I Have To Honor Whom?

By Candace McQuain –

Steve Jobs, Former CEO of Apple, once said, “My job is to not be easy on people. My job is to make them better.”

Mr. Jobs’ passion for his employees was evident. He worked hard to bring out the best in those who worked for him.

So many managers do not.

I’m positive that at one time or another we’ve all had “that” boss, someone who just made our workday the worst. They had no people skills, no knowledge of the work we were doing and made us ask ourselves every day, “How did that person get where they are?” Of course, we all have our own hypothesis. Some quite funny and some very disturbing, but at the end of the day we just couldn’t get a hold of why they were managers at all.

The reality is, it doesn’t matter why or how they got into the position they did. They were appointed that position of authority by the Lord and we are to honor and respect them because of that alone. I know. Believe me, I know. It’s so hard to swallow that whether or not they deserve one iota of honor and respect or not, we are to give it to them. Why, oh why?  The answer is clear and can actually be quite motivational. Although we are directly working for an earthly being, we are ultimately serving our Lord.

I know from experience giving this type of honor is much easier said than done. The truth is, it’s so easy to defend our “not-so-nice” thoughts about our less than savory boss because we feel in our heart that God would not want us to be treated badly. God’s truth though is this, “7 Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, 8 because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do”  (Ephesians 6:7-8 NIV).

Maybe you’re dealing with management issues that go deeper than lack of knowledge or people skills, maybe your boss is just plain rude and disrespectful. Well my friend, the outcome Jesus expects is still the same. Take this to heart though, you do not have to respect and honor the “person” you are working for, you are to respect and honor the “position” in which the Lord put that person in. When we look at it from that perspective, it takes a little of the sting out doesn’t it?

So, the next time you feel like you’re about to loose it and go crazy over something your boss says, doesn’t say or does or doesn’t do, just know that at the end of the day when you’ve done all you can to honor that person, you are honoring your Heavenly Father and you will be rewarded for it.

Still not quite feeling warm fuzzies for your boss yet? That is completely understandable. Honoring someone who you feel is not deserving of that honor is tough, even with God’s powerful words commanding it. Just know that as we are commanded to honor those who are above us, Ephesians 6:9 goes on to address how they are to honor us. There is quite a lesson for your boss on the topic of honoring you as well.

Ability + Obedience = Purpose

By Candace McQuain –

I am by no means a novelist, journalist or any other kind of literary “ist.” I have issues with comma usage, dangling modifiers and I still misuse “their” and “there” from time to time. So when God gently tugged at my heart and asked to me write on His behalf, I thought He had dialed the wrong number and I hung up the phone. Although, I do have a passion for words and stringing them together, to do so for real was beyond scary.

I continued to hang up the phone every time God called.

Lucky for me, His gentle tugs turned into jarring yanks and the next thing I knew I was writing for Him and I absolutely love it.

Imagine a world where everyone hung up on God.

There would be no beautiful architecture, no breathtaking paintings and no inspiring songs and words. Even more so, there would be no crops being harvested, no children being taught, no food being served and so on and so on.

God delights in us when He sees us at work for Him. He is beyond pleased when we recognize the gifts He has preprogrammed us with and we use them for His glory.

“We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith;  if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach;  if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully” (Romans 12:6-8 NIV).

Each and every talent, skill or unique ability we possess was put there by our Heavenly Father to not just possess, but to utilize.

What good is our gift if we only keep it to ourselves? What good is our gift if we throw it away or feel we have something different or something bigger to offer?                                                                                                                           

Beloved, there are no abilities larger or more important than any others. We are all equal in the eyes of God. So whether we are at home caring for children or running a multi-billion dollar company we are equal in His eyes. When we perform our tasks with honor, respect and a joyful heart we are bringing God glory, day after day, hour after hour.

He has got big plans for each and every one of us and a very hefty part of that plan depends on us being obedient and respectful of what He has gifted us and focusing on how we can do those things for His glory.

So again, no matter where we are in life, no matter our trade, training or ability, we were created by God to specifically do these things in His name. To bring glory to Him and to display the beautiful work He has done in us.

Let’s shine for Him! We should approach every day, as if we are working for God Himself, after all, we truly are.

Letting Go of the Wheel

By Candace McQuain –

Apprehension about the future, questioning the past and merely surviving the present, are all very exhausting and unproductive places to be. This is, unfortunately, the state of many of us right now. Our rush hour lives and society based, unrealistic goals and ambitions are a factor, but in truth we are our worst enemy.

We simply can’t let go of the wheel and let our Creator drive.

There is hope for us though. Whether we realize it or not, we are all driving one of those “student driver” cars and the Lord has got His foot hovering over the break and His hand firmly placed on the steering wheel.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV).

Now you may be thinking, “It’s so great that the Lord has got all these plans for me and that they will give me hope and a future, but can I please get a hint as to what these plans are and when they will be presented to me? I’m ready Lord!”

