Author: Dave Burchett

I miss my Dad. It was five years ago this month that he passed into eternity with Jesus. I still find myself wishing I could share good news with him. I still sometimes think it is him when the phone rings on Sunday afternoons.

I wish he could have seen how his grandsons in Texas have grown up to be godly and good men. I wish he could have seen how his daughter-in-law trusted God as she faced down cancer. I wish he could have seen how his son finally began to understand how to live in the amazing grace of Jesus. I wish I could have told him that his example gave me a foundation for how the grace of God is possible. If my flawed earthly father could love me that much and without condemnation then I can begin to understand how a loving God can love me despite my junk and flaws. Not every man can say that and I am grateful that I can.

I couldn’t help but smile when I thought of him as I watched the news today. The current debate in Washington and the selfish agendas of our “representatives” would have driven him nuts. I could almost hear him ranting about the politicians and how we just need someone with “some uneducated good old common sense” in our Nation’s Capital. He earned the right to rant. He was one of the incredible men and women who served our country during World War II. The flag from his military funeral is one of my proudest possessions.

I find myself becoming my Dad more and more each day. Today I dialed up a couple of his favorite songs that I have on my iPod. It was the musical version of comfort food. The first song was particularly appropriate in the context of today’s news. I have sat here stunned as Senator after Senator has confessed they don’t know everything  that is in the bill they are about to vote on. In previous years I would have been beside myself with frustration. But today I listened to one of my Dad’s songs and felt comfort wash over my soul. The song is called “I Know Who Holds Tomorrow” and it was written in 1950 by a traveling preacher named Ara Stanphill. This is a song of trust written during a time of agony and doubt in his life. Stanphill’s wife battled addiction and left him for other men. You could imagine the gossip that flew in that era when a preacher’s wife left to live a life of sin. Yet Stanphill forgave her, tried to reconcile and remained true to his vows. But he was human and he suffered depression and grief. He wondered why God would allow such a fate for a man dedicated to His service. One day he was feeling sorry for himself as he drove. In the book Turn Your Radio On author Ace Collins relates the struggle that Stanphill faced. In the depths of his sadness he began to hum a tune and the next thing he knew he was singing a song. He sang about not knowing what was in the future but knowing that God was with him every step of the way. He rushed to his piano when he arrived at his office and jotted down the words.  I remember hearing Faron Young sing these lyrics on a scratchy vinyl record.

I don’t know about tomorrow;
I just live from day to day.
I don’t borrow from its sunshine
For its skies may turn to grey.
I don’t worry o’er the future,
For I know what Jesus said.
And today I’ll walk beside Him,
For He knows what is ahead.
Many things about tomorrow
I don’t seem to understand
But I know who holds tomorrow
And I know who holds my hand.

I believe those words. I don’t know why some things happen. I am angry, frustrated and deeply concerned about what is going on in Washington. But at the end of the day I put my hope not in politics but in Jesus. I know who holds tomorrow and I know who holds my hand. And then I listened to what I would guess was my Dad’s favorite song. He would sing along loudly and I remember that I also inherited my Dad’s lack of singing talent. But his heart believed the words that Red  Foley and the Sunshine Boys sang.

Well, I’m tired and so weary
But I must go along
Till the lord will come and call, call me away,
Well the morning’s so bright
And the Lamb is the light
And the night, night is as black as the sea,

There will be peace in the valley for me, some day
There will be peace in the valley for me, oh Lord I pray
There’ll be no sadness, no sorrow, my Lord,
no trouble, trouble I see
There will be peace in the valley for me

My Dad is experiencing that today. No more sadness, no sorrow, no troubles. So in the midst of craziness and confusion I hold on to the hope that my Dad believed. I know who holds tomorrow and I know there will be peace in the valley for me some day. More and more I understand the words that C.S.Lewis wrote.

“If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.”

That is what Jesus was saying as He comforted His followers with these words recorded in the Gospel of John.

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.”

Had my good friend Mike been with Jesus I suspect he would have smiled and said these words. “That’ll work!” Indeed it will. So today I choose to trust God for today and sing this little chorus.

