Acts 24:27 (KJV): “But
after two years Porcius Festus came into Felix’ room: and Felix, willing to
shew the Jews a pleasure, left Paul bound.”
COMMENTARY: During your career, either as an individual or an entity, have you
ever been bogged down in governmental bureaucracy and politics–by a strange,
mysterious and convoluted lack of decision-making and action by the powers that
be?
Over the decades of my professional career, I’ve seen government
bureaucracies at multiple levels expand and exert an ever-tighter, unreasonable
grip on businesses. There are times when I get exasperated “rendering unto
Caesar what is Caesar’s” when I see so much unreasonable control,
manipulation, and misuse of governmental power, authority and resources.
Back in his day, the Apostle Paul went through a whole lot of nonsense
due to bureaucracy and politics, on multiple levels. In Acts 24 and surrounding
chapters, we read about a situation during which he sits in jail for two years
without being convicted of anything–for apparently no “good” reason
except that Felix wanted to please the Jews and receive a bribe from Paul.
While Paul was a spiritual giant, I’m sure that humanly speaking, he got
frustrated, exasperated, irritated, and restless. However, in due season, Paul
had an opportunity to speak and defend himself with Festus, and the wheels of
progress began to turn once again.
APPLICATION: If you are bogged down in bureaucracy and politics today, keep
praying and trusting the Lord. Be alert to strategic opportunities to speak
words of divine, Holy Spirit-led clarity (spoken in a calm, confident manner)
into a confusing, confounding and contentious situation. Watch how the Lord
works to break up the stagnation and get things moving again. He will work it
all out for good, even when we cannot see how or when.
Image by Gerd Altmann / Pixabay . Used with Permission.
Acts 3:10
(KJV): “And they knew that it
was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple: and they were
filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him.” (Read
verses 1-11 for more context.)
COMMENTARY: When we think of “beauty,” we often think of visual
beauty. However, beauty encompasses all of the aesthetic senses: sight, sound,
smell, taste and feel.
In a world that’s full of ugliness, as a Christ-follower, you have a
wonderful opportunity to be “a beautiful gate” at work. Not
“The” Beautiful Gate, because that’s Jesus. As His ambassadors, we
can be beautiful gates into His way of doing business and His Kingdom. Over
time, the Lord can make you known as “The Company Christian,” which
is a compliment and not an insult!
APPLICATION: There are two kinds of beauty: physical and spiritual. Here are
some suggestions on how you can be a beautiful gate at work in both ways:
Beauty through overall cleanliness and order. A dirty, messy,
disorganized, chaotic workspace and poor personal hygiene send unhelpful messages
to others.
Beauty through visuals. What kind of content do you have on your
screensaver, furniture, bulletin boards, equipment, signage and walls?
Beauty through sound. What can you do to make your workplace
sounds more beautiful? Remember, quietness can be beautiful.
Beauty through smell and taste. Utilize air purifiers and filters
to keep the air smelling “clean.” Offer free, prepackaged snacks to
co-workers and guests.
Spiritual beauty. You can be a beautiful gate at work by exhibiting
the fruit of the Spirit and through your work quality, work ethic and
team-building skills.
Image by Gerd Altmann / Pixabay . Used with Permission.
Colossians 4:17 (KJV): “And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast
received in the Lord, that thou fulfill it.”
COMMENTARY: Have you ever heard the expression, Duty Calls? Duty is a moral or legal obligation or responsibility. In recent decades, it appears that many of the most challenging issues in our society stem from the erosion of duty as a valued and vital element of everyday life.
APPLICATION: This passage of scripture challenges and exhorts us to “take heed” to
the ministry that we have received, that we fulfil or accomplish it. We have a
God-given responsibility and duty to be good citizens, husbands, wives,
fathers, mothers, family members, students, employers, employees, neighbors and
community members. If we want our society to improve, it begins with a renewed
sense of duty and an abundance of goodness and godliness. Will you take heed
today and every day?
Image by Shad0wfall / Pixabay. Used with Permission.
