Kavana

Kavana is a Jewish term that has multiple meanings, but for the purpose of this post, I want to focus on only one: “Duties of the heart alone. To be humble and reverence respect to God and to love God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. To keep your heart, your mind, your thought to regard humility, reverence, and respect. To have good wills, loving kindness, morality and virtues towards God and towards others” (Chovot HaLevavot, Bahya ben Joseph ibn Paquda). 

As we progress through this life, we are afforded multiple choices. Who we are has very little to do with who we say we are, but rather how we act. Thus the saying, “Actions speak louder than words.” We get to choose who we gradually become throughout life. Ultimately, our choices determine who we become. How we act, react, and respond all have a role in who we become. We can say we are loyal, but unless our actions prove loyalty, we are not loyal. We can say we care, but if we walk by someone in need and do nothing, do we really care? What we do expresses who we are. 

John Mark Comer, a pastor at Bridgetown Church in Portland, Oregon states:

Kavana is the barista at your local coffee shop that doesn’t just put on a lid and tells you to have a good day, but takes time to put a heart in the foam, puts the lid on securely, faces the logo toward you, makes purposeful eye contact, and says something to bless your day. It’s the construction worker that doesn’t just throw a bathroom remodel together as cheaply as possible and ignore the stuff he found behind the wall, but does every step with skill and attention to detail with the passion of an artist. It’s the preschool teacher that doesn’t just babysit children and throw fishy crackers at them, but gets down at eye level and communicates, if without words, that “you are fearfully and wonderfully made, and you have a destiny in God’s great universe.” It’s the parent who doesn’t just hand their children a device and go and try to survive the day, but is there to unfold children to their full potential. Any task, no matter how mundane, no matter how unglamorous, can be a form of Kavana. 

What if we lived a life where our focus was Kavana? Imagine what our life would be like if we lived and breathed Kavana on a daily basis. What if our life was lived with such humility and devotion that our heart, mind, and thoughts were centered on good will, loving kindness, morality and virtue toward others? What if we realized that how we treat others is more important than expecting to be treated a certain way? What if we realized that the people we work with, live with, and come into contact with are more important than our virtue signaling and pride? 

Mahatma Gandhi once said, “You must be the change you want to see in the world.” This means we shouldn’t be expecting others to change, but rather ourselves. However, there are a few things that keep us from doing this. 1) We focus more on the problems of others rather than on our own issues. 2) We would rather be right than be humble. 3) We would rather have the last word than know when to stop talking. 4) We would rather feel safe than be vulnerable. To be honest, the list could continue, but I feel you get the point. Change must come from within if change is ever to happen without. This is where Kavana comes in.

Whether we are sons, daughters, fathers, mothers, husbands, wives, employees, employers, public officials, etc., we must hold ourselves to a higher standard. We must focus on the duties of the heart. We must purpose within ourselves to be better for each other. We must choose Kavana in all that we do. Change doesn’t happen overnight, and if we are to be a better people, we must discipline ourselves to work from the inside out. My hope and prayer is that we become a people, a society, a culture that embraces Kavana.  

As always, stay humble and serve well!

Critical Responsibility Theory

(An In Your Face Satire)

It is my observation that today’s culture lacks many key qualities that promote personal success. There is a group of people in our society that would rather blame, point fingers, and push for nonsensical rhetoric to fit an agenda than to work at actually becoming successful in life. What’s worse is people buy into this rhetoric and become more of the problem rather than the solution. The most impactful issue that we have in our society and culture right now is the lack of responsibility. This has been a growing problem for many years, and we are starting to see the significant repercussion of not holding others or ourselves accountable for choices that are made. In other words, taking responsibility is a foreign idea.

Our society wants to blame race, history, sexuality, and other nonsense on the lack of personal success. People in our society say that they are hindered from being more successful because of the “oppression” they feel on a daily basis. What’s really being communicated is people are getting their feelings hurt because the expectations that they must meet to be successful is too difficult. Instead of realizing that everyone has the same choices in their life, these people want to blame the system for their failures. Again, they don’t want to take responsibility for their life, their choices, or their actions.

Since people want to start throwing out the idea that the system is keeping them from becoming successful, I want to throw out my own theory as to why people are not as successful as they could be. Let me introduce you to the Critical Responsibility Theory. 

