“‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
This is the third of a three part entry learning from a session I
attended given by Dr. John Hull about the Good Samaritan story (found in
Luke 10:25-37). What I am attempting to do is take this lesson and put
it to work at work.
After the Good Samaritan made the choice
to stop what he was doing, risk his reputation, and dirty and bloody
himself all for the help of another, he then made even a larger decision
when he decided to bring the man that needed help back into town and
share the resources of transportation (a donkey), a bed, clothes and
money to get him back on his feet. And most of all, all of this took the
most precious resource that any one person has, his time. At work we
are not often faced with having to reach into our own pockets to help
others, but we are asked all the time to share a budget we have or cut
back on our own needs to help out someone else. There are times when we
know that helping someone else and giving of our resources is absolutely
the right thing to do. There are other times when someone else on the
team or in the company is without transportation to and from work and it
may be out of our way but we know the right thing to do is offer to
give them a ride. And more often than not in the workplace, what someone
really needs from us is that precious resource; our time.
Making the
time to just sit and listen to someone as they tell of their struggles
and challenges with their boss, a co-worker, or a project, can be
invaluable to them. In the office any of these, or all of these
offerings to another person may not seem like a lot to give of ourselves
for someone that is hurting, but I can tell you for sure, that when
others see someone else give of their time for them, it is perceived as a
big give on their behalf. They know that you, and other people are
busy. But what is important is that we know that if we are too busy to
give ourselves to others who are hurting, then we are just too busy with
the wrong things. If the Good Samaritan had been too busy, or not
willing to give of himself, then another man may have died. Thank our
good Lord that most of us will never face a moment that is that acute.
However, are we not being asked to show that same level of compassion
and giving in the everyday world we live in, in the everyday work that
we do?
Reference: Luke 10:25-37 (New Living Testament)
Monday, September 30, 2013
Friday, September 27, 2013
day 1231: Facing Compassion As A Samaritan @ Work
“‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
This is the second of a three part entry learning from a session I attended given by Dr. John Hull about the Good Samaritan story (found in Luke 10:25-37). What I am attempting to do is take this lesson and put it to work at work.
Yesterday, I pointed out the importance of being able to face reality and showing compassion with a fellow co-worker who has been beaten down. In order to face that reality, we must be able to recognize when someone else is hurting and then reach into their hurt or pain and find a way to touch them at the point that can help them become better. Words like pain and hurt are not ones that are often heard in the workplace unless someone has suffered a physical injury. However, I would say that the workplace is one of the most dangerous battlefields for the attack and potential destruction of someones ego, pride and self-worth, which are pains and hurts that can far surpass physical issues. So, to be a Good Samaritan at work before we can act, we need to be able to recognize and identify when someone is in pain. This is not hard if we slow down for a moment and listen and watch those around us, putting ourselves aside for a moment. There are tell-tale signs. Some are subtle. You can see it in someones energy level, how fast they are to answer or slow to give a response, how they react to questioning or challenging, how they respond or don't respond to the opportunity to take on more, the willingness or lack of willingness to present to others their ideas, and the list can go on and on. Other signs are more visible. You can see open frustration, throwing in the towel, or using words that are either words of defeat and resignation or words that are defensive and protective. Regardless of the signs, it will be apparent that there is pain and hurt under the surface. And as those who want to follow the lesson of the Good Samaritan what are we to do?
The Good Samaritan, when he did his act of kindness was not afraid to reach with his bare hands and pick up the dirty and bloody man from the side of the road. He most likely dirtied his own clothes as he propped us and helped the broken man walk back into town. Fortunately for most of us we don't have real blood at work, but figuratively it can feel the same. For us to really reach down and help someone else we have to be willing to dirty ourselves and be willing to get some of that blood on our own hands. It means that we may need to stand up for someone else, or take on a part of their work for them for a time frame for them to dig out of the hole they are in. It means getting dirty and taking a risk for a fellow co-worker. It means reaching into their pain and hurt and putting ourselves on the back burner. It means that the other person can feel and know that you are saying to them, "it is not about me, it is about you". If we can dig deep within ourselves and find a way to make our work about others and not always about ourselves and we are willing to reach to others to help them through their struggles, regardless of the dirt we may have to take on ourselves to do so, then we can be the Good Samaritan at work and be more purposed in the work that we do.
Reference: Luke 10:25-37 (New Living Testament)
This is the second of a three part entry learning from a session I attended given by Dr. John Hull about the Good Samaritan story (found in Luke 10:25-37). What I am attempting to do is take this lesson and put it to work at work.
Yesterday, I pointed out the importance of being able to face reality and showing compassion with a fellow co-worker who has been beaten down. In order to face that reality, we must be able to recognize when someone else is hurting and then reach into their hurt or pain and find a way to touch them at the point that can help them become better. Words like pain and hurt are not ones that are often heard in the workplace unless someone has suffered a physical injury. However, I would say that the workplace is one of the most dangerous battlefields for the attack and potential destruction of someones ego, pride and self-worth, which are pains and hurts that can far surpass physical issues. So, to be a Good Samaritan at work before we can act, we need to be able to recognize and identify when someone is in pain. This is not hard if we slow down for a moment and listen and watch those around us, putting ourselves aside for a moment. There are tell-tale signs. Some are subtle. You can see it in someones energy level, how fast they are to answer or slow to give a response, how they react to questioning or challenging, how they respond or don't respond to the opportunity to take on more, the willingness or lack of willingness to present to others their ideas, and the list can go on and on. Other signs are more visible. You can see open frustration, throwing in the towel, or using words that are either words of defeat and resignation or words that are defensive and protective. Regardless of the signs, it will be apparent that there is pain and hurt under the surface. And as those who want to follow the lesson of the Good Samaritan what are we to do?
The Good Samaritan, when he did his act of kindness was not afraid to reach with his bare hands and pick up the dirty and bloody man from the side of the road. He most likely dirtied his own clothes as he propped us and helped the broken man walk back into town. Fortunately for most of us we don't have real blood at work, but figuratively it can feel the same. For us to really reach down and help someone else we have to be willing to dirty ourselves and be willing to get some of that blood on our own hands. It means that we may need to stand up for someone else, or take on a part of their work for them for a time frame for them to dig out of the hole they are in. It means getting dirty and taking a risk for a fellow co-worker. It means reaching into their pain and hurt and putting ourselves on the back burner. It means that the other person can feel and know that you are saying to them, "it is not about me, it is about you". If we can dig deep within ourselves and find a way to make our work about others and not always about ourselves and we are willing to reach to others to help them through their struggles, regardless of the dirt we may have to take on ourselves to do so, then we can be the Good Samaritan at work and be more purposed in the work that we do.
