Archive October 2008
Heavenly Bailout Bill
This morning we discussed how God uses crisis in our lives to develop and mature us. As we talked about the various types of crises that abound, I mentioned that one crisis that has the attention of all us is the current economic crisis that grips our nation and spills out into the rest of the world.
Here was one of the take-away points: when we face crisis, we must not be motivated by fear but by faith. 1John 4:18 explains the spiritual dynamic involved. Fear and love do not mix. John tells us that people who fear are those who have not yet matured in God’s love. He also points out that fear exacts a heavy price. I’ve never thought of billionaire Warren Buffett as an person of faith, but his attitude expressed this past week in the face of the current financial crisis is a great example of how even people who are not motivated by faith still understand the problem with being carried away by mass hysteria. Buffett said that a single principle dictates his buying: Be fearful when others are greedy and be greedy when others are fearful.
The other day I was reflecting on the panic some people experience as they feed on the media’s frenzied fear reports on the Wall Street roller coaster, the credit industry and all the rest. The government has passed an incomprehensible 700 billion dollar “bailout bill.” Reading one of the Psalms, I reflected on the time when I realized my own spiritual bankruptcy and gladly laid hold of God’s Heavenly bailout bill. Here’s what I was reading and I recommend you give a few moments meditation.
Unless the LORD had been my help, my soul had almost dwelt in silence. When I said, My foot slippeth; thy mercy, O LORD, held me up. In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul. Psalm 94:17-19
What helps me keep my balance in a financial crisis like this it to spend more time meditating on God’s comforts. That delights my soul much more than mindlessly following the reports in the media.
Small World Category Update #2
You’re not going to believe this one! Marco and I have just wrapped up videotaping a training DVD to accompany the Direcciones book I’ve been talking about these past couple of days. You know, the one that just came off the press in Buenos Aires and is soon to be released here in Lima. Right now, Marco and I are waiting on uncomfortable airport chairs for our flight home that is delayed!
Stay with me as I set up the eerie part. Daniel is the CEC (the group printing the book) representative here in Lima. He came to the site where we were working on Tuesday and we had a great time catching up. He had wanted to give us a copy of the book to take home, but apologized that they had been delayed and were still a week or so away from rolling off the press.
Our video genius friend Ruben picked us up at noon and took us to a wonderful meal with his family. Thanks Ruben and Betty! And Anita, Christian and Andres! Then, we went to a Starbuck’s on the way to the airport to meet some of our KCBT family. That’s right! John and Karen are a couple from KCBT. John is from KC and Karen is Peruvian. They are visiting Peru for the first time since their wedding a year and a half ago and brought a couple of Karen’s Spanish students with them – KCBT’s own Janet and Pat. We had a great time just hanging out at Starbuck’s. Martin is the pastor of the church Kevin Tracey started some years ago, and he was able to come and join the party as well.
Finally, it was time to head to the airport. We parked the car and were rolling our luggage into the terminal. Keep in mind this is a city of about 9 million people and not a necessarily small airport. As we crossed the street to enter the terminal who did we see but Thomas and Mechthild Vogelin from CEC in Argentina! I thought Thomas might have a heart attack right there on the spot. They and another CEC staffer, Andres, had arrived to spend some time with Daniel celebrating the new office here in Lima. They had, of course, brought some copies of Direcciones with them and whipped out copies for Marco and me. How very neat!
So, when they say it is small world, I am beginning to think that’s true. We landed Monday night and were walking out of customs just a bit before midnight when I heard my name. Here was a guy looking at me and obviously knew me. I did not recognize him, but he remembered me from one of the numerous times I have spoken here in Lima. It IS a small world.
Checking In From Lima
A big thanks to those of you who specifically prayed for my health today. I have been fighting allergies the past week, an accompanying red eye and scratchy voice. I was concerned knowing that I would have to speak for between 4 and 5 hours of videotaping today. I am happy to report that my voice was strong and held up quite well. I can’t vouch for what I said, but I was told that at least it sounded strong!
Tomorrow we head home. I’m ready! We’ll leave Lima shortly before midnight and arrive back in Kansas City shortly before noon Friday. That gives me a couple of days at home before leaving for Mexico City Monday morning.
This is just a quick thank you note tonight. I’ll get back with you later, but it won’t be tomorrow night since I’ll be up in the air!
Direcciones Update
No, that is not a misspelling. Direcciones is the Spanish translation of Directions, the discipleship tool I wrote a couple of years ago. I am writing these words from a resort hotel about 30 minutes outside of Lima, Peru. Marco and I are here to videotape training to accompany Direcciones in the Spanish-speaking world.
Seeing how God is using this tool has been very encouraging and gratifying. If you are part of KCBT you are already familiar with Directions. Last year the book was released in its Spanish version and the results in both English and Spanish have been beyond what I could have imagined.
One of the difficulties in the Spanish-speaking world is supplying the books. To print them in the United Sates and ship them to other countries puts the price point beyond what most people could afford. So, we have had to adopt another strategy. Last month Direcciones rolled off the press in Argentina thanks to a partnership with our friends at CEC. Again, the partnership with CEC is about to bear fruit. Within the next couple of weeks Direcciones will be printed in Peru. Response from pastors and leaders wanting this tool has proved very exciting. More than just a book, Direcciones is a tool that is meant to accompany a life style of making disciples of Jesus Christ. That’s why we think it is very important to have a training tool to accompany the use of the book, and that is why we find ourselves here this week in Lima. If you would like to see my promo for Direcciones that I made for CEC, click here.
