Reflections on marketplace ethics and issues from the Christian perspective
by Judson E. "Buddy" Childress, Jr.
Executive Director, Needle's Eye Ministries

Newness of Life
Same Old, Same Old
Finishing Well
Impediments to Finishing Well
Image is Everything! …?
Is It Really About the "Most Toys"?
Pride Goes Before the Fall
Planning and the Rearview Mirror
One Solitary Life
Leaders Listen
How Do You Handle Trouble?
My Rights, Your Rights, Everybody Has Rights - Right?
Whose Drummer?
Core Values
Protection, Provision and Presence
Second Place
Conquering Cancer
What In the World Is Going ON?!
A Moral and Relational Benchmark
Seeking God’s Will
Impacting the Workplace
No Pain, No Gain
Conflict Resolution
Hope
Power, Pedigree and Purpose in Life
Responding to Hurt
Life’s Legacy
An Ethical Yardstick
Dominion, Domination and Diminishing Desire
Want to Be Wise?
Strength from Weakness
The Stress of Life
Is the Word Mightier Than the Sword?
Regime Change
“Follow Me”: The Formula for Forgiveness
Planning to Love
What’s in a Name?
How Do You Achieve Success?
Dealing with Difficult People
Timeless Truths from God’s Word
Truth for Life
A Cancer to Community
What’s Important?
Dealing with Disappointment
In Whom Do You Trust?
Trust – The Antidote to Pain and Fear
Jealousy & Anger – A Potion for Pain
Leadership
Character Counts
Family Ties
How Deep Is Your Love?
Truth or Consequences
Easter & Business
A Case for Contentment
A Prerequisite for Peace
Strategic Planning - Step One

Newness of Life
Isaiah 40:8

As we move into the beauty of springtime, anticipating warmer weather and clear skies, the memory of beautiful flowers and foliage enlivens our minds. Thoughts of God’s creation flourish as we smell the initial sweet scents of spring and witness life leap from darkness.

However, deep down we know that spring will ultimately lead to winter, light will turn into darkness, life into death. Therefore, in order to realize on-going “newness of life,” we must understand that:

The grass withers and the flowers fall,
but the word of our God stands forever.

May God help us to remember and live what the Old Testament prophet Isaiah knew to be true.

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Same Old, Same Old
1Timothy 6:6-10

The New Testament writer, Paul, wrote two letters to Timothy, the pastor of the Christian church in Ephesus. Ephesus was a city in Asia Minor (now Turkey) situated on a river that flowed into the Aegean Sea. Consequently, it was a center of trade, commerce, and thought (both philosophical and spiritual). The Church in the city was growing and had increased opportunities to impact the community. In light of this, Paul wrote to Timothy the following:

But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

Do you see any parallels to today?

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Finishing Well
Acts 20:24

Life is filled with tension and temptations. No one is exempt, and everyone has the capacity to stumble. From time to time, the faces of vocational ministers and business men and women who have somewhat “disconnected from God” flash across my mind. Since I know that “but for the grace of God, there go I,” my desire is to seek God’s strength and grace to keep me close to Him. I want to finish well – for the Christ who died for me.

In the twentieth chapter of the New Testament book of Acts, the apostle Paul puts life in perspective for the Christian. Whether one is a “professional” minister, manager, mom or mailman, the principle is the same:

…if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me – the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.

Our lives are to be a testimony to His life-changing power and grace. What people see in us may very well be what attracts (or detracts) others to the Lord.

In February 2004, Dr. Pamela Nuckols, a good friend and gifted Christian woman, passed away at the age of forty-two following her fifth bout with cancer. She left a loving husband and three dear children. Pamela was the featured speaker at our September 2004 luncheons and in May 2003 went with us to Haiti on a short-term mission trip. One month before her death, she shared her testimony during Sunday worship at her church (Mechanicsville Christian Center) and was still seeing dental patients. Twelve hours before she died, she regained consciousness, smiled at her husband, caressed her children, and made gestures indicating her peace and joy about where she was imminently going.

To finish well, we need to have consistent time alone with God, a committed body of believers with whom we worship, and a small group of faithful people who know us and have the right to input into our lives. Pamela Nuckols finished well. My prayer for you and me would be that twelve hours before we go to be with the Lord, by His grace, we can truly say, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7).

Related Marketplace Moment: Conquering Cancer

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Impediments to Finishing Well
Philippians 3:4-8

Last week we talked about the need to “finish well.” The illustration I used was the life and death of a local dentist, Dr. Pamela Nuckols. Pamela was a wife, a mom, and a medical professional. Because of Whose she was, her life was lived with the proper priorities and, therefore, at its end she left a rich, rewarding and memorable legacy.

The apostle Paul, in his New Testament letter to the Philippians, talked about what is important in life. He, too, was concerned with finishing well, and yet as a young man his résumé was already stellar, complete with all the things the world would tell us are important. He was a successful Judaistic lawyer, had a wonderful education, knew and kept religious regulations and traditions, and had a long and impressive family pedigree.

In his earlier life, Paul had it all, and yet he considered these things mere “rubbish” when compared to “the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus," his Lord. He knew that education, career, pedigree and even religion could be barriers to faith and therefore, impediments to a true and vibrant life.

To finish life well (with God’s impact and lasting legacy), our first goal must be to know Christ. Knowing Christ is a daily walk. Just like a growing relationship that culminates in becoming best friends, our relationship with Him takes consistent commitment and time. As our relationship with Him becomes intimate, He can govern our decisions and thus enable us to put life’s issues in proper perspective and priority. Then we can truly live, and finish, well!

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Image is Everything! …?
Genesis. 27:28-29; 37:5-8, 18, 19 & 28

Recently, my wife and I had dinner with old friends who told us of the pregnancy of their young, unmarried daughter. They said they had moved beyond the pain and crying stages and now were simply trying to help her have as normal a pregnancy and delivery as possible. Yes, delivery – for them and their daughter, there never really was any other option.