Reference: Luke 10:25-37 (New Living Testament)
Thursday, September 26, 2013
day 1230: Facing Reality as a Samaritan @ Work
“‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
It's the time of the year when churches do Men's Retreats. My church is no different. A few years ago, I was fortunate to hear the teaching of Dr. John Hull, President of an organization called InJoy. John spoke on a number of topics but one that struck me was a session that he did on the well-known story of the "Good Samaritan" (found in Luke 10:25-37). As I sat and listened and took notes from his talk, "Strength and Power of Compassion", I was hearing how this story, which I have heard so many times and is a common term in our everyday language when someone helps someone else, is so very applicable to our work lives. I am going to break down into three parts what Dr. Hull spoke about and relate it to how it is that we can conduct ourselves at work and make our work environment better for others, more purposed, and better for ourselves. This is part 1: Facing Reality.
We all know the story of the Good Samaritan and how he helped the beaten, robbed and near death Jewish business man as the man had been been traveling on a dangerous road. Two other people, a Priest and Levite, had seen the naked man lying on the side of the road and had passed him by and had not helped him. The Samaritan, who as a people were not friendly to the Jewish people, which makes the story that much more powerful, not only stops to help the man but instead but goes above and beyond to then take him with him and ensure that he gets what he needs to recover and get back on his feet. Like any of us, the Samaritan had to have stopped and weighed the consequences and ramifications of his decision to help the hurt man, before he stopped and stooped over to help him up to his feet. What was going through his mind had to be things like, "what is this going to look like to my friends, family and co-workers if I help this guy?", "how much time and/or money is this going to cost me?", "what if this guy deserved the beating and I am taking in someone who is going to rob me next?", and if it was modern day, I am sure he would have said to himself, "what is my liability if I help him, will I get sued?". These are all normal and reasonable questions to ask as he was facing a reality in front of him and deciding to run away like the other two men or be different and not run away from the problem in front of him.
Why I thought this is such a great lesson for us as we try and inject purpose into our work, is that each and every day we are faced with a reality where we can help others who are not doing so well and who have been figuratively beaten down and left to the side of the road. How many times have we been in meetings where someone was unfairly treated, talked about, or accused and without the time to defend themselves the conversation moves on and they are left to the side of the table with their egos bruised, their feelings hurt and in some cases left worrying about their future within the company. And what do we do more often than not? We let the conversation move on without defending them or we let the meeting break up and we head back to our offices or cubicles without the encouraging or helping word or hand extended to them. What the story of the Good Samaritan says is that we are to face the reality that something bad has happened and we are not to run away but instead reach forward and down to them to show compassion. What I love about compassionate people is that they don't run from reality just because reality hurts or will cost them something. They give of themselves to express their compassion. And, I will call upon the phrase, "what goes around comes around". If we are ones who face reality and show compassion to others in the workplace and try to model ourselves after the Good Samaritan (even to those in the departments that we just don't like to deal with), then on the day that we stumble and find ourselves down and out, then just maybe someone will remember that we were there for them, and they they will reach down and give us a hand to get back on our feet. The question to be asked today is, to bring more purpose to your work are you working to the example of the Good Samaritan and showing the same compassion to others that the Good Samaritan modeled for us?
Reference: Luke 10:25-37 (New Living Testament)
It's the time of the year when churches do Men's Retreats. My church is no different. A few years ago, I was fortunate to hear the teaching of Dr. John Hull, President of an organization called InJoy. John spoke on a number of topics but one that struck me was a session that he did on the well-known story of the "Good Samaritan" (found in Luke 10:25-37). As I sat and listened and took notes from his talk, "Strength and Power of Compassion", I was hearing how this story, which I have heard so many times and is a common term in our everyday language when someone helps someone else, is so very applicable to our work lives. I am going to break down into three parts what Dr. Hull spoke about and relate it to how it is that we can conduct ourselves at work and make our work environment better for others, more purposed, and better for ourselves. This is part 1: Facing Reality.
We all know the story of the Good Samaritan and how he helped the beaten, robbed and near death Jewish business man as the man had been been traveling on a dangerous road. Two other people, a Priest and Levite, had seen the naked man lying on the side of the road and had passed him by and had not helped him. The Samaritan, who as a people were not friendly to the Jewish people, which makes the story that much more powerful, not only stops to help the man but instead but goes above and beyond to then take him with him and ensure that he gets what he needs to recover and get back on his feet. Like any of us, the Samaritan had to have stopped and weighed the consequences and ramifications of his decision to help the hurt man, before he stopped and stooped over to help him up to his feet. What was going through his mind had to be things like, "what is this going to look like to my friends, family and co-workers if I help this guy?", "how much time and/or money is this going to cost me?", "what if this guy deserved the beating and I am taking in someone who is going to rob me next?", and if it was modern day, I am sure he would have said to himself, "what is my liability if I help him, will I get sued?". These are all normal and reasonable questions to ask as he was facing a reality in front of him and deciding to run away like the other two men or be different and not run away from the problem in front of him.
Why I thought this is such a great lesson for us as we try and inject purpose into our work, is that each and every day we are faced with a reality where we can help others who are not doing so well and who have been figuratively beaten down and left to the side of the road. How many times have we been in meetings where someone was unfairly treated, talked about, or accused and without the time to defend themselves the conversation moves on and they are left to the side of the table with their egos bruised, their feelings hurt and in some cases left worrying about their future within the company. And what do we do more often than not? We let the conversation move on without defending them or we let the meeting break up and we head back to our offices or cubicles without the encouraging or helping word or hand extended to them. What the story of the Good Samaritan says is that we are to face the reality that something bad has happened and we are not to run away but instead reach forward and down to them to show compassion. What I love about compassionate people is that they don't run from reality just because reality hurts or will cost them something. They give of themselves to express their compassion. And, I will call upon the phrase, "what goes around comes around". If we are ones who face reality and show compassion to others in the workplace and try to model ourselves after the Good Samaritan (even to those in the departments that we just don't like to deal with), then on the day that we stumble and find ourselves down and out, then just maybe someone will remember that we were there for them, and they they will reach down and give us a hand to get back on our feet. The question to be asked today is, to bring more purpose to your work are you working to the example of the Good Samaritan and showing the same compassion to others that the Good Samaritan modeled for us?
