How am I loving my neighbor?

I’ve been asking myself a lot lately what it means to become love. I have other questions too but they all hinge upon this question of becoming love. 

Oh here’s a question I have rattling around. 

Mask or no mask? 

Well maybe for you it’s not even a question and maybe for me, it’s the wrong question but it’s in there so here I go. 

In conversations and in listening to people who do and those who do not wear masks, I’ve been trying to hear the reasons for their choice. I’ve been going over the should I question again and again in my mind. 

I think the question is: how am I loving my neighbour?

I’ve gone to stores where they ask you to wear a mask to enter and found people who are not wearing them and I’ve been at stores with no mention of wearing masks and found people wearing them and here’s my personal conclusion. 

Most people wearing masks find those wearing masks safer to be around than those who are not, regardless of the validity of that I feel that’s the thought process of those I have encountered. 

So for me, if my neighbour feels unsafe around me I’m not loving them and that’s wrong so I chose to wear a mask not because I’m bowing to the man or sheepishly following along with a stupid inconsistent rule (two things I’ve heard about that choice)

I’m giving myself the best chance to love people who may be afraid and show them that I want them to be safe around me. 

Here’s what I’m not saying. 

I’m not saying If you don’t wear a mask you're not loving those around you. That’s not what this is about what this is about is not living in freedom at the expense of love.

(For those who are Bible literate look up 1 Corinthians 10:24 and the following verses.)

Here’s what I am saying. Don’t let your freedom, be it freedom from fear or freedom to choose cause you to not choose love first. 

I might be super wrong in this choice to wear a mask but if I’m going to error it’s going to be an error on the side of love. 

Because becoming love means I need to ask better questions like: what does love require of me?

What does it require of you? 

Today it’s one thing tomorrow another ask the question that matters: how am I loving my neighbour? 

I’m Jason and this is life as i see it. 

Hearing God. Part 6. Look for opportunity.

I’m a recovering excusaholic.

I’ve said “I can’t” more times then I’ve said my name I think. 

Excuses are so easy to present when challenges come because they don’t cost anything to make, at the beginning anyways. 

Solutions however cost us something immediately. 

Last week I said I knew what I was supposed to do but didn’t know what to do. 

That’s a total excuse. 

I won’t let me kids say “I don't know” when asked a question. 

I demand they tell me they will think about it or find out. 

But I let myself say I don’t know and I won’t try find out all the time. 

Well there are plenty of reason why becoming love, as Bob Goff describes it, isn’t possible. 

But it’s necessary. 

It’s my true act of worship. 

I was challenged this weekend to not ask how little is required of me. But to ask how far can I go? 

The later I s a much better question it’s like saying “I’ll find out” or “I’ll think about it” immediately opportunity and options open up. 

I really don’t have a lot to say about this subject because talking is also missing the point. 

I need to use the power of 5 as John C. Maxwell says it. 

1. Know what you want to accomplish. 

2. Have the right tool. 

3. Take action. 

4. Stay focused. 

5. Be consistent. 

I’m Jason and this is life as I see it. 

Hearing God. Part 5. Love like I’m made of it.

This hasn’t been the easiest week not because something went wrong or even that something didn’t go right but because I’m 100% sure of what I’m supposed to do with the rest of my life now and it scares the crap out of me. 

The reason is scares me to much is because I don’t know what it is supposed to look like and I’m even less sure of what it will cost me but I can’t escape from the truth of it. 

Not anymore. 

Jesus had a mission. 

We quote it, write down its address to be seen on tv at sport games. It’s probably the most well know and maybe the least understood verse in the Bible. 

It’s John 3:16 it says “God loved the world this way: He gave his only Son so that everyone who believes in him will not die but will have eternal life.”

God loved so He gave. 

It’s simple, but it’s not easy. 

‭‭We hear it, we know it, but living it’s message is not the same thing as quoting it by any stretch. Living love, becoming love requires some action. 

I’ve been reading two books at the same time this week by Bob Goff one to my kids. “Love Does for kids”and I’ve been reading “Everybody Always” as my own book. Sometimes I can’t help but tear up as I realize how far away from Gods plan of action my actions are. 