There is a common misconception floating around society that says there is some outside force that keeps us from obtaining success or living a better life. These outside forces oppress people and force them to live less fulfilling lives. Again, this is a common misconception that is being pushed in our culture and society. Here is the truth, if you live in the United States of America, and the current year is 2021, the only oppression that is happening is whatever you put on yourself. Success is dependent upon three things (I recommend grabbing a pen and paper and writing down these novel ideas):

  1. Hard Work
  2. Discipline
  3. Responsibility

I know, sounds like common sense, but these are novel ideas that seem to have been forgotten. What’s more is these three concepts are dependent upon one thing and one thing only…YOU! People get so upset when their lazy way of life is threatened by people who have work ethic, are disciplined, and take responsibility. Why can’t life be lazy and easy? Cause that’s now how life works. Your success in this life depends on YOU. If you want more money, take responsibility for your life and work for it. If you want to be taken seriously and be respected, take responsibility for your actions and be respectful. If you want to be treated fairly, take responsibility for your words, actions, and choices and do the right thing. You see, our success is not determined by the “system”. Our success is determined by our actions and choices. 

If I drew a picture to represent this concept, it would look like a mountain with a person at the bottom. The mountain would be somewhat steep, but definitely not a sheer cliff. The side of the mountain would be difficult to traverse, cause the mountain represents life, and life is difficult to traverse, and the person at the bottom would be YOU, ME, EVERYONE! As we progress in life, the higher up the mountain we get. Along the way we have little plateaus of success; like taking our first steps, riding a bike, getting our first job, earning our first paycheck, buying our first home, getting married, I mean the list goes on and on, but all of these represent little successes in our lives. Oh, and just so we’re clear, the mountain is an endless climb. There is no peak in life. That means success is whatever we want it to be, but like everyone else, we must climb the mountain to reach the next plateau of success.

Want to know what doesn’t work? Whining and complaining that a system is keeping you from climbing the mountain. In fact, if people in society put as much effort in climbing the mountain, taking responsibility, being disciplined, and working hard as they do complaining that the system is against them, they would be a lot farther along than they currently are. 

Responsibility is accepting that you are the cause and solution of the matter. As Allanah Hunt states, “It is only when you take responsibility for your life that you discover how powerful you truly are.” But let’s not kid ourselves, whining, complaining, and playing the victim is so much easier, and people get a lot more attention that way; cause deep down, that’s really all these people want…attention. My friend, this attention is not the kind of attention you should be seeking. Take responsibility for your life and do something with it.

As always, stay humble and serve well!

Stay Focused or Sink Fast

As I grow in my personal, professional, and most importantly, my spiritual life, I have found that I have a lot to learn; especially when it comes to my faith, my understanding of who Christ is, and what it means to be a leader. Leadership is not something we should take lightly. It is more than a position. Leadership is a way of life and should come from the heart. Leadership is service; love in action. However, if we are not careful where we put our focus, we will sink, and our leadership will mean nothing. 

Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.  But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately, Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” (Matthew 14:22-31)

Not only is this a powerful story for personal and spiritual growth, it is also a good reminder for leaders. There are many times, as leaders, that we are called out of the boat and onto the water. We are called into chaos, and many of us do so with fearlessness and determination. We make a decision that risks our comfort, our serenity, and our self made peace. We take a risk, believing in what we were called to do. But the further away we walk from the comfort we left, the more we begin to focus on the doubts, fears, worries, and “What If’s” of our decision.

Jesus calls Peter out into chaos. Peter doesn’t hesitate for a second. He steps out with confidence and fervor. His eyes are fixed on the only peace amongst the chaos. He boldly swings his legs over the side of the boat and stands firm on the surface of the water. His hands gently leave the side of the boat, as he begins to take one step after another. With his gaze still fixed on the Everlasting Peace, he begins to move away from the comfort and security he once had. With each and every step he begins to get closer and closer to Jehovah Shalom. 