Reference: Luke 10:25-37 (New Living Testament)
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
day 1229: A Once-In-A-Lifetime-Offer
"His rule is everlasting, and his kingdom is eternal."
Have you seen the new Expedia TV advertisement where they walk up to a stranger with the Expedia suitcase and a plane ticket to anywhere in the world? There is only one catch; you have to go directly to the airport, right then. I love the ad because it conjures up the, "What would I do?" and if I could be that spontaneous, "Where would I go?". The commercial is great in reminding us that we count on our customers and consumers responding to us when we present them with deals and offers. When they don't make the decision on the spot, or decide to respond positively, we get disappointed and sometimes resentful. The other part of the Expedia ad are the people who turn down the offer. It's a once-in-a-lifetime offer and they turn it down, on the spot. It just goes to show you how hard it is to sell and convince a consumer!
We want to bring glory to God in our work and we are purposeful about this. But, like all things in life, we can't expect that others will immediately see God through us. Ours is a journey of faithfulness, disciplines, continuity and predictability. If we can today, remain steadfast and the same tomorrow and the next day, then God will do His work on others through us. Let's also praise God for not being a once-in-a-lifetime offer, but instead an everyday of our lives and everlasting offer of salvation!
Reference: Daniel 4:35 (New Living Translation)
Have you seen the new Expedia TV advertisement where they walk up to a stranger with the Expedia suitcase and a plane ticket to anywhere in the world? There is only one catch; you have to go directly to the airport, right then. I love the ad because it conjures up the, "What would I do?" and if I could be that spontaneous, "Where would I go?". The commercial is great in reminding us that we count on our customers and consumers responding to us when we present them with deals and offers. When they don't make the decision on the spot, or decide to respond positively, we get disappointed and sometimes resentful. The other part of the Expedia ad are the people who turn down the offer. It's a once-in-a-lifetime offer and they turn it down, on the spot. It just goes to show you how hard it is to sell and convince a consumer!
We want to bring glory to God in our work and we are purposeful about this. But, like all things in life, we can't expect that others will immediately see God through us. Ours is a journey of faithfulness, disciplines, continuity and predictability. If we can today, remain steadfast and the same tomorrow and the next day, then God will do His work on others through us. Let's also praise God for not being a once-in-a-lifetime offer, but instead an everyday of our lives and everlasting offer of salvation!
Reference: Daniel 4:35 (New Living Translation)
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
day 1228: Premier League Time
"For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven..."
It's only taken 30 plus years but in the last year, we now can watch The Premier League soccer (football) on national U.S. broadcast television. We all saw it coming as soccer became the most played sport by kids. But, the demographic changes that could only take time to grow up and become viewers and consumers who could through their buying patterns and power create advertising pull and viewership. And now, we have to ask, what next? Could we see finally the development of a U.S. based Major League Soccer League that would someday rival The Premier League? Sure we could. Demographic shifts sometimes feel like boiling a frog, but then one day it seems so obvious. There is great value in spending time projecting forward and trying to align to the shifts, pulls, pushes and all that comes with them. Sure, we might be wrong more often than not, but wouldn't we rather be wrong because we thought about it, not because we ended up flat-footed, surprised and late.
As we grow older in our spiritual age, we have to consider what and how we will feel if one day wake and find that we missed out on the years that we could have been getting closer and closer to Him, telling others about what has happened in our own lives, and living out the example of Christ to others. In somethings, we should not wait. As we go start today, let's consider what it is that we can be offering to others, that they have been waiting for someone to deliver? Today, it might just be you that they are waiting.
Reference: Ecclesiastes 3:1 (New Living Translation)
It's only taken 30 plus years but in the last year, we now can watch The Premier League soccer (football) on national U.S. broadcast television. We all saw it coming as soccer became the most played sport by kids. But, the demographic changes that could only take time to grow up and become viewers and consumers who could through their buying patterns and power create advertising pull and viewership. And now, we have to ask, what next? Could we see finally the development of a U.S. based Major League Soccer League that would someday rival The Premier League? Sure we could. Demographic shifts sometimes feel like boiling a frog, but then one day it seems so obvious. There is great value in spending time projecting forward and trying to align to the shifts, pulls, pushes and all that comes with them. Sure, we might be wrong more often than not, but wouldn't we rather be wrong because we thought about it, not because we ended up flat-footed, surprised and late.
As we grow older in our spiritual age, we have to consider what and how we will feel if one day wake and find that we missed out on the years that we could have been getting closer and closer to Him, telling others about what has happened in our own lives, and living out the example of Christ to others. In somethings, we should not wait. As we go start today, let's consider what it is that we can be offering to others, that they have been waiting for someone to deliver? Today, it might just be you that they are waiting.
Reference: Ecclesiastes 3:1 (New Living Translation)
Monday, September 23, 2013
day 1227: Fingerprints
"And the very hairs on your head are all numbered."
What an amazing amount of noise that has been created from the new Apple iphone5S and its Touch ID fingerprinting security system. If you haven't been following it the controversy ranges from the extraction of a fingerprint from a person and what can Apple and others do with the fingerprint, all the way to the absurd of people worried that while they are sleeping that someone would use their thumb to unlock the phone for snooping or reading their emails. Even Senator Al Franken (not as a comedian) has joined the fray to check if what Apple is doing is safe for consumers. It will be fun to watch this play out, but I predict that it dies out as a concern soon. Biometric data has been here all along and why wouldn't we use what is already there? What also will happen is that our phones now even become even more personal to us. No one could have predicted how dependent we are on that device and all of us who are trying to reach consumers have to be thinking mobile and mobile personalization. Where will we be as in the relationship with our consumers if we don't figure out how to be front and center with them, in a personal way, in a mobile way.
God has each of us in His sights at all times and He knows all of us. What He desires from us is to allow ourselves to know Him just as personally. We fight back on this every day, not that differently from how people are pushing back on Touch ID technology. When we don't open our hearts and minds to seek God, then we basically are rejecting what He has to give us. He never rejects us and He is always waiting for us to continuously be wanting to make our relationship very personal. He tells us that He numbers each and every hair on our head. He knows our very fingerprints. What are we doing today to either invite this level of intimacy, or rejecting what can be?