I live in a constant state of fear for so many things that just don’t matter and generally are so selfish. I’ve been so detoxed with my lack of tv and movies these last few weeks that I’ve come to realize just how selfish most of my actions have been and not selfish like I make sure I’m taking care of myself way but selfish like I’m worried I wore the same shirt to many times to work this month. 

My coworkers and neighbors, and that guy on the bus next to me may not feel like they matter. They may not know that Jesus came for them out of love because the one sent to that company, who lives on that street and who rides that bus is afraid to reach out in love. 

In the book Everybody Always Bob Goff talks about doing a parade to celebrate his neighbor's every year on New Year’s Day. 

             A FREAKING PARADE! 

How amazing is that? I read that and immediately thought I want to do that, I could do that, I’m going to do that.  

The hardest step is the first one so why not go for it. 

Somehow in my daily grind I forgot how to love the people around me who can do nothing for me but need me to do something for them, make an introduction to someone who loves them enough to come to them. 

I need to change the way I read John 3:16 so here’s my new version. 

For God so loved the people working at Yokohama, those who live on Hood ave and they that ride the 6am #33 mission bus that he sent his son Jason to them so that they would have a chance to meet his son Jesus in the love that comes from Jason each and every encounter. 

Change the name of the company, the street and the morning routine and you will see people who God made and loves and he’s sent you to love like your made out of it because if Jesus is in you then you are, you just may have forgotten too. 

I’m Jason and this is life as I see it. 

Hearing God. Part 4. Worship

There is an old song that comes to mind on this subject, I say old but it’s from the late 70s so I better be careful with that word “old”. 

Anyways. That song has really been stuck in my mind lately. As I mentioned last week I have fallen in love with worship again it’s better then it’s ever been too. 

What I have been really moved by is what I have come to personally see worship as. 

I’ve been told worship isn’t just singing it’s a way of living but I never really connected that to anything, until now. 

Reading my Bible this week in the gospel of John the story know as the encounter with the woman at the well in chapter 4 stuck out to me. It’s where Jesus makes a statement I never really saw although I read it numerous times. “True worshipers will worship... in spirit and in truth...” 

What came to my mind following reading that was a few things. 

Worship shifted from a place to a person, worship is relational not something we do. 

Everything we do can be worship because, if it’s relational it worship, if it’s worship it’s service, if it’s service it’s love, if it’s love it’s relational. 

This fits so well with the things I’ve been hearing from God in this hearing God course. (Funny how that happened listening brought clarity on direction, I should write that down somewhere.)

Showing love to those around me without a thought of the outcome has been more then a still small voice in my spirit these past few weeks it’s been a call, a call to worship. 

I see lots of people on the way to and from work on two buses and a train ride each way but I can’t say I interact with a lot of those I see but I’ve been changing that. 

I’ve been asking God to help me love the people I see like he does knowing their faults and still loving deeply enough to give up his life for them. 

So I figure I can give some time to converse with people I see sometimes every day or maybe just once. I don’t know how any act of worship, in the form of a smile or a hello or a longer conversation, will be taken but that’s not my responsibility mine is simply to be a worshiper. 

I’m Jason and this is life as I see it. 

Hearing God. Part 3. Make some room.

Well it’s been 3 weeks... 🎶since you looked at me... no wait that’s a song and I promised not to sing. This is a Blog not a Sing Along after all. 

Anyways... back to the subject of Hearing God. 

As you can tell I can struggle with staying focused sometime. Most of the time? Alright fine almost all the time. But keep that quiet I don’t want it getting out. 

This weeks Hearing God “homework” was again meditating on some specific verses in the Bible so that means reading something and mulling it over and journaling about it AKA staying focused long enough to hear God speak, I can’t even write my first sentence of this blog without my mind grabbing and adapting a 90’s song reference to fit my situation so imagine the difficulty if you can of meditating. 

There is so many snags that pull a little focus here a little time there but the big snag in my life has always been TV. 

Just before Nicole and I stared this Hearing God course I felt, like many times before, that I needed to fast from TV.  I decided yes this time I will do it.

But I failed. Again...

I’ve tried to not have the apps on my phone only to come back with a great justification, in my mind, why now I could handle it and the cycle would continue and I would again find myself trapped unable to escape. 