Out of the corner of his eye, Peter sees a giant wave crash around him. His gaze quickly moves the swirling chaos all about him. He is many steps away from the comfort he left, and many more steps away from True comfort. His mind begins to race. His fears begin to swirl all around him. His anxiety is through the roof. He loses sight of Jesus for a split second and becomes consumed with turbulent chaos all around him. The more he focuses on the waves, the quicker he begins to sink. 

I imagine Peter struggling to walk. I see him beginning to sink as if he were in quicksand. The more he struggles and focuses on his fears, the quicker he sinks. I see the water quickly rising up, slowly overtaking his body. As the water reaches his neck, he looks at Jesus and cries out, “SAVE ME, LORD!” And just as the water reaches his eyes, Jesus reaches down and pulls him from the suffocating chaos and into the arms of Peace. 

This is one of my most favorite stories in the Bible. Something inside of me stirs, like a child on Christmas day, when I think about Peter stepping out onto the water, among the wind and chaos, and starts walking toward Christ. There is something about Peter being completely uninhibited in his faith. The fearless abandon that Peter shows in his faith is something I want more than anything. However, there is a great lesson to be learned in this story: Unless our focus stays on the One who keeps us walking on water, the distractions, stresses, and worries in life will cause us to sink. 

Our fears and worries become giant waves crashing all around us. We lose sight of the One who called us out of the boat. We lose sight of the “Why?”. We become consumed with the fear and chaos swirling all around us. And unless we put our focus back on the One who originally called us from the boat, we will sink and lose it all. The moment we put our focus back on Him, the one who gave us our purpose and our meaning, and call out to Him, is the moment we will find our confidence and peace. 

Jesus’ s response to His disciples when they are back in the boat is not one of rebuke, but is more like a father questioning their child. It’s as if Jesus is asking, “Don’t you trust me? I would never let anything happen to you.” It’s amazing how quickly we allow our fears and worries to consume our thoughts, taking our eyes off of the only One who can bring us real peace and safety. 

We are called to be strong and courageous. In fact, Jesus even told the disciples in the boat to “take courage!” As Jesus commanded:

Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you, by worrying, add a single hour to your life?  But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matthew 6:26-27, 33-34)

Be bold. Be brave. Be strong and courageous. But most importantly, keep your eyes focused on the One who holds all things together. Do not be consumed with the doubt, fear, and chaos the swirls around you. Live fearlessly and uninhibited for the One who loves and cares for you with complete abandon. 

As always, stay humble and serve well!

Be Strong and Courageous (Part 2)

“Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors’” (Joshua 1:6). Last time I discussed that strong and courageous leadership starts with submission to God. This time, I want to discuss how strong and courageous leadership means standing strong and being courageous in the face of adversity. 

To recap, God forbade an entire generation of Israelites from entering the promised land due to their lack of faith and unbelief. They wandered the desert for forty years as the last of that generation died off. At the end of that time, the Lord calls on Joshua to lead the next generation of Israelites into the land that was promised to their ancestors (I went into more detail in my last post, and I encourage you to go back and read Part 1 if you haven’t yet). 

You need to keep in mind the type of people Joshua “inherited” as a leader. Their parents were whiners, complainers, unfaithful, doubtful; I mean the list could go on and on. After forty years of wandering around listening to the previous generation bicker and complain, their attitude had to have worn off on their kids, right? After the Lord told Joshua to lead with strength and courage, to keep the law Moses had given the nation of Israel always on his lips, meditating on it day and night, he convened the whole assembly of Israelites together. He told them what the Lord had told him, and this is how the Israelites responded:

Just as we fully obeyed Moses, so we will obey you. Only may the Lord your God be with you as He was with Moses. Whoever rebels against your word and does not obey it, whatever you may command them, will be put to death. Only be strong and courageous. (Joshua 1:16-18).

Only be strong and courageous. Jericho was the first city the Lord told Joshua to conquer. However, there were specific rules that needed to be followed. For example, Joshua commanded: 

The city and all that is in it are to be devoted to the Lord. Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall be spared because she hid the spies we sent. But keep away from the devoted things so that you will not bring about your own destruction by taking any of them. Otherwise you will make the camp of Israel liable to destruction and bring trouble on it. All the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron are sacred  to the Lord and must go into His treasury. (Joshua 6:17-19)

However, greed filled the heart of Achan, and he took some of the devoted items. And just as Joshua warned, the Lord’s anger burned against Israel. As Joshua and Israel approached Ai, Joshua sent scouts to observe the inhabitants of the land. When the scouts returned, they told Joshua that not all of the army had to go, “for only a few people lived there” (Joshua 7:3). Joshua orders only a couple thousand men to go to battle. However, their army was decimated. The book of Joshua says, “At this, the hearts of the people melted in fear and became like water.” Not very strong or courageous.

