My 3 Words for 2011

I was reading a blog today and the guy was talking about his 3 words for 2011. A resolution of sorts… he picked 3 words that had a lot of meaning to him and he said he was going to use them as guideposts for the things he wanted to do in 2011.

I’m not one for resolutions… they always are broken, but the 3 words thing sounded intriguing to me. It could set the tone for the whole year. It basically says, “This is what I want to focus on. This is what I want to be about.”

I just finished reading a book titled “When Christians Get it Wrong” by Adam Hamilton. So when I started to think about my potential 3 word vision, I started to ask myself these questions…  What do I want to accomplish? ... but more importantly… Who do I want to become?

Some of the words Adam used to describe Christians who get it wrong won’t come much as a surprise to most of you:

• Judgmental       
• Unforgiving
• Critical
• Mean-spirited
• Closed minded
• Fearful

He says when Christians get it right they demonstrate, respect, humility & love. They practice the fruits of the spirit, patience, joy, peace, love, kindness, gentleness, generosity, faithfulness and self-control. They put others before themselves and practice sacrificial love.

Jesus put people before rules. He loved people who were considered dirty with an unconditional love and in Him they found hope. I want to be more like Jesus…. So I’ve decided on 3 phrases instead of 3 words (it’s easier for me):

1. Put people before rules
2. Read all scripture in light of what Jesus said and did
3. Practice sacrificial love

What are Your Words?

Now you know my words, what are yours? Take some time to think it through. What has God been telling you lately, maybe that's where you need to start. Once you have them, and you feel like sharing, post them here on the discussion board. I'll also post the question on our Facebook page.

How 'ya doing with humility?

This weekend I referenced something I learned from a 16th century pastor named Jonathan Edwards. Edwards made a list comparing the markers of pride (when life is all about you) and the markers of humility (when it's NOT about you). This is a paraphrase of a paraphrase, but you'll get the idea. My hunch is that if you'll allow them to, these comparisons will mess with you a little...in a good way.

• Spiritual pride makes you more aware of others faults than you are of your own…but spiritual humility disposes you to be far more aware of your own faults than those of others.
• Pride leads you to speak often about others faults…but humility means that whenever you do speak of others faults, you only do so with a spirit of grief and mercy.
• Pride causes you to withdraw from those you criticize, or who criticize you. But humility means you stay with people even through difficult relationships. You never give up.
• A proud person is dogmatic, and sure of every point of belief. Proud people cannot distinguish between major and minor points of belief, because everything, the proud person believes, is major.
• A proud person loves to confront, loves to win…a humble person doesn’t avoid appropriate confrontation, and does what needs to be done reluctantly, respectfully, and only when necessary.
• Proud people are often unhappy and filled with self-pity (self absorption)…while humble people live with a quiet confidence.

Feeling at all convicted? I am. It's not about me. How desperately I need to remember this.

"Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up." James 4:10