decisions or areas where before there is agreement, there is disagreement, that holds even more true.  What the media and government are doing to us today is putting us down on the sausage factory floor and pulling us all through the dysfunction.  It is fair to say, that if we were spared this, that our confidence in those making the decisions, might well go up.  We know this in business and it is a good thing to remember as we go through our own business "cliffs".

In God's Word we are reminded of many "cliffs" that were faced, fought, won and lost.  God has not hesitated in showing us the results of disobedience through time.  He also has shown us what the future will look like after He comes again.  But instead of letting us sit and wallow in fear and anxiety, He gives us promises of His grace and redemption.  The human experience is about facing "cliffs" and if we believe, trust and follow in Him those "cliffs" are nothing more than obstacles that will be overcome, challenges to be met, and moments to stand strong and tall in our faith.  Let us each face forward with confidence and assurance to the "cliffs" that are in front of us at work and at home.

Reference: Ezekiel 38:20 (New Living Translation)

day 1037: Children - Special Post

 "And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me.<sup>"

Today's post is a little different than usual.
 
I don't know why but it was never in God's will for Patti and I to have children of our own.  But that doesn't mean that we didn't have the love for children in our hearts.  We have done our best to live out that love through our nieces, nephews, students and the children that we teach in Sunday School.  Out of this caring place in my being for children is a grief and mourning for those kids, and their families, who were killed in Newtown, Connecticut on Friday. What a stark reminder it was to all of us that protecting over the lives of our next generation is so, so  important. There are no easy answers and each is fraught with challenges but we can all agree, I hope, that we cannot allow our children to grow up in a world of fear and danger. As business leaders and influencers we can take some of what as been given to us and allow ourselves to be required to make a difference.  Many people, all doing something, can make a difference.

Jesus cared so greatly for children and He many times used them as an example of how our faith was to be modeled after their innocence against disbelief.  I am comforted today that I know those children of Connecticut played together in His arms on Friday morning.  We each can find a way to do our part to make this world better while we are here.  I implore all of us to find our way today and to give some of ourselves to solve the those issues that put our children in harm's way.  

Matthew 18:5 (New Living Translation)</sup>

day 1036: Holiday Parties

"So I concluded there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can."

Tonight is the prime night for seasonal holiday office parties.  All across the country today there will be assistants and event planners getting ready for the "big night".  For some, it is the event of the year and they are excited about dressing up and having a night out without the kids.  For others, going to the annual party is a requirement and they dread having to attend.  But, all the same, it is great for people to get together outside of work and to share some good time together.  Each time this year, we can read also about the career  warnings of the annual parties and what behaviors are accepted and which are not.  Inevitably there will be that one person who has too much of the fun and ends up with an appointment with HR on Monday.  I was once taught that nothing good in our careers happens after 9:00pm.  I think this rings very true for the holiday party, or for any party outside of work when co-workers are in attendance.

God has given us this life to enjoy and be happy, but there is a bright line that we as believers must know and hold when it comes to the fun in this life.  At the holiday party, there will be others watching to see how we behave and handle ourselves when the party starts.  Of course, we can have fun, but if we stray from our self-control and act in a way that is unfitting of the example that we work so diligently each day to build and maintain, then we not only let ourselves and God down, but we run the risk of causing someone else who has been watching and evaluating whether or not this life is for them, to turn away and be jaded and cynical about what it means to be a believer.  So, have fun but also remember that tonight's celebration and this season is about the birth of Jesus and that we are at His birthday party.  How would we celebrate if He was in attendance?

Reference: Ecclesiastes 3:12 (New Living Translation)

day 1033: Cover Ups

“Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins."
If you have ever worked in a high-growth and fast-moving company, you know that the oxygen that fuels the fire is growth. Nothing covers up problems like growth. When growth is present, the scrutiny on hiring decisions, compensation, promotions, purchasing, travel, anything where money is spent, goes way down. When in growth mode, the answer is usually “yes”. Yes, growth masks lots and lots of mistakes and insecurities. The issue with this is that as soon as the growth slows down or worse, stalls, all of the lack of process, bad decisions, bloated structures, etc. can fall under the proverbial roosters coming home to roost. In what feels like a nanosecond, we find ourselves trying to rationalize costs, defending hires, hanging onto projects, cutting projects, squeezing every penny, etc. Everything goes from awesome to ugly in short order. So, what are we to do in the growth years? This is the time of continued discipline and attention. It does not mean that we shouldn’t make hay while the sun is shining, but it is a time when we must ensure that when the growth slows that we haven’t overextended ourselves so much that we have to make a course correction. It is surely easier said than done but it is extremely important that we learn the lesson that growth is not the cover up strategy that we want to latch onto.

There is only one great cover up that is appropriate to become attached and addicted to and we read about this in 1 Peter 4:8; “Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins." Yes, love is a great mask for so many things. Unlike other drivers that are temporary or are so fleeting, love is consistent and can be spread to cover everything. The Bible is not saying that we should go and sin and let love be the cover up of our sins. Instead, what we are reading is that if we truly love Him and God’s love comes through and there is a transfer of that love truly to other people, that there are many sins that we will never commit because they just can’t be committed when you thoroughly and truly love another. The love of God is at the root of everything we can do if we will only allow it to cover us and become that which we desire and hold dearly day in and day out.

Reference: 1 Peter 4:8 (New Living Testament)

day 1032: Wait On It....

"Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains."

