A Kodak Moment

Eastman Kodak Company has filed for bankruptcy protection. The iconic company was founded by George Eastman, a high-school dropout from upstate New York, in 1880. Like so many American icons, the beginning was humble enough … a modest investment of $125 … Kodak went on to produce the first hand-held camera and totally dominate the industry. Ironically, Kodak invented the first digital camera as well but, unfortunately, chose to sit on the technology while its competitors ran with it. The end.

I’m not a business person, but I’m going to make an observation. Although there were undoubtedly many factors leading to this moment, it seems to me that this one simple (colossal) mistake may have made the largest contribution to the ultimate demise of the company. How did it happen? The company heads perceived the discovery as a threat rather than seeing it as an opportunity.

How often does this happen? I remember reading years ago how the Chinese word for crisis consists of two characters (compound word) with one meaning 'danger' and the other meaning 'opportunity'. Interesting eh!? There is in every danger an opportunity and in every opportunity a danger.

There is always a danger. There is always a risk. Staying in bed won’t protect you either. You wouldn’t be the first person to die in your sleep! Just when you think that things couldn’t get worse, guess what? They can! But there is always an opportunity. All of the great success stories have their beginnings in times of adversity. No one ever became great without suffering. Necessity is the mother of invention.

The reality is no different for one person (or company) than it is for another. So what makes the difference between those who cave and those who capitalize? It’s not just WHAT we see but HOW we see it.

I'm not just talking business here, I'm talking life. And for us who know that God is for us (and if God is for us, who can be against us?) this should transform the way we see life. And with the way we see life transformed, transformed should be the way we DO life.

Sure, there is always a risk that we will fail, that we will be misunderstood, that our good intentions will not produce the kind of results we are looking for…

“But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.” Hebrews 10:39

On Loving God

I got to take part in an interesting discussion earlier this week with some men about the importance of pure motives in our relationship with God. It was stressed, and rightly so, that we need to make sure that we are seeking after God and not just what He can do for us – His blessings. As surely true as this is, it is also interesting that God Himself is not above using our own self-interest to motivate us. One clear example of this (and there are hundreds if not thousands of examples in the Bible!) is how God admonished the people through Moses as they prepared to enter the promised land. Over and over again God told the people to be careful to keep all the commandments and here is the motivation that was repeatedly given for it:

“Keep His decrees and commands, which I am giving you today, so that it may go well with you and your children after you and that you may live long in the land the Lord you God gives you for all time.” Deut 4:40

Of course, the greatest appeal to self-interest (self-preservation) is the appeal to avoid ending up in hell! Some of the teachings of Jesus Himself come to mind in this regard… “ … do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more… Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him…. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?...”

So how is all of this self-interest in any way legitimate when we consider how the Bible also calls us to a pure love for God and others of the type that God has for us which is a love that is completely free of self-interest and, to the contrary, is actually self-sacrificing?

Well, first of all, love of self is not an illegitimate motive. We do not sin when we care for ourselves. In fact, we cannot but love ourselves. We might not like ourselves sometimes but there is no question that we all love ourselves a great deal! And it would seem that this is not only allowed for, but counted on. We are told to love our neighbours as we love ourselves and men are instructed to love our wives as we love ourselves. (Eph 5)

It seems to me that the best way for us to understand this is to think about it in the context of personal growth towards maturity. When our children are small they are not really capable of operating much apart from self-interest. So what do we do? We appeal to their self-interest and we put ‘artificial consequences’ in place to at least steer them in the right direction. But our goal is not simply to control their behaviour because we do what we do in the hope that they will gradually grow into mature people who will then be moved by much higher values and ideals.

And it would seem to me that God takes a similar approach with us. First off, let’s be honest. None of us are as altruistic in our motivation as we like to think we are. But, while we lack the capacity to have motives that are not directed at least in part by self-interest, God uses that. It isn’t ideal but neither is it illegitimate. He does it to get us going in the right direction, and He definitely does it in hope that we will grow to where we learn to not only love ourselves but to really love Him and others, and that this will become more and more the thing that moves us. Thankfully, God does allow grace for us to grow in these things.