However, the perspective of the parents of the father is quite different. Under the guise of “let’s do what’s best for the children,” this soon-to-be grandfather, a successful and well-connected businessman, would prefer ending the fetus’s life rather than having his son’s (and his) name “ruined.” He has regularly voiced the concern of “how will this be seen in the community?”

In Chapter 27 of the first book of the Bible, Genesis, Jacob, grandson of the Old Testament patriarch Abraham, deceives his brother, Esau, in order to obtain his birthright. For Jacob, this produced great wealth (“an abundance of grain and new wine”), and position and image (“May nations serve you and peoples bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers and may the sons of your mother bow down to you”).

Years later, Jacob’s seventeen-year-old son, Joseph, reveals the essence of a dream to his older brothers. In this dream, Joseph’s brothers bow down and pay homage to him. The thought of how humiliating this would be in their seniority-sensitive culture resulted in his older brothers selling him into slavery rather than having their image tarnished by being subservient to a younger brother.

One wonders how much affect living under the roof of a man like Jacob, a man whose history reflected a lack of concern for honesty, truth and the well-being of his brother, had on his sons as they determined to protect their image rather than their brother’s life.

God waits to meet us in life situations that we would run from normally - situations in which we are vulnerable and often at our “wits’ end.” For my friends and their daughter, He is doing just that. And the process, although painful, is producing a closeness between child and parents that is fresh, sweet and new.

In Joseph’s life, this principle proved to be true in that while he was enslaved in Egypt, he rose to a position of prominence second only to Pharaoh (Genesis 41:41f). Conversely, I can’t help but wonder about this soon-to-be young father and what impact his parents’ mindset will have on him, not only now but also in the years ahead. Is image really everything?

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Is It Really About "The Most Toys"?
1Kings 2:1-3

We’ve all heard the phrase, “He who dies with the most toys, wins.” As humorous as that may sound initially, the sad reality is many people live that principle.

There is a tremendous drive in our culture to accumulate power, wealth and prestige. We often measure our lives, and others’, by what our title is, where we live, how much we make, whom we know, and who knows us. Years ago, as a young businessman, my goal was to become a millionaire by age thirty. Success, by the culture’s definition, drove me.

Recently, I had the privilege of doing the funeral service of the father of long-time friends. In preparing for the service, I came across the scriptural passage listed above, which I subsequently used. It talks about David of the Old Testament. This is the same David who killed Goliath with a slingshot. He was a warrior, a king, and yet he was a “man after God’s own heart,” as the Bible says. He was wealthy, a national leader, and well-connected. He was a “success” by the world’s definition.

However, as he is about to die, he charges his son, Solomon, as to how to live the rest of his life. He tells him that to “be a man” means, in part, to observe (knowing and doing) what God requires, and that true prosperity is a result of “walking in His ways and keeping His decrees” (verse 3). Here, a king defines success as knowing God and living His truths. No, it’s not about the acquisition of toys. It’s about the application of Truth.

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Pride Goes Before the Fall
Proverbs 18:12

Pride has been called the Achilles Heel of mankind. It is what started us off on “the wrong track” with God in the Garden of Eden. It continues to affect us to this very day.

This past week, a friend walked into my office very troubled. He shared his deep concern for his brother and ninety-six year old mother – they have been estranged for years. The mother recently told my friend that she would live to one hundred if necessary (she’s not well) in order to be reconciled to her son, but, at this point, the son’s not interested.

Pride is usually present when we: want to be right, don’t want to be wrong, don’t want to give up control, or want to be seen in a better light than we have a right to. Whichever of these reasons may be operating in this situation, mother and son must be willing to see it, admit where they are wrong, and forgive one another. To fail to do so would not only perpetuate the separation but could eventually lead to an inability to “fix it” – death. And when relationships remain estranged until death, an increasing level of guilt follows that is incapable of being assuaged. It eats away at us, and we get worse, proving King Solomon’s words, “…before his downfall, a man’s heart is proud.”

To keep our Achilles Heel “properly exercised,” might I suggest that you and I commit to being brutally honest with ourselves whenever we see an exaggerated need to be right, not to be wrong, not want to give up control, or when we desire to be seen in a better light than we have a right to. And when the situation warrants, we then need to allow God’s Spirit to lead us through the forgiveness and reconciliation process. As He does, our lives will begin to reflect the truth that “…humility comes before honor.”

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Planning and the Rearview Mirror
Matthew 1:1-17; Galatians 3:8

Christmas is over, and warm memories linger of family and friends and faith found in a manger in Bethlehem. In the first chapter of the first book in the New Testament, Matthew, we see the historic unfolding of God’s plan of redemption for humankind as the lineage of His Son is listed. Matthew 1: 2 traces the genealogy of Jesus all the way back to Abraham. In the first book of the Bible, Genesis 12:1-3, we read what theologians call the Abrahamic covenant. This covenant, or contract, delineates God’s promises and plan for His people.

Some 2,100 years later, the apostle Paul helped the Galatians to better understand God’s plan and purpose for them by reminding them of what God had said to Abraham: “The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham…”. For the Galatians, their present and future were, in part, defined and enlightened by the past.

Seven-hundred fifty years before Christ, the prophet Isaiah foretold of a virgin who would give birth to a son whose name would be Emmanuel, “God with us” (Isaiah 7:14). This fact helped the Gospel writer Luke understand more clearly what had happened in his day (Luke 1:31).

This same principle can apply to us as we reflect on this past Christmas. For many of us, our times of reflection and peace were often marred by deadlines, expectations (real or perceived), and the pressures of the moment. So, when we begin to anticipate and plan for next Christmas, before it’s too late, I would suggest a couple of points for us all to consider:

* Objectively contemplate the Christmas season and define what occurred to cause a diminishing of peace, reflection and an increase in pressure.