 How often are we willing to be patient and just be content to wait?  Not often, I know.  I had coffee last week with the CEO of a pharmaceutical company and he was sharing with me the business cycle of an industry where "hurry up and wait" is part of the business.  It was fascinating to hear him describe the process to get a drug or treatment to market. A drug-trial might well take a decade of research, development and testing only to find that some part of the trial doesn't pass the F.D.A. or a problem arises.  Even when this is the accepted pattern  that everyone expects, it can still be frustrating.  Biotech and Pharma are not alone.  It can take any one of our products, services or offerings a long time to come to market.  The question we must ask ourselves, is how do we handle this time of waiting?  We can take the path of frustration, or we can, like the CEO I met, use that time to focus down even more on the next project or to hone the launch steps that are universal to any product to be taken to market. Waiting doesn't have to be like the days when we watched fathers sit anxiously in maternity wards twiddling their thumbs and reaching heights of anxiety.  We can turn waiting time that is given to us by a boss, a customer, a regulator, a lender, an investor, or an employee into times of great productivity and anticipation. Is there something in your business today that needs to be waited on and you can flip the table to the positive?

James reminds us of the waiting we all must do until our Lord returns to get us.  There is no more positive and exciting waiting than for Him. Jesus uses the parable of the harvest many times in His teachings.  The harvest cannot be hurried and if it is, then the fruit or the vegetables come without taste or full growth.  Our lives are a time of waiting on the Kingdom of God and we must show the godly virtue of patience and understanding, always looking for the best and anticipating His return. Let's wait together for His full glory to arrive, but in the meantime, let's use every hour we have to increase and further those who will receive Him when he does return.

Reference:  James 5:7 (New International Version) 

day 1031: Rolling Workers

"The harvest is so great, but the workers are so few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send out more workers for his fields"

To what extent will be go to attract and hire the best of the best?  For many companies there is a bright line of how far they will go and then they accept the talent level they can attract and work with what they have.  What happens though is the impact of supply and demand always takes over and companies are forced to adapt and change if they want to keep up.  In 1998, Silicon Valley was on fire.  The Internet boom was in in full force and technology companies could not find enough good people.  In synch with the high demand and low supply we saw a rise in company perqs and benefits.  One of those discussed back then, but never widely implemented was transportation to and from work - San Francisco to the Valley and back.  That seemed like a good idea, but a step too far.  Fast forward to 2012.  Highways 101 and 280 between San Francisco and multiple points in the Valley are now filled each morning and evening with chartered, leased or owned luxury buses that transport workers up and down and the Peninsula.  These buses are tricked out with wi-fi, coffee, food, etc.  For many, the day now starts when they climb on the bus and doesn't end until they leave the bus, with the corresponding commute time considered part of the work day. Whatever it takes to get the best?  What benefits and perqs need to be established to be the employer of choice are constantly in motion.  Knowing and understanding what they are and how far you as an employer can go is important in the challenge of hiring the best and the brightest.

In Matthew, Jesus tells us that the workers are always few.  He obviously was not talking about software engineers in Silicon Valley.  He was talking about the harvest of souls to believe in Him and expand His kingdom.  Those workers in high demand are us!  The supply is not enough so we must multiple ourselves. The benefits and perqs that God provides for us to join His forces are unmatched.  And, like the companies of today that provide for door to door service, our God is better than that; He provides for us 24-7 with all that we need to have the abundant life.  Let's consider today that we "work" for the best anyone could ever imagine and that we should be grateful and willing to work hard on His behalf.  As we roll through this day and finish this week, let's do so well and with the purpose of bringing glory to Him in all that we do.

Reference:  Matthew 9:37 (New Living Translation)

day 1030: Happy Birthday SMS and Merry Christmas

“Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’”

From TechCrunch:

"On December 3rd, 1992 in the little town of Newbury, Berkshire, a UK programmer sent his best mate a few lines of greeting using a unique new technique called Short Messaging Service. The programmer, Neil Papworth, was a test engineer for the Sema Group, and sent the message via PC to the phone of Richard Jarvis, a Vodafone employee. The message was “Merry Christmas.” Vodafone intended the service as a fun and easy way to communicate internally. That obviously wasn’t the case. It took seven years after that first message for texting to take off, but now nearly 8 trillion messages cross the air every year. Adults 18-25 send 133 messages a week each.  SMS was, at least in Europe, popular for a number of reasons. Before inexpensive service plans, a single ring to a person’s phone from yours was used as a sort of signal that you had arrived or that you wanted to chat. This gave way to texts, which were often cheaper than “phone impulses,” relegating voice calls to the back burner. SMS began with pagers which, in turn, got their start in telegraphy and telex. Messages like 911 and 07734 (read it upside down) were ways to send quick notes to friends. This led to “text pagers” and the first BlackBerry, a two-way pager launched in 1999, with its “druplet” keyboard. Text, in many ways, became the preferred mode of communication in business and between friends."

It struck me that centuries and generations later, a soon to be standard way of communicating world-wide and the way many of us stay close and personal, all started with two very important words:  "Merry Christmas".  And as we know, Immanuel who came, for whom we celebrate Christmas, means that "God is with us". As we start this day and the rest of the month, how uplifting and powerful could it be if we started all of our communications, with "Merry Christmas" as a reminder of why it is that we celebrate this special month and that He is with us, even closer than that next text message.

Reference: Matthew 1:23 (New Living Translation)

day 1029: In The Know

"I am not saying these things to all of you..."