Many things about tomorrow
I don’t seem to understand
But I know who holds tomorrow
And I know who holds my hand.

Chicken Little is feeling a little smug this week. It appears that the ultimate alarmist was right. The sky, according to the media and Washington, is apparently falling. The official theme song for the nightly news could be the song they used to sing on Hee Haw called Gloom, Despair And Agony On Me. Everyone sing along….

Gloom, despair, and agony on me
Deep, dark depression, excessive misery
If it weren’t for bad luck, I’d have no luck at all
Gloom, despair, and agony on me

I see a lot of gloom in our country. And I see a lot of fear. I think it is apropos to remember that the most frequent command in the Bible is “do not be afraid”. Followers of Jesus can be a tremendous beacon of light if we are not afraid. Confident and content Christians can offer real hope that can really change lives. I learned a valuable lesson about handling fear from our Golden Retriever Charlie. He died a few years ago at the ripe old canine age of 14.                                                                                          

This excerpt from my book “Bring’em Back Alive” documents an experience I had with Charlie that gave me a little hint of how our relationship with Jesus should work when we fear our circumstances.

Charlie suffered a health crisis late in his life. He developed a large benign tumor under his front leg that made walking difficult. We took him in for what would be a rather serious surgery at the ripe old canine age of twelve. The vet did a masterful job in removing the growth and taking care of Charlie. We were called to the animal hospital to pick him up. We waited as the workers brought him out. Charlie shuffled slowly out and I was taken aback by his appearance. He was trembling, frightened and appeared to be in some pain. His head was down and his perpetual motion tail was strangely still. He seemed confused and disoriented. Then I walked over to Charlie and simply touched him. Almost immediately he quit trembling and he made a valiant attempt to wag his tail. His breathing calmed down and he relaxed.

As I reflected on that scene it struck me that Charlie’s reaction to my touch and mere presence was a wonderful illustration of how Jesus comforts (or desires to comfort) me when I am afraid. When I (his master) touched Charlie he was comforted. His pain was not gone. He was still frightened. He was still a bit disoriented and unsure. Charlie’s circumstances hadn’t really changed at all. But he knew that his master was there and that made it better. What a picture that is of how the touch of Jesus enables us to respond when we are frightened, in pain, disoriented and confused. We need to remind ourselves that Jesus never promised that all trouble would vanish when we believe in Him. Jesus did promise that He would be there and that would be enough. But the tough question arises…do we truly believe that? Jesus gave us an amazing promise at the end of the Great Commission.

Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

He is with us always. In good times and bad. Even to the end of the age. My prayer for myself and for you today is that we will trust and be comforted by that promise. I pray that we will seek the comforting touch of the Master. As I learned with Charlie, it doesn’t really matter what the circumstance might be, it is the knowledge that the Master is there that makes all the difference.

 

 

 

Today is National Signing Day for college football. All of the highly touted prospects sign their paper work and officially commit to play football at good old Whatsamatta U. (No wait, that was Bullwinkle. And where did they find the helmet that fit around his antlers? But I digress). At any rate, hundreds of young men with dreams of gridiron glory celebrate this day. Overwrought fans compare their list of “commits” to Rival U. to see if their school “won” the recruiting battle. Part of the process is a number of websites that evaluate prospects and assign stars to each player based on their perceived talent. A five star prospect is deemed a “can’t miss”. I wonder about the wisdom of giving stars to assign value to young athletes. Yet I confess that I get caught up in the recruiting drama and hope that some big-time players will be wearing the colors of my beloved Ohio State Buckeyes or my adopted Baylor Bears.

Every year they run a story about how the players highly rated four years ago actually panned out. The results are always mixed. Some four and even five star recruits flame out or have very average careers on the field. Sadly, we never check to see if they are good students or citizens. Some lightly regarded players become stars. Some transfer to another school or even drop out of college entirely. The number of stars by their name was no guarantee that football success would follow. It is a football parallel of the parable that Jesus told about the seed that falls on different types of soil. But that would be another blog.

