Inspirational Quotes for the Day

Inspirational Quotes for the Day:

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we're liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others. (from Marianne Williamson's A Return to Love)

John Eldredge writes about his response to this quote in Waking the Dead (p. 87)

When I first read this quote, I thought, No, that’s not true. We don’t fear our glory. We fear we are not glorious at all. We fear that at bottom, we are going to be revealed as . . . disappointments. But as I thought about it more, I realized we do fear our glory. We fear even heading this direction because, for one thing, it seems prideful. Now pride is a bad thing, to be sure, but it’s not prideful to embrace the truth that you bear the image of God. Paul says it brings glory to God. We walk in humility because we know it is a glory bestowed. It reflects something of the Lord’s glory.

I agree with Eldredge. Although not "powerful beyond measure" (as Williamson states) we human beings, created a little below the angels, are indeed glorious (small g) beings. And that is something for which we can glorify the Father, who is all Glorious (big g).

By the way, Waking the Dead is a good book. I also enjoyed Eldredge's two books on masculinity, Wild at Heart and The Way of the Wild Heart. You can discover more of his writings at Ransomed Heart.

A Vision Worthy to Embrace

This is part of a talk I gave recently on
encouraging educators to "hang in there" in their
ongoing endeavor to make a difference in young people’s lives.

Vital to society are women and men who are committed to the vision of providing quality education for today’s students.

Now I do not use the term vision lightly. I believe that in any endeavor – whether it be in business, sports, parenting, teaching – without a vision of some greater good to be accomplished, without a vision of a better or preferable future, then the sustainability of that endeavor diminishes with time.

Novelty, freshman enthusiasm, excitement at the beginning of the journey will eventually wane. Although mountain top experiences, renewal conferences, and rewards for jobs well done are all very important, it is the vision of what you want to accomplish with your life or your career that keeps you in the game until the job is done.

The challenge for many people is that they do not have a vision big enough to sustain them long-term. Most people are living too shallow a dream, so no wonder they’re frustrated when the initial enthusiasm wears off. A big vision will answer that challenge.

You’ve heard this quote. The saying has been attributed to Victor Hugo, "Dream no small dreams. They have not the power to stir men’s souls." The bible puts it like this: "Without a vision, the people perish."

I want to make the case that assisting in the maturation process of young adults into healthy, well-rounded, individuals who can better society because of the skills you as a teacher handed down to them is a worthy vision to embrace.

Let me repeat that. Assisting in the maturation process of young adults into healthy, well-rounded, individuals who can better society because of the skills you handed down to them is a worthy vision to embrace.

For three reasons...

The Mighty God of Comfort

We worship a God of comfort.
We worship a God of might.
Our God is a mighty God of comfort!

The stark reality is that, apart from God, we are enslaved to our sinful nature. We do not have the ability within ourselves to break free from our prison that separates us from our Creator. But wait, there is good news. God's plan has always been to step in and save us for himself; to set us free to live a life of abundance, purpose, and power.

"Look, Yahweh will come with might and power.... Like a shepherd he will come to tend his flock." (see Isaiah 40.10,11)

With might and power . . . like a shepherd!

Hold these images together. God is not only transcendent (above and beyond the universe he created), he is immanently close, dwelling among his people, caring for his flock. The scripture not only testifies to God's power and strength, but of his mercy and comfort also. He is a mighty God of comfort.

As children of God, we have been given the privilege to experience life and ministry with others in a similar manner. We can live in the power of God's strength and overflow with his mercy.

Many of us, however, focus on one attribute more than the other - possibly to the exclusion of the other. Some of us express gifts of mercy and grace. We give. We serve. We help out. We wear ourselves out! :-)

Others of us exert power and influence. We lead. We direct. We make things happen. We make ulcers happen! :-)

Don't forget that God is a mighty God of comfort. His strength can be ours. In fact, it is ours. Paul when writing Timothy reminds us that God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power (1 Tim 1.7). His mercy can be ours as well (2 Cor 1.3,4).