Why is there so much power in being in the know?  The number of hours and the energy spent in any given week where people are jostling for the position of being in the know, would be mind-boggling if it was measured.  I imagine if we each spent a few minutes thinking about the people in our company we would come up with more than one name of a person who has become known for this trait.  Because I am in church on Sunday mornings, I end up using the DVR to catch up on the Sunday morning talking heads shows.  Actually it's a better way to watch the programs because you can compare what the same person might have said across more than one network interview.  This last Sunday all the focus was on Secretary of the Treasury, Tim Geithner.  What the interviewers were trying to get, at the bottom line, was some kind of information, a piece of data, a word from him, that would put them and their viewers in the know in some way that everyone else wouldn't get.  It didn't happen this past Sunday, but we can count on them trying again next week and the week after, etc.  It's the same in business.  Someone, or a group of people, are always trying to get in the know and one-up everyone else.  We have to be ready and able to deal with this and also not get caught up in the game.  It is a game for sure and an energy-sucking, culture damaging game at that.

In John, Jesus put a few of disciples in the know when he told them how to spot who it was who would betray Him. While it is not good for us to spend out time here on earth, trying to get in the know, as it relates to our Heavenly Father, we can't ever get enough of what He is trying to say to us.  Why Jesus revealed Himself to the Disciples was because He wanted to show them (again) an example of how they could see the work of God and believe in Him.  That is what He does as we get to know Him better and better.  When we are in the know with God, we see His works and miracles and can only believe that these come from Him.  It's an amazing paradox and gift He has given us; the more we are in the know - the more we can be amazed and in awe of what He can do. This is the season to get to know Jesus better than ever!

Reference: John 13:18 (New Living Translation)

day 1028: Wide Shoulders

"The government will rest on his shoulders."

Any job that we do well comes with responsibility and accountability. I can't think of any job where something is not expected from the person doing the job. Even if the work is just sitting around at a desk (like a security guard), the person doing the job has to show up at the assigned time and stay through the scheduled work time. And while there are many jobs where at the end of the day, the work is left at the workplace, even that work can have us at the end of the day or into the night, rethinking the day and playing back what we did to make sure we didn't mess up or forget something. As we gain more responsibility, we take on more and more of the burden that comes with that responsibility. We even talk about it openly at work when we say, "to do that job you have to have big and wide shoulders". This comes from the story and image of Atlas holding up the globe on his shoulders. Some days it feels just like that and that weight can feel overwhelming. On those days we are best reminded of what Jesus came to take upon His shoulders. Hundreds and hundreds of years before Jesus was born, the prophet Isaiah wrote that a child would be born and he would not only bear the weight of the lives and souls of each of us, but He would also be the bearer of all that we know. In Isaiah 9:6 we read these words that are so familiar to us at this time of year;

"For a child is born to us, a son is given to us.
The government will rest on his shoulders.
And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

As a child born into the world, Jesus was given the government of our world to rest squarely on His shoulders. As you think about the pressures, the stress, the problems, the challenges, the needs of others and the obstacles in front of you, don't forget to rejoice that God gave us His Son who has already taken all of the biggest and toughest challenges on His shoulders for us. And what He is asking from us daily, is to just keep loading Him up. His shoulders are big enough for us to give all that we have to Him. He never shrugs and He never tires. He holds it all up, for us. So as we think about the baby Jesus over this month and we celebrate His birth, let's also remember that this little baby took it all for us, gave His all for us, and waits on us to give Him more. There is nothing we should let sit on our own shoulders that distracts or detracts from us accepting the gift of His love and living the abundant life that He wants us to have.

Reference: Isaiah 9:6 (New Living Testament)

day 1027: A Walk Worth Taking

I've been known to say that our careers are much like running a marathon, because just like a marathon, being 26.2 miles, a career of 26.2 years (and more) is no matter how you add it up, long. And we don't really run our careers, we more walk them through and do the best we can to keep at it when the hills are in front of us, when we are in the valleys and when the long, unbending road in front of us seems only to end where our eyes can't see any further. This is our career. It's a long walk for all of us regardless of what our careers are and how many changes we have along the way. And in some years, like this one, I know of many people who have felt like it has taken all they have to just keep one foot in front of the other. My favorite movie of all time is Lawrence of Arabia. I don't know why, but some of the scenes in the desert and the long journeys that they take in that movie have always stuck with me. Maybe because the movie is so long too, I don't know, but I know that I have felt on more than one occasion that like the movie, the future was nothing but a mirage on the horizon and that there couldn't possibly be that much distance between here and there. One foot in front of the other has been a mantra for me on more than one job and one part of my career. Our careers are long walks that if we don't know where we are going and why, can for many days, weeks, months or years, seem intolerable.

I wonder if this is how the Wise Men (the Magi) may have felt in the middle of their journey to see Jesus. Here they were, three men who decided to follow a star, a light in the sky, to see where it shone, to see if a prophecy was true. I have often wondered why others didn't do the same. If there was this bright light in the sky and there was legend, lore, prophecy that this would happen, why didn't many more didn't follow to see, if for nothing else, if the prophecy was true? My conjecture is that the three wise men were not the only ones who traveled to find the star, they were the just the only three who finished the journey. If it was like theologians and historians say it was, this was a multiple year trip, that was far from easy and in fact was from such a distance and terrain difference that the scenes in Lawrence of Arabia would look easy. Suffice to say, it was a long, long walk and only three finally showed up.

We can take a lesson about our careers from the Wise Men. They followed what they believed to be the light and the steps of the Lord. They did not give up. They did not turn back and while they may have doubted along the way, they showed up in a spirit of appreciation, awe and gift-giving. Every day in our jobs we take steps along the way, steps that can be leading the right way, or the wrong way. Regardless, it is a long, long walk that we are on and if we don't follow the light we have been given, if we don't persevere, if we don't stay true to the real purpose, then we will miss out on the gift-giving that comes from giving glory to God in all that we do. There was a reason we call them the "wise men". They gave us a lesson of wisdom that we should never forget.