I thought about how performance standards permeate our culture and our self-image. When we reduce young men to performance stars is it any wonder that we cannot wrap our minds around the concept that better performance is not how we produce holiness in our Christian journey? And don’t most of us do exactly what the recruiting geeks do when we evaluate and judge people in the church? It plays out something like this.

That person is bright, funny and talented. A four star Christian. Make sure they are on the board. Over there is a woman who can sing like an angel. Five stars. Keep her happy. That man is a very successful businessman and he is making tons of money. We need to recruit more five stars like him if we are going to finish the building project. New Testament agitator James would have hated the star system in recruiting and especially in the body of Christ.

My brothers and sisters, do not show prejudice if you possess faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. For if someone comes into your assembly wearing a gold ring and fine clothing, and a poor person enters in filthy clothes, do you pay attention to the one who is finely dressed and say, “You sit here in a good place,”and to the poor person, “You stand over there,” or “Sit on the floor”? If so, have you not made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil motives? Listen, my dear brothers and sisters! Did not God choose the poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he promised to those who love him?  (James 2, NET Bible)

The rating stars are even more pernicious in the living out of our faith. I suspect I am like most Christians who understood that I did not have enough talent to overcome my sin before a Holy God. I needed grace for that. But once I was on the team I began to see the need for, well, me. I had some gifts that God could use. I was at least a three star and with God’s help I might be a four. Yet for some reason I kept feeling frustrated and tired. No matter how much I tried it seemed like my obvious gifts (to me) made little or no difference. And then I shifted my rating system. Sure I had some gifts to use for God but they were gifts of His grace. He was not impressed that I was really proud of what He had graciously given me. I suspect He was particularly unimpressed that I wanted others to see that I was doin’ stuff for Jesus. I finally began to understand that my service was not to impress, please, gain favor or store up frequent server points for a heavenly upgrade. My service was out of gratitude for his grace that forgave my sins past, current and future. Thank you Jesus that you use the unrated prospect as much (and often more because they can actually spell humility) as the prospects that we sinfully think are five stars and more important than the others. In fact, the five star prospects struggle with dependence on Christ because of their self-sufficiency. Humility and talent are an odd but powerful combo platter.

When Jesus said that we should come to Him as little children He did not mean that we should be get small and not share our toys. He was talking about how a child completely depends on their parents to provide, nurture and protect them. Jesus wants that humble dependence from me. When I acknowledge that my talent  is truly on loan from God as a gift of grace then I find joy in service. When I humbly submit my meager ability for God’s to use for His glory I find freedom. And when I trust Him for the results I find peace.

Today I praise God that I don’t have to be a five star or even a one star to earn God’s love. It is done. It is a gift of grace. Unmerited. And offered freely even to badly injured and unrated Jesus followers like me. I am so grateful that I verbally committed thirty-nine years ago and then made it official on baptism day a few months later. I hope the young men find success that signed today. But more importantly I hope they find the unconditional love of Christ that is not based on performance or arbitrary stars.

On February 2^nd they woke up Punxsutawney Phil long enough for the prognosticating rodent to let us know six more weeks of winter must be endured.

 Phil looks about as happy as I do when when I am disturbed in the morning. Sixteen years ago a funny and underappreciated  movie came on the scene. Groundhog Day told the story of a self-absorbed news reporter (redundancy alert?) that finds himself stuck in an endless repeat of the same day. Bill Murray is perfect in the role of reporter Phil Connors. Since I live in the odd world of broadcast television I can relate to the cynical personality of Murray’s character. Reporter Phil is less than thrilled that he has been assigned to cover Punxsutawney Phil’s annual peek outside to predict winter’s duration. He feels he is “above” such an inane assignment. Connor’s looks into the camera and cynically reports:

“This is one time where television really fails to capture the true excitement of a large squirrel predicting the weather.”

I have directed some events that offer that kind of challenge. But what got me thinking about that movie again was the plotline where Phil Connors realizes he is doomed to live the same day over and over and over. The plot is summed up in this article in Wikipedia. For Connors, Groundhog Day begins each morning at 6:00 A.M., with his waking up to the same song, Sonny & Cher’s “I Got You Babe”, on his alarm clock radio, but with his (and only his) memories of the “previous” day intact, trapped in a seemingly endless “time loop” to repeat the same day in the same small town.