Things are happening on other fronts, too. A couple of ladies in our church are busy translating Directions into Mandarin Chinese. We are making contact to have Directions translated into Portuguese very soon. Portions of Directions are being translated by missionaries in Thailand for use with IDPs (Internally Displaced People) in several places in Southeast Asia. Directions is being translated in Bengali and a few others languages. I just learned this past Sunday that a radio program covering North Africa and the Middle East has been using Directions as a guide for their programs this past year and that the Arabic version should be ready to be posted on their website in the not too distant future. Pretty cool, huh?
If you have a chance, pray for me tomorrow, Wednesday, as I do this training in Spanish. I have been fighting allergies, a sore throat and a pink eye this week and don’t feel quite up to par. I really don’t have time to be sick. This is the first leg of five countries on four continents in the next four weeks and I would really like to be in good health. Thank you!
Clay – In Pursuit of Excellence
Last Sunday I made a passing comment about the importance of understanding the doctrine of vocation. This is the idea that every one of us has a calling, not just pastors, missionaries, evangelists and the like. God put us all on earth for a reason, and each of us should seek to glorify him by doing the very best job we can at whatever it is that he has given us to do. Today I was reminded of one off the most powerful illustrations of this truth I have ever seen. It’s a great story. Let me tell you about the greatest flight attendant I have ever seen – and I’ve seen a bunch of them!
A few years ago, Marco and I were flying back from some Central American country neither of us can remember. What we do remember is Clay. We boarded our Continental flight very early one morning and were among the first on board. We were greeted by a genuine smile and a man who simply exuded energy. He told us that his name was Clay and that he would be taking care of us that morning.
“Don’t hesitate to ask me for whatever you need. That’s my job. I want you to have a great flight.” Or something to that effect. We just remember the obvious sincerity and enthusiasm with which he spoke while we were trying to just wake up.
Soon, Clay was working the entire aircraft. He greeted each and every passenger with a unique greeting that was no less sincere and warm. We soon noticed that he did a very serviceable job with Spanish and had a knack for knowing which language to speak to whom. A lady was beginning to lift her bag into the overhead space when we heard, “Stop! Please, Madam, let me do that. Please let me help you. I’m happy to do that for you.” From that point on he seemed to be everywhere at once. Within five minutes he had sweat through his shirt. Perspiration flowed from his forehead, but could not wash away his smile or quench the warmth of his voice.
Marco and I sat in a pure amazement. We were in the presence of a rare individual. Someone who is the very best at what they do. A couple settled in just behind us and across the aisle. Neither Marco and I remember whether it was German or French, but Clay had soon greeted them in their language as well.
For the entire flight there was not the slightest hint of a letdown. When he spoke, he was careful to represent his company and mention the name Continental with great pride. “They don’t have the money to make a commercial this good!” I thought. No one would believe it anyway. But, here we were watching this man make an entire plane of people feel like they had a personal butler for the day. I wrote a letter of commendation to Continental when we got home. I used Clay as an illustration in a sermon not long after that.
Today, Marco and I stood outside the gate in Houston waiting to board our flight to Mexico City. Marco said, “Maybe it’s just me, but it seems like the past year or so many flight attendants have had somewhat of an attitude.”
“Yeah,” I said, “but do you remember Clay?” His eyes lit up and he smiled as we remembered that unique shared experience.
We boarded the plane and found our seats. I was on an aisle and he was across the aisle one row up. The flight was going to be full, and people were struggling to get on and find space for their bags. Marco leaned back, caught my attention and pointed to the front of the cabin. My eyes focused on a large black man bent over working on something. “Is that Clay?” Marco wondered.
“No!” I thought. “That’s too much. The world couldn’t be that small!”
He turned around. The smile, the voice – it was Clay! Hearing us speaking in Spanish, the Mexican man across from Marco, who must be a regular, said, “Sí, es Clay!”
He had not changed. We could not take our eyes off watching him work. Nothing was impossible. Nothing was too hard. Nothing was a bother. It was like watching Joe Montana flawlessly execute a two minute drill resulting in a winning touchdown. It was like watching Yo Yo Ma play his cello.
As late-arriving passengers sought in vain for a place to stow luggage, the other flight attendant offered no help and conveyed the attitude that they probably shouldn’t have brought anything on board anyway, that they made their own problem. Like Superman swooping down at the last instant, Clay would grab bags and begin to rearrange entire bins until somehow, someway he would make everything fit. He saw a long-legged, very tall man whose legs were cramping, and he successfully coaxed a passenger to happily relinquish an exit row seat so the tall dude could have a bit of comfort. I’m thinking maybe we should send Clay to negotiate peace in the Middle East.
Seriously, I was so encouraged to see someone so completely given to his job and to people. As we left the plane I told Clay that I had flown with him before, that he was the best I have even seen and that I had written a letter to Continental about him. I gave him my card and told him to let me know if I could ever serve him. He give me his card in return.
If you ever find yourself on a flight with Clay, tell him hello for me, and then sit back, enjoy and watch a master go about his work. The man is simply amazing. I don’t know a thing about his spiritual background, but I can tell you that he does a far better job of reflecting a bit of the joy and glory of God back to the human race than many professional Christian leaders I have known. How do you think you and I can learn from Clay’s example?
Marco and I will be teaching missions to a group of about 150 pastors and leaders here in Mexico City before heading home Thursday. I’ll keep you posted.