Uncommen Words of a Leader

I’m reading the @YouVersion plan ‘UNCOMMEN: Uncommen Words Of Husbands, Dads, & Leaders’. Check it out here: http://bible.com/r/19H

Day 4 – Uncommen Words of a Leader

Joshua 1:5-9 – “No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you. Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

A leader “encourages”: he gives courage. But a leader can only give courage that he himself already has.

As Joshua admonished the people to not be afraid, God does the same to him 40 years later. “Be strong and courageous”, God repeats to Joshua three times. Then He adds, “Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed”.

What caused the people to be fearful? This was a generation who has seen the awesome and fearsome power of God countless of times. Could we have similar tendencies? Giving in to our fear of man, rather than fear of God, can have very regrettable consequences: we would miss out on many great and wonderful things.

40 years later, what made God repeat his statement to Joshua three times and then one more? This generation of people have not experienced the power of God in the same magnitude as the previous generation. 40 years is a lifetime ago, and we cannot fault Joshua and the people to be a bit worried.

The leaders’ courage and the courage he gives cannot merely be pep talk. We cannot just tell people to “Be strong! Be courageous!” without giving them the reason *why* they can be. And for Joshua, that reason is not because of his own strength or wisdom. His courage is anchored solely on this promise: “the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

There is a caveat. It’s a simple one yet surprisingly difficult to do: if God is to be with you, then you have to be with God.

So, leader, you – and the people God has placed under your care – will surely face trials and challenges. Especially as you try to live as God intended, which is usually counter to the culture of this world. Spend time with God and with his Word. Do not sway left or right. Meditate day and night. This your only – and sure-fire – way to get through this victoriously.

Uncommen Words of a Dad

I’m reading the @YouVersion plan ‘UNCOMMEN: Uncommen Words Of Husbands, Dads, & Leaders’. Check it out here: http://bible.com/r/19H

Day 3 – Uncommen Words of a Dad

James 1:19 – “This you know, my beloved brethren. Everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger…”

For Christians, there is no such thing as coincidence.

My friend, Non, invites me – really, out of the blue – to go through this  devotional as a group. Without any hesitation I accepted the invite, even if I didn’t really know the topic nor the contents. And I haven’t done this for months now, being stuck in Deuteronomy this whole time. And then, somehow, the lessons are exactly what I needed to hear and learn in this very specific, very particular point in our family’s life.

There are no coincidences.

Instead of coincidence, this is confirmation. Confirmation that taking this step (leap) of faith is in line with what God wants for me and our family.

How can I listen to my children, how can I speak encouragement to them, if I am not physically – and mentally, and emotionally – present? How can I influence my children positively, how can I be a role-model (like being slow to anger), if I keep disappearing – not knowing when I will be back, and for how long I will be with them? What is the point of reading and studying about Godly Parenting, if I am never present enough to do apply what I’ve learned?

There is no longer any doubt. Thank You, for the encouragement, and for strengthening my resolve.

Uncommen Words of a Husband

I’m reading the @YouVersion plan ‘UNCOMMEN: Uncommen Words Of Husbands, Dads, & Leaders’. Check it out here: http://bible.com/r/19H

Day 2 – Uncommen Words of a Husband

Proverbs 10:14 – “Wise men store up knowledge, but with the mouth of the foolish, ruin is at hand.”

I’ve learned that one of the worst things a husband can do, is make wrong assumptions regarding the way his wife feels and thinks.

This usually happens in the beginning of the marriage, when you both discover new things about each other that you’ve never seen nor experienced during courtship. And then, again, a few years later into the marriage, when you think you already know your spouse – without considering that people grow and change over time.

My wife and I used to talk all the time. When we were much younger we used to spend hours on the phone just talking about anything and nothing. She would also write me these well-crafted letters, and I would write back (to my shame, nowhere near as creative as hers). Then came unlimited texting, instant messaging, video chat, you name it – we went through and used all the technological innovations along the way.

Marriage changed the dynamic, for sure, especially as work became more demanding, and with raising two young kids. In time, our conversations became more and more – practical.

There came a point – and it happened a few times as well – sometime last year to this year, that we found ourselves saying to one another, “I don’t know you anymore.” It sounds bad, but it’s more of a mutual observation, really. It was an eye-opener to both of us that we’ve become somewhat different people since we got married. I think, this is one of the causes of our (not so often) arguments in the past – in our minds, we were talking to the same person we knew 10-20 years ago.

With that wrong assumption, foolish words were exchanged.

Wisdom, then, is storing knowledge about my wife, so I may keep myself from saying foolish things.

So how can I store up knowledge? (Is there a download button?)

The way to do this, is to create a comfortable, safe, love-filled, and grace-filled environment for my wife to open up to me (again). I can do this by making adjustments to my work and work style, so that I will have energy left for my time with my family. I should help out more with the kids and with the housework. If she’s too tired, or if there’s no more time, then we won’t be able to talk. Then, I should encourage her to share, not only what she did that day (like we’ve accustomed to) – but also her thoughts and feelings throughout the day.

As I (re)discover my wife, I will not only gain wisdom, but I will also be able to bless my wife and my children as well.

Like the devotional says, Happy wife – Happy life. 🙂

Uncommen Words

I’m reading the @YouVersion plan ‘UNCOMMEN: Uncommen Words Of Husbands, Dads, & Leaders’. Check it out here:http://bible.com/r/19H

Day 1 – Uncommen Words

By God’s grace — by the way I was made, and through the experiences I’ve been allowed to go through — I’m mostly kind in my words and thoughts to and about other people. That’s not to say that I don’t have the occasional complaints or criticisms (those seem to happen more often as I age), but I don’t think I have ever gone as far as cursing people.

My problem — and God has convicted me of this many times — is not the Sin of Commission, but the Sin of Omission. I could be blessing others more often, I could be pointing people to Christ more often. Is this the same as cursing them? Maybe not, but I do know that in James it also says that if you know the good you ought to do and you don’t do it, that is considered as sin.

My words, whether spoken or written, are an outpouring of what’s on my heart and mind. The root of the problem is there.

That’s the one, main, thing that God is saying to me.

Heart-full Sunday

Today was a Sunday well spent.

My heart is full (stuffed!) after hearing 3 different messages. First, was the livestream of CCF’s Sunday Service on Repentance (it was a very good one, though I don’t think it was because they changed something.. instead, it’s probably because something changed in me). Second was the Sunday Service in TBC about Loving Others . Third in the afternoon was a talk about Faith (Luke 8) by Dr. John Ng. In between those were many encouraging conversations and interactions.

Dr. John Ng at Tokyo Baptist Church

Especially blessed to see many professionals in Tokyo eager to learn how to better Christians in the workplace.

And the day was capped chatting with Nicole, just sharing about our day.

It feels like I’ve been to a day long 食べ放題*1 for the soul. My heart is full, and my eyes are red (from manly tears, of course).

However, just like 食べ放題, even though I a full now, I know this will sustain me only for a short while. I must remember, as early as tomorrow, to have my “daily bread”.

But today was a good day 🙂

*1 Tabehoudai = Eat all you can