Welcome to the Christmas Season!

Reference: Matthew 2:1-2 (New Living Testament)

day 1026: Moving Time?

 "So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless."

Many a business book has sold well on the idea of all of us being movable, adaptable and open and ready for change. It's the way of business today. If we can't change and react rapidly we get left behind or obsoleted. I have seen many an organization that was so flexible to change that change became the driver for the company. These are the organizations where every six months there is a major reorganization of the company and it can sometimes feel like the only constant is change. What I watch out for and fear in those companies is that there comes a sense that they must change for the sake of changing without any firm strategic or directional footing. Change for the sake of change itself is not all that organizationally healthy. As workers in a company, we are asked to change individually as well as corporately. We have to flex with the new initiatives, the new boss, the new co-worker, sometimes the new owner of the business. We have to be corporate chameleons sometimes because the colors around us change so fast. There is a watch-out here also.  That warning is that we can't be changing our own values and principles to just satisfy the direction du' jour. We have to be centered and grounded somewhere. The new boss that has a whole different approach to how people are treated or what is appropriate as actions in a company setting, can set a new tone that we are going to be expected to adapt to, to go with the flow, and to be considered good at change. But there are sometimes where we must be immovable.

Just because we are believers doesn't mean that it is any easier to see all of the changes that are coming at us. Of course, the big changes are obvious but like the frog in the warming water, sometimes it is hard to see it coming. Paul says to us this in 1 Corinthians 15:58; "So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless." Paul is telling us that if we work enthusiastically for the Lord first, then we will be able to be immovable in those areas where we need to be steadfast and rock solid. Today, you may be asking yourself in the mirror questions and wondering who you have become? It is never too late to return to where you know you need to be immovable. Today, would be a great day to make the move back to where you know you and God want you to be.

Reference: 1 Corinthians 15:58 (New Living Testament)

day 1025: Season Of Forgiving

 "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life."

This is the season for giving. We are gearing up at the office for the Holiday party, looking forward to time off from work to spend with family and friends, and we have to get that shopping done in the midst of everyone trying to get all of the work done before the end of the year. It becomes a very busy time and while it shouldn't be, it becomes a time of stress both at work and home. When the stress sets in, the worst comes out. In these times when everything is focused on getting everything done before the big day or the end of the year, we undoubtedly will be let down by others, not get everything we need from others, and them not get all from us that they need. There will be criticism for not working fast enough and challenges that will test our patience. The question is whether or not we will rise above the stress and the pressure or allow the stress to get to us?

 Remember, this is the season for giving and with the play on the words, the season for forgiving. If we can enter the time with both of these attitudes at the forefront of our minds and hearts then we can come through this year with our heads held high and our example and role modeling that we desire held intact. As we think about this through the season and if we need any example how to give and forgive in this time we need only look at the greatest verse of all in the Bible. In John 3:16 we read; "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life." In that one verse we receive the greatest gift of all, and only to be forgiven when we receive Him. Yes, this is the season of giving and the season of forgiving. Can we embrace this season with our hearts and minds set firmly both in giving ourselves to others and forgiving those around us? To get the most from this time of year and to truly begin the celebration of the coming our King, we must be able to give and forgive.

Reference: John 3:16 (New Living Testament)

day 1024: Make Some Noise

  "... But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil."

The Bible is clear with us that to be silent in many cases is the best course of action. But we also read that there are also times for being loud. Work is that way too. There are many times when the best thing we can do is to keep our mouth shut and let others do all of the talking. By keeping quiet, we don't get dragged into the muck or have ourselves lowered to levels that would compromise our values and principles. We have all been in the situations where the emotions are running high and someone says something that he/she regrets. Even after the apology, the problem is that people are slow to forget at work so stories are told and remembered and then passed along. If there is one place that is hard to put a reputation back in the bottle, it is at work. So, we have to be even that much more cognizant and controlled at work. But there are also times to be loud. These are the times when we have to stand up for what is right and in the areas that compromise our values and principles. I feel for the people who have told me that they are sitting in jobs today because they are afraid or worried about getting up and moving somewhere else. They are staying in the jobs they have today even though where they work has become someplace that they no longer can trust or believe in the mission and how people are treated. God wants us to have courage to make the moves and get loud when we have to do so.

This coming we likely will all hear or sing the song Silent Night. It is a beautiful song and lyrics that give us the peaceful moment when Jesus was born. But even then, Jesus knew that He was going to have to put that silent night and moment behind Him. We read in 1 John 3:8 this account of why Jesus came to the earth; "... But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil." Jesus knew that He was coming to fulfill not only the purpose of building up His Kingdom, but also to tear down the works of the devil. Tearing down and destroying means making some noise about some things! Part of our following of Jesus is to be sure that we are also doing our part to destroy the works of the devil. We do that by not taking the devil's side but by making noise about what is right and living that life fully, courageously, boldly and unabashedly. As we finish this year, let's all feel good about making some noise and getting loud about it!

Reference 1 John 3:8 (New Living Translation)

DAY 1023: T.H.I.N.K. - Part Five: Kindness

"The LORD is righteous in everything he does; he is filled with kindness."

The past weeks were filled with news about what happens when an email or communication is discovered that turns out to reveal actions and behaviors that are deceptive, dishonest and unseemly. It's worth taking a few Purposed worKING posts to remind ourselves of how we should conduct ourselves with electronic communication.  There are no secrets in the digital age and so we must T.H.I.N.K. before we act, write or speak.