Reference: Matthew 10:30 (New Living Translation)
What an amazing amount of noise that has been created from the new Apple iphone5S and its Touch ID fingerprinting security system. If you haven't been following it the controversy ranges from the extraction of a fingerprint from a person and what can Apple and others do with the fingerprint, all the way to the absurd of people worried that while they are sleeping that someone would use their thumb to unlock the phone for snooping or reading their emails. Even Senator Al Franken (not as a comedian) has joined the fray to check if what Apple is doing is safe for consumers. It will be fun to watch this play out, but I predict that it dies out as a concern soon. Biometric data has been here all along and why wouldn't we use what is already there? What also will happen is that our phones now even become even more personal to us. No one could have predicted how dependent we are on that device and all of us who are trying to reach consumers have to be thinking mobile and mobile personalization. Where will we be as in the relationship with our consumers if we don't figure out how to be front and center with them, in a personal way, in a mobile way.
God has each of us in His sights at all times and He knows all of us. What He desires from us is to allow ourselves to know Him just as personally. We fight back on this every day, not that differently from how people are pushing back on Touch ID technology. When we don't open our hearts and minds to seek God, then we basically are rejecting what He has to give us. He never rejects us and He is always waiting for us to continuously be wanting to make our relationship very personal. He tells us that He numbers each and every hair on our head. He knows our very fingerprints. What are we doing today to either invite this level of intimacy, or rejecting what can be?
Reference: Matthew 10:30 (New Living Translation)
Friday, September 20, 2013
day 1226: You Have A Suggestion? Again
"Give your burdens to the Lord, and He will take care
of you."
Sometime along the way in the life cycle of a business someone says, "what we need is a suggestion box". The suggestion box becomes the way for people to communicate to management about their ideas and/or complaints anonymously and without perceived repercussion. While on the surface and at the time, this looks like a good idea, we have to stop and ask the underlying questions of why and how did we get to a place where the people in our organization can no longer feel free to speak directly to management? One of the early manifestations of the suggestion box will be when management wants to have a company meeting and they want questions taken ahead of time and they will ask for questions to be submitted through a question or suggestion box, in an email address. The reason this happens is because management thinks that people are fearful to ask the tough questions. FYI, they are not fearful of asking the tough questions, they are fearful of the toughness of the answer. Once the suggestion box is set up, the culture and the tone of the company changes. An intercessory has been established and the direct communication lines have broken down. This is especially troubling when you see these communication crutches being created or supported when the company has created positions like Human Resources or Employee Relations to help facilitate and keep communication lines open. If the suggestion box is still hanging around after someone is being paid to be that conduit then that spells double-trouble. Free-flowing direct communication with a boss, senior management and each other are hallmarks of the great companies as no great company is such without a communication pattern that is open and free from fear.
As believers we know what it is like to have an open communication channel to share our needs. Our Father allows us to come to Him directly and we know we can go to Him with whatever and whenever with our problems. Among many verses in the Bible where God says for us to call on Him, we read this is in Psalm 5:22: "Give your burdens to the Lord, and He will take care of you." Today as you pass the suggestion box at your company, or as you hear of others who have a problem that they don't feel like they can talk to anyone about, be that ear and be the encourager of direct, open and caring communication. It may be that you are the one who is in charge of ensuring that you have open communication within your team (if you are manager or supervisor of any sort, this is you). If so, then begin today role modeling how the suggestion box should really work...allowing people to come directly to you. And when you don't know the answer of you don't feel the courage or confidence to have the questions posed to you, you know where to to go directly to find the assurances, wisdom and power that you need to carry you through the day!
Reference: Psalm 55:22 (New Living Testament)
Sometime along the way in the life cycle of a business someone says, "what we need is a suggestion box". The suggestion box becomes the way for people to communicate to management about their ideas and/or complaints anonymously and without perceived repercussion. While on the surface and at the time, this looks like a good idea, we have to stop and ask the underlying questions of why and how did we get to a place where the people in our organization can no longer feel free to speak directly to management? One of the early manifestations of the suggestion box will be when management wants to have a company meeting and they want questions taken ahead of time and they will ask for questions to be submitted through a question or suggestion box, in an email address. The reason this happens is because management thinks that people are fearful to ask the tough questions. FYI, they are not fearful of asking the tough questions, they are fearful of the toughness of the answer. Once the suggestion box is set up, the culture and the tone of the company changes. An intercessory has been established and the direct communication lines have broken down. This is especially troubling when you see these communication crutches being created or supported when the company has created positions like Human Resources or Employee Relations to help facilitate and keep communication lines open. If the suggestion box is still hanging around after someone is being paid to be that conduit then that spells double-trouble. Free-flowing direct communication with a boss, senior management and each other are hallmarks of the great companies as no great company is such without a communication pattern that is open and free from fear.
As believers we know what it is like to have an open communication channel to share our needs. Our Father allows us to come to Him directly and we know we can go to Him with whatever and whenever with our problems. Among many verses in the Bible where God says for us to call on Him, we read this is in Psalm 5:22: "Give your burdens to the Lord, and He will take care of you." Today as you pass the suggestion box at your company, or as you hear of others who have a problem that they don't feel like they can talk to anyone about, be that ear and be the encourager of direct, open and caring communication. It may be that you are the one who is in charge of ensuring that you have open communication within your team (if you are manager or supervisor of any sort, this is you). If so, then begin today role modeling how the suggestion box should really work...allowing people to come directly to you. And when you don't know the answer of you don't feel the courage or confidence to have the questions posed to you, you know where to to go directly to find the assurances, wisdom and power that you need to carry you through the day!
Reference: Psalm 55:22 (New Living Testament)
Thursday, September 19, 2013
day 1225: Out Of Tune
"They marched into Jerusalem to the music of harps, lyres, and trumpets, and they proceeded to the Temple of the Lord."