Joshua finds himself face down at the ark of the Lord complaining to the Lord saying: 

Why did you ever bring these people across the Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us? If only we had been content to stay on the other side of the Jordan! Pardon your servant, Lord. What can I say, now that Israel has been routed by its enemies? The Canaanites and the other people of the country will hear about this, and they will surround us and wipe out our name from the earth. What, then, will you do for Your great name?” (Joshua 7:7-9)

What happened to “be strong and courageous”? What happened to trust in the Lord? The Lord’s response is priceless. “The Lord said to Joshua, ‘Stand up! What are you doing down on your face? Israel has sinned. That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies” (Joshua 7:10-11a, 12). The Israelites created the problem, but more importantly, one man caused the problem; Achan. Ultimately, Achan’s sin is found out and he and his family are destroyed. (Side note: Listen and obey what the Lord says, or our destruction is ever before us). 

It took one battle loss for Joshua to lose his courage and strength. He started to whine and complain, just as the previous generation did. He thought it would have been better to stay on the other side of the Jordan than to listen and follow the Lord. In the face of adversity, Joshua lost his composure, his strength, and his courage. Instead of humbly seeking the Lord, he complained to the Lord about his situation. And what does the Lord say? “STAND UP!”

Anyone in leadership will tell you that adversity comes with the position. However, we have two choices when adversity comes our way: Fall on our face and complain, or stand up and humbly seek the Lord’s guidance. Joshua is called to lead with strength and courage. As stated in my last post, we know that starts with submission to God. It is then followed by standing firm against adversity and humbly seeking the Lord. It is important to always remember the command the Lord gave to Joshua:  

Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips, meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. THEN you will be prosperous and successful. (Joshua 1:7-8)

Leadership is not for the faint of heart. It is a position that takes strength and courage. Adversity will come, and when it does, don’t fall down in a pitty party, or start thinking the grass was greener on the other side. Stand up, humble yourself, seek the Lord, and be STRONG and COURAGEOUS!

As always, stay humble and serve well!

Be Strong and Courageous (Part 1)

“Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors'” (Joshua 1:6). These were the words the Lord told Joshua when he took over as the leader of the Israelites. But let’s back up some forty years before when the Lord commanded Moses to send men from each of the twelve tribes of Israel to scout out the land of Canaan. After forty days of scouting the land, they returned to Moses and the rest of the Israelites and gave their report. Ten of the twelve scouts spread fear by expressing that the inhabitants of the land were giants, numerous, and had fortified cities. Joshua and Caleb, two of the twelve chosen to scout the land of Canaan, were the only two that encouraged the Israelites to take the land. Joshua and Caleb said:

The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. If the Lord is pleased with us, he will lead us into the land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will devour them. Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with us. Do not be afraid of them. (Numbers 14:7-9)

 After Joshua and Caleb said these things, the Israelite assembly discussed stoning them. These were people who saw the miraculous works of the Lord over and over, yet they constantly complained, doubted, and feared for their lives, even though the Lord had saved their lives numerous times. The Lord called them a “wicked community” who “grumbled” against Him. Due to their unbelief and lack of faith, the Lord forbade them from entering the promised land. The Lord said:

How long will this wicked community grumble against me? I have heard the complaints of these grumbling Israelites. So tell them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the Lord, I will do to you the very thing I heard you say: In this wilderness, your bodies will fall—every one of you twenty years old or more who was counted in the census and who has grumbled against me. Not one of you will enter the land I swore with an uplifted hand to make your home, except Caleb, son of Jephunneh, and Joshua, son of Nun. As for your children that you said would be taken as plunder, I will bring them in to enjoy the land you have rejected. But as for you, your bodies will fall in this wilderness. Your children will be shepherds here for forty years, suffering for your unfaithfulness, until the last of your bodies lies in the wilderness. For forty years—one year for each of the forty days you explored the land—you will suffer for your sins and know what it is like to have me against you.’ I, the Lord, have spoken, and I will surely do these things to this whole wicked community, which has banded together against me. They will meet their end in this wilderness; here they will die. (Numbers 14:27-35)

