Author: Wick

For our recent vacation, I burned us an MP3 cd full of podcasts.  Many of them were preaching or lecture/interviews with authors I enjoy.  Many of them were on parenting, or specifically for dads or moms.  Then there were a few in there just for fun…I think at least one old Fibber McGee and Molly episode. 🙂

One of the talks was by Susie Larson, who has recently written a book called “Growing Grateful Kids”, which is also the title of her talk.  She had some very good things to say (much better than her other message on the same cd about “Release” or something like that….whew).  One of the things that stood out was something I’ve thought about in other areas lately also…the topic of self-discipline.

So many places in scripture talk about the important of “self-control”.  It’s one of the fruits of the Spirit, and it’s also one of the four Cardinal Virtues popular in Greek philosophy.  Something that has been talked about and sought after for centuries.

But seems, even in circles of those following Christ, to be a very quietly pursued virtue/fruit.

Lately it seems like, and I’m sure it’s nothing new really, we try to find more and more ways to make something permissible rather than to deny ourselves.  Yet, if the only thing we ever deny ourselves is when a law or a commandment in scripture demands it of us….do we really experience self-control?  When is the last time you told yourself no…but because of a rigid diet, not because you’re committed to something else, and not because someone else imposed restrictions or recommendations on you….but simply to experience sacrifice?

In her talk, Susie brought up an older child who had been raised by his parent to make sure other “things” weren’t in control of their life.  At one point the young man tells his mom he’s decided (not associated with Lent) to give up Computers for a while, because they were demanding too much of his life, and seemed to be “controlling” more than they should.

It seems like a good way to practice, develop, and strengthen our “self-control” would be to deny ourselves something on a regular basis.  Not something we should say no to, either.  But something we could very easily say yes to, and probably even want to say yes to.  May we find and exercise some self-control today, in the name of Jesus…and may our decision bear His fruit. 🙂

“So why do people go there?” My wife asked me, a long time ago…and again as we drove up to Northern Michigan.  We were on our way to visit Mackinac Island (Used to be “Mackinaw” Island, until the French decided it was spelled wrong.).  So what did I respond?

“Um…there’s good fudge?”

It’s hard to explain.  Sure, there are quaint things about the place.  No cars allowed.  Horses and bike and yachts everywhere.  Fudge and others small shops.  Fresh whitefish everywhere.  History surrounds you.  The Grand Hotel, the setting of a movie people watch in order to make their island visit more meaningful, but probably wouldn’t have seen otherwise.  Thinking about it all as we enjoyed a “date night” on the island made me realize:

It’s kinda like catching a cold. 🙂  A good one, of course.

It starts with someone who’s been there.  Who has “caught” the bug.  They take their kids.  Their kids go with friends.  And one day, kids grow up and have kids, and a husband turns to his wife and says, “Let’s go to the island.”  She smiles.  She loves him.  So she goes. 🙂  And guess what?  She enjoys it too.  We’ll have to bring our kids again when they’re a bit older to make sure the bug sticks with them. 

And yes…we enjoyed other Northern Michigan traditions such as Petoskey Stone huntin’, crossing the Mackinaw Bridge into the Upper Peninsula, and spent a couple nights in Traverse City.  We toured several bays, and had our fill of quaint little shops, fresh fish smells, and homes/boats that cost WAY too much money.  But altogether the same…a “bug” that’s passed around.  No Disney.  No giant national monuments.  Although Moomers was voted # 1 by Good Morning America. 🙂

Which brings up the question: What “bugs” have you caught? What experience or special spot to visit have you been to…that when someone asks you “Why do you love going there?”, you have a hard time nailing down “the reason”?

2 Peter 1:5-8 (paraphrase) – “That is why you must bring every bit of energy you have to bear on the task of supplementing your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patience, and patience with godliness, and godliness with “family” (or brotherly) affection, and family affection with love.  If you have these things in plenty, you see, they will ensure that you are not wasting your time or bearing no fruit in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

So often we find ourselves caught up, as individuals, but also in the things we do alongside other people, quite busy but not quite accomplishing much at all.  Pursuing things like money, success (one or more of the infinite varieties being sold to us), power, achievements, or that “next level” where we’ll be able to relax a bit more…because isn’t being able to relax a bit more the ultimate goal?  Even if we cover it up with the “Christian” notion of working really hard and sacrificing now, so that someday we’ll kick back sipping Jesus-ade and playin’ harps while the kids run around throwin’ clouds at each other.

I look forward to more than this.  And what I look forward to, the “goal” as it were, is something that offers to transform how I exist in the now.  Offers to transform the direction of my family.  Offers to transform the direction of how I spend time with those that I love.  I don’t always allow it to…yet there it is…offering wildly eternal things.

It was pointed out to me recently that as Paul is speaking of Love (and Faith and Hope) in 1 Corinthians 13, he’s not talking about some sort of golden star seal of approval that “love” gives anything that we’d like to do…making it “worth” something.  He’s speaking to a world that knows of goals that have been set by philosophers and religious communities alike, that are incongruous with the eternity initiated by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Reminding them that not everything that smells good will last forever.  Even some of the gifts of the Spirit will become a bit superfluous when God finishes what He began.  Things like speaking in tongues, prophecy, and special gifts of “knowledge”.

That only things done shaped in the virtues of Faith, Hope, and above all – Love….will stand the test of eternity.  They will bear fruit not only in this world, but in the Kingdom that is coming (and is already begun).  I will confess, when held up to this light…it is something I need to work on.  Which is why I’ve been praying on the verse at the beginning of this post lately…for myself, for my family.  In the name of Jesus…