Litmus

In Casey's leadership notes this week he talks about training himself to be more Godly. He gives some examples from his own life of things one can do to become more like Christ. He wraps it up with a series of words, a litmus test, for how he is growing as a believer:

• Love
• Joy
• Peace
• Patience
• Kindness
• Goodness
• Gentleness
• Self-Control

As I look at these words I have to ask myself how I measure up. Do I love others the way Christ loves me? Do I experience joy in life? Cause it in others? Am I a peaceful person? It certainly isn't peaceful being around me sometimes! Patience? Yea... just ask the folks who have known me for a while! Am I kind? Good? Gentle? Do I have any degree of self control?

Wow. Casey is setting a pretty high standard here. I mean, that's a ten-foot high jump at least!

But is it, really? In John 14:14 we read:

You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. (NIV)

Here Christ is telling us that He is there for us. For me. For you. For all of us. "In my name" -- as though we were Him; assuming His identity. If we are asking to be like Him; if we are asking to exhibit Christ-like qualities such as the things in he list above; if we are asking to do what He would do then He will grant us that request. If we truly want to be more Godly then all we have to do is ask for Christ's help and He will give it to us. It really is that simple.

How do you judge your growth as a follower of Christ? Do you have a litmus-list of words by which you judge yourself? Something else? Have you asked Christ to help you with that? Have you asked him to put someone in your life who will hold you accountable?

I don't have a list of words. Instead, my wife is my litmus test. She holds me accountable and keeps me honest. Without her I likely wouldn't be writing these words. She holds me to a higher standard and encourages me to reach the ten-foot high jump. Christ put her in my life many years ago, even before I was a Christian. Even then He had a plan -- a vision -- for my life. I am grateful for that and I measure myself daily against that blessing.

Slidell, LA

For the past few days we've been on the bayou country helping folks recover from hurricane Katrina. Yep, 18 months later and people are still digging out. We were clearing trees, hanging drywall, painting and doing any number of odds and ends.

The scene was somewhat surreal. On some streets things were as if there had never been a disaster. The next street over looked as it if it were the day after the storm. We met one family of eight still living in their FEMA trailer. Wow! Can you imagine how crowded that must be!?

We haven't seen Katrina or its aftermath in the news lately. The entertainment industry news media have moved on to other things. It's all about the advertising after all and we're a fickle society. Our informants -- CNN, Fox News, whomever -- swing our attention too and fro never letting us dwell too long on any one event. On a slow news day somebody may glance back over their shoulder and comment: "Yep, still there..."

Have you had a Katrina in your life? A disaster of unpredictable magnitude that's left a swath of destruction in its wake? Have you moved on to other things? Turned away from the pain and suffering that still exists and distracted yourself with other things? It's still there you know. You can't really move on until you've rebuilt. With each day the disaster-torn foundations continue to rot and crumble beneath us while we pretend they don't.

We're human and the human condition pretty much stinks most of the time. How we deal with the stink is a measure of our character. Christ is our strength. He builds our character. Through him we can stare down our Katrinas and declare boldly that we will never give up and never give in.

I met some amazing people these last few days. Not a single one of them gave in or gave up. They persevered, rebuilt and carried on. Each one of them taught me something about being a Christian. Each one of them displayed to me the strength of Christ. Each one of them still praises God the Father and thanks Him daily for their blessings.

How will you meet your Katrina? I will meet mine with Christ by my side in bold defiance of the hurricane's destructive force.