Practicing Failure

Check out James 1:2, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds..." James goes on to point out that it's important to let these trials take full effect so we can be "mature and complete, not lacking anything." Bottom line? Tough times are actually good for us! I know, I know...that's not EVER something you consider while you're going THROUGH a tough time, but looking back, you can often see how God has made you a stronger person, how He has polished your character, how He has made you more like Him.

Now let's talk about the children growing up in today's world. Are they given opportunities to "face trials of many kinds"? Are they given chances to fail and learn from those failures? Or are they presented with a "cushy" no-fail, everyone's-a-winner kind of environment to grow up in?  Saturday Night Live has a pretty poignant skit called "You Can Do Anything" that spoofs the trend in society to pamper kids, really to their detriment. Take a couple of minutes to check it out...does any of it resonate with you?

How about some cold, hard facts? Everyone is NOT a winner in life. Sometimes you fail. Sometimes you come in second. Sometimes you don't even get recognized.  And sometimes you NOT good at something. That's life! This generation has been dubbed "Generation iY" because they have been trained by the adults in their life that the world revolves around them. That they ARE winners and can do anything!

Now please hear me on this...I'm certainly not saying that words of encouragement are a bad thing. But those encouraging words need to be GENUINE. I love receiving encouragement, but I also know when someone's just saying empty words to flatter me.

Kids need to learn that failure is OK, it's a part of life, and ultimately, you can learn a lot from it.  So how do you handle failure and "trials" in your kids' lives? Do you give them opportunities to "practice" failure and teach them through that process?

Masterpiece or Paint-by-number?

I love Paul's words in Ephesians 2:10, "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." Check out the same verse in the Amplified version (it's got some really great nuances that flesh out the meaning), "For we are God’s [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live]."

That word "workmanship" is poiéma in the original Greek...where we get the word poetry. We are God's workmanship, His handiwork, His masterpiece. When an master artist sets out to create a new piece of artwork, he doesn't make carbon copies of previous masterpieces. A master artist would not succumb to mass producing "paint-by-number" artwork where every piece he creates is exactly the same, using exactly the same colors, exactly the same perspective, etc. How about a definition of "masterpiece"?

1. A work of outstanding artistry, skill, or workmanship.
2. An artist's or craftsman's best piece of work.

Sounds like a lot of originality at work there, doesn't it? Ponder the fact that God created each of us as a masterpiece, His handiwork. So let me ask you a question...why do we sometimes insist that the people around us be more like a paint-by-number? And that paint-by-number needs to be "colored" according to their standards. In my own life, I've experienced people telling me that I need to do a certain thing or act a certain way in order to be considered "spiritual". Can I just tell you, it took me a number of years to get to the point of realizing that God created me to be me. Not you. Not the lady down the street. Not the guy in the next pew. Me. And that's OK. I remind myself that God looks at my heart, not my outward appearance. (1 Samuel 16:7).

So are you embracing being God's handiwork? Are you encouraging those around you...your children, your friends, your family...to discover just who God has called them to be, the paths He has prepared for them to walk?

 There's a great book called Sacred Pathways that explores this idea in greater depth. If you're interested in learning more about how to CELEBRATE the different ways that God created you and those around you to worship Him, check it out!

Click here to find Sacred Pathways on Amazon.com.

October Is for Individuality!

During the month of October, our Sunday school kiddos have been learning about the life of Timothy and the great example he sets as a young believer. The "bottom  line" for the month is that each one of us has been created to be an individual, with individual gifts given by God to use for His purposes. Check out our verse of the month and our theme of the month...