The Monday Memo from John Stanko

Monday Memo 286: Watch What You Don't Say.

Have you ever said something about yourself or referred to something you wanted to do and then thought, "Why did I say that?  What are people thinking of me right now?  They must think I am boasting or have a big ego!"  If so, then that may be why you can't clarify your purpose, simply because you are not comfortable talking about or referring to yourself. Don't worry, however, for I have someone who can help you.  Read on.

DID HE REALLY SAY THAT?

Last week we looked at one aspect of the story of David and Goliath.  We saw that David could nto wear Saul's armor to go and face Goliath.  He had to wear and use what was most comfortable for him.  I pointed out that you cannot walk in someone else's expectations for you, no matter how well-intentioned they may be.

So David, armed with the right equipment (a sling and some stones), stepped onto the battlefield to face this fearsome giant.  Immediately he was confronted with some daunting threats from this behemoth:

He said to David, "Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks?" And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. "Come here," he said, "and I'll give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!" (1 Samuel 17:43-44).

Now if David was like some people I know, he would have then said, "Well, maybe, I mean perhaps the Lord may want to use me, but don't get me wrong, I'm not saying I know for sure and if something good does happen, it will be the Lord and not me.  I don't want you to ever think it's me."

Fortunately, David was of a different mindset.  When Goliath verbally attacked, David was quick to retaliate:

"You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the LORD will hand you over to me, and I'll strike you down and cut off your head. Today I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD's, and he will give all of you into our hands" (1 Samuel 17:45-47).

What bravado! What courage!  What confidence David had!  There was nothing tentative in what he said or planned to do.  He was bold and specific.  Many think that kind of talk alienates God.  Are you one of those who thinks that?  If so, then you need to change the way you think!

God isn't repelled by such talk; that talk drew Him to David's cause.  He promptly went out with David to meet the giant.  David made good on his promises, while Goliath died tried to figure out what went wrong.

WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?

How can you apply this lesson to your life right now?  First, David had a track record from which he could draw.  He had killed lions and bears, and he saw killing this giant as a continuation of those exploits.  You must allow God to put you in challenging situations so that, when you overcome, you will be able to refer back to those experiences to help you fight future battles.

Second, you must know who you are and what you want to do.  David did not hold back; he was clear and concise.  He said, "I am a champion of God and you, Goliath, are not.  You are coming down, in spite of your size, words and confidence."

Finally, David said what he was going to do without fear of what others thought of him.  He spoke positive, affirming, and powerful words and then set about fulfilling them.

What are you speaking these days?  A better question is what aren't you speaking?  Tentative, faithless words produce tentative, faithless actions. Positive, powerful words produce similar actions. Stop being hesitant and fearful of making bold statements where your purpose and dreams are concerned. Dream great things, talk about them and don't worry about how you sound to other people.  Only be concerned with how you sound to God.

Dream great things, talk about doing them and then go for it!  It's simple to describe but not simple to do, I know. I also know that you can only do great things once you stop stumbling and mumbling through your purpose and dreams.  Every day this week, you need to watch what you don't say and follow David's example.  That's what I will do this week and I plan on having a great week.  I invite you to join me.

The Monday Memo 285: What Are You Wearing Right Now?

It's hard to walk in someone else's expectations, especially when those expectations don't relate to your purpose.  You can try to please society, your family, and even your own expectations of what you think you should be or do, but eventually you will fail.  It will deplete your energy and creativity and you will be miserable.  So what's the answer?

It's simple; just don't do it.

You must resist every attempt when someone, well-meaning or otherwise, tries to get you to fulfill their vision for your life.  You must learn to have and pursue your own vision, for it is the only road to happiness and success.

That's what David did before he was king and it served him well.  You may want to read the story I am referring to in 1 Samuel 17 before we proceed. 

TRY THIS ON.

The story of David and Goliath is known in many cultures and lands.  Every day, Goliath and the armies of Israel would line up across from one another and nothing would happen.  One day, David came to check up on his brothers and heard Goliath taunting the armies of Israel.  That made him angry and he wondered why no one was doing anything about it. 