Forty years later, Moses is dead, and the Lord tells Joshua:

Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them – to the Israelites. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave or forsake you. Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors. (Joshua 1:2, 5-6)

The command to be strong and courageous is repeated four times in the first chapter of Joshua. In one of the commands, the Lord tells Joshua, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” The Lord, however, did not stop there. There were specific expectations that needed to be met: 

Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips, meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. THEN you will be prosperous and successful. (Joshua 1:7-8)

Listen to the command that was given to Joshua. Be strong and courageous. Lead with meaning and purpose. Do not be afraid, and do not be discouraged. However, to be successful and prosperous, we must always keep the Word of the Lord on our lips and meditate on it day and night. In today’s language, that means to live with integrity, always do what is right no matter the cost, and constantly reflect. Read God’s Word, listen to it, and live it intentionally. As the Apostle James says, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says” (James 1:22). 

Many distractions can turn our eyes away from doing what is right. Wealth. Fame. Power. Position. Animosity. Selfishness. Personal gain. The list could go on. However, each of these are mere distractions that lead to weakness; weakness in character and faith. These distractions keep us from leading with strength and courage. As Solomon wrote, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and He will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Did you catch that? “In ALL your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths STRAIGHT.” Sounds familiar when read with the command given to Joshua, “Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not TURN from it to the right or to the left.” Being strong and courageous starts with submission to God. If you want your company, organization, non-profit, team, family, children, etc. to prosper, then you must start by leading with strength and courage, and that begins with submission.

As always, stay humble and serve well!

The Power of Investing

If you have been reading my blog for any length of time, you may have noticed the emphasis I place on investing in those you lead. Investing in your people is crucial to the success of any company or organization, and it also creates a successful, well rounded culture. Investing in people is the most important action leaders should perform. As Todd Whitaker states, “It is people, not programs, that determine the quality of any organization.”

People are the life force to any organization. I worked retail for numerous years, and we were told to invest into each customer, because they are the ones that determine if we have a job or not. At the time, I agreed with what I was told. Today, I don’t necessarily disagree with the statement, but what I have learned is that the more management and leadership invested in me, the more I wanted to invest into the customers. If leadership was aloof, not present, or only communicated with me on things that I was doing wrong, my desire to do better for the company, work harder for the company, and help the company become more successful was little to none. 

In a previous post, I mentioned the time I had a manager show me what true investment in employees looked like and how it made me feel. As a young man of 16 years old, still getting used to the idea of what work really was and the responsibilities that went with it, I was working as a busser in a restaurant. I didn’t have meaning or a purpose at work. I just came in, did my time, and waited for the paycheck. One day, as I was cleaning a table, my manager was standing off to the side and watching me. She came over and told me to watch what she did. She took my towel and started to bus the table. Mind you, she wasn’t really dressed to get messy, as she was the manager and face of the restaurant. Nevertheless, she got in the ketchup, water puddles, and used plates like it was nothing. She quickly got the table done, turned to me and said, “You are one of the most important people in this place. You are the person that prepares the table for the customer. Without you, customers would not have a place to sit, eat, and enjoy themselves. Make sure you remember that and show it in how you bus and prepare the table.”

There were a myriad of ways she could have handled my lack of work ethic, if that’s what it was called. She could have told me to do better. She could have pulled me into the office and chastised me. She even could have berated me in front of customers and fellow employees. But she didn’t do any of that. Instead, she took the time to invest in me by showing me what my job is and by expressing how important I am to the company and the customer. Needless to say, the way I did tables changed from then on out, and after a month, I was promoted to head trainer for all bussers. 

Another example of leadership investing into their people is how they communicate with them. How many of you have been “called into the office” for a conversation? I know I have many times. Some of those conversations are difficult to have and may possibly get heated, others may be just to share information. Either way, the moment you have been called to the office, an uneasy feeling sets in. It’s like walking into a dark cave not knowing what you might run into.

