Choose Your Voice

There are many voices, thoughts, ideas, concepts, and views that are constantly clamoring for our attention. Perhaps it feels as if there are so many, that we simply slip into one or several of them and choose not to think or speak for ourselves.

Admittedly, that is definitely the easy way out. Why exert any effort to make a name for yourself? Why try to fight the machine? Just sit back and conform to the patterns around you, and everything will be fine. Right?

No. Absolutely not. We do not exist for mechanical uniformity. Each and every one of us has a voice, and we have a right to use it. Before we get carried away with my thought process, let's make one thing clear: making your voice heard can be a wonderful thing, but I would strongly advise doing so in a manner that is both intelligent and respectful. Otherwise, you will come across as incompetent, belligerent, shallow, or a combination of the three.

One of my favorite bands is We Came As Romans, whom I have blogged about before. The chorus of one of their songs contains lyrics that are as follow:

No one is born the king of silence / So choose your voice / Just speak up, don't back down / Don't wear that crown / Let your voice scream out / Don't let it hold you down / Be true to who you are

As a whole, 'The King of Silence' talks about how the world is full of selfishness and may not always be with you, but those are not excuses for us to take a backseat and not take a stand. Sometimes, we need to be the voice in the wilderness. Sometimes, in the midst of all that is wrong or uncomfortable, we need to be the ones to speak out against the dismal status quo. Sometimes, we need to put our fear behind us and power forward to a better set of circumstances.

I am not for a second saying that making your voice heard is easy, because for some, it just is not natural to take on that role. But we need to overcome that fear. You and I each have a voice that is meant to be heard. Again, we must do so responsibly, but it is within our power to speak up and be true to who we are. This is especially true when it comes to being in situations in which something is morally wrong. Never compromise your character: don't be the king (or queen) of silence. Speak up with excellence and care, and do not settle for mediocrity or complacency.

Grace: No Excuses

I was reading chapter 15 in the book of First Corinthians this morning and found verses 9-10 to stick out a bit:

"For I am the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me." (1 Cor. 15:9-10 NASB)

 This is Paul speaking, and he essentially sums up something incredibly powerful. Paul was a murderer of Christians. A murderer! However, while on the way to Damascus, Paul (known as Saul at the time) encountered the all-consuming glory of Christ and was forever changed (Acts 9). In a moment, Saul the murderer became Paul the Apostle and started proclaiming the truth of Christ like nobody's business.

Because of his blood-stained past, Paul realized that he did not deserve the new life that he was given in Christ. He knew that he was inadequate. But what Paul chose to hold onto was the grace of God. By God's grace, Paul became an amazing force for advancing the kingdom, needless to say he also became one of the most talked about figures in the Bible overall. Paul recognized that despite his dark past, the grace of God made him into a new person: a person who could shed the past and make a positive, spirit-led difference in the present and future.

The grace of God is truly an amazing and beautiful thing. Without it, we would be eternally doomed. With it, we can accept what Christ has done for us, allow Him to transform our lives, and serve others as He served others. If the grace of God could transform the murderous Saul into the Apostle Paul, who is responsible for over half of the New Testament, we have no excuses when it comes to whether or not that same grace can transform us in the present day.

Do not underestimate the grace of God. As humans, I understand that it can be rather difficult at times to think about how God could extend such grace to wretches such as us. But let's face it: if God could turn a Christian-killer into one of the most successful disciple-makers of all time, what can't God do with you? We need to embrace the grace of God and allow it to truly transform us. If we genuinely allowed God to pour out His grace and mercy on us, just think of what He could accomplish through us. The thought is simply exhilarating! Nothing can separate us from the love of God (Romans 8:38-39) and He is just waiting to extend His grace to us. Accept that grace today, live in the glory of His presence, and watch as He takes you down a road of authentic satisfaction that is devoid of regret. His grace is enough, and we owe it to ourselves to take God up on such an invaluable gift.

Time

I was driving home from work a day or two ago and this thought occurred to me: it's the middle of July!! Holy wow, when did that happen?!? Honestly, it feels like the last time I checked, it was the middle of May. Talk about a wake-up call.

As I reflect on that thought, a few more percolate within me. Time goes relatively fast, and our time on this earth is relatively short, all things considered. So if you put two and two together, you will probably find that life, more or less, happens in the blink of an eye in the grand scheme of things. Knowing that, how are we spending our time? Are we working so much that we neglect our family and friends? Are we going home after a day of work and sucking in a few hours too many of television? Are we actually trying to develop relationships with the people who mean the most to us? Are we refusing to start/continue something that could be beneficial in some way because we always seem to be lacking (or think we are lacking) enough time?

Every now and then, I am reminded in one way or another that time is precious. And, personally, it seems that with every passing day time is flying by faster and faster (so yes, I can begin to relate to the folks who are more advanced in years, compared to myself, who always say that time progresses more quickly as you get older). The beginning of this week has served as my latest reminder. So now I pose the question: how am I spending my time? Am I wasting it away on the temporal, or am I developing myself constructively and loving those around me? Am I actively pursuing a loving relationship with my Lord and Saviour? Am I spending valuable time with my family? Am I developing healthy relationships with the friends I care for the most? Am I being a good neighbor to all those with whom I come in contact? Am I preparing myself professionally for the impending phase of life after college (which, for me, starts next May)? The list of questions could go on and on...

How do you spend your time? The things we give our time to say a lot about us. Perhaps we all just need to take a step back for a minute and re-evaluate ourselves and how we apportion our time. I am more than sure that every one of us has at least some room for improvement.