APRIL 28 & 29, 2007
In today's installment of my Messages About Purpose and Strategy, I'll tell you about a book I'm reading. Actually, my point has to do with why I'm reading it, not its content.
First, let me disclose my usual reading habits, in order to highlight the significance of the new book I'm reading. The pattern is that I'm typically reading 4 books concurrently besides my Bible. There's always a couple on church leadership and at least one with a devotional flavor. I read "how-to" books so I can get better at what I do and I read books that help me learn more about God and fall more deeply in love with him. But I also usually have a just-for-fun book going. This can be a Calvin and Hobbes anthology or something matching my interests, like "Fly-fishing For Smallmouth Bass."
So, what am I reading now? I've just added "Stokes Field Guide To Birds, Western Region," by Donald and Lillian Stokes. I've never been a bird watcher, except when a blue jay swiped my triple-decker PB&J on wheat right out of my hand when I was a kid. So, why am I reading a bird book when I'm not a birder? You see, my dad loves to hike and see birds. He's coming to visit and I want to honor him by learning about what interests him. I want to enter his world and meet him where he's at so that I can build a bridge to strengthen our relationship.
Take a look at 1 Cor. 9:19-23 to see the strategy I'm hoping to follow. The main idea is contained in verse 22 - "I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel..." So, what is our strategy to fulfill our purpose? We use "all possible means," even learning about birds.
First, let me disclose my usual reading habits, in order to highlight the significance of the new book I'm reading. The pattern is that I'm typically reading 4 books concurrently besides my Bible. There's always a couple on church leadership and at least one with a devotional flavor. I read "how-to" books so I can get better at what I do and I read books that help me learn more about God and fall more deeply in love with him. But I also usually have a just-for-fun book going. This can be a Calvin and Hobbes anthology or something matching my interests, like "Fly-fishing For Smallmouth Bass."
So, what am I reading now? I've just added "Stokes Field Guide To Birds, Western Region," by Donald and Lillian Stokes. I've never been a bird watcher, except when a blue jay swiped my triple-decker PB&J on wheat right out of my hand when I was a kid. So, why am I reading a bird book when I'm not a birder? You see, my dad loves to hike and see birds. He's coming to visit and I want to honor him by learning about what interests him. I want to enter his world and meet him where he's at so that I can build a bridge to strengthen our relationship.
Take a look at 1 Cor. 9:19-23 to see the strategy I'm hoping to follow. The main idea is contained in verse 22 - "I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel..." So, what is our strategy to fulfill our purpose? We use "all possible means," even learning about birds.
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