Connor has this exchange in the film.

Phil: What would you do if you were stuck in one place and every day was exactly the same, and nothing that you did mattered?
Ralph: That about sums it up for me.

And that brought to mind another famous Bill Murray quote…this time from Stripes.

And then depression set in.

So what is the point of these ramblings? Is it to impress you with my cerebral movie tastes? The point is that too many followers of Jesus are stuck in a Groundhog Day life of their own. They wake up every day and feel trapped in a repeating pattern of frustrating behavior. And then, depression sets in. Why is that?

Einstein was once quoted as saying that “insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” I am not quite willing to concede that I was insane. But the truth is that for years I did approach my spiritual life the same way everyday while somehow expecting different results.

I would make a mistake (that is politically correct for sin) and I would convince myself that I would never do that again. I was grateful that the consequences were not worse. I was determined to stay far, far away from that sin. And then before I know it I had forgotten the lesson and I would awaken each morning to my own version of Groundhog Day. The Apostle Paul wrote about this very thing (not the giant rodent part…the repeating behavior part) in his letter to the Romans.

I decide to do good, but I don’t really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don’t result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time.   (Romans 7, The Message)

Wow…can I relate to that. A bit later Paul writes…I’ve tried everything and nothing helps. I’m at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn’t that the real question?

That is the real question. And there is a real answer offered by Paul.

The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different.

So what can you do to get out of this sin spiral?

Nothing.

Wait! Don’t let depression set in. This is good news! You and I can’t do it. I am incapable in my own efficacy (5 Reader’s Digest points) to escape my spiritual Groundhog Day. Only Jesus can enable me to escape this endless loop of frustration. Further advice from Paul follows in Chapter 8 of his amazing letter to the Romans.

But if God himself has taken up residence in your life, you can hardly be thinking more of yourself than of him.

Allow the truth of that verse to soak in. 

Want to get out of your Groundhog Day existence? Most readers of these humble ramblings realize they couldn’t deal with their sin separation from God on their own. We needed Jesus. So why do we think we can deal with our ongoing sin issues on our own? When the Father looks at me on my very worst day this is what He sees. 

Jesus.

That is step one. I don’t have to clean up the sin to please God. He loves me already because of Jesus. Step Two. I am learning daily to recognize that the Spirit of God has taken up residence in my life. I am learning that I am the one who limits His power by restricting access and not trusting Him with my thoughts and actions. I am learning that I don’t need to wake up to the frustrating effects of repeated self-effort. I can wake up trusting God, trusting that Jesus has my sin covered and trusting that the Spirit of God will allow me to resolve that sin. Trusting God and what His Word says to be true allows me to escape the Groundhog Day syndrome. Instead I have a new day full of possibilities to thank God for His amazing grace.

The moral of the movie Groundhog Day was that Phil Connor needed to learn that he was self-absorbed and dependent on his selfish efforts to get ahead. The moral of the spiritual groundhog day is to learn that we cannot depend on our self efforts to live a joyful and free Christian life. I come to Jesus by grace and total dependence. I live for Jesus by grace and total dependence. While the other groundhog is busy predicting weather I would suggest you try this for the next six weeks. When the alarm jars you awake remember this truth. Instead of the Sonny and Cher song you can sing “I Got You Lord”. The two of you can end this “Groundhog Day” of frustration. To paraphrase our hero Phil from above….

This is one time where a blog really fails to capture the true excitement of a large doofus trying to explain his joy and freedom of learning how to live in grace. So try it for yourself. If you begin to lean on grace perhaps you can also paraphrase the line from Stripes with this one.

And then joy and freedom set in. That is my prayer for you today. I can’t help you with the weather.

The NY Times reported that children who eat dirt as infants and toddlers are actually healthier. Here is an excerpt from that article.

