A well-placed pawn…

“There are times…when a well-placed pawn is more powerful than a king.” –from the TV Show, Castle

In a world, where pursuit of fame and fortune is commonplace, we overlook the power of the “ordinary”, the “common.”  In chess, a pawn is most often the first pieces to be taken by the opponent.  But, in chess and in life, there are times a well-placed pawn is more powerful.

Powerful to take down arrogance.

Powerful to break down walls to unbelievers.

Powerful to lend the hand, to be Jesus’ hands in this world.

Powerful to reach out to the one standing next to you who just needed to know they are not alone.

Powerful to do the right thing, over and over again, and thereby renewing another’s faith that doing the right thing is not only possible, but that others do it too.

Powerful to follow the lead of the Father, the lead of the Savior, the lead of the Holy Spirit–to do the things that may not make sense.

Powerful enough to fly under the radar and accomplish the things that a “king” could not.

For days when you feel more like a pawn in this great chess game, remember: “There are times…when a well-placed pawn is more powerful than a king.”

 

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Photo by Claudio Jule

Throwback: The Battle for Peace…

This article originally published in the March 2009 issue of groundswell.

Where, exactly, did the wimpy, milktoast, doormat definition of peace arise?  When did we give up the idea that peace comes with a price?  And why, exactly, do we keep believing that “not rocking the boat” is somehow the best approach to every situation?

Continually Washed…

On days I spend writing, usually with a posture of eyes closed, focusing while intentionally not focusing, letting the words flow.  Allowing the scriptures to bubble up in my heart, allowing the Spirit to move and mold and shape.

And the background noise at this time is the dishwasher.  the water flowing, the occasional increase in water pressure, getting the grim and food particles off the plates so they can be used again.

And it strikes me.
It struck so hard and fast, I stopped writing the other thing to write this.

God’s work in my life is like the dishwasher.
Flowing water, heated (oh, those trials in life), spraying the cleanser of the His Word over the crevices of my heart.

All so I can go out again, clean, to serve again.

A dirty plate can still serve, but it can also spread disease, discomfort, and alter the taste of the next food on the plate.

Only a clean plate can present the food in the cook’s intended form.

And I get dirty again, just as the plate gets dirty every time it serves.

But the more I allow the heated, cleanser-filled water of the Spirit to wash over us time and time (and time) again, the less I will taint the service God has given for me to do.

Stopping long enough to be cleansed can be hard.  But just as the dish that sits and gets harder to clean as time passes, my heart and mind gets harder to clean the longer I wait.

The continual cleanse of the Father is one that I encourage you to seek.  Each of us individually seeking the cleansing, we can then come together in more powerful service, as the purity of the gospel message can be presented against the background of His people–the people He made holy.

“but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy.’” –I Peter 1:15-16

Being holy requires continual cleansing of our sinful hearts.  Not salvation-level cleansing, but as Jesus Himself described it:

“He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean…” –John 13:10

Seek continual washing.  Let the Ultimate Dishwasher cleanse His serving vessals that we may serve Him without blemish or taint.

 

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Photo by Colin Brough

Supposedly…

“How am I ‘supposed’ to feel about this?”

We receive message all the time about how we “should” feel.  Everything from food choices to charities–everything is up for being told how we should feel.  We are told we should passionately get behind every product, every situation, every political stance.

We are bombarded with the opinions of others telling us how we should feel.

We should feel happy, sad, excited, scared, nervous about….everything.  From holiday gatherings to situations related to work.  Every situation is open for interpretation and advice–unwanted or otherwise.

In walks manufactured emotion.  

Resolutions…

Six days into the new year, what are your prominent thoughts?  Considering giving up on the resolution that seemed so reasonable when you made it?  Panicking that you are out of floss and can’t get to the store so you may break your resolution to floss every night despite your best efforts?

What about that extra ten pounds?  The still-in-need-of-a-good-cleaning closet in the spare room?  The monthly chores?  The budget?  The goals?  The future?

A new year dawning is a great time to reflect and refocus for the coming year.  It can also be a trap.

Throwback: For a Moment…

This article originally published in the February 2009 issue of groundswell.

Lessons learned and shared with another.  Whenever my cousin and I talk, I am challenged, encouraged, and I understand a little more about the lessons God has taught me over the years.  This time, I sit in the waiting room of the mechanic’s shop.  We discuss life in general and …groundswell… in particular.

“What I have learned,” I share with her, “is that if all I focus on is that one moment in the future, I will be discontent with everything until then.  All it does is train us to be discontent–so when we get to that moment, not only will we not appreciate it, we’ll find some other reason to be discontent.”