Jim Martin's Encouragement Note #28

Mar 01, 2021

If you are tired or discouraged, I am really glad you are reading this issue. Whether you are feeling the after effects of disappointment or are in the middle of a tiresome struggle, it can be helpful to invest a few minutes in what might be a fresh moment of encouragement.

The List of Five

You Might Find This Particular Question Very Helpful

The questions you and I choose to reflect on and ponder can serve to move us forward.

In a recent podcast interview, John Kotter of Harvard gives listeners a question that I find very helpful. Kotter is the author of such books as Leading Change and That’s Not How We Do It Here.

Kotter suggests that organizations give thought to the following question:

What is Our Opportunity?

I have been thinking about this question. What is our opportunity at this point in time? Far too often we get focused on our limitations, our setbacks, our problems, our “what if’s” and other questions which may be self-limiting instead of productive.

Yet, suppose you and I were to seriously reflect on the implications of this particular question as applied to various aspects of our lives?

What is my opportunity right now as a married (or single) person?

What is my opportunity with my family right now?

What is my opportunity at this point in my life, given my age, circumstances, work, etc.?

What is our opportunity now as a congregation?

What is our opportunity now as a business or non-profit?

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One of Your Great Strengths Might be Your Curiosity

Brene Brown in a recent conversation with Adam Grant (Dare to Lead podcast) spoke about “majoring in curiosity.” Brown encouraged her daughters, upon entering college, not to decide too quickly about their major or what they wanted to do in life. Rather, she encouraged them to “major in curiosity.”

This makes sense. After all, curious people tend to listen well, ask excellent questions and are always learning.

When I reflect on my time in college, I have memories of significant learning opportunities such as the following:

A biology class taught by two professors who were interested in how freshman learn. The class was hands-on and very practical. The professors did not just dispense information but focused on how their students might actually learn.
A sociology class where one assignment was to study facilities which cared for special needs adults, mentally challenged adults, half-way houses, etc. I had the opportunity to interview directors, counselors, and managers in these facilities.
A counseling class where the professor assigned each student to sit in a family court in Dallas County for a total of ten hours during the semester. I will never forget some of these moments in court, particularly when children were involved.
A human resources class (business) co-taught by two professors who worked at Texas Instruments. One night each week, they taught their class after working all day, having dealt with various management and human resource issues. Their everyday experience really shaped what they did in class!

For several years, as an undergraduate, my curiosity thrived. I was genuinely curious about life, the world, and people who thought very differently than myself. I regularly took advantage of some of the most interesting opportunities to learn.

As you consider cultivating your own curiosity, the following might be helpful:

Cultivate questions to ask another. Ask yourself, “what is it like to be her or him?” We can learn so much from one another.
Be intentional about listening well. Watch the body language. Be fully present as a listener, instead of showing up partially while you wait for the person to stop talking so that you can speak.
Pay attention to what might be happening right in front of you. What sounds do you hear? What aromas are present? What do you see? While working at home, Charlotte and I walked through our neighborhood everyday. I saw so much that I had missed, though I had driven through this neighborhood many times. What is right in front of you that might be interesting?

How Do You Show Up?

One year, while in college, I worked for an oil company in downtown Dallas. On the 27th floor of a large office building, I served as a courier, running errands, and delivering various files to oil and gas executives in the company.

I worked with a woman, a single parent, who rode the bus each day to work. She literally had two suits to wear, one red and the other royal blue. She seemed to be barely getting by as a single mother on a single income. She did everything just to show up and be fully present despite her challenges.

She probably would have described her life as fairly simple. However, I am sure that it was challenging. She was juggling work, navigating the bus, and attempting to raise her young son. She was very attentive to her elementary school aged son “Randy,” whom she adored. After work, she rode the bus home and spent the evenings helping him with his homework. Weekends typically meant riding the bus to the grocery store, buying groceries, and returning home to their apartment.

Yet, each weekday morning, Monday-Friday, she “showed up.” She came to work, smiled and said “good morning” to each person she greeted.

There are some people who manage to show up well in spite of what they might be dealing with in their lives. There are others who appear to show up but then quickly choose to gripe and complain.

“It’s another Monday”

“If you had to deal with my problems, you wouldn’t think it was a good morning!”

Yes, I know we may have intense, difficult challenges. However, I want to begin each morning believing that this day has potential for God to be at work in me.

How do you show up in the morning? Do you and I show up, ready to be fully present for the day? What are the first words my family hears from me in the morning? What do my co-workers hear?

On my best days, I have found it helpful to start the day with the following:

Be still long enough to be aware of how I feel and what I am thinking. ( I want to start my day quietly before looking at e-mail, social media, etc.)
Acknowledge to the Lord the way I feel. Maybe I am anxious, worried, tired, overwhelmed, etc. I bring this to God.
Pray that I will be present that day in a way that both depends on God’s strength and honors God.
Be intentional about how I talk and act with others. I want to consider the words I speak and the tone I set for the day. Otherwise, I am likely to resort to my default behavior which means I allow my emotions and anxiety to govern how I speak and act.

Choose Where You Give Your Attention

She looked extremely frustrated. My teacher was attempting to teach history to a group of middle-school students. Our attention was scattered all over the room - anywhere but on our teacher. Finally, in one last moment of exasperation, she slammed a book on a desk and sharply said to all of us, “Pay Attention!”

Decades later, I am still trying to learn to pay attention to what matters. Perhaps we all need to hear reminders like the words of Proverbs 7:24:

Now then, my sons, listen to me;
pay attention to what I say.

Paying attention to the right things can be a game changer. Perhaps it would be helpful to consider a few areas of life that are worthy of our attention:

Pay attention to those in your life who model wisdom (Proverbs 7:24; 21:11). Pay attention to godly mentors and encouragers. Paying attention to someone whose life is worth imitating can put you miles down the road.

Pay attention to your daily habits, practices, and priorities instead of being focused on the seemingly insurmountable task ahead of you.

Pay attention to things that are seemingly unrelated. While I was in graduate school in Abilene, Texas, I drove a school bus each morning and afternoon. I learned much from simply overhearing the conversations of children. A number of years later, I served as a police chaplain for our local police department (Waco, Texas). One night per week, for five years, I rode in a patrol car — listening. These experiences, seemingly unrelated, helped me greatly in communicating with, and understanding many people.

Pay attention to these four basic areas of ministry and discipleship in your life.
1. What am I becoming? (Am I being shaped and formed into a Christ-like person?)
2. What do I know? (Am I coming to know God through his son Jesus and Scripture?)
3. How do I relate to others? (Does my behavior toward others reflect the character of God?)
4. How am I doing as a servant? (Am I paying attention to others and giving myself to bless others?)

Pay attention to the Lord God. I want to pay attention to his word, his desires, and his mind. Yet, paying attention is more than awareness. It also includes making needed changes. To understand what God desires and yet make no change is like looking in the mirror at my appearance, seeing the reality, and then making no adjustment at all (James 1:22-25).

From The Heart of Our Father

The following passage is from Isaiah 41. I have read this numerous times in the last few weeks. These words are from the Father to Israel. They say much about God’s affection for his people - including you and me.

“But you, Israel, my servant,
    Jacob, whom I have chosen,
    you descendants of Abraham my friend,
9 I took you from the ends of the earth,
    from its farthest corners I called you.
I said, ‘You are my servant’;
    I have chosen you and have not rejected you.
10 So do not fear, for I am with you;
    do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
    I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.