I would actually go so far as to say TV became an addiction in my life. 

Back in June of 2012 when I started this blog the title of the first entry was “The Creativity Killer” and what was my creativity killer back then? 

You guessed it. TV. 

Well as Andy Stanley said 

“You can’t run from one thing without running toward something else.” 

The reason I have finally overcome TV, this time for real, is because I ran toward something that had the power to push out the desire for TV, it wasn’t just me trying to replace one thing with another.  

I’m not saying watching TV is bad for everyone I’m not even saying it’s bad for me but something needed to break and be uprooted and for me time needs to elapse so this does not take root again in my life. Doing this blog helps. 

Spending Friday and Saturday night working on this blog has been a great way to crowd out my personal menace but there’s more that has transformed for me lately. 

I have fallen in love with worship again. 

My time of praise and prayer has crowded out the time I used to hand over to TV. 

But more then just having worship crowd out my TV time it has replaced the desire for my TV time or for whatever hole was being filled by TV. 

That’s the transformation of the Holy Spirit. 

No two ways about it. 

I looked at Netflix for example and there were some shows that I was considering that I thought “No that’s not good for my spiritual or mental health I’m putting that on the no list.” Last week it was on the watch later list. 

Doing this Hearing God course for me was like stepping off a precipice I had no idea what I was in for but I have been more then pleasantly surprised I feel like I’m a new man. 

I now find myself riding the train home listening to songs and my eyes close sometimes I start to sing a little and I lift my hands up in a posture of worship and you know what I don’t care how that looks cuz it’s wonderful. It’s better then singing Christmas carols in public Buddy the Elf style. 

I know this may seem pretty weird or hyper Jesus but it’s just me being the real me, finally. 

But a changed heart isn’t just about raised hands it’s about hands extended in love. 

This week I had the chance to talk with some neighbors about my personal experience with forgiveness and the healing that came with it. 

For the first time in my life I’m less afraid of what people will think of me then I am in loving those same people. 

That’s what I think the biggest change has been lately.

If your reading this I love you and I’m sorry if I’ve met you and didn’t show you that, next time will be different because I’m going to be different. 

Covid may stop me from hugging you, (and your lucky because I’m a hugger.) but it can’t stop me from loving you.

I’m super pumped about what session 4 and the subsequent week to follow of Hearing God will unfold in my life. 

I’m Jason and this is life as I see it. 

Hearing God. Part 2: Listen

Well I’ve been rather transformed this week and it’s only the second week of six in this Hearing God course. 

In John 10:27 Jesus says his sheep know his voice and they follow him. I feel like I haven’t heard God this clearly since I was a teenager I certainly haven’t been this intentional to listening in a while so maybe it’s not about hearing maybe it's been about listening. 

To be clear I’m familiar with the voice of Jesus that wasn’t the voice that surprised me this week. 

As I said in part 1 I’ve been reading and now have finished a book by Steven Furtick called Crash The Chatterbox, (So good btw) well on Wednesday I heard a voice that I’m all to familiar with but didn’t really realize was there.

I’d been reading about how the difference between the Chatterbox and the Holy Spirit is condemnation verses correction. 

Well this was certainly not a corrective voice. 

I’ve been hearing this particular voice for years say things like “Well that was stupid” and “What kind of person does that?” Also things like “You call yourself a follower of Jesus, I can’t believe you just did that.” And a personal favorite name to call myself “IDIOT.”

Well for perhaps the first time ever I realized that voice had a name and I had a way to overcome it. 

The Chatterbox only has one function, to tear me down. Naming it took it out of the shadows pulled it into the light and for the first time I was able to tell my now named critic, The Chatterbox, where to shove it’s criticism.

It was liberating and it was transformational it was also a declaration of war. 

The first draft of this blog was being written on Friday night and all I’m hearing from that chattering box is “Almost no one is reading your blog so why are you wasting your time writing it? 

Well my answer for that was “Shut Up!” 

But the doubt remained. 

When I brought the very real doubt of why write a blog that no one may read the Holy Spirit reminded me who I am and what I’m about. 

Im reminded that I’m a writer, that’s why I’m writing it. 