Matthew 26:41
(KJV): “Watch and pray, that ye
enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
COMMENTARY: In management, and especially in the field of HR training and
development, there is a professional discussion that goes something like this:
“Which is most important, employee energy or employee know-how?” (I just
finished a book on the history of U-Haul, and the founder brought this up all
the time.) Of course, both are important, but if you had to prioritize, which
would come first?
Diverse opinions exist, but to me, the pendulum swings in the
direction of employee energy. Why? Because if employees have the energy,
they’ll be motivated to develop the know-how. If they already have the
know-how, they’ll have the energy to apply it, gain more know-how, and
continuously grow in their expertise.
By contrast, if employees have the know-how (whether through God-given
talent, formal education and training, and/or work experience) but they don’t
have the energy, they won’t apply what they know, and they won’t be motivated
to seek more knowledge and grow professionally.
APPLICATION: Today, how would you rate yourself on the energy scale? Are you
maintaining a high level of enthusiasm and motivation, or are you coasting?
Have you lost your zeal? Are you just “putting in your time” until
you can find another job or retire?
Maybe inside, your spirit is willing, but you lack the mental,
physical, emotional and/or spiritual energy. I’d be happy to send you a free
PDF copy of a simple one-page flyer, “Enthusiasm makes a BIG Difference.” The
content is Scriptural and timeless. Does anyone have the energy to ask for
it?
Joyfully yours,
Drew
Enthusiasm makes a BIG difference!
Commentary and compilation by Drew Crandall,
based on the writings of the Rev. Norman Vincent Peale
There are various definitions of enthusiasm:
passionate admiration or interest; religious emotion extravagantly manifested;
God in you, full of God, fullness of joy.
Key Scripture text: “Render service with enthusiasm,
as unto the Lord and not to men and women.” (Ephesians 6:7)
Key elements of enthusiasm are heat,
intelligence, and motivation (2 Tim 1:7). Enthusiasm is a kind of faith that
has been set afire under the control of the Holy Spirit. Enthusiasm also breeds
faith, which in turn stimulates a sharp awareness of life, a consuming interest
in living, and ACTION!
Under the control of the Holy Spirit,
enthusiasm creates and builds. It is “relaxed power,” full of drive but lacking
tension. Uncontrolled enthusiasm dominates the person and causes him/her to be
over-heated, overconfident, and full of uncontrolled anticipation, which leads
to a running away from judgement and reason. Uncontrolled enthusiasm leads to
unreasonableness, an attempt at too much too fast, loud talking, high pressure,
and in the end defeat and frustration. It eventually washes out because it is
overpressed.
The alternative problem is a lack or low
supply of enthusiasm, which leads to cooling and apathy. Apathy makes jobs more
difficult, tiresome, and tense. Common “coolants” in any organization are
so-called sophisticates, intellectuals, wealthy cynics and critics. (Sounds
like the chief priest, scribes, Pharisees in Matt 23:13-34!)
To ignite and keep enthusiasm, you need to “mentally
ventilate” at the start of each day, to cleanse your mind of discouragement,
gloom, hate, prejudice, resentment, dissatisfaction, and worry (Phil. 4:6- 9).
The word worry means “to choke or strangle” one’s personality.
Once you’ve mentally ventilated, the next step
is to undergo a high degree of “combustion of the mind.” This happens when
you’re aroused by (a) an ideal that takes your imagination by storm, (b) a
definite plan for carrying that ideal into “real world” practice that’s broken
down into little goals, and (c) initiative to then do it!
Specific everyday benefits of enthusiasm: (a)
joy; (b) motivation; (c) cancellation of fear and worry; (d) new perspective on
“problems.” They now become fun, because each problem has a soft spot and carries
with it the seeds of its own solution! God wants us to be creative
problem-solvers!
1 Timothy
6:9-10 (KJV): “But they that will be
rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts,
which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the
root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the
faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”
Today’s devotion is on GAMBLING, a topic that you rarely hear anything
about in most Christian churches and organizations, except for financial
ministries, CPAs and financial advisors.