One of the men participating in the discussion time I mentioned referenced some teaching by Bernard of Clairvaux (1090–1153). Bernard wrote an interesting piece on loving God. In it he outlined a progression in the growth of our love for God. Interestingly, he suggests that our love for God begins with loving God for our sake but should grow towards loving ourselves for God’s sake. Think about that! I don’t know a lot about Bernard’s other theological musings but I think he was onto something here.

Filing Forward

I have not had much of what could be called spare time over the course of the past couple of weeks, but what time I’ve managed to find for it, I’ve been doing some ‘house cleaning’. Specifically, I’ve been going through paper files; hundreds of them, hundreds of pounds of them, 27 years worth! A lot of them are PPC (prior to personal computers). All of my computer files I can back-up digitally of course, and access them when I need to, so that cuts down on the need for hard copies. But all of the paperwork from my college courses and then all of the teaching and administration work I’ve done as a pastor going back to the 1980s… Wow! What a lot of … stuff!

Though I didn’t approach this task as a new years activity (the timing is coincidental really) it has turned out to be somewhat of a catharsis for me. I couldn’t very well just throw out everything, even though I am striving to be ruthless, I have to at least look at what it is and come to some kind of decision based on need. And so with every box of ‘scrap-paper’ I fill and cart off, I feel just a little bit ‘lighter’. Even while I am certain there will be some good and important data lost in the process, even that feels good in a weird kind of way, like I’m cutting my losses – I’m ‘cleaning house’.

Pretty much every file, in one way or another, represents a lot of time, heart and hard work… notes … insights… ideas ,,, studies … courses taken … speakers heard … conferences attended… planning sessions … massive amounts of teaching and preaching materials … and on and on and on… It’s all personal. There is an definite attachment. And letting go of these types of things - things you’ve laboured over and in some way celebrated - involves letting go of the past. And that isn’t an easy thing for most of us to do. It involves an element of pain, or loss if you will, but there is also a healing to be found in it. After all, we are not meant to live in the past. We are meant for movement.

I’m a long way from being finished. I just ran out of time and I don’t know exactly when I will get back to it, but I will. I intend to see this through. You can call it a new years resolution if you want. But whatever it might be, I’m feeling good about it. It’s helping me to look forward and that is definitely the posture I want to be assuming at this point in my life.

“Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” The Apostle Paul

So what are you holding onto that you really need to say good bye to?

Christmas Time

At Christmas time we celebrate the incarnation of Christ - the entrance of the Lord of glory into our common humanity in order to represent us and die in our place, rescuing us to ultimately take us home for all eternity. This is by far the greatest news this tired old world has ever heard. But I think at times people (that would be all of us) can struggle to appreciate how something that happened more than 2000 years ago can be considered exciting? That’s one of the reasons Santa is so exciting, because he comes every year!!! And while we talk about Jesus coming again, we tend to think about that in the same way we talk about our own departure from this world – we say it can happen at any time, but we live as if we have forever. When was the last time you had a conversation with someone where you spoke as if it could be your last words to them?

Time is a problem for us. It isn’t a problem for God.

1 Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. 2 I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles. 3 First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. 4 They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.”… 8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
2Pet 3:1-4, 8,9

Time is a problem for us. It isn’t a problem for God. It isn’t easy for us to understand exactly why one day is like a thousand years for God or how a thousand years is like a day. Some of the speculations about this statement have been fanciful. But I am very thankful for Peter’s words here in this passage because it gains us some insight into what the Bible means when it presents us with a God who is infinite and eternal. He exists outside of space and time as He created both. There are at least 4 different times in the New Testament where we are told that God existed before the beginning of time. (1Cor 2:7 ; 2Tim 1:9 ; Tit 1:2 and Jude 1:25) This provides us with at least a partial explanation as to how God knows the future. He’s already there!