I’m reminded that I’m to be a blessing so if 15 or 1500 people read the blog the ones who do are blessed from the effort and the message and that’s a good enough reason to write it. 

The thing I’m learning about in this Hearing God course and from the book Crash the Chatterbox is that there isn’t just a single voice out there talking to me, there are many, but the voice that I make the most room for will have the most influence over my thoughts and therefore in my life. 

The chatterbox can’t be destroyed but it can be overwhelmed. 

Through prayer and praise, (mostly listening to music) these last few days I’ve been crowding out the other voices it’s been an amazing three days but not easy ones. 

I’m looking forward to what God is going to show me this coming week. 

I’m Jason and this is life as I see it. 

Hearing God. Part 1: Pump up the Volume.

My wife Nicole and I started a course a week ago called Hearing God and honestly it’s been mind blowing. 

Previous to this I had been reading a book called Crash The Chatterbox by Steven Furtick, also mind blowing, it’s all about hearing Gods voice above all other voices internal and external. 

I gotta say between the book and the course I’ve been pretty much consumed this week and have really not spent anytime working on what I planned as this weeks blog so what the heck I thought I’ll share some of what I’ve learned this week. 

Like many people, I’m sure, I haven’t a clue what I’m supposed to do with my life and feel often like crap because of it. If your in the same boat wave or something feels like I’m on my own out here. 

I was convinced that reading this book and taking this course would clarify some things. 

Well It is NOT what I heard when this week started. 

(furrows brow in frustration) 

I heard what I needed to know. 

I heard about how God sees me and how he loves who I am and how he wants to be my friend. 

I heard how I make him proud and we dug into some pretty old hurts and got into the thick of some long time lies I’ve been telling myself and living out of but didn’t know it. 

Here’s one that I have had to deal with this week. 

“Every one in my life eventually leaves because I’m not worth them sticking it out long term for.”

Umm what?  I believe that? That’s just not true. 

That lie originated when I was a kid when it felt true and guess what, it’s been in the back of my head it’s been sitting there poisoning new and potentially long term relationships because of something that happened almost 30 years ago.  

It’s funny not funny how things we thought were true at one point can become a belief that directs our lives. 

A funny story about how that happens. 

When I was a kid my family went on a trip and we stopped at this place and they had a couple of dogs who were, a bit unfriendly I think my older brother would say, not my feelings about them. 

I don’t know how it happened but I was out in the yard of this place and the two dogs came around the house at me and my brothers maybe I don't know who was there it was just me and the dogs in my memory. 

Well I took off like a scared rabbit away from them and the vehicle that would have probably provided sanctuary from the hell hounds as I remembered them to be. 

I sprinted toward a new construction site and along the way found a pit maybe 6 feet deep with some water in it and in my terror I jumped right in only to see the two dogs at the opening barking down at me. 

Here’s where it gets funny. 

The big dog of the two was a cocker spaniel. Yup the hell hound who ran me down was a relatively small dog. I only know what kind of dog it was because my older brother told me years later when he was making fun of me. But even as an adult being told this story I didn’t see a small dog to me it was the Hound of the Baskervilles, a hell hound, a demon dog, nope it was a cocker spaniel. 

All that to say if I’m gonna move on in life I have to confront the lies I tell myself and uncover them for what they are or I will always be the kid scared of some thing I may laugh at if it were to happen now. 

I’m doing just that by learning to hear Gods voice above all others especially my own because for a big part of my life I was a scared kid and that’s a terrible voice to listen to. 

So here the challenge:

If you know Jesus but don’t know his voice and want to 

Or 

You don’t know Jesus and want to hear his voice. 

Please reach out I’d love to share why I think his voice is real and worth listening to. 

As always,

I’m Jason and this is life as I see it. 

Until next time. 

Not perfect just consistent.

 

While reading a book by Jim Stovall a month or so ago I read a game changing statement. 

“I don’t need it to be perfect I need it by Thursday.” 

This was in reference to Jim’s newpaper colum submission the editor was asking for consistency not perfection. 

Every week I don’t post I’m getting trapped in this idea that what I’m writing needs to be perfect before I hit “post” that is bullshit.