In studies of what is called the hygiene hypothesis, researchers are concluding that organisms like the millions of bacteria, viruses and especially worms that enter the body along with “dirt” spur the development of a healthy immune system. Several continuing studies suggest that worms may help to redirect an immune system that has gone awry and resulted in autoimmune disorders, allergies and asthma.

“What a child is doing when he puts things in his mouth is allowing his immune response to explore his environment,” Mary Ruebush, a microbiology and immunology instructor, wrote in her new book, “Why Dirt Is Good” (Kaplan). “Not only does this allow for ‘practice’ of immune responses, which will be necessary for protection, but it also plays a critical role in teaching the immature immune response what is best ignored.”

I had earlier addressed this very topic in the most highly rated post that I have ever posted about rodents. It was also the only article I have written about rodents but the truth of the previous sentence is unchanged. Let’s pick up the story in a sewer far, far away…

Gritty rats and mice living in sewers and farms seem to have healthier immune systems than their squeaky clean cousins that frolic in cushy antiseptic labs according to recent studies. The lesson for humans? Clean living may make us sick. That was the AP story that caught my attention. And I pondered the odd theory that these disgusting rodents may offer a clue to ineffectual Christian living as well. Let us explore.

Associated Press Science writer Seth Borenstein writes about the recent research.

The studies give more weight to the theory that the sanitized Western world may be partly to blame for soaring rates of human allergy and asthma cases and some autoimmune diseases, such as Type I diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis. The theory, called the hygiene hypothesis, figures that people’s immune systems aren’t being challenged by disease and dirt early in life, so the body’s natural defenses over react to small irritants such as pollen.

The new studies, one of which was in the Scandinavian Journal of Immunology, found significant differences in the immune systems between euthanized wild and lab rodents.

When the immune cells in the wild rats are stimulated by researchers, “they just don’t do anything they sit there; if you give them same stimulus to the lab rats, they go crazy,” said study co-author Dr. William Parker, a Duke University professor of experimental surgery. He compared lab rodents to more than 50 wild rats and mice captured and killed in cities and farms.

Also, the wild mice and rats had as much as four times higher levels of immunoglobulins, yet weren’t sick, showing an immune system tuned to fight crucial germs, but not minor irritants, Parker said. He said what happened in the lab rats is what likely occurs in humans: their immune systems have got it so cushy they over react to smallest of problems.

Challenged immune systems — such as kids who grow up with two or more pets — don’t tend to develop as many allergies, said Dr. Stanley Goldstein, director of Allergy & Asthma Care of Long Island.

Dr.Parker’s studies, looking at animal differences, may eventually help scientists find when, where and how environmental exposure help protect against future allergies and immune disorders. Parker said he hopes to build a 50-foot artificial sewer for his next step, so that he could introduce the clean lab rats to an artificial dirty environment and see how and when the immunity was activated.

That may be the biggest thing to come out of the wild and lab rodent studies, It may become possible to expose people to the few things (that exercise the immune system) and gives them the benefit of the dirty environment without having to expose them to the dirt.

A couple of thoughts immediately come to mind. First, how do you sell your boss on building a 50 foot artificial sewer? Second, I remembered the house that eldest and second sons lived in during their college years. Their squeamish parents would stop at a gas station (that gives you a point of reference) to use the bathroom before visiting the guys. We wondered why they were not sick all of the time. Now I realize that they were probably healthier than I ever could have hoped. My innovative sons utilized the brilliant strategy of creating an artificially dirty environment to stimulate a healthy immune system. It is always great when science validates slothfulness. And it is even greater when you can figure out a way to incorporate slothfulness into a sentence.

But how does this relate to an ineffectual Christian life? I think that the average Christian in America has also compromised our spiritual immune systems by choosing a cushy and safe Christian experience. We have tuned our immune system not to fight crucial sin in our lives, but minor irritants. When you talk to fellow Christians are you passionately concerned about communicating the gospel to the world or about some minor irritant (person or program) at your church? Do we agonize over injustice in the world or petty injustice in our lives? Have we programmed our spiritual immune systems to battle pride and selfishness? Not likely. And by the way…I did not fare well in the pop quiz posed in this paragraph.

