Luke 17:1-3

One day Jesus said to his disciples, “There will always be temptations to sin, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting! It would be better to be thrown into the sea with a millstone hung around your neck than to cause one of these little ones to fall into sin. So watch yourselves!

There is value in disregarding others' opinions of your actions and to let those opinions determine your identity and life decisions. However, if you claim to be a Christian and your actions contradict the identity of Christ that you claim to represent, the perceptions of others are a high priority.

We are being watched, by people who believe what we do and by people who don't. To both groups, a contradiction in our proclaimed identity and actual actions/beliefs causes issues.

Regarding fellow believers, the passage in Luke explains that while we are fully aware of our internal thoughts and private actions, people who are observing may not know the whole story and assume the worst. Therefore, we cause them to stumble and doubt the value of following Jesus because His followers are inconsistent.

Regarding non-believers, the difference between endorsement and acceptance is key. Jesus was accepting of everyone and everything, but clearly did not endorse everything. If we decide to endorse questionable behavior or justify our way into decisions that may not be clearly defined, inconsistency happens here as well.

Within any decision, word, interaction, relationship, life stage change, and behavior: Consistent alignment of belief and action is key.

The Great Romancer

Tangible security from relationships and the world are things that most (if not all) women desire. As I thought about that, it came to mind how our heavenly Father has already promised that for me. He is the great romancer who longs to take care of us and love us unconditionally. But we always look to the world for affirmation and fulfillment.

He loves perfectly, justly, extravagantly, adoringly, and selflessly. He died for us, to save us from death and protect from all evil. How romantic is that?

We are the bride of Christ. Husbands are to love their wives as Christ loves the church (Ephesians 5:25-27). Relationships and marriages aren’t a privilege or an expectation for us. They are a gift that expresses Christ’s heart for us in the tangible world. A Christ-centered relationship should play out that unconditional and extraordinary love.

"I will never leave you or forsake you" (Joshua 1:5). He will ALWAYS take care of us.

"Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life." Psalm 23:6

He has Dreams for us: "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." Ephesians 3:20-21.

Consecrate

To be dedicated to a sacred purpose. To make or declare sacred. To set apart. To devote.

To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. 1 Peter 2:21

Follow God's example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Ephesians 5:1-2.

Dedicate yourself to the calling in your life. We're all good at different things and we're meant to be involved in the places where we feel most natural, because that's where we'll be the most effective. Set yourself apart in those places by following the example of Christ to love unconditionally. We can change the world.

Success

Joshua 1

Those are fittest to rule, who have learned to obey.

Success is to obey and follow our Father because He knows what is best for us. There isn’t necessarily a right or wrong answer in e

very situation or life decision. But there are obvious paths that are wrong and disobedient. Each of those things lead to destruction. The things that God invites us into are not leading us to death or to worthlessness. There are boundaries, but only for protection. The things of God are leading us to success and prosperity. Prosperity not being monetary, but finding value in our relationships and pursuit

of our friends and family. Relatio

nships and spiritual generations take priority in our lives because it is what God calls us to do.

I feel extremely successful. My job at Fifth Third bank in HR is solid and I love being able to support my recruiters and candidates. I have great relationships with family and friends. I can support myself. I can go out and have

fun most nights of the week.

Moving forward into the real wo

rld and away from college life has come with challenges though. I'm trying to determine how to balance selflessness and humility with being selective in how I spend my time and efforts. I will need to continually examine how to maintain God's definition of success in my life as I chart new territory and create who I am supposed to be as an adult.

Going to Disneyworld and Harry Potter World with the Vatican was an extraordinary experience. We have all changed so much in the last 4 years, but still maintain a steady enthusiasm for life and for loving each other. I loved being able to facilitate such a wonderful adventure and last hoorah for us.

I'm excited for a summer of working at 5/3, volunteering, serving the UC Alumni Young Professionals, watching friends get married, learning how to be a great friend, and being successful in the eyes of God.

Disdain for Hype

Sometimes I wonder if people are annoyed by the event or person themselves or the hype surrounding it. The Royal Wedding, for instance, is really a monumental event. Any royal wedding is a significant occurrence, no matter the country. I personally feel like each wedding is “celebrity” news worth paying attention to rather than being fascinated by the Bachelorette wedding revelries and heartaches. The wedding of Prince Charles and Princess Diana is a landmark in history and I remember when she passed away. Prince William and his new bride are important symbols of their country, not just a public spectacle. This leads me to view people’s disdain for the Royal Wedding as potentially a disdain for the publicity and overexposure that we have to everything with social media outlets and the internet itself. Example: If the Beatles were around in today’s media backdrop, I wonder if a bigger population would have disdain for them simply because of the hype they generated. Or Elvis, Star Wars, Kurt Cobain, Marilyn Monroe. All great pinnacles of our culture that carry weight, but could easily annoy a large amount of people. I am by no means comparing royalty to our entertainment industry with actual status, but entertainment can be seen as our version of royalty in a lot of ways.