* Consider what you would do differently next Christmas in order to increase the level of peace, family togetherness and celebration of the real meaning of the holiday.

* Finally, open your yearly calendar, go to November 1, and transfer the points above that you do not want to repeat as well as how you plan to respond differently. Plan for next December 25 through the “rearview mirror” of last Christmas.

Good planning always entails remembering the past as well as considering the future. It is my prayer for each of us that Christmas will be even more of a season of celebrating the joy, peace and power of the Babe of Bethlehem, both personally and with our families and friends.

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One Solitary Life

He was born in an obscure village. He worked in a carpenter shop until he was thirty. He then became an itinerant preacher. He never held office. He never had a family or owned a house. He didn’t go to college. He had no credentials but himself. He was only thirty-three when the public turned against him. His friends ran away. He was turned over to his enemies and went through the mockery of a trial. He was nailed to a cross between two thieves. While he was dying, his executioners gambled for his clothing, the only property he had on earth. He was laid in a borrowed grave. Twenty centuries have come and gone, and today he is the central figure of the human race. All the armies that ever marched, all the navies that ever sailed, all the parliaments that ever sat, and all the kings that ever reigned have not affected the life of man on this earth as much as that One Solitary Life.

~Author Unknown

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Leaders Listen
James 1:19, 22

A long-time, faithful staff member resigned to accept a position with another organization. In our final interview, I asked her to give me some input, some constructive criticism, before she departed. After a slight hesitation, she told me that when I become overly-focused, usually on Mondays, I have a tendency to be a bit hard, insensitive. Although this came as a surprise to me, as someone who takes seriously his responsibility to provide my staff members “with what is right and fair,” this realization necessitated that I take to heart what she had said.

The New Testament book of James was written as a circulatory letter to Christians scattered throughout the eastern Mediterranean. James was a leader of the Jerusalem Council – the overseeing body of the early Church. The book addresses a number of issues, including problems among believers. It suggests that people are more likely to be quick to speak and react than to listen. This trait can perpetuate discord and affect relationships and thereby stunt spiritual growth. Listening, however, enables the continuation of dialogue and dissemination of insight, which can lead to positive change. As Christians, to grow in the image of Christ, we must listen to those who know us and take to heart the truth in what they say.

James admonishes us to do what God’s Word (Scripture) says, not just hear and know it. Among other things, God calls us to be compassionate, kind…and patient (Colossians 3:12). These should be among our behavioral goals, 24/7 – even in the midst of responsibilities, workloads and deadlines.

My prayer for myself, and for you, is that God would grant us the grace to hear and respond correctly to constructive criticism rather than to make excuses and react. If we don’t listen to Him, He may not listen to us (Zechariah 7:13).

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How Do You Handle Trouble?
Psalm 46:1, 2, & 10

Some time ago, in my devotional time at the beginning of the day, I was particularly concerned about a problem that one of my children was experiencing. It was a problem that had been ongoing for a while, and I wanted relief and peace for my child. Consequently, that became a primary focus of prayer for me that morning.

After praying, I opened my devotional guide, and the reading for the day was the 46th Psalm. It begins by reminding us that “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” As I read this verse I was reminded that, in times of difficulty, the Lord is (wants to be) our Protector (refuge); He is always with us and provides strength to handle any adversity. Therefore, “we will not fear” (verse 2). How encouraging, and timely, it was for me to read this particular passage, having just prayed for my child! In life, the key to dealing with difficulty or trouble of any kind is to trust the Lord to get us through it – and if we do, He will! And as we do, our fears and concerns begin to subside.

As I look back on that time, I am reminded of the context. I had a serious concern and was in an environment that made it much easier for me to “hear” and be able to apply these truths. It was the beginning of the day, in the quietness of the morning, that I was able to “be still, and know that He is God” (verse10).

It is my prayer for you, and for me, that in times of difficulty, we will turn to the Lord for His protection, strength and ever-present help. That is the best way to handle trouble.

Oh, by the way, God did answer that prayer – about a year later. And in the interim, as I trusted in Him, God gave me a peace in knowing that the situation was in His hands.

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My Rights, Your Rights, Everybody Has Rights - Right?
Philippians 2:1-11

Today, all we hear about is “rights” – voters’ rights, taxpayers’ rights, rights of the accused, victims’ rights, workers’ rights, women’s rights, gay rights, the right to choose, etc., etc. In a democratic society, one understands the importance of “rights” (freedoms). However, when we actively protect our rights, even at the expense of truth, rights can be cause for division and acrimony among people. This can occur in the office, in the home, or within the culture in general.

In the New Testament book Philippians, the apostle Paul admonishes his readers to have the same attitude as that of Jesus Christ – i.e., to live like Him. There was tension and division among members of the church in Philippi because of self-centeredness. In verse 2:6, Paul explains what the proper attitude for healing division should be: that Jesus,

Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped [held onto or protected],
but made Himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.

As God’s Son, Jesus certainly had rights – He was royalty, heavenly royalty. He could have remained in heaven, safe, secure and worshipped by the heavenly realm. However, He chose not to protect His rights but came to earth in order to pay the price for our sins, thereby putting our needs ahead of His own (rights).

Philippians Chapter 2 displays Jesus’ principle of downward mobility. By putting our needs first, He demonstrated His own principle of “those who would be great must be a servant” (Matthew 20:26). If protection of personal rights can cause division among people, then willingly giving up one’s rights for another can result in healing.

The rights I want to protect the most may very well be the ones I need to relinquish the quickest. Ask yourself the question: Have my rights become more important to me than relationships or what is right? If the answer is “yes,” then ask God to help you begin to move toward downward mobility.

