Your Life Story: Tragically Wasted or Gloriously Spent by Alex and Brett Harris
3 Marks of a Tragically Wasted Life A lukewarm attitude of complacency. A lazy habit of procrastination. A paralyzed lifestyle of timidity.
3 Marks of a Gloriously Spent Life A hot-hearted desire to be useful. A relentless passion for the good use of time. A constant readiness to risk for the Gospel.
Is your life defined by complacency? What do you need to do to live the glorious life God is calling to to live? What drives your passion to full-fill God's desire for you?
Call this my soapbox or rant, but I am ticked. Negotiations are going on right now about awarding students with B's if they just attend class. What? Talking about dumbing things down! What would aspire a student to learn anything if they receive the acceptable "B" for just attending class?
As a nation, we seem to reward people for doing nothing. Entitlement!!! "It's my right to be successful no matter what I do or how I do it! I deserve the best for nothing!" No body fails... people, companies, etc. "Let's bail them out...it must be the system!"
This is totally contrary to what I am trying to teach my son. I continue to tell him that he needs to make strong commitments to hard work, and that the world owes him nothing. By God's grace he will be blessed. Intrinsic motivation and a desire to please God should drive his passion to succeed... not the one foot tall trophy that everyone receives for just showing up to practice. No wonder we are living in an apathetic generation where the minimum is accepted.
The world keeps telling him that he should be rewarded and successful for just being. No wonder a true commitment to Christ seems almost obsolete. "I will follow Christ as long as I don't have to work at it or if it doesn't require much or cost me anything. I will serve Christ when it is convenient for me." We live in the generation where we will serve a "Cause," not because it is what Christ expects us to do, or because we are suppose to be the hands and feet of Christ; but, because "it make us feel good." We will get instant gratification, acceptance, and even rewards." The motives are all wrong!
Check out what 60 Minutes has to say about how the job market is affected by the current generational trends.
Many have rejected the 60 Minute Team on this report, however, I can tell you that I see this everyday. And with current trends, I only see our nation and churches becoming powerless because the minimum is accepted and commitment is not expected. Innovation will only decrease in time and there will be fewer workers to pull off the ideas that "the thinkers" imagine. We need to be on our knees crying out to God for this sin of apathy and our enabling.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Sometimes It Isn't Easy Jim Burns
Love one another with brotherly affection; out do one another in showing honor.—Romans 12:10 RSV
No one ever said that living the Christian life would be easy. The following words help give us perspective.
IT IS NOT EASY To apologize To start over To take advice To be unselfish To admit error To face a sneer To be charitable To keep trying To be considerate To avoid mistakes To endure success To profit by mistakes To forgive and forget To think and then act To keep out of a rut To make the best of little To subdue an unruly temper To shoulder a deserved blame