Let's hold these truths in tandem so that we might experience anew the might and comfort of God in our lives.

The Pursuit of Happyness

The Pursuit of Happyness
The Life Story that Inspired the Major Motion Picture
by Chris Gardner (Amistad, 2006)

I did not see the movie. I will. It'll be better than the book.

Although this memoir was engaging, the storyline was probably better served as a feature film which focused, I understand, on Chris Gardner's grit and determination in overcoming the obstacles of family breakup, job loss, homelessness, caring for his son, inevitable racial barriers, and of course new career challenges as a stock broker.

The San Francisco Chronicle Book Review pronounces: "The quintessential rags-to-riches American dream story - amazing and inspirational." And it is. It's just that the first half of the story drags. Gardner spends too much time on his childhood - and not an exceptionally interesting one at that. Except for the retelling of some classic and hilarious boyhood antics that reveal an ornery streak that sets the stage for adulthood triumph, I kept wanting Gardner to get to the good part.

He does eventually. But has to drop about a thousand F-bombs along the way. Some poignant truths, but unfortunately Gardner's personality is off-putting just enough that I never felt compelled to care deeply about his struggle. But then, I am white. I've never been homeless. I come from an intact, nuclear family. His story is not mine. Yet I admire his determination.

So although I've read better memoirs, The Pursuit of Happyness delivers. Gardner finally did get to the "good part" - he's now the CEO of Gardner Rich & Company. And I doubt very much if he cares whether I liked his book.

By the way, for a happenstance taxi interview with Chris Gardner in 2000 in Chicago, watch this You Tube Video. (F-bomb alert.) If you like what you see here, you'll like his book.


UPDATE April: Found another good review of this book by M.B. Levine.

It's Not About the Bike

The human spirit surprises me.

Aware of the devilish and awaiting the heavenly, I often overlook a simple matter: Our mortal soul is a remarkable thing. Lance Armstrong's battle and victory over cancer, his well-documented racing comeback, and his unfathomable 7 consecutive Tour de France wins is a moving saga, reminding me that courage and struggle are profound human virtues.

Lance's first book, It's Not About the Bikeis not just for dedicated athletes or survivors of the disease. For the race in which we find ourselves is really a metaphor for life; it is not limited in scope to sports or sickness. In fact, it's a human race - full of tragedy and disappointment, surely - but buoyed by triumph and celebration. Armstrong's perspective is a crucial part of the story of the human spirit and I appreciate his candor in sharing it. It inspires me to dig deep and work through some of my daily and often mundane struggles.

But there's more to this story. I pray that Lance will one day experience the next chapter, or sequel, and taste true victory in and through Jesus Christ.

After reading this inspiring book, I get the impression that Armstrong knows that death and defeat don't deserve the victory lap. Yet in life's race and at this point in his personal tour it seems he believes that the best we can hope for is to confront death "straightforwardly, armed with nothing but courage." (p. 272) In the final analysis, any triumph we experience is due to a reliance upon the self.

But if ultimately, in this dangerous race through mortality, it is simply a matter of standing firm in the face of adversity, then I fear our hope is built on something less than lasting. In the end, death wins. Yellow jerseys fade. Courage expires. Vanity of vanities; all is vanity. (from Ecclesiastes 1.2)

Except the eternal. This is the victory that Jesus offers. Life now and life eternal. Yes, as Armstrong states,

"People die. That truth is so disheartening that at times I can't bear to articulate it. Why should we go on, you might ask? Why don't we all just stop and lie down where we are? But there is another truth, too. People live." (pp. 4, 5)

Again, this part of the story - our pursuit of life - is an inspiring story that he tells fairly well. And yet I long for Armstrong to keep reading, keep listening for the rest of the story. The message that, not only do people live, but people Live. This triumph does not rely on self or courage or grit or luck. It comes as a gift, one that can't be earned, for it is a victory over Death that has already been won for us by Jesus Christ.

Maybe I'll be able to talk with Lance about this someday. He already knows it's not about racing; I just want to tell him that it's really about Life.