(I don’t like to commit swear words to paper because it’s immortal but that’s the highest deepest expression I can think of to describe the lie of perfection before action.) 

 

I don’t know about you but the idea that I can’t make a move till I’ve got it all set is as crazy as saying I can’t go to the store till all the lights are green.

No one operates like that in driving we just adjust as we go but when it comes to many parts of our lives we are scared that adversity is a sign to say we shouldn’t go ahead.

Well at least that’s true for me. 

Having a clear path isn’t the same as having a clear destination. 

I wish sometimes that it were but at the same time the adversity thus far has caused the development I’ve had. 

I heard that to build muscle you actually have to tear the existing muscle and the repair builds the muscle stronger well if that’s true then it makes sense why it’s so darn hard to get stronger in anything. 

I like the idea I heard about how Michelangelo created his masterpiece the David. The story goes that he said he was just releasing what was already in the stone all he did was chip away everything that wasn’t needed.

That’s me I’m this amazing creation, and so are you by the way, but Gods gotta chip or chisel away everything that is keeping that masterpiece from being fully revealed I think he uses life as his tools for perfecting. 

It’s also true that I have a David like body in there somewhere waiting for me to chip and chisel it out with some consistent activity, but I digress...

There is a Hebrew proverb recorded in the Bible that says “As iron sharpens iron, so people can improve each other.” 

This is the story of my life people are the reason I am who I am the people I hang with either push me to become better and become better themselves or we just forget the whole thing and keep six feet apart perhaps wear masks too for good measure. 

As I said about waiting for green lights or perfect paragraphs if I wait till every thing is perfect to start living my best life I we will be waiting forever because it’s in the mixing with others and with hardship that things chipped and rubbed and polished. 

If you are struggling with anything remember that the struggle means there is growth happening it’s not always going to be easy but it’s worth it just ask Michelangelo and he’ll tell you what chipping, chiseling and polishing did. When a master is at work you can trust that the process is necessary for the final outcome. 

Be a person who isn’t afraid to rub up against adversity and isn’t afraid to go into the uncertain places because I’ve been learning that it’s in the places that aren’t comfortable that the best stuff happens. 

Personally the road of adversity brought about a restoration to my family that no one but God dreamed of, but that’s another story for another time. 

Today get going even if the road ahead is filled with uncertainty because the ride is worth it. 

I’m Jason and this is life as I see it. 

See you in two weeks. 

A little recognition please...

I’ve been reading through the Bible this year it’s for a couple of reasons. 

Reason one was I felt that it would be a good reboot for me being that I’ve heard sermons and stories my whole life and the last time I did the whole bible I was a teenager and I didn’t get half of it. 

Reason two is perhaps less noble. 

On my Bible app there are badges you get for activity and there is a badge for reading through the Bible, I want the badge, I really do. If there is an opportunity to get a badge I’ll do it. 

That may be kinda silly but it all comes down to one word. 

Recognition. 

I think there are whole days weeks even, maybe more where we go through life thinking no one notices what we are doing or who we are. 

I know I feel like that sometimes. 

I know others do too because I talk to people all the time who feel like they are not seen for their deeds and worse for their hearts. 

Personally I think that social media has faked us out into thinking a thumbs up or a heart (can you tell what media I'm on?) are the recognition that we need. When I put up a pic or a story or a status update or a blogpost I find myself looking back to see if I have any likes hoping for a comment. But that isn’t the recognition that I need. 

We’re all starving for recognition and as a follower of Jesus I have the opportunity to see people the way that Jesus did and to love them the way he did. 

Jesus saw people as they were but also as they could be otherwise how did any of the disciples make it through the vetting process Jesus put them through? 

They certainly didn’t have status on their side but what they did have Jesus recognized. 

There really is nothing like getting noticed for something that you do, but how much more for something you could be?

What would the world be like if every man, yes im talking to you fellow men out there, what if every man even just once a day took the time to see someone maybe someone doing something great or small and said something? What would happen if we saw people as they could be? Recognized the potential what would happen if we were champions out in our workplaces, in our homes, in our communities? how would the world look?

I believe that the people we notice and encourage would step up into being better. 

I’m Jason and this is life as I see it. 

See you in two weeks

Stop filling your own tool box.