I was on an airplane and thought, "I'll watch a movie." I scrolled through the Samsung tablet that I was given and nothing really caught my eye except for the movie, "A Late Quartet". I'm a big Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Christopher Walken fan. The thought of that much pure acting chops in the same movie seemed worth the watch. The premise of the film is that a string quartet celebrating 25 years together is falling a apart because of many life reasons, with the catalyst being the character played by Christopher Walken contracting Parkinson's disease. There are a lot of messages in the movie but one that has stuck with me is what can happen when one instrumentalist is out of tune, or out of synch, and what happens to everyone else. What occurs is that everyone else will begin to play and tune to the one that is off key or off rhythm, thus destroying the sound of the whole. This happens everyday in our jobs. There will be someone who is off of their game, off color, offsetting, off of strategy, and the rest of us will "tune" ourselves to them, versus collectively staying strong and true to where we know we are supposed to be. Teams get weak and fall apart because of this phenomena. It's worth having someone or someway of consistently checking and tuning back to true so to not let one person, or one team cause everyone else to go astray.
This can so happen to us in our spiritual lives as well. We can get pulled out of tune by the world and those around us who are the most influential. We can learn two things here. One is that we are to always be on the watch and listen for where we are in our lives. If we fall out of tune because we have followed where others have gone, then we need to go back to God's Word, prayer, church and fellowship to find our way back. But secondly, and just as importantly, we can, if we are vigilant and we take this as part of who we are to be, we can be the countering true tone to the off tune nature of those around us. When others are feeling lost in the score of life and they can't seem to find where they should be or what tone they should pursue, we can provide the example of a true and purposeful way to pursue.
Reference: 2 Chronicles 20:28 (New Living Translation)
I was on an airplane and thought, "I'll watch a movie." I scrolled through the Samsung tablet that I was given and nothing really caught my eye except for the movie, "A Late Quartet". I'm a big Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Christopher Walken fan. The thought of that much pure acting chops in the same movie seemed worth the watch. The premise of the film is that a string quartet celebrating 25 years together is falling a apart because of many life reasons, with the catalyst being the character played by Christopher Walken contracting Parkinson's disease. There are a lot of messages in the movie but one that has stuck with me is what can happen when one instrumentalist is out of tune, or out of synch, and what happens to everyone else. What occurs is that everyone else will begin to play and tune to the one that is off key or off rhythm, thus destroying the sound of the whole. This happens everyday in our jobs. There will be someone who is off of their game, off color, offsetting, off of strategy, and the rest of us will "tune" ourselves to them, versus collectively staying strong and true to where we know we are supposed to be. Teams get weak and fall apart because of this phenomena. It's worth having someone or someway of consistently checking and tuning back to true so to not let one person, or one team cause everyone else to go astray.
This can so happen to us in our spiritual lives as well. We can get pulled out of tune by the world and those around us who are the most influential. We can learn two things here. One is that we are to always be on the watch and listen for where we are in our lives. If we fall out of tune because we have followed where others have gone, then we need to go back to God's Word, prayer, church and fellowship to find our way back. But secondly, and just as importantly, we can, if we are vigilant and we take this as part of who we are to be, we can be the countering true tone to the off tune nature of those around us. When others are feeling lost in the score of life and they can't seem to find where they should be or what tone they should pursue, we can provide the example of a true and purposeful way to pursue.
Reference: 2 Chronicles 20:28 (New Living Translation)
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
day 1224: Accomplishment
You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.
I was very fortunate this summer to be able to play a lot of golf. Before you categorize me as someone who is good at golf, let me be clear, I stink. But, I love the game. Partially because it is outside. Partially because you can get away from everything else for a few hours. And mostly, because it is a game that ends on an accomplishment. I love other sports too, but most sports end on someone or one team making an error or not accomplishing something. Think about that for a second. Baseball ends on someone not getting a hit. Football ends on someone not scoring or someone not being able to stop someone else from scoring. Tennis ends on someone not being able to get to a shot by the other player, or returning the ball unsuccessfully. Golf always ends on the ball going in the hole. It may be, and most always is, the ball going in the hole in more strokes than you desired, but the game always ends on an accomplishment of the ball finding the cup. If more of work was this way, think how much more satisfied we would be in our jobs. If only every day we ended on an accomplishment. If only every interaction with a customer ended with a point of satisfaction. If only every employee interaction ended on a positive and and accomplishment driven word of recognition. We can make this happen. It is our choice. Like golf, work is a long game and one that we only get better at with time, practice, patience and endurance. But, like the game of golf, work can always end on an accomplishment.
God gives us a life that also can end on the completion of His work while we are here on earth. When we think about the accomplishment that he desires from us, it is about faithfulness, loving Him and others, spreading His Good News, and living our lives out as Jesus would if He were in the same job, life, and situations that we find ourselves. When we strive to find and give glory to God in all that we do, we are accomplishing much in His eyes. So, today stay focused on this type of accomplishment. The rest is not that important, but accomplishing His desires is what it is all about.
Reference: Psalm 16:11 (New Living Translation)
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
day 1223: Keys
You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life...
It seems so long ago that we went to work with keys in our pocket. We had one for the door into the building and then one for our office and maybe another for the storage room, or even the washroom. Keys are a thing of the past and before long all offices, cars and homes will be without them and we won't even need them any longer. But, I imagine that even generations from now we will still use the word "key" and consider that those who have the keys are the most important. When I was a boy I told my Dad that I wanted to be the like the janitor at our school and have a big key ring with hundreds of keys on a ring that hung from my belt. My Dad smiled and said to me, "No son, you want to be the person who only has one key on his key ring." It was a great lesson and one I never forgot. We should think about this in our business as well. Our customers, partners and employees want to feel like they only have to have one key to access everything they need. Consider how many keys we ask them to carry today and how hard or easy it is to open the doors that they desire to pass through?
We want the key to life and we are told what that key is in Deuteronomy. To pursue any other key, we will only end up standing at a locked door of frustration and futility. What keys are we carrying to work with us today? The keys looking for power, fame, or prestige? Let's leave those behind and instead carry only the key that is the one that unlocks love, grace, mercy and forgiveness!
Reference: Deuteronomy 30:20 (New Living Translation)
Monday, September 16, 2013
day 1222: 404 Errors
"Your unfailing love will last forever. Your faithfulness is as enduring as the heavens."
When trying to find a web page that is either not there or won't load for some reason, the internet returns to us a "404 error". A "404 error" will be also used when pages have been moved or deleted. We've gotten used to this term and in some places of the world, people use the term "404" as slang for one being clueless or "out of it". I remember when the game The Sims was being created and the idea of bubbles over the avatars heads to show their thoughts was begin created. I can only imagine if in real life we had those and we could see all of the "404 errors" that happen each and every day and hour in our workplaces. There is nothing wrong with not having all of the information necessary or even being wrong, but when we don't stop and try to course correct and go get the right information, then it's like continuing to pound on the keyboard and keep getting a "404" message. When our customers can't seem to get an answer from us that satisfies them, they feel the same "404" frustration. Let's consider how fully and responsibly we are taking our ability to deliver back, each and every time, the right and the full data, information and answers.