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Whose Drummer?
Jeremiah 1:16; 2:13

It has been said that the culture of the West in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries has been one of pursuing power, wealth, and prestige. Success is regularly defined by whom you know, where you live, and what you have. Our lives are often devoted to the next promotion, the expanded portfolio, the second (or third) home, etc., etc. And for those who don’t seem to follow this path, they are said, by some, to be “marching to the beat of a different drummer.”

Some twenty-seven hundred years ago, the prophet Jeremiah railed against God’s people (the southern kingdom of Judah) for having forsaken God due to their idolatry and immorality. Less than two hundred years earlier, the northern kingdom (Israel) had been defeated by the Assyrians and taken into captivity as judgment for similar disobedience.

In trying to warn his people of God’s impending judgment, Jeremiah stated that the people of Judah were guilty of two sins: they had forsaken God and were worshipping other gods…gods that their hands had made.

Is it possible that in our day-to-day lives we run after and worship other gods? Could it be that some of our goals and desires turn into gods – perhaps not handmade figurines, but mentally-determined and intelligently-planned goals that can become “other gods”?

In Jeremiah 9:23-24, the Lord says,

Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom
or the strong man boast of his strength
or the rich man boast of his riches,
but let him who boasts boast about this:
that he understands and knows Me,
that I am the Lord, Who exercises kindness,
justice and righteousness on earth,
for in these I delight…

Whose drummer do we march to?

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Core Values
Hebrews 4:12-13

In the early 1970’s, singer Roberta Flack had a smash hit entitled "Killing Me Softly." The lyrics told of a musician whose song was so piercing to the listener that it filleted her – pierced her to the core. Her life, her thoughts and actions, her personal image, and her future were being killed (laid bare) "softly with his song." Words spoken by someone who knows us can, unwantingly, open our lives to others, and transparency can hurt.

The principle of "killing me softly" can be found in Scripture, although at a much deeper level. The author of the New Testament book Hebrews says that

…the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

The Bible is the written word of God, and, when read for personal reflection and need, it has an amazing way of convicting us when our lives have gotten off-track. It fillets us from the inside out; it convicts us of our sin and then, in concert with God’s indwelling Spirit, motivates us to change and prepares us to live as God would have us live (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

The principle of Hebrews 4:12-13 is that permanent change occurs only when our consciences are pricked and convicted by a standard of truth beyond our own (God’s word); a standard that is so powerful and true that it can penetrate to the very core of our lives. Unlike the song, this "melody" does not just produce immediate solace but, if allowed, causes behavioral change over a lifetime.

Today, in the business world, companies spend a good deal of energy and money creating, reviewing and marketing their core values. From God’s perspective, true values cannot appear in our personal lives until change occurs at the core of our being. When God is allowed to have His way with us at a deep level, our lives begin to reflect His values.

Hebrews goes on to say that "Everything is uncovered and laid bare before His eyes…" The question is, are we willing to allow His word to "lay us bare" now, so that our core values begin to parallel His, thus enabling our lives to become better tomorrow and for eternity?

(For a short reading of practical Biblical truth, allow me to suggest the New Testament letter Colossians. It is short, practical and spiritual…and it could change your life.)

The 17th century French divine, Archbishop François Fénelon, wrote:

I am truly sorry about all your troubles, but I know that God is working on your behalf. Remember that God loves you and therefore He does not spare you! ... Whatever revelations you receive or whatever emotional experiences you have, are worthless unless they lead you to the very real and constant practice of dying to your self-nature. Unfortunately, you cannot die without suffering…

The death that God brings you will pierce deep within you. Soul and spirit will be divided. He sees in you all that you cannot see. He knows exactly where the fatal blows should fall. He heads straight for that which you are most reluctant to give up. Pain is only felt where there is life. And in this situation life is precisely the place where death is needed.

…He seeks to destroy your old nature. He can only accomplish this by cutting into that which is alive…

Surrender to His plans. Allow yourself to be led where He wants to take you…

The Seeking Heart, “Surrender to His Plans,” The SeedSowers, Beaumont, Texas, pp. 5-6.

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Protection, Provision, and Presence
Zechariah 2:3-5

It has been said that life is a seventy-year exercise in acquiring wealth and “wonderful stuff” while protecting one’s rear flank. The history of the world certainly reflects this – from Genghis Khan, to Marco Polo, to the British Empire, to America’s move westward.

In our daily work lives, we see this principle played out regularly as co-workers rush for favor and position, often at the expense of ethics and relationships. Corporations, in an attempt to “improve” their bottom line, may resort to illegal accounting practices, inferior or unsafe products, false advertising, etc. Out of necessity, we have always been concerned with protecting our rear flank, and out of need (and sometimes selfishness), we have often “over-concentrated” on provision.

In the Old Testament, the Jewish people were taken into exile by the conquering Babylonians in 587 B.C. Some seventy years later, they returned to their homeland, committed to rebuilding the city of Jerusalem and its Temple. As the Old Testament prophet, Zechariah, observed that process, he reminded the Jews that there is no wall high enough or wide enough to protect against a determined, capable and well-supplied enemy. As prevalent and important as walls of protection were in antiquity, the ultimate protection for God’s people rested in Him – not bricks and mortar.

God said of Jerusalem, “I myself will be a wall of fire around it,” and part of the reason was the “great number of men and livestock” that would ultimately be in it. God promised not only to be their protection but also their provider as His repentant people once again returned to Him. So, as they struggled with wanting protection and needing provision, God promised His people that He would provide both, and even something extra – His presence in their midst (verse 5b)!

How often in life, whether at the office or otherwise, we feel a need to protect our flank while doing all that we can to provide, or over-provide, for ourselves, family, company, etc. God promises to meet all of our needs (Philippians 4:19) and asks us to trust Him by living His principles 24/7. In so doing, His presence will be in our lives and shine through our lives, and actions, to others. That is quite a promise. And He is quite a provider!