And now the final post on T.H.I.N.K-ing before we write or post anything digitally.  The "K" in THINK stands for "Kindness".  So easy, but so hard to remember.  We've not spent a lot of time on the exposure points or dangers of what can happen with that email, text, or post that we think is secret or won't travel beyond the person who it was intended to reach, but by now we have all slipped and with even an honest mistake of  "Reply All" we've put ourselves in harm's way. The point of this five part series is to THINK before we write and to get in the discipline and habit of never writing or posting something that doesn't fit into one of the five THINK categories. Very big problems can get created from very small words. We are watching right now a number of labor and management problems in well known companies and when you get underneath some of them, there are communications that one side or the other so wish they hadn't made, or could pull back; that had someone thought (used THINK) before they shot off that email or statement that maybe they wouldn't be in the mess they are in today.  Can you recall a time in your business when you wish you or someone else would have not communicated and sent the message that went out?  Of course, you can.  And, if any company or person inside of a company is communicating and sending messages that they shouldn't be with someone else, well that is only playing with fire and gasoline.  The better path is always to THINK, know that are no secrets, everything is stored forever somewhere, and with that go about your business with nothing to hide, head held high and always THINK-ing!

As believers we should be able manage our kindness for as we know this is a fruit of the Holy Spirit that He wants to flow through us.  But, as I said above, it's not always easy.  I have been sitting on an email from a friend for a while now that can't be responded to without finding a way to be kind. Without doing so I run the risk of losing this friend.  I actually don't think I deserved the original email but it was on one of those topics that tend to polarize people and I actually don't think he meant all of what he said, but that's not his problem.  My response is my responsibility and if I don't THINK throughout my communication then I am not living to the example of Jesus.  Using the THINK filter is not always easy but here is what I know more than anything else:  God will help all of us THINK is we only ask Him to make this a part of who we are.  Today, please reflect on this series and see if God has not been worKING in you and bringing new thoughts to you on how you communicate with others?  I suspect He is doing more work in you than you recognize.

Reference: Psalm 145:17 (New Living Translation)

day 1022: T.H.I.N.K. - Part Four: Necessary

 "In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary."

The past weeks were filled with news about what happens when an email or communication is discovered that turns out to reveal actions and behaviors that are deceptive, dishonest and unseemly. It's worth taking a few Purposed worKING posts to remind ourselves of how we should conduct ourselves with electronic communication.  There are no secrets in the digital age and so we must T.H.I.N.K. before we act, write or speak.

When we communicate, we need to pull these communications through the filter of "necessary".  There are plenty of examples where no communication at all would have been better than the communication that was released. I am always concerned about communication that ends up being restated, revised or worse yet, pulled back.  In our age of being fast and quick to the punch we can end up overreacting or communicating with emotions versus logic and facts.  Companies that feel like they must push and push out communication just to do so also run the risk of when it is time to communicate something important and needed to be read, that the audience/readers are already desensitized and never even open up the communication.  Don't get me wrong, lack of communication leaves people open to making up their own stories.  That said, being sure that there is a definition of what is necessary is a very good practice.

So many times we would be better off to just sit on our hands and not send something that really isn't necessary.  I think about the "entertaining" things that run around the internet and have to be remembered that anything we send can be misinterpreted by someone else and our reputation becomes associated with that communication.  If we are to be strong in our witness and in our example, then let's be sure that when we do communicate, that we have impact because what comes from us us always thought of as being necessary.

Reference: 1 Corinthians 12:22 (New Living Translation)

day 1021: T.H.I.N.K - Part Three: Inspiring

In your majesty, ride out to victory, defending truth, humility, and justice. Go forth to perform awe-inspiring deeds!

Last week was filled with news about what happens when an email or communication is discovered that turns out to reveal actions and behaviors that are deceptive, dishonest and unseemly. It's worth taking a few Purposed worKING posts to remind ourselves of how we should conduct ourselves with electronic communication.  There are no secrets in the digital age and so we must T.H.I.N.K. before we act, write or speak.

Today, I ask you to take on an exercise.  It's the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and tomorrow is a day off, and maybe even the beginning of a four day weekend for some.  For everyone, tomorrow will be a day of thanks and a time to reflect and consider what it is that we can be thankful for and many will spend that time with friends and family.  Before we do so though, let's look back at the communications that we had yesterday and determine how much of it was "Inspiring".  Just take a quick scroll through your sent emails and tally up what percentage of them would have left the person on the other end of the communication feeling inspired to make the most of their day and tasks at hand.  If you aren't an email person, think about your texts, tweets or posts on social media. You know, if we can't find a way to make our messages inspiring to others, then we might want to consider not sending them. When we aren't inspiring, we are being a bummer to someone else. It's so easy in today's world to be a naysayer, a cynic, or one who criticizes and predicts the rainy and cloudy day.  Sure, the weather caster who predicts rain everyday will be right some percentage of the time, but she/he won't be the person who we will want to come be the emcee at our charitable event or host a party, etc.  No one likes people who are down in the dumps other than others who are also that way.  Inspiring others is not hard if we just focus on doing so.  How was that audit of yesterday's communication?  If it's not at least some large percentage of inspiration then it's time to re-T.H.I.N.K. how we are communicating.