There are no "404 errors" in God's Kingdom. If we follow and commit our will to Him in full faith then what results can only be of His liking. Yesterday our church, Cornerstone, celebrated 60 years of being in existence and 25 years of having the same Pastor. The celebration service took place at the famous Warfield Theater in downtown San Francisco. This was something the church had never done before and there was some anxiousness around whether or not it would all come together. With full faith and trust, the service was amazing and even if there were errors, since no one knew what to expect, they never saw them. This reminded me that when we are with God, He takes care of the mistakes and He never lets a "404 error" occur because He can always be found if we are only looking for Him.
Reference: Psalm 89:2 (New Living Translation)
When trying to find a web page that is either not there or won't load for some reason, the internet returns to us a "404 error". A "404 error" will be also used when pages have been moved or deleted. We've gotten used to this term and in some places of the world, people use the term "404" as slang for one being clueless or "out of it". I remember when the game The Sims was being created and the idea of bubbles over the avatars heads to show their thoughts was begin created. I can only imagine if in real life we had those and we could see all of the "404 errors" that happen each and every day and hour in our workplaces. There is nothing wrong with not having all of the information necessary or even being wrong, but when we don't stop and try to course correct and go get the right information, then it's like continuing to pound on the keyboard and keep getting a "404" message. When our customers can't seem to get an answer from us that satisfies them, they feel the same "404" frustration. Let's consider how fully and responsibly we are taking our ability to deliver back, each and every time, the right and the full data, information and answers.
There are no "404 errors" in God's Kingdom. If we follow and commit our will to Him in full faith then what results can only be of His liking. Yesterday our church, Cornerstone, celebrated 60 years of being in existence and 25 years of having the same Pastor. The celebration service took place at the famous Warfield Theater in downtown San Francisco. This was something the church had never done before and there was some anxiousness around whether or not it would all come together. With full faith and trust, the service was amazing and even if there were errors, since no one knew what to expect, they never saw them. This reminded me that when we are with God, He takes care of the mistakes and He never lets a "404 error" occur because He can always be found if we are only looking for Him.
Reference: Psalm 89:2 (New Living Translation)
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
day 1219: I.D.P and F.O.M.O
We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith...
That thing in our hand, that you might now be using to read this post, has taken us over. No one could ever imagine or predict that our smartphones would evolve into an appendage that when we are separated an anxiety is created that can't be taken away until the phone is back in our hands. I read the other day that someone said they have "I.D.P.", otherwise known as "Information Deprivation Paranoia". Another way to put it is what Anil Dash called, "F.O.M.O.", or "Fear of Missing Out". We are driven by these needs now that it sometimes feels like information and accessibility is distracting us from living out our lives. No device meetings are smart when we want to talk and solve a problem. There will always be someone who says they need their phone, tablet or computer for more information. That's probably true, but for that moment, they can take a note to gather that data later, but for now, let's be in the moment and talk. When was the last time you considered going a day with no devices to just see how much more conversant, attentive and aware of others you can be? We need devices. Information and accessibility are awesome. They are the gifts of our time, but too much of anything can cause problems. When we start having fear of missing out, or paranoia about not being in the know, or separation anxiety from that device we own, then we have probably gone too far.
If we are fixed on Jesus, focused on Him, in His Word and in conversation with Him daily, then we will never miss out, and we should never have any fears or paranoia about not being connected. The world is the distraction, He is the signal to which we are to tune towards. Today, we will have many distractions. Where will we put our focus?
Reference: Hebrews 12:2 (New Living Translation)
That thing in our hand, that you might now be using to read this post, has taken us over. No one could ever imagine or predict that our smartphones would evolve into an appendage that when we are separated an anxiety is created that can't be taken away until the phone is back in our hands. I read the other day that someone said they have "I.D.P.", otherwise known as "Information Deprivation Paranoia". Another way to put it is what Anil Dash called, "F.O.M.O.", or "Fear of Missing Out". We are driven by these needs now that it sometimes feels like information and accessibility is distracting us from living out our lives. No device meetings are smart when we want to talk and solve a problem. There will always be someone who says they need their phone, tablet or computer for more information. That's probably true, but for that moment, they can take a note to gather that data later, but for now, let's be in the moment and talk. When was the last time you considered going a day with no devices to just see how much more conversant, attentive and aware of others you can be? We need devices. Information and accessibility are awesome. They are the gifts of our time, but too much of anything can cause problems. When we start having fear of missing out, or paranoia about not being in the know, or separation anxiety from that device we own, then we have probably gone too far.
If we are fixed on Jesus, focused on Him, in His Word and in conversation with Him daily, then we will never miss out, and we should never have any fears or paranoia about not being connected. The world is the distraction, He is the signal to which we are to tune towards. Today, we will have many distractions. Where will we put our focus?
Reference: Hebrews 12:2 (New Living Translation)
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
day 1218: "Stotan"
...let us strip off every weight that slows us
down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with
endurance the race God has set before us.
I love to run and I have the utmost respect for distance runners and especially those who are ultrarunners who can cover vast distances in a single run or over a set period of time. One of the greatest of our time has been Scott Jurek. Jurek wrote a book a few years ago on running, fitness and diet and in this book, "Eat and Run", he tells the story of Australian ultra runner Percy Cerutty who in 1939 adopted what Cerutty called a "Stotan" lifestyle to help him overcome a two-year impending death diagnosis. "Stotan" was a cross between being "spartan" and "stoic". Being "Stotan" was, Cerutty wrote; "An athlete needed hardness, toughness, and unswerving devotion to an ideal, but he also needed to embrace diet, philosophy, cultivation of the intellect, and openness to artistic endeavors. You only ever grow as a human being if you're outside your comfort zone." (footnote - Cerutty lived to be 80 years old and dodged that doctor's diagnosis). How often in business do we consider all aspects of who we need to be so we can become the full picture? We more often than not find ourselves focused, in silos, heads down and maybe even purposefully ignoring the bigger picture and influences that could distract us. Maybe we should consider becoming more "Stotan" in how we approach our business challenges.