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Second Place
Colossians 3:12-14

I believe it was General George Patton who said, “I wouldn’t give a…nickel for any man who was happy coming in second place.” As a former athlete and salesman, I hated losing. Second place was never the least bit attractive to me, so I certainly understand the principle.

Recently, I worked with a couple who were experiencing relational difficulty. The husband had become frustrated at what he saw as his wife’s continued proclivity for pointing out his faults as well as her inability to see the positives in his personality. Consequently, he felt justified in acting frustrated, irritable and, at times, cool towards her.

In the New Testament letter Colossians, the apostle Paul tells us to “bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another.” In any “broken” relationship, forgiveness is always the first option, but here in the text it is preceded by the statement that we are to “bear with each other.” In other words, we are to put up with each other’s imperfections and idiosyncrasies – particularly those that may irritate us. Why? Because if we don’t, we will perpetuate the argument and thereby prolong the discord and distance in the relationship. From God’s perspective, the relationship is always critical.

As imperfect humans, whenever we are in a contest (or conflict), we want to win. We want to finish in first place and consequently, we often are willing to prolong the conflict in order to achieve our desired results. In the Bible translation The Message, the Colossians text reads, “be even tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense.” For the sake of a relationship, God calls us to “be content with second place” – not try to win the argument but rather to live His principles in the midst of it.

From the world’s perspective, Jesus certainly did not appear to be a winner as He hung on a cross. But His life and lifestyle, in the final analysis, defeated death and all of its demons. Is there a relationship in your life in which you need to live His lifestyle, bearing with the imperfections and irritations of another, being the first to forgive even if it means not winning…even to the point of being willing to finish in second place?

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Conquering Cancer
2 Corinthians 1:3-7

Years ago, while taking a class on pathology, a young dental student learned that she had cancer. This was to be the first of five bouts with the dreaded disease; a battle that continued until her death in February 2004. Over the years, this young woman became a dentist, a wife, and the mother of three children. In September 2003, she was the featured speaker at our monthly luncheons.

Not long ago, the wife of one of my closest friends was diagnosed with cancer. It was a shock to everyone, as cancer often is. How do you defeat something that is so allusive and takes such a physical, as well as a mental, toll on its “prey”? Although surgery, chemotherapy and radiation, or a combination thereof, are usually the prescription, they merely address the physical, and can often leave the emotional and mental areas of a life in shambles.

Following the luncheon series, I asked the dentist if she would be available to my friend’s wife. Her instantaneous response was, “Yes, absolutely!” Soon thereafter, another friend approached me and offered the counsel of his wife, a three-time cancer survivor. In each of these examples, we begin to see how one can conquer the emotional and mental sides of cancer…and there is certainly a Scriptural basis to this concept. The apostle Paul, speaking from personal experience, exhorts the Corinthians that “…the God of all comfort…comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.”

We live in an imperfect world where “it rains on the just and the unjust alike.” No one knows what tomorrow will bring. We all have experienced valleys in our lives and, if we are open to God, He will use our past in the lives of people in the present. Our experiences of walking through life’s difficulties with Him, when shared, can produce nuggets of comfort and truth for those who currently may be going through similar circumstances.

Is there someone in your life who could benefit from a valley that you have walked through with God? If so, why not help them “conquer their cancer”?

Related Marketplace Moment: Finishing Well

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What In the World Is Going ON?!
Psalm 47:7-9, Psalm 46:1, 10

On September 11, 2001, the World Trade Center towers collapsed. Thousands of people lost their lives in a premeditated, horrific and brutal act of violence against innocent people.

Since then, we have witnessed the war on terror begin in Afghanistan, the invasion of Iraq, and the overthrow of a despotic regime. We have seen what began as a “roadmap for peace” in the Middle East seemingly end with the resignation of Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian Prime Minister, and an increased number of suicide bombings and loss of innocent life as well as increased attacks on Hamas leaders by the Israeli military. Suicide bombings have occurred in Indonesia and other parts of the world and there has been a weakening, if not disintegration, of long-standing alliances between the United States and France and Germany. North Korea and Iran, part of the “axis of evil,” either have nuclear weapons or at least possess the material to manufacture them.

The economy in the United States has been either flat or sputtering, joblessness continues to increase, and the list goes on and on. In the natural sense we could all wring our hands, frown our faces and wonder “what in the world is going on?” At times many of us, at least internally, have asked that question.

In the midst of all of this uncertainty and chaos, how refreshing, freeing and encouraging it is to know that “…God reigns over the nations; God is seated on His holy throne…for the kings of the earth belong to God…”. Regardless of what these people and nations do, the God who created the heavens and the earth is sovereign over all. As the Forty-sixth Psalm says: “God is our refuge and our strength, an ever-present help in trouble”. It is good to remember and reflect upon these truths and, as we do that, it is extremely meaningful and spiritually renewing to “be still and know that I am God…"

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A Moral and Relational Benchmark
Micah 6:8

Years ago, a Chicago businessman, in the throes of the Great Depression, determined to run his business God’s way. After reading Matthew 5-7, he saw where Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount expands the Old Testament truths of Micah 6:8. Subsequently, he concluded that to live a godly life is to “act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with God.” From that foundation, a national service organization (an organization he served as president) developed what is now known as the “four-way test” – is it the truth, is it fair to all concerned, will it build goodwill and better friendships, and will it be beneficial to all concerned?