God wants us to be inspirational and always inspiring to others.  That is because that is what He has done and will always do for this world.  Those things that come from God are inspiring.  Sometimes, as David wrote, they are "awe-inspiring".  Alright, so let's double down on inspiration today and carry that into our Thanksgiving break.  We will be surrounded by those that are the closest to us, let's be sure that we don't miss this opportunity to be inspirational and leave that time with all of us being better and stronger than we arrived.  This is the path of God and one that we are to walk along!

Happy Thanksgiving - On Monday we carry on with Part Four of  "T.H.I.N.K"

Reference: Psalm 45: 3-5 (New Living Translation)

day 1020: T.H.I.N.K. - Part 2: Helpful

"The lips of the godly speak helpful words, but the mouth of the wicked speaks perverse words."

Last week was filled with news about what happens when an email or communication is discovered that turns out to reveal actions and behaviors that are deceptive, dishonest and unseemly. It's worth taking a few Purposed worKING posts to remind ourselves of how we should conduct ourselves with electronic communication.  There are no secrets in the digital age and so we must T.H.I.N.K. before we act, write or speak.

Before we write and send that text or email, let's ask ourselves if the message we are writing is truly "Helpful"? I receive messages all the time that in the end of the day might be interesting or entertaining but really aren't that helpful to anyone else other than to the person who is sending them to somehow glorify their own experiences. This is part of the societal issues that we face with social media.  Where once it was not thought well of to "brag" about places visited, things seen, experiences had, people met, etc., today, we think nothing of posting every bit of our life experience and expecting that others will find it helpful to them.  I'm as guilty as anyone.  Last week I posted a picture of an incredible rainbow that I saw while on vacation in Hawaii.  I thought it so beautiful that I wanted to share it with others.  But, in hindsight, I blew it because I didn't just post the picture with a statement about nature and God's beauty, I had to tell everyone that I saw it in Maui.  That small extra bit of information wasn't helpful really, it only boasted of where I was, which to me was "special".  I may be going to the extreme here, but it's that form of rigorous filtering that we should be putting on our communication.  Think about it before it's sent. If it's not helpful, then don't push the button.

As believers are are to monitor our words and communication even more so as we carry with us the example and reputation of Jesus and other believers with us in all that we do.  Solomon tells us in the Proverbs of how important it is that our words be helpful to others.  Let's be careful with our communication today.  In that email, text, or post, let's question how helpful we are being to others.  The opposite of being helpful is being selfish and that is not what we want to be known for today.

Reference: Provers 10:32 (New Living Translation)

day 1019: T.H.I.N.K - Part 1: Truth

"Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory to the LORD, the God of Israel, by telling the truth."

Last week was filled with news about what happens when an email or communication is discovered that turns out to reveal actions and behaviors that are deceptive, dishonest and unseemly. It's worth taking a few Purposed worKING posts to remind ourselves of how we should conduct ourselves with electronic communication.  There are no secrets in the digital age and so we must T.H.I.N.K. before we act, write or speak.

Before we write or post let's first step back and ask ourselves, is this the "Truth"? In our digital age the truth is sometimes hard to know, but we must consider and realize is that when we write, say or post it that we putting our own reputation behind the statement or picture in declaring that we must think it is the truth otherwise we wouldn't have written and sent it along. The problem is that that people distort the truth and then we just follow on and once we have "Liked" or forwarded it, it can't be take back.  We are then on record as supporting it as the truth.  Also, truth is not just as we see it to be.  That is perception.  Truth are the facts and we each have the responsibility to search out and deliver only the facts.  A misquote or half a statement, or words that we don't know where they actually came from is not the truth.  If we don't know if is the truth, then don't pass it along.

The truth as we know it in our spiritual life comes from our Lord.  We an never go wrong by staying in His truth as our foundation and grounding.  We also must realize that what we say or write is even more impacting on others because if we espouse to be followers of Jesus then we are to be people of the truth.  When it turns out to not be so, then we are not only compromised in our witness but we may have caused others to stumble. Finding the truth and never shading or reshaping it to our liking is hard, but we must stand on truth first if we are to be models that Jesus desires.

Reference: Joshua 7:19 (New Living Translation)

day 1018: The Pain Of Promises

"...and keep their promises even when it hurts."

Promises get made all the time. Sometimes they are explicit and we say, "I promise". Other times they are made in the form of commitments that we will do something or follow-through on what we have said we would do. Often promises are made in haste without the full set of data or information, but nonetheless, we don't think through our words and before we know it the words have spilled out of our mouths and we become committed, even when we later wish it was not so. If we are managers of other people, we need to recognize that people who work for us are hanging on every word and when we say we are going to do something they expect with their full attention and devotion that it will happen. It is our responsibility to follow through, even though sometime it hurts to do so. People change jobs and uproot themselves and their families on the basis of these promises. If we don't follow through then we are not only letting someone else down, we are breaking our word and damaging the reputation that we have worked so hard to develop and maintain.

David talked about this in Psalm 15 when he said that only a few who could enter the holy presence of God. One of the prerequisites and descriptors is in verse 4; "...and keep their promises even when it hurts." David knew that it is hard to keep promises and even more so when it becomes painful. He challenges us here to be different than the rest; to stand firm in our promises, regardless. Are you challenged today with a promise that needs to be kept? If you are, remember David's words as you decide what to do next.