Leaders, there is a much better way to have “conversations” with your team. First, go to them. Have conversations with them on their turf. Walk into their office and sit in front of their desk rather than having to be behind the desk. If they work in a warehouse, pull them aside to the lunch room or some place neutral on the production floor. The point is, go to them. Show them that they are important enough to get out of your office and your comfort zone.

The bottom line is your team should be the most important thing to you as a leader. The more you invest into them, the more your company, organization, department, classroom, etc. will thrive and succeed. Investing in people is about speaking truth into their life. It means you show them their value to the company/organization. It means you take the time to meet them where they are at and make time for them. When people feel valued, they feel a sense of worth and pride in themselves and their job, ultimately having a positive impact on the company and those around them. 

Takeaways:

  1. Invest in your people. As Todd Whitaker wrote, “It is people, not programs, that determine the quality of any organization.”
  2. The more you invest in your people, the more successful your company/organization will be.
  3. Go to your people. Don’t make them come to you.
  4. Express to your people the value they bring to the company/organization. 
  5. Speak life into the lives of your team. Be someone who encourages, listens, and supports their people.

As always, stay humble and serve well.

My Heart Sings (Part 2)

A few days ago, I posted a blog titled, My Heart Hurts. Even though everything I discussed in that post is true, there is another side that needs to be considered as well. People think being a teacher means teaching curriculum, giving assignments, and having summers off. This is as far from the truth as you can get. Along with teaching content and helping my students in their learning, many of my days are spent helping students traverse the mental and emotional struggles they are going through; most of which are brought on by factors beyond their control. And yes, it does hurt knowing some of the situations my students live in and knowing there is nothing I can do about it. However, there is also a bright side that should never be forgotten. What follows are reasons for why my heart sings amid the trials and struggles of being a teacher.

My heart sings knowing some of my students are going home to get a good night sleep.

My heart sings knowing that some of my students find home to be a safe place.

My heart sings knowing some of my students are cared for and supported outside of my classroom.

My heart sings because some of my students don’t have to worry where their next meal is coming from.

My heart sings knowing some of my students go home to a loving, supportive house everyday.

My heart sings because some of my students don’t have to worry about living one day to the next and can put their full attention on their learning.

My heart sings knowing some of my students have strong positive role models in their life.

My heart sings because some of my students have a firm foundation in which they can build on.

My heart sings knowing that I don’t have to worry about some of my students and their livelihood. 

My heart sings knowing that some of my students will choose to do what is right because of the people in their life. 

My heart sings knowing that there are parents who fully support their child in their learning.

My heart sings knowing that students find my classroom safe and comforting.

My heart sings watching students who might struggle academically have “Aha” moments and gain self confidence.

My heart sings knowing that I get to spend five days a week hanging out with some of the greatest human beings.

My heart sings because even though some days are hard in the classroom, the good times definitely outweigh the bad times.

My heart sings knowing that many of my students are leaving my classroom better versions of themselves.

My heart sings because I have the opportunity to teach amazing students.

My heart sings knowing that I get to encourage my students everyday.

My heart sings when I get to have fun with my students and watch them smile and laugh.

My heart sings watching my students learn how to navigate their learning but find confidence as they go.

My heart sings knowing I get to spend my days with incredible students and have the opportunity to speak truth into their life.

My heart sings knowing that I am not alone in helping my students become better at this thing called life.

My Heart Hurts (Part 1)

This post is a bit unconventional, but one I felt needed to be shared. It hasn’t been the best of days today, and I am left with a heart that is breaking for my students. What follows is the struggle I have on a near daily basis:

My heart hurts knowing the hardships and struggles I see some of my students going through. 

My heart hurts knowing that some of my students live in darkness, and I maybe the only sliver of light for them to see. 

My heart hurts knowing that I can’t swoop in and protect some of my students from what they are going through. 

My heart hurts knowing that some of my students are making poor choices, because outside of my classroom, they don’t have the support or the guidance they need to make better choices. 

My heart hurts knowing the potential each of my students have and watching some of them throw it away because of situations beyond their control. 

My heart hurts because some of my students don’t know what love, support, and appreciation feel like. 

My heart hurts knowing that some of my students are not a priority outside of the classroom. 

