Taken from Lieutenant Colonel Charles King, Editor in Chief at the Salvation Army's International HQ

I spent several hours on Saturday single-handledly moving all the furniture around in my living room – only to end up putting everything back exactly where it had originally been. The reason for the exercise was that I had bought myself a new television after the old one finally gave up the ghost, and I succumbed to the temptation to buy one with a ridiculously large screen.

I knew it was a mistake as soon as I switched it on. What seemed so attractive in the huge showroom of the superstore was just overpowering in my modest terraced house in Croydon. I decided the only way it might work was if I put the telly in the furthest corner of the room. So, I started moving all the furniture around. But the only way everything fitted was the original layout. A complete morning wasted.

The next day, the Salvation Army band I play in was on duty for the Remembrance Sunday service at Croydon’s Fairfield Hall. During this I listened to an excellent sermon from the Vicar, who reminded us how two World Wars and a succession of smaller ones turned the world upside down. Yes, I thought, and the real tragedy is that after all the upheaval, everything seems to go back so quickly to how it was before – like moving the furniture around, but ending up with the original arrangement. War – despite the horrendous sacrifice – is a very inefficient way of solving problems. After centuries of conflict, our world is still full of inequality, injustice and inhumanity.

How do we bring about the new order our world so badly needs? For many people religious faith has a part to play. For me, the teachings of Jesus focus the problems of the world in much the same way as a good television documentary does. Jesus had the knack of taking a universal need, such as grief, or loneliness, or guilt, and presenting it on a very human scale. He told stories about one lost coin, one straying sheep, one prodigal son. In each case his solution was manageable – do-able by individuals.

Today's international problems sometimes seem so huge that it's as if we cower on our sofa in front of a huge screen whose images overwhelm us. I'm convinced, though, that the solutions lie with individuals, if only their voices can be heard and if they have the courage to speak and act with the compassion that I feel is the true characteristic of all men and women, of all nations and creeds.

When individuals live at peace with each other, peace between nations will follow.

“Then he touched their eyes and said, ‘According to your faith will it be done to you’; and their sight was restored” (Matthew 9:29–30 NIV).

 

A friend of mine, Bruce, taught college in Oregon for awhile. When he began his first semester teaching there, he was told that the college placed students in English classes by their level of ability. Bruce was assigned to teach two “average ability” classes and one “advanced ability.” He really enjoyed teaching the advanced class: they seemed more alert, more fun, asked better questions, and, as expected, had a higher grade average than the other classes.

 

On the final day of the semester, Bruce commented on these differences to the other professors in the faculty lounge. He said he hoped to get more of the advanced classes next semester. But to his surprise, his department director said, “Bruce, I don’t know where you got your information but we phased out the average/advanced distinction a year ago. You’ve been teaching mixed classes all semester like the rest of us!”

 

Bruce couldn’t believe it! He checked his records, and sure enough, there were far more A’s and B’s in the class that he thought was full of smart kids. And he really had enjoyed teaching that class more. But the only real difference between the classes had been Bruce’s expectations of them.

 

You can set people up for success or failure by your expectations.

 

People tend to become what they think we expect them to be. If you communicate to the people around you that you expect them to be lazy, uncreative, and negative, that’s probably how they will respond to you. On the other hand, if you treat people like winners, they’re likely to become winners. Psychologists call it “The Pygmalion Effect.”

 

•        The best salesmen expect customers to buy their product.

•        The best executives expect employees to have creative ideas.

•        The best speakers expect audiences to be interested.

•        The best leaders expect people to want to follow.

•        The best teachers expect students to learn.

 

Would you like to bring out the best in those around you? Here's the key: Treat them the way they could be! Don’t just “tell it like it is.” Tell it like it could be.

 

One of the questions which often comes up on personality tests is, “are you TASK orientated person or a PEOPLE orientated person?”  I’m a stickler for “things to do” lists, and can think of little more satisfying than crossing items off such a list!  So I guess I’m probably more of a TASK person, but today I feel like God is challenging me…

 

It’s all about relationship!

Our God is a God of relationship.  He made us to be in a relationship with Him, and we see Him relating to Himself through the three persons of the Trinity (see for example Jesus’ baptism in Luke 3: 21-22).  We are made in God’s image, and so are also relationship beings.  Much of who we are is defined through our relationships with friends, colleagues, spouses, parents, children, and of course God.

 

So, given that there are always things that have to get done, how do I find a balance between TASKS and PEOPLE?  Do I have enough emphasis on people?

§ On the train to work, do I spend my whole time trying to avoid my fellow commuters?

§ At church am I too busy getting things done to spend time with my church family, or with someone new who needs welcoming?

§ During my lunch breaks at work, do I eat my sandwiches at my desk rather than spending the time with colleagues?

§ If I have a spare evening do I ever make it a priority to meet up with a friend or to phone a relative?

 

Luke 10

One after the other in Luke 10 we find two passages which give Jesus’ perspective on this.  In the parable of the Good Samaritan the priest and the Levite rush on past the beaten and badly injured man; the Samaritan finds the time to help him.  At the home of the two sisters, Martha rushes around making preparations; Mary simply sits at Jesus’ feet and listens.  So, two challenges for us all:

§ Are we too focussed on our busy lives to notice or spend time with the people in need around us?

§ Are we like Martha, too “distracted by the preparations that have to be made”, and so never find the time to sit at the Lord’s feet and to listen to what he has to say?