If trying to wrap your mind around this gives you a brain cramp you’re in good company. It is not actually possible that our finite minds comprehend God in His fullness. But what these truths should do for us is leave us with a great sense of wonder. And perhaps that is how the passage of time becomes rather insignificant, whether Christ came two thousand years ago or as if He had come yesterday. Whether He comes again tomorrow or a thousand years from now, the sheer wonder of the greatness of God and the grandeur of His costly love for us should inspire us beyond any fanciful story that men could ever write.

Less Tolerance Needed

There is a great emphasis this time of year on the need for peace in the world. Amazingly, there are still those who cling to hope that we will actually achieve global peace and that somehow we will put aside all of the many differences that divide us along political, ethic, philosophical and religious lines. Who wouldn’t want to see that happen?! Whether it’s totalitarian dictatorships on the other side of the planet that perpetrate great atrocities against their own citizens, or whether it is the bully at school who makes your child’s life miserable and threatens their well-being, the thought of a world of peace causes any sane heart to sigh with longing.

There are, of course, many obstacles to seeing that actually happen and I do not share the optimism that we will see it happen of our own accord. It will take nothing short of the return of the Prince of Peace to make it a reality. That truth is overwhelmingly obvious and I am amazed that anyone could think anything else to be possible considering the consistent decline in civility we have witnessed in our own lifetimes. The world is not becoming a more peaceful place. It just isn’t.

There is also a serious flaw in the way people go about trying to create peace on earth. Not only do we lack the capacity to make it happen, we don’t even understand what it really consists of. This is a big part of the problem because there is a desperate push for peace in the world today that is being built on a completely faulty foundation. It is the idea that living at peace with others means being in agreement with them, sanctioning their choices even when we believe them to be wrong. This method is embraced with great moral zeal in our present culture and it is being pushed down the throats of all who would hold sincere convictions otherwise. But it is doomed to fail utterly. It is the mantra of tolerance. Tolerance has been elected to the status of supreme virtue by today’s ethical elite, a place of prominence that it is woefully unworthy of. What we actually need in the world today is not more tolerance. What we need in the world today is less tolerance. And lest that leave you scratching your head, I’ll let this quote from Josh McDowell finish these thoughts here. He says it well:



Tolerance vs. Love

Tolerance says, "You must approve of what I do." Love responds, "I must do something harder: I will love you, even when your behavior offends me."

Tolerance says, "You must agree with me." Love responds, "I must do something harder: I will tell you the truth, because I am convinced 'the truth will set you free.'"

Tolerance says, "You must allow me to have my way." Love responds, "I must do something harder: I will plead with you to follow the right way, because I believe you are worth the risk."

Tolerance seeks to be inoffensive; love takes risks. Tolerance glorifies division; love seeks unity. Tolerance costs nothing; love costs everything.

Josh McDowell, in Focus on the Family Magazine (August 1999)

Hustle & Bustle

No, they aren’t a set of animal twins from some animated children's story. These guys are for real and they are everywhere. Consumerism defines our present culture. We have been told that the economy trumps all other issues and the answer to our economic situation is simply to get more and spend more. And we believe it. The crowds prove it. Consumerism is a gigantic plague on our contemporary society. It is like a fatal sickness that we choose because of the unquenchable thirst for more fed by the giant marketing industry upon its unsuspecting victims. And where does it lead? It leads to disillusion, debt and despair.

I was recently reading an article that pointed out something that I don’t remember taking notice of before. In the Old Testament book of Ezekiel, in one of the two main biblical passages that describe Satan’s fall (the other being Isa 14) and subsequent activities, there are an amazing number of references to commerce. Take a look. I’ll put them in bold for you.