My heart hurts because some of my students bring the baggage of other people’s choices to school. 

My heart hurts knowing that some of my students go home to an empty house or no house at all. 

My heart hurts knowing that my classroom is a safer place for some of my students than their own home. 

My heart hurts because I see some of my students crying out for love and time from those closest to them and getting no answer. 

My heart hurts because all I want is the best for my students, but outside of the classroom some do not reciprocate the feeling.

My heart hurts knowing that some of my students have to grow up sooner than they should.

My heart hurts knowing that some of my students emotional and mental health is declining because of the actions of those closest to them.

My heart hurts because I invest countless hours speaking life and truth into my students to have some of them go home and get it ripped out of them.

My heart hurts knowing that some of my students are not a priority in their own home.

My heart hurts knowing that some of my students are hungry because of the actions and choices of others in their life.

My heart hurts knowing that all of my students are gifted, talented, and passionate but some are told that they won’t amount to anything.

My heart hurts knowing that my classroom may be the only place where some of my students are shown love, respect, and encouragement.

My heart hurts knowing that some of my students go to bed with tears in their eyes instead of a smile on their face.

My heart hurts knowing that even though they walked out of my classroom with their head held high, some of my students will return with it hanging low.

My heart hurts knowing that some of my students go home to people who will make excuses for their bad choices rather than choose to be a better example for them to follow.

My heart hurts because many days I feel alone in helping my students become better at this thing called life.

Choose Your Words Carefully

The other day, I was watching a snippet from the movie 300; one of the best movies ever made. In the scene I was watching, King Leonidas addresses a Persian messenger. The Persians want to make a treaty with the Spartans to use their land and water for their armies. Throughout most of the discussion, the Persian does most of the talking while King Leonidas listens. Near the end of the conversation, the Persian messenger warns the king to choose his words carefully. 

After a long conversation, where Leonidas does most of the listening, he leads the messenger, and his companions, to a giant hole in the ground. The king reflects on his land, his people, and his wife. He considers his choices and consequences, and with confidence and power, the king quickly draws his sword and points it at the neck of the messenger. King Leonidas responds by saying, “Earth and water; you’ll find plenty of both down there. You bring the heads of conquered kings to my city steps, you insult my queen, you have threatened my people with slavery and death. Oh, I’ve chosen my words carefully, Persian. Perhaps you should have done the same.” The Persian messenger then exclaims, “This is blasphemy. This is madness.” King Leonidas yells, “THIS IS SPARTA!” and powerfully kicks the messenger into the pit.

There are many things to learn in this scene, but I feel the most relevant lesson is to choose your words carefully. I am sure you have seen someone walk in with their head held high, with a cocky strut, and a look of arrogance. They came to make a statement. They tend to be someone who speaks a lot and listens very little. They think they have all the right answers, or they believe they deserve the respect of those they are speaking to. It’s as if they don’t even hear themselves speak, and the poison they spew has the adverse effect as intended. Their arrogance is their downfall. 

King Leonidas’s response to the Persian messenger is also something we can learn from. Even though the Persian was arrogant and thought himself more superior, King Leonidas listened to everything he had to say. He allowed the messenger to keep speaking; allowing the messenger to dig his own grave. Leonidas was attentive to what the messenger was saying and took mental notes of every wrong word the messenger chose to speak. Leonidas waited for the Persian to finish before responding. He then took stock of the situation, reflected, and made a confident decision to defend his land, his queen, and his people. He spoke with assertiveness that commanded respect. He was sure of himself; not in a haughty or arrogant way, but rather more self-assured. 

Scripture is filled with proverbs and commands concerning speaking and listening. James says, “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry” (1:19). Ecclesiastes states, there is “a time to be silent and a time to speak” (3:7). In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, he stated, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen” (4:29). Proverbs states, “To answer before listening – that is folly and shame” (18:13).  There is wisdom in listening before speaking and choosing wisely what words we use.

Don’t rush into a situation thinking you need to have something to say. Listen well and take note of what is being said. If what you hear is folly, either ignore it and say nothing, or address it with carefully chosen words. What we say has the power to destroy who we are. If we are to live a life of humility and integrity, we must choose wisely every word that comes out of our mouth. We must take pause before we respond. We must choose language that attacks the problem and not the individual. We must speak only words that we will stand by wholeheartedly. Never sacrifice your character just to have the last word. Speak truth and consider every word that comes out of your mouth. 