And the rats may hold another clue. I recently read a quote from an excellent book called Organic Church. The author noted that to reach the world for Christ we have to be willing to sit in the smoking section. I don’t mean to imply that all smokers are not Christian. The point is we have to be willing to get out of our “comfort bunkers”. 

Paul wrote this to the Roman church.

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Paul is not saying that we are to avoid being conformed to the world by isolation from it. We are instead to be transformed by the Holy Spirit renewing our mind. Isolation does not transform us at all. If anything, isolation makes us lukewarm. Because we can’t have a robust spiritual immune system if we live in a sterile sanctuary environment only. And that may be where the rats can teach us the biggest lesson. Our tendency is to stay in the sterile lab (church) and never venture into the sewer (lives of hurting people). We have too often chosen the safe route of turning on the light and praying those in need will come to the light. Some will. But most will not. Instead we are called to take the light to those in need. Jesus noted that in the Sermon on the Mount.

 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. 

When Jesus says to let your light shine before men I think He was talking about Monday through Saturday as well as Sunday. I am sick of Sunday Christians. I have spent too many years putting my light under a bowl. I have too often chosen the safe and antiseptic sanctuary over the authentic and often dirty sewer of people in need. I want my spiritual immune system to attack real threats and not minor irritants.

That scares me. But not as much as not pursuing that life scares me.

There is a really nasty stomach virus working its way through North Texas. The bug got into my system last night and wreaked considerable havoc. I thought, of course, of the verse in Deuteronomy.

Then I prostrated myself before God, just as I had at the beginning of the forty days and nights. I ate no food; I drank no water. (Deut. 5)

Hopefully this will not last any where close to forty days and nights. The scouting report is that the virus lasts 2 days if you go to the doctor. If you let it run it’s course it lasts 48 hours. I am sitting at home waiting for this to run it’s natural course. I thought of how really lousy I have felt today. And then I realized how much I take for granted the fifty weeks or so out of every year when I feel good or even great. Sure I have the usual little aches and pains that a 50 plus body will accumulate. But for five decades I have been blessed with the ability to run slowly, jump barely, dance awkwardly, and laugh often. I am so blessed.

I thought about people who feel far worse than I have felt this week every single day of their lives. Yet they get up and go about their business every day. I thought of those who deal heroically with chronic pain and soldier on without complaint. I admire the people who find joy in their lives even when they don’t feel like it. King Solomon said the following in the Book of Proverbs.

       A cheerful look brings joy to the heart,
       and good news gives health to the bones.  NIV Prov 15

The Message has an interesting take on this proverb.

       A twinkle in the eye means joy in the heart, and good news makes you feel fit as a fiddle.

Think about the people who choose joy when circumstances don’t warrant that action. Don’t you find that the kind of personality that responds like that often features a twinkle in the eye? They are the kind of people that you visit to minister to and then end up receiving more than you gave.

Paul said in his letter to the church at Phillipi that he had learned to be content in his circumstance. It didn’t come naturally for him either.

     I’ve learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I’m just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I’ve found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am.   (Philippians 4,  The Message)

I am grateful for the illness because I appreciate health. I am grateful for the clouds because the sunshine then feels so wonderful. I am grateful for a God that never changes through good times or bad.   

 

Regular readers of the humble ramblings know how much I love dog friend Hannah. She is such a calming influence that I often call her “furry Prozac”. A fun article in Parade Magazine by “Dog Whisperer” Cesar Millan got me to thinking about how much I could learn in my Christian journey from my canine companion. Sanctification is not a word that Hannah would understand. Sadly, it is not a word that a lot of Christians understand either. It simply means the process of becoming more like Jesus. And just like everything else in this journey we can not do that apart from Christ. I will give you Cesar’s thoughts on life lessons that we can learn from dogs in italics. I will add my little spiritual postscript to each of his comments. 

Live in the moment.

Cesar – People often wonder how I get such quick results with the dogs I rehabilitate. The answer is simple: Dogs live in the moment. They don’t regret the past or worry about the future.

That is so key. When we live in regret of the past or fear of the future we forfeit the potential joy of today. The Psalmist encouraged that very idea.