In our workaday world, we can often get so caught up in the “stuff of life” that we struggle with living life right. When considering business or relational decisions, we need to ask the questions: Is it the truth, is it fair to all concerned, will it build goodwill and better friendships, and will it be beneficial to all concerned? In order to consistently answer these questions correctly, we need to regularly look internally and ask God to show us if we are acting justly, loving to show mercy, and walking humbly before Him. And if the answer is “no,” we must be willing to admit and confess it and give Him the freedom to change us. Only then can we be true to the God who made us and be of real benefit to those with whom we have a relationship.

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Seeking God’s Will
Proverbs 15:22, 3:5-6

Have you ever had an issue that burdened you so much that you prayed about it almost daily, earnestly seeking God’s will regarding it? Over the last several months there has been such an issue in my life, an issue that would have impact on me personally and professionally. It was an issue dealing with a new outreach opportunity, and, from a biblical standpoint, it made sense. On several occasions our Board thought we were close to the decision-making point, only to find that there wasn’t enough understanding and information to make a decision. I was unable to let the issue go because the goal of the new outreach was biblical, needed and, in a number of ways, fit with who we are as a ministry. However, the question was, “Is it for us, at this time, and in this context?”

Proverbs 15:22 says that “plans fail for lack of counsel but with many advisors they succeed." Since 1977 the Board of Directors of Needle's Eye has operated on the basis of unanimity for any new or major outreach we undertake. During a recent meeting it became apparent that there was unresolvable disagreement on this issue, at which time God gave me a sense of peace that “No” was, in fact, His answer for us at this particular time. Whereas I went into the meeting assuming we would make a positive decision, through the counsel of “many advisors” and a desire to seek God’s will by trusting Him to speak through those who disagreed with me, I I believe God’s will, and not man’s, prevailed.

Earlier in Proverbs (3:5-6), King Solomon states that we are to

trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge Him,
and He will make your path straight.

By trusting in His truth (seeking the counsel of many), He will make our path straight relative to this particular issue as well as any others that come our way in the future. My prayer for you would be that in times of opportunity, difficulty or confusion, in seeking God’s will, one of the pieces to your puzzle will be seeking the counsel of many godly advisors.

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Impacting the Workplace
Titus 2:9-10

Since New Testament times, those of us who call ourselves Christians have heard the resounding words of Jesus Christ to be salt and light in the world. Theoretically, we understand the principle, but for many of us it is difficult to put “hands and feet” on it day to day. What does that look like in my world, Tuesday at 2:00?

In the New Testament book of Titus, the apostle Paul is writing a letter to a junior colleague who is pastoring a church on the island of Crete. He directs him to encourage workers (first-century slaves) to submit to their bosses (masters) by doing excellent work with respect, dependability and honesty. Why? So that “in every way they [the workers] will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive.” Impacting the workplace, attracting those who are in our world but without our faith perspective, is accomplished by seeing our workplace as a ministry. Logically, that makes sense because we spend over 60% of our waking hours “on the job.” The question is, how do we do our jobs, and do we see them from a Kingdom perspective?

In the 1980’s, a local businessman was sent to prison for white-collar crime. His boss, a Christian, held his job for him for four years while he served his sentence in a federal penitentiary. During his imprisonment, he met Christ, and his life has never been the same!

Upon his return, he resumed his previous position as a vice president of the company because of the incredible godly obedience and sensitivity of the owner. In recent years, that company has gone through several changes and weathered severe economic storms within its particular market niche. Through observing the lives of these two executives, employees have approached the owner and asked permission to conduct Bible studies on the premises before work – an amazing testimony to the power of living out the faith and seeing one’s workplace as an opportunity for ministry.

Is there someone in your workplace in whose life you can make a difference? Are you making a difference for your company by doing the best job you can regardless of the pay and the benefits? Remember, slaves on Crete had no benefit package, nor did they get a vacation. Yet God determined to use them to attract the historically corrupt, immoral, and lying non-believers of Crete to the truth of the Gospel. Will you let Him use you?

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No Pain, No Gain
Romans 5:3-4

As a former basketball player, I used to hate the end of practice. Oh, I wanted to go home, to be sure. It’s just what had to happen right before the final whistle – wind sprints, suicides, ho’s and go’s. After 2 to 2 1/2 hours of practice, sprinting from the base line to foul line and back, then to half court and back, etc., was exhausting, dehydrating, and just plain painful. My coach used to yell, “No pain, no gain!” We all hated hearing that, but he was right. I can’t remember losing a game in the fourth quarter due to insufficient conditioning.

The same can be said of life in general. We often learn our deepest lessons through some of our greatest difficulties. Although God may not create the particular circumstance, He will use it for His purposes in our lives if we will just be open to Him.

In the book of Romans in the New Testament, the apostle Paul says that “…we also rejoice in our sufferings because suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” Paul knew this from first-hand experience. He had given up a comfortable and respectable lifestyle to become a missionary. At times, he lived in poverty, faced hunger, and was imprisoned for his faith. Yet he was able to say with certainty, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Is there something going on in your personal or professional life that is painful? Stick with it and be open to God showing you principles about the situation and truths about yourself that He wants to impact and change. Then, let Him have His way. Remember, through the pain there can be gain!

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Conflict Resolution
The first step to resolution is overcoming our own pride.
2 Corinthians 3:16-18

The resolution to any conflict comes when the opposing parties find common ground. In contract negotiations, a mediator is often hired to help navigate the road between opposition and compromise. Successful compromise requires everyone to make concessions. Before a side can concede to anything, they must first acknowledge to themselves that a favorable resolution may not contain everything they desire and “being right” should not always be the top priority. In short, each party must be honest with themselves before they can be honest with others. Only after overcoming their pride can they move towards resolution.

Our relationship with God is much the same. Only after we admit our failures and shortcomings to ourselves and to God can we enjoy the freedom to move forward to resolution. By being honest with God, we allow Him to touch our hearts with His Holy Spirit and clear our minds to show us the choices He would have us make. In 2 Corinthians, Paul writes, “But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away…And we, who with unveiled faces…reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness…” When we confess our inadequacies to God, He can work in our lives to make us more like Himself – less prideful, more humble, and better able to reflect His love to those around us.