What does the Bible say about “gambling?” There is no direct
prohibition, but there are two ways for Christ-followers to discern wisdom from
folly, right from wrong: (1) by studying Scriptural principles and (2) by
inspecting the fruit. Tapping various Christian resources, here is a summary:
Gambling
disregards responsible stewardship.
Gambling
involves chance of gain at the expense and suffering of others.
Gambling
is inconsistent with a Scriptural work ethic.
Gambling
is contrary to Biblical warnings against greed.
Gambling
is incongruous with a healthy recognition of God’s Providence.
Gambling
is unwise because it is enslaving.
Gambling
is a compromise of Christian ethics and witness.
Gambling
operations are steeped in deceit and manipulation.
1 Corinthians 3:5-7 (KJV): “Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.”
COMMENTARY: For decades, I’ve seen many parallels between Kingdom-building
and business-building. Many times, I’ve told businesspeople that you’ll never
take the mystery out of sales and marketing. You can try to forecast, but
prospecting has a mysterious cycle that you’ll never be able to neatly fit in
an Excel spreadsheet. Yes, everyone should do what they know they should be
doing. Beyond that, your team has no good and noble option but to trust the
Lord of the harvest to bring in the business in His time and in His way.
Otherwise, you can drive yourself and everyone around you crazy trying to
manipulate outcomes in an unnatural, forced way.
APPLICATION: Today’s a new day! Keep making those sales calls. Keep reaching
out to existing, past and prospective customers. Keep promoting your products
and services. Don’t get flustered, don’t get impatient, don’t try to
aggressively force the sale. Faithfully plant, water, and trust God for the increase
and praise Him when He provides it. It’s part of His divine provision for your
life and organization.
Genesis 10:5
(KJV): “By these were the isles
of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their
families, in their nations.”
COMMENTARY: As many subscribers to The Salt Mine know, I’m frequently
inspired to write my devotions during quiet hikes in the hilly, rocky forests
of Connecticut and nearby Massachusetts. During these hikes, it’s very common
to come across clusters of pines, white birch, oaks, mountain laurel, and other
species of plant life.
A “cluster” is a group of similar things positioned or
occurring closely together. This clustering is not a negative characteristic of
plant life. There are understandable environmental reasons why plant life has a
tendency to cluster. As a lover of nature, I am free to walk through all of
these clusters along the trail, enjoying and appreciating the diversity,
without expecting to see every species growing together in the exact same
location.
In a similar way, it is natural for social and economic clustering to
take place in humanity. This human clustering has taken place for thousands of
years, since early in the Book of Genesis. There is nothing inherently wrong or
unjust about it.
APPLICATION: Diversity is a hot buzzword in today’s culture and workplaces.
As we journey through life, diversity of people (as in plant life) is to be
accepted, enjoyed and appreciated. However, be aware that current
“politically correct” views of, assumptions about, and expectations
for diversity are extreme, unrealistic and impractical. In my view, much of the
intense focus on diversity is misguided groupthink and manipulative posturing.
Like nature, people groups will always be prone to cluster, regardless
of ethnicity or industry. Clustering and diversity are not mutually exclusive.
The societal and spiritual problem arises when clustering makes people so
“in-grown” that they fail to explore, engage with, relate to,
appreciate, and enjoy the wider diversity that exists in the forest of
humanity–with the love of Christ at our inner core.
Image by Free-Photos / Pixabay – Account and Image Link Discontinued. Used with Permission.
John 18:10
(KJV): “Then Simon Peter having
a sword drew it, and smote the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right
ear. The servant’s name was Malchus.”