I leave you with a quote from King David, “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer” (Psalm 19:14).

Takeaways:

  1. Be slow to speak and quick to listen. Don’t assume you need to always have something to say. Rather, listen intently to what is being said and speak only when necessary.
  2. Reflect before you speak. Just because you disagree with a post on Facebook or with what someone might have said in the store doesn’t mean you need to respond. Reflect on what you want to say and determine if it should be said.
  3. Own what comes out of your mouth. If you aren’t willing to stand behind what you say, shut up! Only speak that which you will stand behind wholeheartedly. 
  4. Choose your words carefully. What you say has the power to destroy, not only the person you are talking to, but yourself as well. 

As always, stay humble and serve well.

Louder Voice

I was sitting on my couch, preparing for a meeting that I was going to, when a song came on over the speaker. The song immediately grabbed my attention, because the words I heard were not sung, but were spoken. “We all have two voices in our head: Fear and Love. The one you listen to will shape you. The one you ignore will fade away.” This is the beginning of the song, The Louder Voice, by Fit for a King. After the singer spoke these words, I couldn’t help but start thinking of the truth that is found in this statement. 

These lyrics closely resemble a Cherokee Indian Tradition that goes like this:

An old grandfather said to his grandson, who came to him with raging anger at a friend, “I too have felt great hate for those that have taken so much, with no sorrow for what they do. But hate wears you down, and does not hurt your enemy. It is like taking poison into your own body and wishing your enemy would suffer and die. It is as if there are two wolves inside me. One is kind and understanding and does no harm; it works to benefit the entire pack. He lives in harmony with all and does not take offense or plot revenge. His heart is open and available to the Great Spirit. The other wolf is always vengeful, vicious and full of anger. The littlest thing will set him into a fit of temper. He fights everyone and for no reason. He kills without cause or remorse. He cannot think because his resentment, anger and hate are so great. His heart is closed to the Great Spirit. Sometimes it is hard to live with these two wolves inside me. Both of them try to dominate my Spirit.” The boy looked with amazement into this wise man’s eyes and asked, “Which one wins, Grandfather?” The grandfather smiled and said, “The one that wins—is the one I feed.”

Fear is one of the most powerful emotions. Fear produces greed, hate, rage, anger, etc. Fear is controlling, manipulative, and blinds those who succumb to it’s lies. Fear has the power of dividing the closest of friends, the most intimate of lovers, and it can even keep us from doing what is right. Fear has the power to convince us that what we are doing is the right thing, when in reality, it is destroying relationships, keeping us from growing, and hindering us from progress. 

Love is the direct opposite of fear. It is written, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, because fear is by suspicion, but he who fears is not grown up in love” (1John 4:18). Love unites. Love is what focuses on living a selfless life of service. Love is what accepts others for who they are; now don’t misunderstand me, I did not say tolerates others, I said accepts others. There is a difference. Love is an action not just a feeling or emotion. Without love, we are nothing. 

Whether it’s a beginning line of a song or a Cherokee Indian Tradition, the story and truth is the same. We all have two voices, two wolves inside of us. Whichever we listen to, or whichever we feed, will dominate us. It is important that we understand what this means. It is important that we attune ourselves to our thoughts, actions, and responses. Both voices will scream at you. Both wolves will claw their way to your heart and mind. Fight hard and choose wisely which voice you listen to, or which wolf you feed. In the end, whichever one you give the most attention to will consume you, while the other will simply fade away.

Takeaways:

  1. We all have two voices, two wolves clawing for our attention. Whichever one we give attention to more will ultimately affect who we become.
  2. Take pause and reflect on what voice or wolf you are giving attention to. Fight hard to give attention to that which is right.
  3. Do not succumb to the easy way out. It is easier to hate and be angry. However, the more we choose this path, the worse we become.
  4. Life is a battlefield, and we must constantly be preparing for war. We are not at war with each other, but with the voices and desires within us. Take heed of this and prepare accordingly.

As always, stay humble and serve well.