The Apostle Paul writes enough about running and athleticism that he either was an athlete himself or he truly appreciated what it was to be an athlete. He tells us that our spiritual journey is a race. He tells us to strip down the weights that hold us back, to open our eyes to God and fix ourselves on the victory of falling into Jesus' arms as we break the finish tape of life. It is a beautiful picture to imagine. Today is a lap of the race that we run. Will we take today and run the lap that we are in to our best ability or let this lap get away from us? As Cerutty said, to be the best athlete we must "do" and we must take ourselves to places that are beyond our comfort zone. God never said our race to Him would be easy. But, He did say it would be well worth the effort!
Reference: Hebrews 12:1 (New Living Translation)
I love to run and I have the utmost respect for distance runners and especially those who are ultrarunners who can cover vast distances in a single run or over a set period of time. One of the greatest of our time has been Scott Jurek. Jurek wrote a book a few years ago on running, fitness and diet and in this book, "Eat and Run", he tells the story of Australian ultra runner Percy Cerutty who in 1939 adopted what Cerutty called a "Stotan" lifestyle to help him overcome a two-year impending death diagnosis. "Stotan" was a cross between being "spartan" and "stoic". Being "Stotan" was, Cerutty wrote; "An athlete needed hardness, toughness, and unswerving devotion to an ideal, but he also needed to embrace diet, philosophy, cultivation of the intellect, and openness to artistic endeavors. You only ever grow as a human being if you're outside your comfort zone." (footnote - Cerutty lived to be 80 years old and dodged that doctor's diagnosis). How often in business do we consider all aspects of who we need to be so we can become the full picture? We more often than not find ourselves focused, in silos, heads down and maybe even purposefully ignoring the bigger picture and influences that could distract us. Maybe we should consider becoming more "Stotan" in how we approach our business challenges.
The Apostle Paul writes enough about running and athleticism that he either was an athlete himself or he truly appreciated what it was to be an athlete. He tells us that our spiritual journey is a race. He tells us to strip down the weights that hold us back, to open our eyes to God and fix ourselves on the victory of falling into Jesus' arms as we break the finish tape of life. It is a beautiful picture to imagine. Today is a lap of the race that we run. Will we take today and run the lap that we are in to our best ability or let this lap get away from us? As Cerutty said, to be the best athlete we must "do" and we must take ourselves to places that are beyond our comfort zone. God never said our race to Him would be easy. But, He did say it would be well worth the effort!
Reference: Hebrews 12:1 (New Living Translation)
Monday, September 9, 2013
day 1217: Gloryfing
Today's post is a little different than usual.
I was rereading an article about the late author and man of God, Dallas Willard and I was struck by an answer he gave to the question, "What exactly does it mean to glorify God?" His answer is what I want to leave us with today to ponder and consider as we attempt to bring glory to God in our work. Such a simple answer but one that demands our full attention to make the most of what he has to say. So, I leave you with this to think about, apply, and to see if it can be brought to full life in you this week. Dallas Willard answering, "What does it mean to glorify God?"
He responds, "To glorify God means to think and act in such a way that the goodness, greatness, and beauty of God are constantly obvious to ourselves and those around us. It means to live in such a way that when people see us they think, Thank God for God, if God would create such a life."
I was rereading an article about the late author and man of God, Dallas Willard and I was struck by an answer he gave to the question, "What exactly does it mean to glorify God?" His answer is what I want to leave us with today to ponder and consider as we attempt to bring glory to God in our work. Such a simple answer but one that demands our full attention to make the most of what he has to say. So, I leave you with this to think about, apply, and to see if it can be brought to full life in you this week. Dallas Willard answering, "What does it mean to glorify God?"
He responds, "To glorify God means to think and act in such a way that the goodness, greatness, and beauty of God are constantly obvious to ourselves and those around us. It means to live in such a way that when people see us they think, Thank God for God, if God would create such a life."
Friday, September 6, 2013
day 1216: Fessing Up
"Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of sin, whose lives are lived in complete honesty"
I'm reading a book by Wharton Professor, Adam Grant called "Give and Take". It's a fascinating study about those who predominately give unselfishly, those who weigh the benefits of giving against what they will receive in return, and those who take from others. The book also describes those who are one or the other but take on other characteristics so that we can't tell who they really are. Ken Lay from Enron is used an example of someone on the outside looked like a huge giver because of his philanthropy, etc. but those who knew him best always knew him as a taker and knew the rest of his endeavors were a facade. And before he died, we all knew what type of taker he was. We all have our faults. We all make mistakes. We are never perfect. No one expects that from us, but what is expected is a level of transparency and honesty that allows us to fess up and not hide anything from others. We all know co-workers we just don't trust. At the root these are the people who don't fess up but instead hide, deflect or accuse others of causing their own faults. We have disdain for companies and countries who don't fess up. Let's consider that our own personal coverups are just as damaging.
God asks us to be honest and transparent with others and most certainly with Him. It's so funny that we think we can hide who really are from God. With God there are no secrets, there is only our own ability to be honest with Him in who we really are and ask for His mercy, forgiveness and help to make us better. Nothing feels better than a good fessing up to God. It's not too late to restart this day by stopping for a moment and fessing up to God our sins and asking Him to help us in thwarting anything that we will do that will get in the way of our honest and open relationship with Him. Go ahead, fess up! You'll feel much better about it!
Reference: Psalm 32:2 (New Living Translation)
I'm reading a book by Wharton Professor, Adam Grant called "Give and Take". It's a fascinating study about those who predominately give unselfishly, those who weigh the benefits of giving against what they will receive in return, and those who take from others. The book also describes those who are one or the other but take on other characteristics so that we can't tell who they really are. Ken Lay from Enron is used an example of someone on the outside looked like a huge giver because of his philanthropy, etc. but those who knew him best always knew him as a taker and knew the rest of his endeavors were a facade. And before he died, we all knew what type of taker he was. We all have our faults. We all make mistakes. We are never perfect. No one expects that from us, but what is expected is a level of transparency and honesty that allows us to fess up and not hide anything from others. We all know co-workers we just don't trust. At the root these are the people who don't fess up but instead hide, deflect or accuse others of causing their own faults. We have disdain for companies and countries who don't fess up. Let's consider that our own personal coverups are just as damaging.