COMMENTARY: “Rash” means ill-advised and hasty action. Recently, I hiked
up a mountain trail that I used to take regularly with two close friends during
my high school years. At one point, there is a side trail that goes to the base
of some tall cliffs. One day back in the 1970s, the three of us took that trail
and reached the bottom of the cliffs in mid-to-late afternoon. We had no gear
for cliff-climbing, but one of my friends impulsively said, “Let’s climb
these cliffs.” I immediately and firmly refused, saying that we were not
prepared, not experienced, and that the sun would be setting soon. My two friends
rashly decided to go for it, with no helmets, no ropes, nothing! They couldn’t
even see where the cliffs went; they assumed that the ridge trail was at the
top of the cliff. Wrong!
Off they went, higher and higher to a height of what I estimate to be
125 feet, with me watching them straight up from the bottom. Then, they shouted
down to me that they were stuck. They couldn’t come down, and they couldn’t go
up. Miraculously, as my friend was clinging to some brush,some hikers along the
ridge trail heard him and had some ve rope. They tied the rope around a big
tree, and threw it over the edge. My friends were able to climb the rope to
safety.
Here we are nearly 50 years later, and both of my friends recently
retired. One had a successful career in finance, the other a successful career
in television. They both had wives and families. It is very possible that my
friends could have died that fateful afternoon. For what? The thrill of
risk-taking?
APPLICATION: Like Peter in today’s passage, I’ve made several rash decisions
myself, and I’ve lived to regret them. I’m sure you have, too. The moral of
today’s story is don’t be rash at work or anywhere! In a split second, you can
make rash decisions with detrimental and even deadly consequences. Instead,
pray for and listen to wisdom when she speaks, no matter how much peer pressure
is directed at you. Don’t follow the herd literally and figuratively off the
cliff!
Image by Gerd Altmann / Pixabay. Used with Permission.
Ephesians
6:18 (KJV): “Praying always with all
prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all
perseverance and supplication for all saints.”
COMMENTARY: This past week, a friend of mine accidentally backed into a tree stump
that she couldn’t see out of her rear-view or side mirrors. The impact caused
her muffler, clamps and pipes to fall off, requiring unexpected and immediate
repairs. A few weeks ago, another friend’s vehicle engine caught on fire as he
was driving down an interstate highway. Thankfully, he was not injured. These
events were certainly not intentional or deliberate; they were accidents–and
reminders that in this fallen, broken world, “stuff happens.”
APPLICATION: Perseverance means “continued effort to do or achieve something
despite difficulties, failure, or opposition: the action or condition or an
instance of persevering: steadfastness.” As you go about your daily workplace
responsibilities and duties (as a business owner, executive, manager or
employee), unexpected stuff will happen. It’s irritating, aggravating,
annoying, distracting, disheartening and can be harmful or expensive. But it
comes with life. We’re all imperfect humans, living with other imperfect
humans, in an imperfect world. We’re not in Glory yet!
When stuff happens, persevere! Get through it with Holy
Spirit-inspired faith, diligence, patience and resolve. Be an encourager,
helper and friend to others around you who experience unexpected issues and
challenges. God is and will be with you through all of the ups and downs!
Image by mohamed Hassan / Pixabay . Used with Permission.
Philippians
4: 6-8 (KJV): “Be careful for
nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let
your requests be made known unto God.And the peace of God,
which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through
Christ Jesus.Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true,
whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are
pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if
there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.“
COMMENTARY: Today, are you struggling with discouragement? Discouragement means
loss of confidence or enthusiasm. The reality is that in this fallen, broken
world, life is difficult, painful and vexing. There are plenty of legitimate
reasons for you and me to get discouraged. We all feel discouraged at one time
or another, myself included.
APPLICATION: The core issue is what we do about it. If we allow discouragement to
take hold and pollute our emotions, infect our thinking, diminish our
motivation and take us down into the pit of despair, depression and
hopelessness, then we’re allowing discouragement to erode our lives and the
lives of those around us.
When I begin to get discouraged, I turn to this passage. We cannot
ignore or deny the bad, the ugly or the evil. They’re real and dangerous. We
must deal with them and do our part to address and overcome them with good.
Remember, there’s also a great deal of beauty and goodness around us, and that
God loves us. Count your blessings each day and be encouraged!