When he heard that there was a reward for anyone who would kill Goliath, David immediately volunteered to do the deed.

When David told King Saul that he [David] would be the one to kill Goliath, Saul laughed, dismissing him as too young and inexperienced.  David would not relent, so Saul eventually gave in and sanctioned the encounter.  Before he let David go, however, he gave David his personal armor to wear: 

Then Saul dressed David in his own tunic. He put a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on his head. David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them. "I cannot go in these," he said to Saul, "because I am not used to them." So he took them off. Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd's bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine (1 Samuel 17:38-40).

David could not function in Saul's armor because Saul was a head taller than all his peers (see 1 Samuel 9:2).  Instead David took off the armor and took up what he felt most comfortable with--a slingshot and some stones.

WHAT ARE YOU WEARING RIGHT NOW?

Do you see the lesson here?  Saul had expectations that David could only fight dressed in body armor, so Saul gave him his.  Others have tried to give you what fits them and you have tried to walk in it.  It's not possible, however, for you to be a man or woman of purpose and walk in what someone else gives you.  You must find your own joy, creativity and passion. 

What's more, you can't explain it to anyone so they can understand.  You don't even understand it!  You just know what your heart is telling you and that is what you pursue, whether it makes perfect sense or not.  Remember what the wisdom writer told us:

Each heart knows its own bitterness, and no one else can share its joy (Proverbs 14:10 emphasis added).

You know how much you love music, art, travel, writing, business, preaching, or medicine. No one knows better than you what is in your heart, no matter how much they love you or well-intentioned they are.  Only you are equipped to hear and follow your heart.  Are you up to the task?

It's time this week to be honest. Are you trying to fulfill someone else's expectations for you?  Have you put on someone else's armor?  If so, take it off immediately!  Don't face your Goliaths this week in someone else's image for you.  Face them in your own; that is good enough to get the job done.  You will be lighter, nimbler and happier than you have been in a while, and it will be a significant step to identify and embrace your purpose.  As you do, I know you will have a great week!

If you have any suggestions for topics or improvements for The Monday Memo, please send me an email and let me know.  Feel free to post your comments to this Memo on the site where it is located. You can also go to the same site to read the other Monday Memos from 2006 (Memos prior to 240 can be found on my website). Don't forget to check out my personal PurposeQuest website, which has loads of material that will help you find your purpose and be productive.  You can also sign up for my weekly Bible studies where we are currently studying Mark's gospel. Finally, please remember PurposeQuest and the Stankos in your missions giving.

I will be in the UK from February 26-March 4 and then in Kenya from March 4-9.  I hope to see you while I am there.

The Monday Memo 284: You Want Answers!

Last week, we looked at the story of Jonathan and his armour bearer and examined how they had to climb two cliffs to get to their desired goal.  You have obstacles and cliffs to climb as well, and I urged you last week to start climbing.

There is one more question, however, that may be keeping your feet on the ground instead of on your cliffs heading upward.  What is that question?  I'm glad you asked!  The question is:  How do I know I am climbing the right cliff heading to the right destination, the right path for the correct goal?

The answer is that you don't know.  For the explanation, read on.

PERHAPS

We all want answers and assurance before we set out that we are on the right track.  If that's what you want, you are not alone.  This desire, however, can actually hinder more than help as you try to pursue the goals and aspirations you have.

You need to see what Jonathan said to understand what I mean:

Jonathan said to his young armor-bearer, "Come, let's go over to the outpost of those uncircumcised fellows. Perhaps the Lord will act in our behalf. Nothing can hinder the Lord from saving, whether by many or by few" (1 Samuel 14:6 emphasis added). 

The key word that Jonathan uttered is perhaps.  Jonathan knew that there were no guarantees in what he was about to do.  He had faith, but was his faith accurate?   There was only one way to find out, and that was to start climbing.  He knew God could deliver through just two of them, he just didn't know if God would deliver through the two of them.

There are some who see doubt as the enemy of faith; I rather see it as a part of the faith process.  If you knew for sure, it wouldn't require faith, now would it?

