Christianity is often viewed as a selfish religion. One that is about gaining riches in heaven for ourselves. Using our own personal salvation as motivation to do good deeds, even sharing our faith with others can be seen as having selfish motivations.

Our motivations are viewed as selfish.

I think a lot of times, too, I act selfishly towards God, as if I deserve to have things or I deserve to always be happy. Sometimes it's as if everything in the world revolves around me. My faith becomes me, me, me, and not HIM, HIM, HIM. But I don't deserve any of this. I don't deserve God's grace, God's mercy.

I act selfishly towards God.

But fortunately, we have a God of love and never ending grace, a God who loves us so much that He sent His Son to die on the cross so that my sins would be forgiven. When I think about that, and then I think about how I sometimes view God, I get mad.

You see for some people, sure Christianity is selfish. They do good deeds in order to gain God's approval and go up to heaven. That's not how I want to live though.

I want my motivation to be LOVE. I have a God who gave up His Son for me, I have a God who has put so many blessings in to my life, a God who wants me to advance His Kingdom and spread His love.

I want love to ooze out of my every pore, love for Him, love for others.

I want unconditional, no-strings-attached love to saturate everything I do.

And not a selfish love. Love because it is the least I can do in return for the infinite love I have been given. Love because an unworthy, broken, far-from-perfect, good-for-nothing sinner like me was shown a beautiful, saving, and redeeming love that can never be replicated.

I don't want it to be me, me, me. I want it to be HIM, HIM, HIM.

What story are you telling? from Rhetorik Creative on Vimeo.

http://www.amazon.com/Million-Miles-Thousand-Years-Learned/dp/1400202981/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1276717752&sr=1-1

Peace

He makes me lie down in green pastures,
He leads me beside quiet waters,
He refreshes my soul.

Psalm 23:2-3

I'm just imagining right now what it would be like to be lying down in a wide open green pasture. Not a cloud in the sky, the sun beating down on my face so that I can barely open my eyes. I can hear the sound of the nearby stream tranquilly carving its way through the grassland. It is just God and I. I feel so close, so intimate, so refreshed. Nothing else is on my mind, nothing else is taking my attention. How peaceful. How calming. How restoring. How beautiful.

I am surrounded by an amazing group of guys, and for that I am so thankful to God

"I would like to suggest that the best parts of our human nature can be seen in sacrifice or surrender. A mother sacrificing her time for her child, a teacher devoting her afternoons to help students off-the-clock. These are truly our most incredible moments as a species: moments of unmerited kindness. Goodness. Virtue. Nobility. Grace. Morality. These are the truly remarkable moments."

-Jon Foreman

In Matthew, Jesus teaches us that the most important commandment is to love God with all our heart, all our mind, and all our soul. The second most is loving our neighbor as ourselves. I believe that when Jesus calls us to love others, he calls us to be radical in the way that we sacrifice our own wants and needs for others, the way that we surrender our own wants and needs to God. It is in these moments, these moments of self-sacrifice, that we are conveying the love that God showed us when he sent His son to die on the cross for us. It is in these moments that we show the grace that God showers on us. It is in these moments that we truly love.

I want to live my life where I am truly loving others and where I am truly loving God. Of course, I am nowhere near where I want to be, but imagine the environment that a truly loving community would foster. We live in a world, in a country, that can be extremely focused on the self and moving the self to the top. For many, their worlds revolve around success, fame, accomplishments. But what is a more powerful story: a man who becomes rich, or a man who sacrifices his time to volunteer in Haiti for people that have next to nothing. A man who works hard to reach the top of the social totem pole, or a man who works hard to put others before him and show God's grace, God's redemption, God's love.

Now I'm not really one to talk because most times I fail at this. I can be one of the most self-centered people I know. But I want transformation. I want God to transform me into someone that loves. Someone that truly loves.

Now Years Resolution

Here is an interesting blog post from Jason Mraz. You can find it here: http://freshnessfactorfivethousand.blogspot.com/

"I’m a fan of positive articulation. To me, this is a step beyond positive thinking. It’s putting your positive thoughts into action – into doing – into words.

Every New Year’s I resolve to do something new/different with my life. Something grand. Something transformative. Sometimes it’s to continue doing something I love, but often it’s a new invention of some kind. Last year, the main theme was activism and in 2010 I certainly got my feet wet, literally by tromping thru the Lake Volta Region in Ghana, learning about the work of Free The Slaves – AND parading thru New Orleans promoting a green future after learning about the oil spill disaster and cover-up in the Gulf.

This year, I resolve to turn New into Now. "New” often refers to a kind or quality about something, AND tends to refer to a someday, either past or future. Now, however, always means NOW. In this tradition, I get to celebrate early and say,

Happy Now Year.

“New” generally means that something is freshly made. Now means it IS made and this is IT. Take it or leave it. I make-up that by using Now instead of New, we can cut back on consumption. For instance, I need a new computer becomes, I need a now computer. A now computer already exists – therefore is likely pre-owned and still just as powerful. A new computer requires energy and money to manufacture it and the same to get it all the way to my studio. (I’m speaking from a real experience btw. My computer by today’s standards is OLD. So is my recording technology. But that doesn’t fool me. It’s working NOW. So I’m sticking to it!)

In 2011, I resolve to repair, re-use, and keeping recycling.

Using the words, “I make up” instead of “I think” can totally lighten your load and cut-back on the number of communication breakdowns in your life. “I think” takes ownership and is assumptive. “I make-up” is much more playful and is a reminder how this NOW version of the life experience is all made-up anyway.

In 2011, I resolve to not THINK. (haha.)

Remembering to Play is another thing. In 2010 I confused my inner child by referring to my gig as work, which is silly. You can't WORK music.

In 2011, I resolve to PLAY music.

Recently some friends went on a honeymoon/vacation. They called it their Playcation. Bravo. Say no more.

So often we say, I HAVE to go to work. I HAVE to pick up some groceries. I HAVE to call so & so. Making a conscious shift and using the words “GET-TO” can change everything. We GET TO go to work. We GET TO pick up some groceries. We GET TO call so & so. I hear my dad say, I HAVE to go check on your grandmother, but I know how much he loves that he can do it. I encourage him to say, I GET TO go check on your grandmother. Pretty soon, we may not have that honor.

I have another friend who doesn’t use a to-do list, but rather, a TA-DA list – for once you complete all the tasks, it’s like magic. All is done. TA-DA!

In 2011, I resolve to be Magical.

What other forms of Positive Articulation and quirky word hybrids could you add to the ever-evolving language that becomes our life experience?

In 2011, I resolve to be a great listener."

Third Story Woot Woot

note: you have to click on bad idea to get to my story