4 By your wisdom and understanding you have gained wealth for yourself and amassed gold and silver in your treasuries. 5 By your great skill in trading you have increased your wealth, and because of your wealth your heart has grown proud…
16 Through your widespread trade you were filled with violence, and you sinned. So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God, and I expelled you, O guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones.
17 Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom
because of your splendor. So I threw you to the earth; I made a spectacle of you before kings.
18 By your many sins and dishonest trade you have desecrated your sanctuaries. So I made a fire come out from you, and it consumed you, and I reduced you to ashes on the ground in the sight of all who were watching. Ezek 28:4,5,16-18

Of course, Genesis chapter three introduces us to the serpent who is more cunning than any of the beasts of the field. I find it very interesting (to say the least) how a description of the ways of our enemy also describes our present economic system so well.

All of this is a big enough problem of itself, but it has some spin offs too. Riding on the coat tails of consumerism is acute impatience. That might not sound like a big deal but it is worse than it sounds. We have pretty much lost the value of delayed gratification. Whether it is simply the result of easy credit, or a combination of things, we not only want it all but we want it all now. I thought of this when I saw this sign recently:

We offer 3 kinds of service: Good – Cheap – Fast
You can pick any two
- Good service cheap won’t be fast
- Good service fast wont be cheap
- Fast service cheap won’t be good

The thing is, as this sign makes clear, we can’t have it both ways. In our headlong pursuit for more, we would do well to consider what we are in fact forfeiting for it. Because there is a price to be paid for everything, and regardless of what the advertising industry might suggest, the cost is way too high for this.

A Place At The Table

There is a scene in the movie version of Charles Dicken’s ‘A Christmas Carol’, the one starring Alastair Sim, where the 3rd spirit has transported Ebenezer Scrooge into the future and they are listening to a couple of fellow merchants discuss his death the previous night. He hasn’t yet clued in that it is his own passing that they are talking about, but then he looks over to a particular spot and says something like… “That’s strange! At this time of the day I should be right over there. See there is my place right beside the clock?”

I thought of this scene last week. We had traveled to a monthly pastor’s gathering in Sackville NB. Where we meet, we gather around a large table with about 20 chairs. The classic scene came to my mind as I made my way to my seat upon arrival, the same chair I gravitate to each time we get together. It is admittedly strange behaviour but for some strange reason I find myself feeling attached to that particular spot. It’s almost as if it belongs to me. Now, I know that, on the one hand, we should not get possessive of a particular chair (or pew) like that, but on the other hand, it kind of feels right to have my own place. In a way that I don’t really understand, it speaks to a deep sense of belonging, a sense of identity and self-worth somehow; that we have a place in the world; a place at the table so to speak.

The experience got me thinking about how God meets this need for us. The Bible teaches that we who hope in Christ (and only those who have accepted the invitation to come to Him in this way) have the assurance that our names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life and that God is preparing a great feast and that we have a place waiting for us at that table! Think about that! A place at the table – His table!!!

When Jesus met with His disciples for the Last Supper, in Luke’s account the actual drinking from the cup and eating of the bread is preceded by these words… “When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. And he said to them, ‘I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.’” (Luke 22:14-16)

When He was preparing to leave this world, Jesus said, “I am going to prepare a place for you.” (Jn 14:2) And He wasn’t just talking about the 12 either because on another occasion He had said, “People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God.” (Luke 13:29)

Now, it’s one thing to have a place in this world. It’s quite something else to be assured of a place in Christ’s kingdom! In fact, quite often our place in this world seems pretty insecure. It can disappear in an instant through the result of our own sin or someone else’s. We can easily be neglected, even be it unintentionally. Or we can be marginalized. Mistakes are made. And how often do we find ourselves, in one way or another, in this world, standing outside looking in. And of course, some day our place in this world will be no more, just like Ebenezer Scrooge.

But have you ever looked at an artist’s conception of the Wedding Feast of the Lamb and thought how one of those spaces has your name on it?!!! Think of it; a place reserved specifically for you personally at that Table!!! Is that not just the greatest thing you can imagine! I know it blows my mind!!!