This is the day the LORD has made;
       let us rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118, NIV)

Nurture a balanced life.

Cesar – I tell my clients to follow this simple rule with their dogs: Offer exercise, discipline, and affection every day. Do the same for yourself. We humans are happier if our routines include physical activity, a sense of structure, and the opportunity to give and receive love on a daily basis.

Hmmm. I tell my clients (my tens of readers) almost everyday to live a balanced life as well. Love God everyday and allow Him to love you back. Am I the “Bad Christian Whisperer”? Can I do a TV Show where I rehabilitate anxious and poorly behaving Christians? Can I take a muzzle if I do?

Trust your instincts.

Cesar – Animals don’t care about words. They recognize that what’s really going on in any interaction is beneath the surface. Many of us have lost touch with this all-important instinctual part of our natures. By paying attention to nonverbal cues such as body language and energy, we can learn more about our friends, our loved ones, and ourselves.

Unbelievers don’t care about words either. For followers of Jesus the old saying that “actions speak louder than words” is often tragically true. On this point I would suggest we can only trust the Spirit of God to live in a way that communicates with both word and deed. When you trust the Holy Spirit you are free to trust your instincts.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. (Galatians 5, NIV)

Be direct and consistent in your communication.

Cesar – Many of my clients only intermittently enforce rules, leaving their pets confused about what is and isn’t acceptable behavior. Great relationships, no matter the species, begin with clear and consistent communication.

God has been teaching me a lot in this area. I am trying to always communicate with both grace and truth. I love that Jesus is described by the Apostle John as being full of grace and truth. I suspect grace comes first because we have a far harder time communicating with grace. I am usually willing to be “honest” and tell you where you are wrong. Doing that with grace and truth requires me to love you and be vulnerable. It is much easier just to whack you with the rolled up newspaper of judgment.

Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. (Colossians 4, NIV)

Learn to listen.

Cesar – Make the time to lend an ear to those you love or those who want to transform their lives. But don’t try to fix their problems, and don’t take their problems personally, either. A great leader is also a great follower and knows that everybody counts.

Right on Cesar. Learn to listen. Be willing to walk alongside those in need. Don’t interrupt to give out prescription verses. Living the real Christian life with others is messy. But incredibly rewarding.

My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry… (James 1, NIV)

Don’t hold grudges.

Cesar – There’s a remarkable lack of conflict in dog packs.  That’s because members resolve the situation when disagreements arise, then move on. Imagine what our world would be like if we dealt with our conflicts before they escalated out of control. Holding onto negative feelings tends to make them multiply and prevent us from moving forward.

This may be the biggest difference between dog packs and congregation packs. There is too often a remarkable amount of conflict in our body of believers. And the reason is that members too often don’t resolve the situation. We get angry and hurt and move on without resolving the conflict. Unresolved sin is buried alive and it come back at surprising moments. A follower of Jesus who does not forgive has forgotten how much he or she has been forgiven. So “shake off” your differences and resolve them.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. (Hebrews 12, NIV)

Live with purpose.

Cesar – When dogs are bored, they develop issues ranging from anxiety to aggression. But when given a job and a way to contribute to the pack’s well-being, they turn around almost immediately.

Followers of Jesus are no different. We are called to a purpose. Anything that does not contribute the pack’s well being (I rather like that description of the church) should be prayerfully reevaluated.

If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.  (Philippians 2, NIV)

Celebrate every day.

Cesar – For a dog, every morning is Christmas morning. Every walk is the best walk, every meal is the best meal, every game is the best game. We can learn so much by observing the way our pets rejoice in life’s simplest moments. Take time every day to celebrate the many gifts that are hidden in the ordinary events of your own life.

I am so convicted by Hannah. As I write this she is rolling on her back with a chew toy and loving life. If I can take a moment to count how blessed I am today I can celebrate as well. There is joy in the mundane events of life. Ask the Spirit of God to reveal that to you today. There is sacred in the routine. Ask the Spirit of God to show you that each day.

As for me, I am going to take my spiritual mentor for a walk.