Alexander Hamilton and Proactivity

I'm reading Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow and it is fascinating. I didn't know much about Hamilton (still don't), but that he was a key figure early in our history, first Secretary of the Treasury, and a political manipulator (and on the $10 bill). I'm just starting the book, but it has blown me away from the beginning.

Hamilton was born into a difficult situation in Nevis in the Carribean. His illegitimacy was something that he worked hard to avoid throughout his life - and it was the beginning of his pain during his earlier years. Chernow writes: "Let us pause briefly to tally the grim catalog of disasters that had befallen these two boys [Alexander and his brother] between 1765 and 1769: their father had vanished, their motehr had died, their cousin and supposed protector had committed bloody suicide, and their aunt, uncle, and grandmother had all died" (p. 26).

Despite this start, Hamilton seized every opportunity he could find to better his situation and make his mark. He was largely self-taught and put himself "out there" when opportunity knocked. His amazing talent was, thankfully for all of us, recognized by different people who put him in further positions to succeed. Still, he didn't take these opportunities for granted. He made the most of them. (He didn't want to go to Princeton because he wanted to go through school at an accelerated pace.) He was, in Stephen Covey's terminology (see Leadership Tab), proactive. He made things happen.

The point: We all have our challenges from our past. Some are huge. Some are insignificant by comparison, but they may be significant to us all the same. So here's something to think about. Where do you need to be proactive in your personal life? Work life? Other?

I'm not far into the story, but I know Hamilton is far from perfect. But we can certainly see an exceptional example of someone being proactive and not being defined by their situation. I've been encouraged and challenged by this brilliant man who was determined to make a difference.

Whistling While You Work

This coming Sunday I'm doing the next installment of our "God At Work" series. I'm doing "attitude at work," titled "Whistle While You Work." I won't give away what I think I'll share. (I say "think" because getting into a text often challenges my pre-conceived notions of it.) But any help would be appreciated.

What helps you keep a positive attitude at work?

"Unwell in a New Way"

I just finished The Contemplative Pastor by Eugene Peterson (the guy who wrote The Message). He's become one of my favorite writers of late. This wasn't my favorite book of his, but it was good. I should have blogged on more, but time didn't permit.

Anyhow, there's a great chapter on sin as a theological notion - humans aren't close to God and don't serve Him. But Peterson correctly notes that we're able to distance ourselves from the concept of sin. We need to localize our sin to our lives, to our times. This book was written in 1989 and he says the sin of his day was "episodes of adolescence." That is, people worship youth culture and that adults are still functioning with their emotions, traumas, and difficulties like adolescents. That, I guess, is how people in 1989 were "unwell" (sinners) "in a new way."

One of the issues for this adolescent perspective is the "absence of historical sense." Every problem is dealt with from scratch, there's little learning from history. Learning too often comes from experience rather than trusting history or obeying God. Adam and Eve opted for experience over obedience.

I feel that way sometimes and I don't think this challenge of "adolescence" is out of date - even almost twenty years later. What do you think? How are we "unwell in a new way" in our day and age?

Easter Traditions

After Young Adult Ministry on Thursday the host of our home mentioned how cluttered Easter can get with eggs and bunnies and we can miss out on what it's all about. Flipping through TV channels later that night I ran into a South Park episode addressing the same thing. (Good question, despite the irreverence.) These things got me thinking more critically about what we do for Easter. How do we keep our girls (and us, really) focused on the fact that Jesus conquered death and not about bunnies, Peeps (which I love), and eggs?

My question for you is this: "What traditions does your family have to keep focused on the real meaning of Easter? Or what are some ideas you have for what you'd like your family to do?"

Ordination #2, Art. 7a: "Baptism"

Baptism is an initiatory rite that Jesus commands (Matt. 28.19) and is a step of obedience that identifies the believer with Jesus (Acts 2.38). It was practiced throughout the NT churches from Pentecost forward (Acts 2.38; 8.12; 9.18; 10.47; 16.14-15; 18.8; 19.5). Since salvation is by faith alone and not by works (Eph. 2.8-9), it is clear baptism does not save. Passages like Acts 2.38 are best explained by the fact that baptism is the outward expression of the inner reality of faith. An unbaptized Christian should sound as odd as a physically uncircumcised Jew. The evidence indicates that baptism by immersion is the preferred mode based on the meaning of the word baptizo (dip, immerse), that Jesus came “out of” the water when baptized (Mk. 1.10), the Ethiopian eunuch requested baptism upon seeing a sufficient body of water for baptism (Acts 8.38-39), and it is the best picture of the symbolism of dying to self and being raised through faith in Christ (Col. 2.12). Since it is a symbol of what has happened in the believer’s life (Col. 2.12; Acts 22.16), the NT indicates baptism followed a profession of faith (Acts 2.41; 8.12).

Young Adult Ministry (YAM): Good Friday and The Passion of the Christ

Last night we watched The Passion of the Christ for our Young Adult meeting. It was sobering and difficult to watch - as it is every time. In my long term memory I'm always left with the images of violence, which is a shame because there's really much more to it. I shared a couple thoughts during discussion last night, but most people weren't in the mood to talk. One more I wanted to share was the scene near the beginning where Mary and Mary Magdelene are talking - before John comes in. One says, "Why is tonight unlike other nights..." or something like that. The response was, "We used to be slaves..." They were referring to the Exodus - the release of God's people from their bondage in Egypt. This is part of the traditional Passover meal. We did it in the college ministry last year. We focus a ton on the transaction of our sins being placed on Jesus, which we should. But if we take this Exodus imagery, we see there's much more. We are freed from the bondage of sin. It isn't just paid for, we are called to live in our freedom from sin. We have been freed from sin to live well, not just wait for heaven. So this Good Friday, may we remember that God didn't just pay for our sin in Christ, but He released us to live in freedom as well.

How did God speak to you or challenge you last night watching The Passion? If you weren't there, how has God used it in your life in the past?

Ordination #2, Art. 1d: "Authority"

This one concludes the first Article in the Evangelical Free Doctrinal Statement, which focuses on Scripture...

The Bible is also God’s final authority for Christian faith and life. If we believe Scripture is God’s Word, it follows that it carries the authority of God for our lives (2 Tim. 3.16). Reason, tradition, and experiences are all significant elements of human existence, but they are all subject to the authority of God’s Word. This is not to say Scripture is anti-reason, anti-tradition, or anti-experience. In fact, they are inescapable influences in how we read and interpret Scripture and can work together. As we engage Scripture, our human reason, God’s objective Word, and the inner testimony of the Holy Spirit (Jn. 14.26; 16.8, 13, 14) are working together to ensure that hear God’s authoritative message.