Approval

Donald Trump. Hillary Clinton. Bernie Sanders. Ted Cruz.

What do you think of when you read these names? Varied ideas come to mind, I imagine. I don’t claim to be a political expert, nor do I plan to use my blog to share my opinions on politics. But there is no denying that just speaking one of the above names in a crowded room would draw comments that range anywhere from rage and disgust to loyalty and praise, indifference and passivity to unbridled activism and flag waving.

I’ve heard people threaten to leave our country and move to Canada. I’ve also heard people say that these candidates are on the path to leading our country into prominence and prosperity. Many people are willing to share their own ideals and talking points. Some are believable and authentic, persuading me to want to learn more. While others remind me of tabloid stories and useless propaganda. Regardless of where you stand, one thing you can’t deny: you, and most likely everyone around you, have an opinion on each of the above named candidate’s message.

Something struck me as I was driving this week. I was listening to Donald Trump’s new campaign plug on the radio which ended with:

“I’m Donald Trump, and I approve this message.”

This certainly isn’t something unique to Trump’s ads, in fact, it’s at the close of each of the candidate’s promotional advertisements. We all have Senator Ron Wyden to thank for this redundant and seemingly disingenuous backing. In 2002, a group of lawmakers were working on the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act, and within these pages, there was an amendment written, in part, by Wyden that was called “Stand By Your Ad”. This addendum made it a federal law for candidates who aired ads over public airwaves to identify themselves as responsible for the content produced. The goal was to make those running to think before they spoke and to carefully represent themselves.

So, in short, we have candidates running for the most powerful office in the United States telling us who they are, what they are planning to do, and what their opponents are not. They have a 60-second spot on television or radio to move us and convince us to get on board with their vision. Then, without fail, comes the closing statement statement - their final opportunity to prove that they believe in what they are saying.

The unfortunate truth is that many politicians waver. It seems as though it’s the norm for policy ideals to shift, for promises to be made with crossed fingers to garnish support, and for the messages to be in an ever constant state of evolution.

So this inspired me to think very deeply about myself and the message that I give each day, and I wondered if I approve of every message I put out on the airways. Do I really mean what I say? Is my message congruent with where my heart is? Is my message clear? Does it waver when things go wrong? Ouch!

I meet and talk with multiple people everyday. From the attendant at the gas station to my son’s daycare director, from a best friend to a bank teller. Daily, people are “hearing” what matters to me, what makes me go, my plan and my purpose. Is that message received appropriately? Is my message a front for other agendas?

As important as these questions are to stay on track, I really should ask myself, “Does HE approve of my message?” This is when the rubber meets the road.

In one of Christ’s first sermons (Matthew 5:13-16), he reminded us that we are two very important things. He said that we are the light of the world and the salt of the earth. I remind you that he didn’t say that we should be, or we could be, but instead he said that we are these life preserving elements. Therefore, life’s calling for each of us should be reflected in our message.

Think of your radio spot. When I give money to the homeless guy at the freeway exit or donate my time to help someone in need, I am all too happy to skip away with a James Earl Jones narrative saying, “I’m Jesus, and I approve of Justin’s message.” However, does that same disclaimer still play after my actions when I’m tired, having a bad day or get cut off on the freeway? Definitely not.

I might be taking it back to youth camp trips here, but as Christians we are to be a representative of a living God on a daily basis and we need to act accordingly. We are simply put, Christ personified in our own social network of people. The call is for our message to line up with our identity. And what’s more, the message of the gospel NEVER changes.

So, I ask you, do you approve of the message that you are sending out today? Is the message that people are receiving from you one which you can stand behind? Is it filled with integrity? Is it consistent with your daily actions? Will it be the same next week?

Does God approve your message?

I’m Justin Hege and I approve this message.

Inflow

There are a few staples at every church picnic. Go to a park on any given Sunday and see for yourself. Fried chicken that’s a little cold but still good, old guys injuring themselves trying to extend singles into doubles, ladies talking about baby’s sleeping habits and other strange secretive topics and, of course, the dreaded bouncy house.

I don’t know about you, but as a father of two, I’m not a fan of these inflated contraptions. I didn’t even like them when I was a kid. First off, you have to remove your shoes even though the material that your feet are about to touch is a petri dish for all things germy, not to mention it is as hot as the earth’s core. Then there’s the uneven floor which is fun at first, but once you add multiple children into the mix, becomes a springboard for MMA contact and bloody noses. Finally, the netting on the sides seems harmless enough. It allows parents to keep an eye on their bouncing children, right? FACT: It is perfectly fashioned to catch loose limbs as the kids jump. I’m certain I saw a detached finger last week at a birthday party.

However, I noticed something the other day at our church’s picnic about these death traps that I found quite interesting. These things are COMPLETELY reliant on a constant inflow of air to remain standing. As the picnic concluded and everything was cleaned up, I stopped to watch the deflation of this house and was amazed at how quick it fell to the ground once it was cut off from it’s source.

The apostle, Paul, once found himself in Greece in a holding pattern awaiting Silas and Timothy to join him from a previous missionary stop. Although it was not his intent for going to Athens, he was so awestruck and distressed by the culture of the city and the worship of false gods, that he began to preach in the market place. The Ancient Greeks were known for their philosophical curiosity. They were hungry for new mythology and Paul took the opportunity to share Christ with them. What is fascinating is that his method for sharing this information was very different from the method he used with the Jews. He preached on the foundation of the world, the supremacy and ingenuity of God, and how the true God was and is the source of all human life. He recaps this thinking in

Acts 17:27-28.

“God did this so that they ( humans) would seek him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. For in him we live and move and have our being.” (Acts 17:27-28a)

What an unbelievable truth for us all to ponder daily. For “in Him” we live and move and have our being. I find myself needing to be reminded of this daily. Far too often I try to fill myself with the strength needed to live and move. Far too often I try and stand my ground in this ever shifting world using outside sources that don’t withstand. Yet, much like the bouncy house, without the constant flow of God’s presence into me, I fall to the ground in a heap.

Perhaps this is similar to what Jesus was referring to when he encouraged his disciples to remain in him. He also used the word abide. Even then, we see that there was a challenge to the natural man to keep constant contact with Him, to stay engaged in his presence.

Think for a moment how different life would be if the physical presence of the Almighty was with you all the time? As in, right where you are, right this very moment; the all-caring, all-knowing, all-powerful creator of the world sitting right next to you. Think of how you would experience that meeting, class or shift you start later today. Think of how differently you’d go about that disagreement with your spouse, or react to a negative report from the doctor, or are overlooked for a job promotion.

“In Him we live and move and have our being.” Is it really that simple? I believe that it is. I believe that daily recognition, engagement and submission to God activates an inflow of his presence that turns our struggles and challenges into victory. This doesn’t necessarily mean there won’t be storms and trials, but it means that we will be able to stand tall as we are strengthened by him. You see, our connection with Him changes us, it shapes us, and, much like the bouncy house, allows us to stay upright. Will you stay engaged today?

Change

I’m thirty five years old, soon to be thirty six, but in the last few weeks I have felt like I am seventy-five. Yes, my body hurt from the multiple falls that I took on the mountain while snowboarding this past weekend. Yes, my indigestion flares up now when I even think of having golden wings with blue cheese from the local Zipps. And as recent as yesterday I somehow managed to forget where I put my keys for the third time in one day. Those may be signs of aging or simply poor overall life management, but what has really gotten to me is my experience at my grocery store.

Yes, mine. You should know that I love the grocery store. Currently, I go there three or four times a week, but if I could I would go daily. I like the energy there. I like the strategy behind the mental map I make up to conserve as much time and money getting my various items. I like the ability to put headphones in and get lost, uninterrupted in sports radio, while I gather all my bargains for the meals ahead. I like that I walk in with a game plan and within minutes I execute it.

But something has gone awry lately at my nearby Fry’s. Something traumatic and quite unsettling for me. You see, for the last ten years I have gone solely to one Fry’s a mile and a half south from our house for all our groceries. I am such a frequent customer there that I have actually had people ask me where items are in the store. When I walk in I am greeted by the cashiers. Fry’s, like many chain stores, has a loyalty program they offer for extra discounts and I’d like to think I am at the top of that list. So you can imagine my horror when I showed up one afternoon and saw a sign that said:

“ Please excuse our dust while we make improvements”

Improvements? Dust? Different? Change?!! I suddenly became a seventy five year old version of myself and had a bone to pick with whomever would hear me. This was a terrible thing. Within minutes my shopping experience morphed from relaxing to confusing, from peaceful to panicked. Where is the non-stick pan spray? Why would the Cheerios be moved by the deli? Who thought of the idea of putting the napkins on the far end of the store by the dog food? And last time I checked, even though Sprite has both lemon and lime in it, that didn’t qualify it for living in the produce section. After struggling for much too long to find the brown gravy mix, I'd had enough of the madness and decided to take it up with the manager in the front of the store. For nearly five minutes I politely (I think) gave her my opinion of the changes which she politely (I think) received. I then when back to my nightmare and checked out, befuddled from the experience.

My mentor once said that, if something is alive, it is growing. If it is growing, it is changing and how one handles that change dictates the course of their life. It sounded then and even now like a good sentiment. Yet putting it into practice when the change comes is something quite different all together. I think we all would like to say that progression is a good thing. The evolution of our heart, and the sanctification of the whole person that God promises in his word is something positive. Paul reminds the church of this:

“May God himself, the God of peace sanctify you through and through, may your whole body, soul, and spirit be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.” 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

There’s a lot of beautiful truth in that verse, a life altering commitment from the Father to us. But I think the challenge in it is our cooperation with these changes that God is wanting to make. If I am being completely honest with myself , I would own the fact that there are quite a few areas in my everyday life that I wish God would simply skip over in his refining process. There are spots that I’d be better off leaving alone until I reach heaven.

Please don’t get the wrong idea! My issue isn’t in the fact that I don’t trust God has my best interest in mind. I am settled firmly in my belief that he knows better than I do, but can’t I get my sanctification in a way that isn’t so invasive, so complete? I feel as if I have come along way over the years in my battle with envy, with the natural tendency of comparing myself to others. Yet lately, as I have been asking the Lord for his will in my life and for my present day, there has been more and more exposure of unearthed areas where jealousy creeps in. Likewise I have gained substantial ground in my fight to forgive others unconditionally. However, recently, my sincerity in this fight has been tested with deep wounds, causing me to rely on the Lord for his strength to forgive again. It seems that as I progress in my walk with the Lord, God continues to call me to refine my approach and focus on the more difficult, introspective transformation.

As I walked out of the grocery store, still feeling a bit flustered that my perspective of the necessary changes weren’t well received by the management, I turned around and saw a gigantic banner hanging outside the front of the store that I must have missed on the way in.

It read: “Enjoy a new shopping experience.”

“Yeah right.” I muttered bitterly under my breath as I walked to my truck.

But here’s the funny thing. It’s been a couple of weeks since these changes were implemented in the store and, guess what? I like them. I do. They make sense. And what’s more, my efficiency and understanding of why the changes were made has once again made my shopping experience enjoyable. I guess Fry’s knew what they were doing all along.

Let it be so with our own life. I have a simple challenge to you this week. In your prayer time with God, ask him to soften your heart to understanding the sensibility and timing in his molding of you. Ask him to increase your trust in him as he has your best in mind, that you believe in his perfect will and invite it in your daily practices. Finally, devote yourself to embracing these changes rather than pushing back against his process and plan.

If it’s alive, it’s growing. If it’s growing, it’s changing. How one handles that change dictates the course of our life.