 

Taken From Most Rev & Rt Hon Dr John Sentamu - Tuesday 18 November 2008

 

Well Terry there's a lot of gloom around at the moment in terms of economic news, not least in terms of job losses as we come up to Christmas. People hear the economic forecasters and financial speculators tell of the coming storm and wonder whether they can survive the tempest. During these times it seems one of the first things that seems to fly out of the window are thoughts of happiness. You could almost argue that in terms of economic analysis whilst the demand for happiness remains high there seems to be a bit of a problem on the supply side.

 

Everyone is searching for it but, like the rainbow's end, it always seems to be in the next field. Trying to find happiness form this world is like trying to light up a dark room by lighting a succession of matches. You strike one, it flickers for a moment, and then it goes out. Terry I don't think it's happiness that we should be frantically searching around for. Like a dark room that's suddenly flooded with light, this is what you and I need. And that is: JOY!

 

Joy isn't quite like happiness. Whilst happiness tends to be fleeting, disappearing at the slightest mood-swing, joy underpins and sustains. Why? Because in the Bible it is a quality grounded on and derived from God himself, and it is consistently the mark of both the individual believer and of the corporate fellowship (Psalm 16:11; John 15:11) Sharing in God's life produces his love, joy and peace in us! Joy like a fruit ripens in our life.

 

The opposite of joy isn't sadness. The opposite of joy is fear. And that's why we need to hear again the Christmas message of the angel to the terrified shepherds:

"Don't be afraid! I have good news for you, which will make everyone joyful. This very day in King David's city, a Saviour was born for you.

He is Christ the Lord."

 

So my message to all your listeners this morning, Terry, is a simple one:

 

Recently I’ve been away with some old university friends and we start chatting about each others lives – and one of them sarcastically said “oh you’re a dad!” – I didn’t know - after me showing a photo of Elijah to them for about the 3^rd or 4^th time. And it has really challenged me in my whole approach to people – and how I express myself to them. I am a proud Dad – I’m proud to be a Dad and I want everyone to know that you shouldn’t fear the lifestyle change that being a Dad brings (as so many people I know fear) – but the change that it brings about within you is one that should be celebrated and enjoyed. But my shining of this truth dilutes and cheapens the message of what I am excitedly trying to communicate to people. So how great it is to be a Dad in my head becomes – well I don’t want to be like him in their heads!

 

So I’ve been mulling over in my mind since meeting my friends how do I communicate the gospel to people – do I cram it down people’s throats like I do about being a Dad? Or do I quash the light within me for the sake of others. And if I do quash it – should I? The whole way I have learned to evangelise was when talking about God was to excitedly say to them how wonderful life is with Jesus? But most people are suspicious of this type of lifestyle – and the stereotypical Christian at a party is the person being the life & soul of the party in the middle of the room “saying I don’t need any drinks I’m crazy enough” And this causes people to feel resentful & bitter towards this person. And this is communicated by snide remarks and put down comments.

 

Some would argue does it matter if people laugh at you for your faith? You have the truth within you. And they would say like I say to myself – why should I let the light within me be quashed by people who can’t say nice things about people (by the way I love my mate – he is very observant & funny chap). And then I read this passage in Exodus this morning (it also should be noted so people don’t think I’m holier than thou – it is a very rare occasion that the Bible is chosen over the snooze button):

 

Exodus 34: 29 to 35 - The Radiant Face of Moses

29 When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the LORD. 30 When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, his face was radiant, and they were afraid to come near him. 31 But Moses called to them; so Aaron and all the leaders of the community came back to him, and he spoke to them. 32 Afterward all the Israelites came near him, and he gave them all the commands the LORD had given him on Mount Sinai. 33 When Moses finished speaking to them, he put a veil over his face. 34 But whenever he entered the LORD's presence to speak with him, he removed the veil until he came out. And when he came out and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, 35 they saw that his face was radiant. Then Moses would put the veil back over his face until he went in to speak with the LORD.

 

WHY did Moses veil his face? Why should he cover up the Lord’s radiance on his face? Why should he cover up the light on his face? Because the people were afraid! Do we cause people to fear God / and prevent them committing their lives to Him because the way we are when we talk about God? And then I thought – how many people have I shared the Gospel with over the last year – and of all those I shared the gospel with – how many actually asked me to?

 

Luke 14 – Jesus at the Pharisees House

7 When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honour at the table, he told them this parable: 8"When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honour, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. 9If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, 'Give this man your seat.' Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. 10 But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, 'Friend, move up to a better place.' Then you will be honoured in the presence of all your fellow guests. 11For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted

 

In other words when we speak to people – when we are around them – are we seeking to bless them or are we communicating our own agenda? In Hope 08 we took the humble seats and did the jobs around Bracknell that others didn’t want to do. And people were moved and gave their lives to Jesus. When we are with people – do we wait for them to invite us to the better seat where they are asking about our faith (caused by the lowly hidden example of our lives – that whilst veiled is like an eclipse of the sun – bursting around the edges).

 

For me I write one thing - but I know I do the other. I slam people with the force that is Richard and hope that they will glimpse a little bit of Jesus in who I am. As my non-believing mate could very possibly sarcastically tell me – “oh you’re a Christian – you never said” - after mentioning God 5 times in one sentence.  Are we eclipsed suns? Veiling God’s glory or unveiled suns blinding people to God’s truth?