I would challenge you to evaluate yourselves when criticizing an event that’s being hyped. Are you boldly uninterested in the subject matter and honestly don’t see the talent or reason for the attention? Or are you annoyed and turned off by the overexposure to the subject on Facebook and Twitter?

Our Fallen Nature

Crossroads is doing a series called "The Story" which explains how God is the main character of the story of life and the world. We're learning how humankind fits into that and the implications of our condition and nature with God.

The second sermon of the series focused on The Fall. In the Singles Community group, we discussed our Adam and Eve nature as a result of the Fall and how that affects our abilities to be what God intended. The following is from the resources provided in my community group as well as my analysis.

The dynamic between men and women was completely changed with the Fall. The second half of Genesis 3:16 says, “Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.” The word “desire” in the original language and context had a meaning related to “control” rather than a longing or submissiveness.

For women, our Eve nature results in our natural need to control things and to obsess over plans. We have a hard time accepting things that are out of our control: comparing ourselves to others, having grace to let men take the lead in our relationships, trusting God with our lives. Our struggle to be women of influence is compromised by our inability to trust in God’s best for us and to do it with a supernatural confidence and grace that can only come from God.

For men, your Adam nature is to be a passive leader. Adam did not stand up for Eve when God asked about the fruit, even though he was there when she ate it and could have changed everything. Adam could have taken a stand before God with Eve to set things right instead of just eating the fruit, saying “Eve, what are you doing? Let’s go talk to God and make sure we’re doing what he asked.” If this had happened, God would not have reacted the way he did. The Fall happened because Adam and Eve hid from God, not because they ate of the tree. Your struggle to be men of influence is compromised by a loss of conviction and assurance in what you believe as a Christ-follower, and to actively strive toward that on your own and in relationships.

A model of this is clearly portrayed in our culture in most TV shows and conversations between married and dating couples. Women are usually controlling and complain about everything to their husbands. And they always talk and complain about their husbands/boyfriends to their friends. Men are portrayed as lazy, unengaged with their children, and indifferent to the relationship. They willingly hand over control to the woman to make decisions so they can have a comfortable and selfish life in a bachelor mindset.

When we engage in relationships, there is a “weight of responsibility” regarding the view of those relationships and anything that you take on. It’s not a burden, just an understanding of that opportunity to be a part of something that’s worth pursuing. Your education, extracurricular involvement, your mentoring relationships, your friendships, and your romantic relationships imply significant responsibilities.

You have influence in everything that you do. It’s up to you whether you want to slide by and influence your surroundings by means of your Adam and Eve nature. Or you can become a man/woman of influence in Christ, drawing your confidence through him and finding supernatural results as we push each other towards Him.

Effective Accountability

I created a mini-study for our Tuesday small group leaders about how to be effective in accountability, using my notes and resources from Navs and sermons during college.

We all have the best intentions when calling out our friends because we hate to see the trajectory they're on or just don't understand where they are coming from. However, as we grow in our faith and relationships, we have the capacity to more deeply understand how to approach people without being judgmental or imposing standards. It's difficult to watch people make mistakes, but mistakes teach us who we need to be and how to move forward. We are not our mistakes.

Mindset

• Be constructive and helpful in nature
• 1 Corinthians 10:23-24-"'I have the right to do anything,' you say-but not everything is beneficial. 'I have the right to do anything'-but not everything is constructive. No one should seek their own good, but the good of others."


• Examine yourself first
• Galatians 6:1-6- "Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, for each one should carry their own load. Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the word should share all good things with their instructor."


• Servant Leadership: Treat others like partners, be sensitive to what motivates others and empower all to win with the shared goals

Approach

• Assume the best and ask for clarification
• 1 Corinthians 16:14-"Do everything in love"


• Be honest, not people-pleasing
• Proverbs 28:23-"In the end, people appreciate honest criticism far more than flattery" (NLT)


• Suggestion from Jesus (More related to conflict, but the idea stands consistent)
• Matthew 18:15-17-"If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses. If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector."


• Encouragement
• Hebrews 10:24-25-"And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another-and all the more as you see the Day approaching."


• Iron sharpening iron
• Proverbs 27:17-"As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another"

The Goal

• United in mind and thought
• 1 Corinthians 1:10-"I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought."