“God's definition of what matters is pretty straightforward. He measures our lives by how we love.”
JUDGES 18-19
1In those days Israel had no king.
And in those days the tribe of the Danites was seeking a place of their own where they might settle, because they had not yet come into an inheritance among the tribes of Israel. 2So the Danites sent five of their leading men from Zorah and Eshtaol to spy out the land and explore it. These men represented all the Danites. They told them, “Go, explore the land.”(18:1-2)LUKE 10:25-42
25On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
27He answered, “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’c ; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’d ”
29But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
30In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.33But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35The next day he took out two denariieand gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’
36“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”
37The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”
Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
JOURNAL
Some of the stories in Judges are really strange. I often wonder why they are in the Bible...yet it is in these moments that I realize that one of the reasons is that they are true. Truth often is messy and doesn't fit neatly into my preconceived notions of how life should go. As a result it is sometimes difficult to see and accept the truth of my own life. Just as it is difficult to accept the truth and reality of someone else's life.
This is the beauty of the story of the good samaritan that Jesus tells to the "expert in the law". He described a scenario that socially was taboo but yet framed it in a way that made the point that all humanity and everyone who is hurting and in need is our "neighbor". Our lives are to be lived in service and sacrifice and often that will mean clashing with socially accepted norms.
Two years ago I had gone to Saban's coaching clinic...these pearls came from that time and it's so appropriate to remember in the context of today.
The last two days I spent at Nick Saban's coaching conference in Tuscaloosa. I walked away with so many great pearls of wisdom...not just about football...but really and mostly about life. Last night during Saban's talk he emphasized the importance that trust starts with truth. He specifically said you have to "Tell the truth, Take the truth and Live the truth." What a powerful statement!! I do believe it's why the more I read the Bible, the more I trust it and the more it begins to shape and change my own thoughts and behaviors. It's because it is the truth, even though sometimes its confusing, hard to hear and even harder to live.
One other powerful statement was from Kevin Elko when he talked about how the Tornado that ripped through Tuscaloosa in 2011 really changed Coach Saban and the team. He recounted that the mission and quote that came out of that experience was..."I'm not looking for blessings to come into my life, I'm looking to be a blessing in someone's life." As I think about my new role as a head coach, I realize that defines my mission..."To be a blessing in someone's life". That starts with truth, honesty and ultimately love.
Some of the stories in Judges are really strange. I often wonder why they are in the Bible...yet it is in these moments that I realize that one of the reasons is that they are true. Truth often is messy and doesn't fit neatly into my preconceived notions of how life should go. As a result it is sometimes difficult to see and accept the truth of my own life. Just as it is difficult to accept the truth and reality of someone else's life.
Two years ago I had gone to Saban's coaching clinic...these pearls came from that time and it's so appropriate to remember in the context of today.
The last two days I spent at Nick Saban's coaching conference in Tuscaloosa. I walked away with so many great pearls of wisdom...not just about football...but really and mostly about life. Last night during Saban's talk he emphasized the importance that trust starts with truth. He specifically said you have to "Tell the truth, Take the truth and Live the truth." What a powerful statement!! I do believe it's why the more I read the Bible, the more I trust it and the more it begins to shape and change my own thoughts and behaviors. It's because it is the truth, even though sometimes its confusing, hard to hear and even harder to live.
One other powerful statement was from Kevin Elko when he talked about how the Tornado that ripped through Tuscaloosa in 2011 really changed Coach Saban and the team. He recounted that the mission and quote that came out of that experience was..."I'm not looking for blessings to come into my life, I'm looking to be a blessing in someone's life." As I think about my new role as a head coach, I realize that defines my mission..."To be a blessing in someone's life". That starts with truth, honesty and ultimately love.
The last two days I spent at Nick Saban's coaching conference in Tuscaloosa. I walked away with so many great pearls of wisdom...not just about football...but really and mostly about life. Last night during Saban's talk he emphasized the importance that trust starts with truth. He specifically said you have to "Tell the truth, Take the truth and Live the truth." What a powerful statement!! I do believe it's why the more I read the Bible, the more I trust it and the more it begins to shape and change my own thoughts and behaviors. It's because it is the truth, even though sometimes its confusing, hard to hear and even harder to live.
One other powerful statement was from Kevin Elko when he talked about how the Tornado that ripped through Tuscaloosa in 2011 really changed Coach Saban and the team. He recounted that the mission and quote that came out of that experience was..."I'm not looking for blessings to come into my life, I'm looking to be a blessing in someone's life." As I think about my new role as a head coach, I realize that defines my mission..."To be a blessing in someone's life". That starts with truth, honesty and ultimately love.
7Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
1 JOHN 4:7-12
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