Have you ever tried to do some project only to realize that you didn’t have the right tool for the job? 

If you said no then move closer to me so I can come visit when I hit this snag, clearly we need to be better friends. 

This week I really struggled in some areas and felt like I didn’t have the right tool/skills for the job. I have people I can ask for help with things in life but I struggled with the belief that I didn’t know what I was doing and that scared me. 

For a long time I thought that the crappy parenting I received as a child resulted in the deficit I felt, but I now think that everyone no matter how good they were raised feels they are lacking something and don’t feel fully equipped. 

On Friday of this last week I was listening to a podcast and the guest speaker said most men struggle with feeling satisfied in life because they don’t really understand who they are. If you're a follower of Jesus that identity has already been given we just need to take it up all you and I feel we lack is already there because of Jesus. 

My mind was blown. 

As I write this I'm still unpacking the implications of what that all means. 

But this is it. This is the key to the problem I’ve been having to feel equipped to do life. 

Here I am trying for years to get equipped trying to fill a tool box with enough skills to feel equiped to do life when all this time I am fully equiped, fully able to do whatever I need to do. 

What a revelation!

But now that I know what the heck do I do?

First It’s time to stop walking around like a kid with toy tools. 

Second it’s time to stop going to my old tool box that’s filled with whatever I could get my hands on and realize that I while I’ve been scrounging for years there has been a whole room with the right tools waiting for me to open the doors and explore the vast possibilities of what God has for me. 

In early January I called 2020 the year of victory. 2020 has felt like the year of defeat as all the paths I thought were mine to take were simultaneously blocked. 

What I really needed was those ways to be shown as dead ends and thank God they were one more good thing a global lockdown brought. 

This is the year of victory but the victory came because I finally believed the truth about who I was made to be. 

I’m Jason and this is... life as I see it. 

What I’m missing on the self improvement journey.

If you’ve seen anything in the last few years of mine on any social media platform or really talked to me I’ve been on a self improvement journey and it’s been wonderful I can’t thank the people who have been part of it enough.  

It started with 18 months of personal counseling and continued as I was introduced and brought earned a spot in a mentorship group with an emphasis of personal development. 

But really it started way before that for many many years I’ve sought to be a better version of me the best version even and I’ve grown so much I’ve moved way beyond the field I sprouted from I’m happy to announce I’m the best version of myself. Here’s the problem that’s not really what I’ve been going for. 

My personal faith demands I look beyond myself, look past the best version of myself at the best version of versions ever. I’m called to bear the image of Jesus. I know that sounds super religious and I don’t mean it to but for me if I keep trying to be a better me I’m focused inward and that’s not enough to really make a difference. 

Covid has taught me that most of us myself included are basically more interested in self preservation then global impact. 

Exhibit A: Toilet paper...  

Need I say more? 

This don’t touch lest someone infect you with the corona virus really goes against the very person Jesus was. He touched people with a massively contagious skin disease called leprosy and healed them but I’m afraid to shake your hand? 

I’m not getting political or going into a conspiracy theory I promise I’m just soul searching on my own motives with current events. 

I’ve been afraid to step out and make my mission bigger then me. 

Don’t get me wrong if you have things that need to be worked on with a mentor or counselor please do it there are lots of resources, but if we stop there we’re left with less then the best we’re left with a single digit impact and as one of my mentors says “one isn’t a big enough number.” 

This last week I listened to a virtual coach I like named Darren Hardy and he was talking about feeling like an imposter when your successful and like someone or everyone will suddenly realize your not as good as you are supposed to be. 

Well I think that’s happens because we are just living for number one. 

In early January I felt strongly, and I’ll call it as I see it, that Jesus spoke to me and said 

“Jason you have done the work of overcoming your past now it’s time to build your future” 

That resonated with me but not till recently did I realize that to build my future, the future I really want, I have to look beyond me. 

Make a mission for your life that doesn’t stop at you.

Make a mission that is so big that you can’t do it on your own. 

Maybe you feel like you need God to show up if it’s gonna work maybe you feel like others need to show up to make it work but if you alone can do it then it’s just not big enough to make a difference in other peoples lives. 

I’m Jason and this is life as I see it.