A primary barrier to our readiness to come before God in confession is our stubbornness. Stubbornness stems from pride and always creates a prism through which we see things in a skewed way – we’re usually right and others are wrong. Stubbornness keeps the veil in place.

Have you ever confessed your sins to God and acknowledged your need for His forgiveness? Perhaps you have a relationship with God, but are struggling with a situation that your pride is keeping you from resolving. In either case, consider taking a minute to talk to God about the issues or conflicts that keep you from the freedom He offers. You will find acceptance and grace as He moves in your heart to bring resolution.

- Buddy Childress and Kelly Pollock Pious
Kelly Pollock Pious earned dual degrees in marketing management and English from Virginia Tech. A former intern at Needle's Eye Ministries, she currently works at Junior Achievement of Central Virginia.

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Hope
John 3:16-18, 14:6

The American Heritage Dictionary defines hope as “to look forward to with confidence or expectation.” As I observe people today, many are without hope. Why? Because the things they have put their confidence in have failed them: position, money, success, education, etc. For many people in the marketplace, there is no hope, either now or in the future.

The same is true theologically. There are many gods out there that offer no hope. “Creative crystals” produce little lasting impact for the New Ager. Reincarnation just guarantees more of the same (or worse) for the Hindu. Islam requires regular spiritual regimens with no certainty of eternity. Interestingly, in the New Testament there was a group of Jews (the Sadducees) who didn’t believe in the afterlife, and those who did (the Pharisees) thought they had to keep numerous and insignificant rules in order to gain God’s favor.

Today, even within “Christianity,” there is a mindset that offers little hope. It is the mindset that says, “God is love. He loves us all, and therefore we’re all okay. Consequently, we’ll all ‘be there’ in the end.” The problem with this perspective is that if we’re all okay, then what about the murderer, or the rapist, or the power-hungry dictator? In this theology, there is no reason to consider changing because we’re all already acceptable – and that doesn’t seem right or fair. The flip side to this mindset is if we don’t all “make it in the end,” then everything spiritually is based upon good works, and therefore God must grade on a curve. There is no hope here, either, because we don’t know where the top of the bell curve is.

In the New Testament, the author of the Gospel of John said that “God loved the world so much that He gave His only Son and whoever would believe in Him would have eternal life.” Jesus, Himself, said, “ I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” What hope! God’s love for us is so great that He sent His Son to pay the price for our sins. His Son is the way to Him, the embodiment of truth and the power source for real life. Because of Jesus Christ, I can know God in this life and be assured of the life to come. It doesn’t get any better than that!

Hope is the ability to “look forward with confidence…” Are you confident about where your life can be now and will be in eternity? If not, ask Christ to forgive your sins and come into your life because “Christ in you, [is] the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27).

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Responding to Hurt
Gen. 3:21

Have you ever been so mad at someone (perhaps a child) that you could just “wring their neck”? Not a very pleasant thought but it does describe, metaphorically, the anger and hurt we feel when we have been insensitively and purposefully “dissed” or disobeyed. And the world tells us that, when we’ve been hurt, we have the right to retaliate!

God doesn’t concur. In His economy, we are to “love our neighbor as our self” (Matt. 22:39). God demonstrates this truth throughout Scripture, beginning in the Garden of Eden. After Adam and Eve disobeyed Him by eating the fruit, and before He expelled them from Paradise, Genesis 3:21 tells us that “The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them”. Before they entered a cruel and sin infected world, God personally replaced their fig leaves with substantial clothing. The loving Father, in the face of disobedience and hurt, responded with compassion. After being “dissed”, He displayed love. Not a bad life principle; one which I have yet to master. How about you? How are you responding to hurt – at home and at the office?

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An Ethical Yardstick
Micah 6:8

In days of insider trading, “unfair” layoffs and “forced” mergers and acquisitions, many of us ask: “Is there any ethic for living with, and in the midst of, all of this?” When nationally respected people succumb to the temptation to illegally make (or save) a buck; when a Fortune 500 superstar plots to pad personnel files in order to subsequently eliminate masses of people; and when prestigious institutions (the Atlantic Coast Conference comes to mind) surreptitiously plan to pilfer the “gems” of another’s organization, the fairness in us cries out, “Stop! What’s going on?!”

Some twenty-seven hundred years ago the Old Testament prophet, Micah, spoke to some of the same issues. In a time when the “haves” were taking advantage of the “have-nots” and were using their positions of power for personal gain, the prophet delivered God’s message to the people of his day. In all matters between us and others, Micah said that God has shown us “what is good”… and it is “to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God”.
Thinking about laying off a few employees? Do it with justice and mercy. Considering a deal to make a quick buck in an “abnormal” way? First, ask the question – “Is this fair to all concerned?”

In the final analysis, we all struggle with issues of pride and selfishness and therefore, at any given moment, possess the capacity to capitulate to these temptations. That is the very reason why we must walk humbly with our God. That relationship is the only remedy to our nature of self-orientation. Have you initiated that relationship? If so, are you transparent in it?

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Dominion, Domination & Diminishing Desire
Gen. 1:27 & 28; Gen. 2:24 & 25; Gen. 3:16-19, 24

At the beginning of recorded history, God created man and woman in His image and He commissioned them to “rule or have dominion (RSV) over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground”. Husband and wife (Adam and Eve) were to jointly care for God’s creation. Their relationship was to be closer and more intimate than any other, except their relationship with God. They were to “become one” and there would be an openness and transparency between them (Gen. 2:25).