Reference: Psalm 15:4 (New Living Testament)

day 1017: Affiliations

"Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

Coming out of this political season it seems like the badges of red or blue might be more sticky than in any time in my lifetime.  Even just a week after the election we already have sides being strengthened and drawn and the lunchroom political banter persists.  It wasn't always this way but in this age of the 24-7 news cycle with media outlets targeted specifically to political affiliations and the new personal expression outlets of social media like Facebook and Twitter feeding a return loop, the cycle probably never ends.  We are in a new normal and this era we will be politically charged at all times. What is important is that we don't try and take politics and say that because we know who someone voted for that we think we know who they are. That is reading the book by the cover and we all know enough that that level of superficiality is not only disrespectful, it is also intellectually lazy and thereby dangerous. The messages all around us want us to listen to the soundbites and believe all of what we hear and read.  Beware, because as we know, things are not always as they appear. If we want to affiliate a company or a person then let's do that based on long-term actions and results and be open to others beyond a one dimensional affiliation.

I was recently reminded of a song that we sang in church when I was a child. As I reflected on the words, it made me think that we should all take them to work with us today. The words are based on John 13:35 and both the words and music were written by Peter Scholtes. This is what we must stand up to as our challenge!

"They'll Know We Are Christians by our Love"

We are one in the spirit, we are one in the Lord,
We are one in the spirit, we are one in the Lord,
And we pray that all unity will one day be restored:

And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love,
Yes, they'll know we are Christians by our love.

We will walk with each other, we will walk hand in hand,
We will walk with each other, we will walk hand in hand,
And together we'll spread the news that God is in our land:

And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love,
Yes, they'll know we are Christians by our love.

We will work with each other, we will work side by side,
We will work with each other, we will work side by side,
And we'll guard each one's dignity and save each one's pride:

And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love,
Yes, they'll know we are Christians by our love.

All praise to the Father, from whom all things come,
And all praise to Christ Jesus, His only Son,
And all praise to the Spirit, who makes us one:

And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love,
Yes, they'll know we are Christians by our love.

Reference: John 13:35

day 1016: Vacation Time!

"Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens and I will give you rest."

Around the world, people are preparing for the holiday months and with that comes vacation time. Americans are different than those in other countries.  We consider vacation a few days away from the office whereby those in other countries like to really get away. It's not unusual to see people take a month of vacation at a time. We all try and make the most of vacation and if like me, by the time I hit vacation time I am exhausted by all of the work that has to get done to get ready to be gone for an extended period of time. It's almost like we are crazed by the time vacation time rolls around. There also seems to be some lingering thing that sneaks in and keeps us from fully being away. It's the conference call, it's the report that needs to be written, it's the calls that have to be made, yada yada. It's like the anti-vacation forces are trying to keep us sucked back into the job. All of that wears us down and can make us more tired than we should be. We get weary and when we get weary we get cranky and when we get cranky our judgment gets lessened and our decision making falters. It is a slippery slope.

The same happens in our spiritual life and before long we have lost our disciplines of reading the Bible, praying and being in fellowship with other believers.. Regardless of the weariness of work or the weariness of life, we need to fall back onto God for the rest we so need. We fall back onto Matthew 11:28; "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens and I will give you rest." As you head into the next vacation time, have no worries that God, if you let Him, will give you the rest that you need. All we have to do is call upon Him in our weariness and hand it over to Him.

Reference: Matthew 11:28 (New Living Testament)

day 1015: Those Are The Rules

"Your laws are always right; help me to understand them so I may live." 

Work is managed more through rules than we would even imagine, that is until we sit down and read all the through the policy and procedure book. No wonder some of the most creative people find ways to not go to work for big companies so that they aren't subject to the myriad of rules and regulations. Of course there must be some set of rules in order for any organization to function and operate, but I have always been a believer that in the rule category, less is more. If we fill a book up with policies to try and cover every imaginable situation then we are surely penalizing those that don't need to be penalized and we are creating statutes for the exceptions and that doesn't bode well for a philosophy of trusting those around us. The companies that do it the best, in my mind, are those who manage from a place of values and principles first and rules second, and only when there is no other way around it they put a rule in place. The first time we encounter rules in our lives are as children and each of them are put there to set boundaries to keep us safe and out of harms way. As we grow older we want less boundaries and we search for independence and freedoms.

The same can be said for how we work. Within each of our jobs we want as much autonomy and freedom as possible and rules tend only to get in the way. But, they are a way of work life and unless we are in a position to influence how the rules are written, we just have to live within them. King David had the right attitude as it came to rules and laws. He said to God in Psalm 119:44; "Your laws are always right; help me to understand them so I may live." We may not always think that the rules and laws within our work are right, but seeking to understand so that we can live within them will help bring some sense to why and how to manage within them. Don't be a person who lets the rules get you down or cause your attitude to be affected because you don't like the ways things are managed. Do your best, to understand the "whys" behind the rules and then find your own way to work and live within them.

Reference: Psalm 119:144 (New Living Testament)

day 1014: #'s

"...Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity."

We were watching TV the other night and while in the middle of the show up on the screen comes a random watermark set of words with a # in front of them.  It was so blatant and obvious that it was kinda obnoxious.  The Producers were trying to create a meme on Twitter, but in my estimation, didn't do so well or elegantly.  Everyone wants to # something these days.  Put a # in front if it and let's see if we can make it popular. But, there is the other side that we need to watch too.  That is the what our consumer and customers might # about us. If you are in the airline industry you know how important this can be and they are a good industry for the rest of us to learn from and about. One set of seats that come unbolted and there will be hundreds of #'s created to then be managed against. We might not have this level of problem, but even a handful of people can create lots of noise. So, let's watch the # and be ready to proactively and defensively create and respond.