God asks us to be honest and transparent with others and most certainly with Him. It's so funny that we think we can hide who really are from God. With God there are no secrets, there is only our own ability to be honest with Him in who we really are and ask for His mercy, forgiveness and help to make us better. Nothing feels better than a good fessing up to God. It's not too late to restart this day by stopping for a moment and fessing up to God our sins and asking Him to help us in thwarting anything that we will do that will get in the way of our honest and open relationship with Him. Go ahead, fess up! You'll feel much better about it!
Reference: Psalm 32:2 (New Living Translation)
Thursday, September 5, 2013
day 1215: Looking Down
No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice. My body rests in safety.
Can you imagine doing this?
Not for the fainthearted or those who would question their own ability and focus. I watched this live when it happened. Among many aspects I was fascinated that he never looked down. In fact, one of the hardest parts was that he said many times that the optical illusions of the hillside made it hard for him to focus. But, one thing for sure, he never looked down. How much of our time and energy do we spend, looking down and worrying about the next missed revenue target, the next product failure, the next bad hire? We tend to look down a lot and then we wonder why we fall.
God tells us that we don't have to worry when we are in His arms. When we know that our bodies rest in His safety, then really we have nothing to worry about at all. When we keep our heads up and our eyes focused on Him, we have a balance to our life and priorities that allow us to move forward without fear or worry. When we look down we are ignoring Him and not using our faith. Remember what happened to Peter when he looked down as he walked on the water towards Jesus? Let's look up to Christ today and bring Him with us into every situation, meeting and conversation today. Today is looking up already!
Reference: Psalm 16:9 (New Living Translation)
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
day 1214: Stranger Things
The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.” Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.
Some people are just more comfortable with strangers. Maybe for the rest of us it is because we listened as children and we just can't over that we aren't supposed to talk to strangers. But, before someone becomes a customer or an employee, they are first strangers. If we can find a way to be more comfortable with dealing with strangers, then we open up a broader universe of possibilities. If we can't get there, then we need others in our companies who don't hesitate when coming by strangers. Being open and accessible to strangers opens many good opportunities that there is no way to predict.
We are taught to befriend strangers. The Good Samaritan exemplified how Christ accepts all into His Kingdom. When we befriend, support and lift up those who are strangers then we are like acting out the ways of the Good Samaritan. When we get so insulated within the same people, many who just like us, we shut down our opportunity to be expansive in our example and messaging of God's way for us. The stranger today may be the person in the elevator, in a meeting, or at the break table. What can we do today to turn a stranger into someone who tomorrow we say hi as if we know them?
Reference: Luke 10:37 (New Living Translation)
Some people are just more comfortable with strangers. Maybe for the rest of us it is because we listened as children and we just can't over that we aren't supposed to talk to strangers. But, before someone becomes a customer or an employee, they are first strangers. If we can find a way to be more comfortable with dealing with strangers, then we open up a broader universe of possibilities. If we can't get there, then we need others in our companies who don't hesitate when coming by strangers. Being open and accessible to strangers opens many good opportunities that there is no way to predict.
We are taught to befriend strangers. The Good Samaritan exemplified how Christ accepts all into His Kingdom. When we befriend, support and lift up those who are strangers then we are like acting out the ways of the Good Samaritan. When we get so insulated within the same people, many who just like us, we shut down our opportunity to be expansive in our example and messaging of God's way for us. The stranger today may be the person in the elevator, in a meeting, or at the break table. What can we do today to turn a stranger into someone who tomorrow we say hi as if we know them?
Reference: Luke 10:37 (New Living Translation)
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
day 1213: Siren Servers
"Here’s
the lesson: Use your worldly resources to benefit others and make
friends. Then, when your earthly possessions are gone, they will welcome
you to an eternal home."
Jaron Lanier, the Author of "Who Owns the Future" and "You Are Not a Gadget" calls out the "Siren Server" as the evil of technology that is corrupting civilization. In an interview with San Francisco Magazine he said this about the Siren Server: "It's the biggest and best computer on a particular network. They almost always have evil consequences, even though they're rarely designed with evil intent. A great San Francisco example is Craiglist. Craig is genuinely a sweet guy (something I can personally attest to as well), but even so, Craigslist is destroying newspaper revenues and harming local journalism. The most damaging siren servers are the ones that deal with money. When you cross a siren server with finance, as happened in the housing bubble, you get the meltdown of the market, "too big to fail," austerity, and jobless recovery." Lanier's definition of a Siren Server does not have to be just applied to the large-scale. As each of us become more aware and able to use big-data to disrupt and upend one thing, let's remember that there is a law of unintended consequences that will create reactions that without long thought, could be more damaging than good.
We must all watch out for the "Siren Servers" in our own lives. We all have them. They are the stored up possessions, desires, and longings that are of this world, but not of the Kingdom. On the surface, they are not bad, but when they become the priority, they too can turn into areas of our lives that distance us from Christ and our relationship with Him. Today, we head back to work after the long weekend. As we look at "why" we do what we do, then let's be sure that we have sirens in check and not taking control or overly influencing who we are what we do.
Reference: Luke 16:9 (New Living Translation)
Jaron Lanier, the Author of "Who Owns the Future" and "You Are Not a Gadget" calls out the "Siren Server" as the evil of technology that is corrupting civilization. In an interview with San Francisco Magazine he said this about the Siren Server: "It's the biggest and best computer on a particular network. They almost always have evil consequences, even though they're rarely designed with evil intent. A great San Francisco example is Craiglist. Craig is genuinely a sweet guy (something I can personally attest to as well), but even so, Craigslist is destroying newspaper revenues and harming local journalism. The most damaging siren servers are the ones that deal with money. When you cross a siren server with finance, as happened in the housing bubble, you get the meltdown of the market, "too big to fail," austerity, and jobless recovery." Lanier's definition of a Siren Server does not have to be just applied to the large-scale. As each of us become more aware and able to use big-data to disrupt and upend one thing, let's remember that there is a law of unintended consequences that will create reactions that without long thought, could be more damaging than good.
We must all watch out for the "Siren Servers" in our own lives. We all have them. They are the stored up possessions, desires, and longings that are of this world, but not of the Kingdom. On the surface, they are not bad, but when they become the priority, they too can turn into areas of our lives that distance us from Christ and our relationship with Him. Today, we head back to work after the long weekend. As we look at "why" we do what we do, then let's be sure that we have sirens in check and not taking control or overly influencing who we are what we do.
Reference: Luke 16:9 (New Living Translation)
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