I read this and it really hit me this morning. As a parent and one who is just trying to live life, I was struck by the clarity in which this reality was presented.

Self Discovery: “Truth has to be owned. And the way we own it isn’t via someone telling us about it. That’s second-hand knowledge. We have to experience it for ourselves.”

(Via The Batterson Blog – Thoughts on Life and Leadership.)

We can hear all the truth, we want but it does not really make a difference till we act on it. That action might be changing the way we do something or it might be deeper than that. It might require us to change our core convictions.

No matter what it requires, just hearing it means nothing. Believing that truth (assuming it’s based on scripture), and acting on it are key in having impact in this world for God.

Thanks Mark!

Yesterday, I sat with a bunch of friends of mine and we were studying the book of Revelation. Specifically we were looking at the letter to the church at Sardis in chapter 3:1-6.

As we discussed this church that Jesus described as looking alive but actually was spiritually dead, we came across a couple of verses in Ephesians 5 that stuck with me the rest of the day…

…for the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said,

“Awake, O sleeper,
rise up from the dead,
and Christ will give you light.”

So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. (NLT)

For me, what stood out most from this passage was the words “Make the most of every opportunity.” I guess you could say that convicted me. I must confess that I am a “Recovering Pharisee.” What does that mean?

Well, for me, it means that I had been living my life much like the church at Sardis. I did all the right things and said all the right things. But deep in my heart, my core beliefs did not reflect what I said in public.

I was alive to those who saw me in public, but to those who I let into my inner circle – they knew better. I was dead or at least not as alive as I could be.

The idea of making the most of every opportunity is something that I live out in many places but for some reason not in my spiritual relationships…

As I reflected on this yesterday and this morning, I really began to understand that God expects us to do our best with everything He gives us to do. Not just what I do 40 hours a week, but when I get home with my family, when I volunteer at church, when I am acting on stage, and most of all when I relate with Him and others about Him.

We need to be making the most of EVERY opportunity from the moment we wake up in the morning to the time we go to sleep at night. And our basis for this should be love, love for God, and a love uniquely given to the individual we are interacting with.

What do you think?

Notable Quotes:

As a 20 year old you are deciding who you’ll be at age 40.

The decisions of the heart you make when you’re younger determines who you become years later.

Seeing honor given to God is more important than sucking air.

Activities lead to practices which lead to habits, shaping the person you’re becoming

I’m deciding who I’m becoming and today is a new day!

Video is here: http://www.adabible.org/weekend_services/audio_archive.php (click on Far From Home)