I have been thinking recently about what would be the words that I would # to describe my example to others? In an earlier time we would have just said what is our, example, description, reputation, brand, elevator pitch, etc. So, its the same with the #.  What is it that we would want to have #'d about us? What I would like to add to the question too is are we ready for the immediacy of what the # could be created?  What I mean by that is that with each word, action and behavior we are creating a # and others are also creating them about us right now.  The power of the # is one for us to think about today.  Right now, ask yourself, what are the 2-3 #'s that would summarize a week well-worked for the Kingdom? Write them down and then at the end of this week go back and take a look to see if they would still hold up on Friday like they did today?

Reference: 1 Timothy 4:12 (New Living Translation)

day 1013: Memes

"...Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity."

Having just come out of the political season, I learned much about memes.  I watched and participated in the creation of memes that went no where and a few that caught wind and became a part of the social media jetstream. But, it's not as easy as putting together a few words, sticking a hashtag on it and then getting a bunch of people to tweet or share it around.  There has to be much more thinking and consideration behind it before it will become something relevant.  Timing and personal adoption are two things that I learned are so important.  A thought before or after its' time goes no where.  A thought that others can't adopt and internalize also will be die before it gets going.  But, when the two come together, lightning gets caught in a bottle. Our internal and external messaging about our companies and organizations are the same.  Timing and personalization, if focused on intently can be the difference between a successful product launch and a failure. We should always be asking, what is the right time and what do we need to do to have people make this personal?  Get those two right, and there is no stopping.

What is our own personal meme that we are trying to create?  If someone had to sum it up today what would it be?  What we need to know and recognize is that God's timing for us right now and always.  He wants us to be living out His example today, tomorrow and ongoing.  So, there is no debate on whether or not we should wait.  Sometimes we might feel like we are not good enough or ready to live for Him.  This is the same thinking that keeps us from starting to exercise until we lose a little more weight.  Irrational, but how we as humans think. So, if timing should be clear, then how is that we make this thing of our lives being lived with purpose something that is personal to others?  This is where Paul gives us the power of our example.  This is in some ways is our most powerful tool for the Kingdom. Our meme for God is in our words, our actions, our love, our grace and yes, the purity that we can pursue. Memes are infectious and memes are powerful. You are a meme for God, if you want to be.

Reference: 1 Timothy 4:12 (New Living Translation)

day 1012: Hard Fought and Long Fought

"...Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity."

Business is full of hard fought wins and losses.  Good standing and long sought consumer and customer acceptance and adoption is always long and hard fought. In some ways, if it comes too easy and feels like it fell in your lap then it may well be that it will be short-lived.  I think back to the first internet bubble and so many companies were in this category.  Names that this new generation has never heard of were the darlings of the Valley, the internet and the stock market.  They came and they went, partly because these were not teams of people who had have to fight hard to win.  There is a character that is built through long-suffering, long-hours, long-thinking, long-hours, etc.  There is also power in ensuring that people in our companies have these kinds of experiences.  We can't depend or expect to be able to be take on the biggest and toughest challenges if we are not battle tested.  Consider whether or not the thinsg that matter and are being focused on today in your business are the ones that have to be hard fought!  They are the ones that do truly matter.

The life we will live today as we work will be filled with choices to focus on those things that are either easy or need to be hard fought to achieve. Our purpose to bring glory to God in all we do is also one that is hard fought.  We know that there are no shortages of reasons to take the easy path and to let ourselves wander off but if we are live up to the challenge and calling given to us we have to fight hard and fight long to be the good examples for others. Today it could be as simple as the words that you say when in the heat of battle. Let's be sure that we are fighting the right fight and that we work as long and as hard at being the right example to others as we do anything else today!

Reference:  1 Timothy 4:12 (New Living Translation)

day 1011: Ridicule

"And then they ridiculed Him"

Here in Silicon Valley, where I live, we get used to bold and broad statements when someone is pitching a new business or raising money.  These kinds of words get strung together all the time: Revolutionary, First, End-to-End, World-Class, Platform, Answer, etc.  And believe me, if you have ever sat in any of these demos or presentations you have heard them all used over and over.  Sometimes the claims can be so bold and so audacious that the entrepreneur will get ridiculed and heckled in front of the audience.  But, that is the way of innovation and doing something no one else has ever done before.  Many an innovator and inventor has been ridiculed only to later be praised for being able to see something that no one else could.  Being first brings out the hecklers and the naysayers.  Even inside of our businesses we ridicule new ideas and we are only lucky if that great mind sticks around with us after they have been shot down over and over.  The question we need to ask ourselves is, " Are we building and sustaining cultures that encourage the hecklers and those who ridicule first, or are we fighting against the trend and ensuring that great ideas, new thoughts, innovative ways, and sparks of creativity can come forward and be positively recognized?"

Jesus was not afraid of ridicule.  He ministered for three years and while we don't have an hour by hour account of His life (imagine how cool it would be if we did) we know enough that wherever He went there were those who followed Him to heckle and ridicule.  In the account of the healing of Jairus' daughter Talitha He was ridiculed for saying that Talitha was only sleeping and was not dead.  What I get from this is that Jesus was modeling for us that when we believe in something that we and others might not be able to see and we speak into these beliefs that we can expect, and should be ready,  to be ridiculed, or at the least challenged and scoffed upon.  It just comes with the territory.  So what to do today, when someone challenges us for defending the truth and the facts, or for standing up for someone else who is being demeaned or belittled, or for turning in early while everyone else goes out on the town?  Well, let's remember that this ridicule is so far less and below from what our Lord suffered that we can take it and live with it and know that He, the only One that truly matters, knows the choices that we made.

Reference: Mark 5:40 (New Living Testament)