Leftovers. Scraps. Remains. Odds and Ends. Remnants. Whatever is left.

First piece. Best. Complete. Whole. Core. Nothing is lacking.

When you look at your time, talent, and treasure, what words best describe what you give to the Lord?

What if the people in your life treated you the way you treat them?

What if the people in your life served you the way that you serve them?

What if the people in your life talked about you the way that you talk about them?

What if the people in your life loved you the way that you loved them?

If your actions were the exact model for the way others behave toward you, would that make your life better or worse?

“Do as I do” is a powerful way to live.

These are the stories that shape our lives. So, it is essential to ask ourselves if the story is accurate. Do the statistics back it up? Does it align with the current data? Is there any way to prove that your core stories are right or wrong?

One example is the addition of traveling competitive sports teams to society. People do travel sports on weekends because they have told themselves a story that Johnny playing is the key to future success in sports; it will provide additional enjoyment to their life, and a scholarship waits at the end.

They are not listening to the data, which suggests none of those things are true. More sports typically equal less enjoyment, more injuries, and no greater chance of a scholarship. And for the followers of Jesus, it means the absence from Church worship, loss of connection to a faith community, and demonstrates a contradictory values system by the parents.

Stories shape worlds.

As a Christian, you need to make sure the story you tell yourself is backed by data and the word of God; if it isn’t, you need to find a different, more accurate story to guide your life.

There is a difference between being a critical thinker and a critical person.

One dissects ideas and attacks any false assumptions.

The other dissects the person delivering those ideas and assumptions.

You can be one without the other.  

They say that if you do something you love and enjoy, you will never work a day in your life.

I would tell you that it is better to do something meaningful than something enjoyable.

It is far better to give your life to something of eternal significance than temporary pleasure. Connecting to another human being in the name of Jesus has no equal. That does not mean the work is easy, and some days it is not enjoyable. But when I reflect on my life and how I have experienced the love of others, seen the transformation of people, and helped some rebuild after devastation, I cannot imagine doing anything else.

The wonderful thing about the message of Jesus is that any work you do can have meaning. Your life can touch coworkers and customers every day. You can demonstrate a different life and value system than everyone else. You can be an example of someone with a different set of priorities in your work ethic, water cooler talk, and kind spirit through disappointments.

When people look back on your life, the majority will not care what you did for a living; they will care about how you showed them Jesus while you did the work.

The last two weeks at our Church gathering have been incredible. If you ask almost anyone who attended, I am sure they will agree.

Two weeks ago, a group of ladies sang for worship with only a keyboard and light acoustic guitar. It was Mother’s Day, and the sound of their voices, the people singing, and the sermon combined for a moving worship experience.

Last Sunday, I spoke about why we sing in worship. Then, we followed it with four powerful songs of praise. Everyone sang their loudest, and it was truly inspirational. Everything tied together and made for another incredible experience.

We made the sermon available to everyone online, and you can listen to it. But I can guarantee you, it will not be the same experience for you.

When I was young, a group of people would be a part of something special. It could be an evening of laughter or a moment of moving motivation. Then, one member of that group would try to tell the story to a person who was not there. Not feeling the same about what happened, they would respond by saying, “I guess you had to be there.”

I believe every Sunday is a touching experience, but some are more powerful than others. I can try to explain it to you, but to truly understand, you have to be there.

The Church is here to help you grow spiritually until you reach maturity in the faith.

The Church community can provide you with people, programs, and pathways to help you become like Jesus. They select leaders who care for others. They organize programs to help you know the Bible, connect to other believers, and serve with your talent. They can help to point you down the right path in times of struggle and suffering. They want the best for you in every area of life, especially in your relationship with God.

That is all the Church can do. They can make the resources available for everyone to become complete in Jesus. The rest is up to the individual.

One way to help yourself in your walk of faith is to read the Church’s bulletin, look at the website, and follow its social media. The congregation you attend probably has something happening that will help you grow if only you participate.

If you told me to eat an entire family pack of Oreo Doublestuf cookies, I would say, “No, thank you.” I love cookies, and munching on these delightful treats always makes me happy. But eating 30 cookies is far more than even I want at one time.

With that said, I have eaten a whole pack of Oreos Doublestuf before. Several of them, if I am being honest.    

I like to eat two Oreos every day as a snack. I take two, pull one side off each, and eat the piece without cream. Then, I slap the remaining sides together for a monster cookie with extra cream. Two cookies a day, and in less than two weeks, I can finish an entire package by myself.

Whatever big project you want to do that will help you grow spiritually, one effective practice is to break it into bite-sized pieces. For example, you can read your entire Bible in a year by reading four chapters a day. You can also read that 250-page book to help you grow as a disciple in two weeks by reading 20 pages a day.

The old question was, how do you eat an elephant? The answer is one bite at a time. The same is true with Oreos and scripture … maybe even both at the same time.

This year, I did something I should have started long ago. I put together a group of people who have been reading through the Bible and staying connected through email and text.

It has not been easy for everyone to read through books like Leviticus and Numbers. But in my conversations with people, the tool people are using the most is their ears. Many in the group have discovered that listening to the “boring” or “tedious” parts of the Bible makes it much easier to digest.

If you want to read more of the Bible, perhaps instead of investing in an expensive printed version, secure an audio version and listen. Maybe get a nice speaker or a pair of comfortable headphones. I encourage you to stay still and listen closely since it is so easy to get distracted. This will help you not get stuck on names or word pronunciation while keeping a constant reading pace.

One of the great things about life today is that we have so many options to help us absorb scripture. Maybe one of the things you should try is using your ears.

Some Christians’ primary goal is to examine other people’s faith and see where they are suspect. They dig into the background of every person they hear speak, dissect everything they teach, and analyze every aspect of their character. Then, they make podcasts, write books and blogs, and put together short videos to show the world this spiritual fraud.

I am totally against false teachers and try to correct any doctrine I hear being mistaught. I stand firm against the misuse of the Bible in any form. But I also believe there is a difference between defending your beliefs and going on witch hunts.

Both Jesus and Paul have stories that trouble me and push my understanding of confrontation.

The disciples come to Jesus and tell him about someone driving out demons in Jesus’ name. The twelve told him to stop because he was not one of them, and this is how Jesus responded. “Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whoever is not against us is for us.” (Mark 9:39-40)

Jesus did not run and shut this guy down. He didn’t publicly shame all the issues with this teacher. He basically ignores it.

Then, Paul, when writing to the Christians in Philippi, mentions a group of people who preach out of “selfish ambition.” They preach with envy and rivalry. Then he says, “But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.” (Philippians 1:18)

Wait! What? Paul uses his letter to teach the truth and does not call out these charlatans by name. Then he says he is going to rejoice that Jesus is being preached.

Jesus and Paul both seem more concerned that the story of Jesus is spread than making sure everyone’s teaching is perfectly straight. These examples remind us that our primary teaching should always be Jesus and not the errors of others.