But what's to keep you from climbing wrong cliffs on a regular basis?

WHAT'S IN YOUR HEART?

The answer is found in what the armour bearer said to Jonathan when he heard of Jonathan's plan.  He said: 

"Do all that you have in mind," his armor-bearer said. "Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul" (1 Samuel 14:7).

Why can often trust what's in your mind and heart?  You can because of how the Amplified Bible interprets Proverbs 16:4:

Roll your works upon the Lord [commit and trust them wholly to Him; He will cause your thoughts to become agreeable to His will, and] so shall your plans be established and succeed (emphasis added).

So, do you have any good ideas?  Is there something that's been in your heart to do for a while?  If so, then start climbing.  Perhaps the Lord will help you.  What if He doesn't?  Try again, this time climbing a different cliff.  The point is that you want answers before you go and the Lord will provide answers as you go. 

I urge you again this week to follow in the footsteps of Jonathan and his aide.  Get moving and stop worrying about the results.  God is with you, even if you have to retrace some of your steps.  As you go, you will get a better view from a higher vantage point and it will only help to make your journey, perhaps even your PurposeQuest, more scenic and memorable.  Have a great week!

The Monday Memo 283: Climb Your Mountain

Did you ever feel like you were facing insurmountable odds as you work to fulfill your purpose?  Do you feel like you are facing an uphill climb to do God's will?  If so, you are not alone.  Not only are there plenty of people today who feel what you feel, but there were some in the past who did as well.

One such person was Jonathan, Saul's son and David's friend.  While everyone around him felt stifled by their obstacles and opposition, Jonathan decided to do something about it.  His story is found in 1 Samuel 13:20-14:23.  You may want to read those verses again before you proceed with the rest of this Memo.

TWO CLIFFS WITH NAMES

It is interesting that while Saul's army was pretending to fight, Jonathan decided to engage the enemy.  The army daily went through the motions of fighting, yet they never did anything.  That reminds me of the Church today.  We often go through maneuvers, but we don't help people attack their real enemies of fear, laziness and lack of faith.

Once Jonathan decided to fight the Philistines, he faced formidable odds.  There were only two of them (Jonathan and his armor bearer) against a whole Philistine army.  They only had one sword between them, and they had to scale two large cliffs with names.  A cliff has to be significant to have a name and both of this cliffs had them, so they must have been foreboding. 

When Jonathan decided to climb up, the Lord didn't carry Him in the "shadow of his wings."  Jonathan had to climb up using his hands and feet.  Maybe he got dirt under his fingernails.  His armor bearer probably got a mouthful of dirt as he climbed up behind Jonathan.

They made it to the top of the cliffs, however, and the Philistines were surprised to see them. They were so surprised that Jonathan and his side kick had a serious competitive advantage, and that advantage was courage. 

What can you learn from this story of courageous action in the face of difficulty?

START CLIMBING!

Jonathan came to the right conclusion as he considered whether or not to climb his mountain. He voiced it when he said, "Come, let's go over to the outpost of those uncircumcised fellows. Perhaps the Lord will act in our behalf. Nothing can hinder the Lord from saving, whether by many or by few" (1 Samuel 14:6).

Jonathan didn't let his circumstances prevent him from taking action.  He was looking for some sign, any sign to attack rather than any sign why he should not attack.  Is your attitude the same as Jonathan's?  Are you looking for any sign to indicate that you should take action? Or are you waiting for conditions to be just right before you take your first steps?

There is only one way to get on top of your situation and that is to climb up there from where you are. You can't wish your cliffs away or rebuke them.  Nor can you conclude that mountains in your way are not God's will.  Usually, they are.  Climbing them will only make your purpose and productivity more special and memorable.

So where can you apply the lessons of Jonathan and his armor bearer this week?  What cliffs are you facing?  When will you start climbing?  What is at the top that is worth the climb?  Jonathan succeeded one step at a time and God helped him, even though He was greatly outnumbered.  Rest assured that God will help you in the same way, but you must first start climbing.  Don't put it off another day.  It's time to move on up to the high place that God has for you.  Have a great week!