Think About It

One of the most memorable images from my childhood is a stern looking man in a fedora on the sidelines of the Cotton Bowl (then, a bit later on, Texas Stadium). I was a Dallas Cowboys fan and the man who ran the team was my hero. Tom Landry not only produced winning teams, he displayed a winning attitude – not just in football, but in life. Coach Landry had a complex relationship with many of his players, but there was something special about the way he handled himself in victory and defeat. The other day, I was reading some quotes by Mr. Cowboy and came across this, “Really, coaching is simplicity. It’s getting players to play better than they think they can.”. As I read this, I immediately thought about leadership. Often, we think of leaders as people who can motivate people to follow their own game plan, but the real leaders are those who can help others become the best they can be. It’s not about manipulating people into doing what we want, it is about helping them fully de...

How can you make your momma and daddy proud? Often, when we talk about the relationship between a parent and a child these days, it seems like the conversation tends to focus on parents leaving a positive legacy for their children. As parents, we monitor our behavior so that we can leave a good name for our offspring. Now, while that is a legitimate and noble desire, there is another side to the idea of the parent/child relationship – one in which the child tries to please their parents. We tend to see this early in the lives of children – when they are doing what they can to please their parents and live up to their expectations. However, sometimes in the process of “maturing” this connection seems to be lost. Rather than seeking to be pleasing to parents, children tend to want to make their own decisions and their own mark. While this is a natural part of growing older – and separating from home – children should also seek to be pleasing to those who raised them. No, I don’t ...

There is a lot of talk about freedom and liberty today. We have come to expect the rights and privileges that come with being a member of our nation. While it is understandable that we should expect to have the liberties of those around us, have you ever given much thought as to why this is important to us? Do we want to be free to do what makes us feel good? Do we expect liberty so we can live a libertine lifestyle? I believe in the value of liberty, but it is interesting that the Bible has a bit of a different take on freedom. Rather than promoting liberty so that humans can do as they see fit, the Bible promotes liberty as a way to help our fellow man. When Peter wrote to the church in the 1st Century, he noted, “For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men. Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God.” (I Peter 2:15-16). Let’s pursue freedom and liberty, not so we can ha...

The other day I was visiting with a friend of mine who told me a story of a recent interaction with someone who found out that he was retired military. The veteran said that while he still appreciates it, he has gotten used to people saying “Thank you for your service.”. Yet, one day not long ago someone said something that made a real impact on him. Rather than thanking him for his service the person said, “Thank you for my freedom.”. That personal recognition a job well done made an incredible impact on this man who had invested his life in defending our nation and preserving our freedom. As we honor our veterans today, please take the time to say, “Thank you!”. Find someone who served in the military and let them know that the sacrifices they made are not forgotten. The saying goes, “All gave some and some gave all” but the measure of appreciation isn’t diminished by how someone’s career ended. These men and women (and their families) are worthy of our acknowledgement. Wheth...

The other night Jeane and I were watching one of those sports shows about Tim Tebow. The interesting thing about the show was that, typically, these types of shows do a retrospective of the career of a player long after they have retired. Not only have they made their mark on the league, enough time has passed that history has given them either a thumbs up or thumbs down for their enduring legacy. This show, however, was filmed as Tim was still active. He had just left the Broncos and joined the Jets but the jury was still out on what was going to happen. In the years since then, we have seen his playing career come to an end … then try to restart … and even an attempt at a professional baseball career. To me, this shows that Tebow is such an interesting character, they just could wait to feature him. When I think about Tim Tebow several things come to mind, but one that jumps out to me is how comfortable he is in his skin. He is who he is – like it or not. He is confident i...

When Jesus set the foundation for His spiritual movement He told people, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” (Matthew 5:6). These words have become famous as one of the Beatitudes; but have you ever really thought about what they mean? Particularly, what is righteousness? The word just sounds religious, but what does it mean? Since I am not all that intellectual, I often have to reduce things to their least common denominator and righteousness, at is most basic form, is doing things the right way. It is being obedient to God, treating others with respect, obeying the laws of the land and living within the accepted standards of a moral society. The concept may sound complex, but it is lived out in a simple way. We live in world where contentment seems to escape us. We want more but feel like we must settle for less. What would happen if we made the effort to practice righteousness and lived good lives? Would we then find sat...

Today is Election Day for many parts of the nation. While this is an “off-year” election (meaning that we aren’t selecting a president), it will still make a difference in our communities. In fact, I was recently talking to someone who observed that for our day-to-day existence, these elections that tend to be more localized may have a greater influence than those in the presidential years. Maybe it has always been this way in our nation, but I get the feeling that elections have become more divisive than they have been in past. I don’t know, maybe I just value unity more today than I did years ago, but the vitriol spewed by politicians and their supporters seems to be more acrid now than in days gone by. Sure, the thing that makes our system of government work is divergent points of view; but that loses its value when it is at a level that tears us apart rather than building on the differences that can take us to greater heights. A few years back, the phrase “make America great ...