However, The Fall occurred and sin entered the world. It affected everything, from our relationship with God (Gen. 3:24), to our work (Gen. 3:17-19), to the process of procreation (Gen. 3:16a). Sin impacts everything, including our relationship with our spouse. An intimate partnership that once was given to shared responsibility, mutual caring, intimacy and transparency is now one in which the wife desires the husband but the husband has the tendency to dominate (v.16b). As Old Testament scholar Derek Kidner put it, “To love and to cherish becomes to desire and dominate.” I wonder how long Eve’s light of desire stayed lit in the face of domination?

Today, we live in a world where “macho” husbands go to “men’s clubs”, where same-sex “marriages” are politically correct and therefore seen as acceptable, and where television often depicts as normal female dominated households in which husbands are portrayed as weak, purposeless and disconnected. Perhaps part of the answer to our cultural dilemma is for husbands to, once again, love, cherish and encourage their wives (and vice versa). This type of servant leadership strengthens and nurtures the marital relationship and ultimately reflects the dominion of the Son of God in the home rather than the domination of one over the other. The flame of desire in marriage is fanned by loving devotion. Domination leads to emotional detachment. Which will it be?

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Strength from Weakness
2 Cor. 12:7-10

No one desires trials, hardships or difficulties in their life, and I’m no exception. This morning, I sat down with God and began by saying, “Lord, I feel a little bit overwhelmed. The finances are tight (and whose aren’t?), my schedule is jammed (and whose isn’t?) and there are several issues going on in my family that are a bit taxing”. And then, I turned to the day’s reading, 2 Corinthians 12: 7-10! In verse 9, the apostle Paul tells us that God says, “…My power is made perfect in weakness”. In other words, when my life seems out of control and I am not in charge, He is – because I have to depend upon Him. It is then that His grace takes over (verse 9a) and I begin to see the depth of His love and truth of His promise that “in all things God works for the good of those who love Him…” (Rom. 8:28). Of course, the implication of the text is that when I am in control, He isn’t. Scary!

In the text, Paul also talks about “boasting…about my weaknesses” which suggests there should be a transparency about our lives. Why? Openness brings a humility which is another trait that tends to get us closer to God, and therefore in a position to hear Him better. The text closes with the statement, “when I am weak, then I am strong”. When we are in a position of needing to trust God and do so, and when we are open with Him and others, then He is allowed to have His way with us…and that produces real strength!

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The Stress of Life
Matt. 6:25-34

Stress is a given for life in 2003. When you ask someone “How’s it going?” you hear: “Pretty well – I’m busy, “ “Man, I’m rockin’ and rollin’,” “I’m overloaded,” “I’m slammed.” All are statements of overactive lifestyles and are usually indicative of underlying, or perhaps overt, stress.

In our text, Jesus is teaching the disciples early in His ministry. They’re worried (concerned, frustrated) about the future. They recently gave up their jobs to follow this itinerant preacher and reality has set in. They’re worried about what they will eat, what they will drink and what they will wear (v. 25). Jesus points out that the birds don’t plant or harvest or store their food for the future but God provides for them (v. 26). He also reminds them of how beautifully clothed the lilies of the field are and how much more the disciples mean to God than birds or lilies (vv.28-30).

To always worry about the future impedes our ability to enjoy today, and merely trusting in our own capabilities quickly leads to distrusting God. Two keys to managing life’s frustrations (and subsequent stress) are to “seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness” (v.33, i.e. put God first and, therefore, attempt to be who He wants us to be) and not to “…worry about tomorrow… each day has enough trouble of its own” (v.34). In other words, live one day at a time. Plan your month, plan your week, but then live today – God’s way, trusting Him. It has been said that stress subsides when I abide (in Him) because God resides (in me). Try it.

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Regime Change
Colossians 3:15

Over the past weeks, we have heard much about regime change. The government in Iraq was corrupt, lead by a despot. For years, domination, intimidation, torture and the use chemical and biological weapons had been, at times, “the order of the day” for the majority of Iraqis. From the standpoints of peace for the Iraqi people and world safety, a regime change was in order.
Webster’s defines regime as the mode of rule or management. I wonder…perhaps individually we all need a regime change from time to time. So often we are ruled by our sinful nature. The apostle Paul said “…I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin” (Romans 7:25). We are self-oriented people and since the beginning of time, when we determined to “eat the fruit”, we have regularly struggled with putting ourselves ahead of God. We like to be in control.

In our nine to five lives, achieving quarterly goals can often be at the expense of daily ethics. We regularly put profits ahead of people, and position within the organization can be more important than personal relationships. If we are honest with ourselves, we must admit that regime change is regularly necessary because the mode of rule or management in our lives is usually self-interest, at the expense of God’s truth.

Last Thursday night, from the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln, we heard President Bush declare that in the war with Iraq, we have prevailed. Regime change has occurred. But today, in your personal life, who is prevailing – self or God? God’s regime is fueled by a power source different from self. In Colossians 3:15, the apostle Paul encourages us to “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts…” For those who know Christ, His Spirit lives within us. Even so, we must bow to His Reign. Today, do you need a regime change?

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"Follow Me”: The Formula for Forgiveness
John 21:20-25

Last week, we caught a glimpse of Christ’s love. Early that first Easter morning, He was already planning a scenario in Galilee in which He would forgive and restore the one who had denied Him three times. Love requires action. But after restoration, what?

So often in life we “forgive but we don’t forget”. That mindset creates a relational aloofness that lingers. We want civility in the relationship but that is often at the expense of honesty. We know we should forgive but we “can’t quite let it go”. Consequently, forgiveness and restoration can be merely superficial expressions of the emotions of the moment.

Jesus’ model for forgiveness and restoration is different. Once He forgave Peter He directed him to “follow Me” (vv.19 &22). His model for forgiveness and restoration includes a call to commitment and shared responsibility. Jesus displayed a willingness