It can be so frustrating when we want something to move in our lives. When we really feel in our heart that we are heading towards something wonderful, something that we feel is so obviously blessed by the Lord, but in the end it all fizzles away. We then feel stuck again and ask, “Why?”

It’s because we are trying to make our plans, His plans and although our intentions are sincere, when we do this we are pushing an imaginary override button and delaying the Lord’s blessings and the correct path He wants us on.

It all comes down to trust. Our Father longs for us to feel secure in our faith and in the fact that He’s got everything under control. He wants us to let Him take the wheel, and allow Him put His “super” in our “natural.”

It’s a team effort though. A great example would be, asking the Lord to keep you healthy. Definitely a fair request, but you can’t sit around eating Ho-Ho’s and Twinkies while never taking any effort on your part to keep yourself healthy. Not only do we need Him to look after our health supernaturally, like only He can, He needs us to take care of our health in an earthly manner, like only we can.

The same can be applied to our jobs, our home and just about every other aspect of our life. Our Father needs us to be willing to do our part while He’s doing His. He’s not keeping secrets from us or playing Simon Says. He’s teaching us, preparing us and most importantly, He’s showing His love for us.

With a faithful and obedient heart, listen closely to the Lord, He’ll tell you what His plans are for you. Piece by piece, day by day you will get a better understanding of what He has in store for you and how He wants you to proceed. Just be sure you are an active listener and then get ready to move!

Tell Your Story

By Candace McQuain  –

Everyone has a story. Our story is what makes us who we are, who we have been and who we will become. Each moment in our life has been specifically choreographed, the highs, the lows and everything in between. We are placed in situations and circumstances so we can learn from them and not make the same mistakes over and over again. The thing with living though, is that we seem to choose to do it so quickly. We skim over important moments and special occasions just to get to the next one. We miss so much. One of the most powerful things we can do is to examine where we have been and where we ultimately want to go. We need to tell our story and the person we need to tell it to is the same person who has been our choreographer. Are you scratching your head and asking, “Why would we need to tell our story to the ultimate story maker?” Read on, you’ll soon see why.

When it came time for me to write my story Jesus had me write in detail how I strayed from Him, why I strayed and what I did to others and myself during that time of disobedience.  As I dug through my memory vault attempting to recall events in my life in order to document them, I found myself laughing, crying, asking for forgiveness and many times finally taking responsibility for my behavior.

Documenting my story was a gut wrenching, but truly rewarding experience. You see, you don’t always know how you have affected the world around you until you examine what you have done in it. When the effort was all said and done, I pulled back from my computer stared at my words for a while, careful to not change a thing, and then I simply saved the file and knew I was forgiven for everything I had just wrote. I had a clean slate. Hebrews 8:12(NIV) solidifies that, “For I will forgive [your] wickedness and will remember [your] sins no more.”

I’m positive that if I hadn’t taken the initiative to tell my story I would still be holding on to my sin and would have never really been completely free to accept Jesus into my heart…for good.

When it’s finally laid upon your heart to tell your story, know that Jesus has been with you down every path you have taken in life. He’s been with you every step of the way. Understand that He never lets go. He may lengthen the leash quite a bit at times, but He does that to see what kind of decisions we’ll make and how we will react in certain situations. When we don’t react the way He intended us to, He doesn’t love us any less, He just wants us to shake it off, look to Him for forgiveness and walk with Him again.

So tell your story! You have a very interested listener waiting.

Rover Knows Best

By Candace McQuain –

Take a lesson from a dog. Yes, a dog.

For anyone who has ever owned one, you know exactly what I mean. Dogs love their owners unconditionally. Dogs love their owners no matter what. They never get angry, hold resentment or turn their back on the ones they love. They only have one behavioral mode when it comes to their owners and that is to love them unconditionally.

Now when it comes to chewing up your favorite pair of shoes or messing in the house, well that’s a whole other story.

Just as with His canine creation, God has equipped His children to have that same capability to love unconditionally. He has pre-programmed our hearts with this ability and has provided very clear instruction on how to use it. Romans 12 (NIV) is sprinkled with powerful messages of unconditional love. Verse 10 states, “Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.” Verse 16 says, “Live in harmony with one another.” Then there is Ephesians 4:31-33 (NIV), which brings it all home, “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (emphasis mine). I wish I had known these incredibly relevant pieces of Scripture the many times I spoke out of anger, held harsh grudges and judged people as if I were God himself.

Why do we do this to others and ourselves?

Pride.

Pride can make it very difficult to admit when we are wrong or apologize without a “but.” For me, when I apologized with a “but,” what I was saying was, “Yes I’m sorry and I love you, but I had good reason for doing what I did.” The truth is, there is never a good reason to hurt anyone. Sincerely apologizing and asking for forgiveness will not only heal a wound you didn’t think was healable but it is what God expects from us.

On the flip side, maybe the area you struggle with is forgiving others. Sometimes we find it’s just easier to hold on to the resentment. If we forgive, we give up the right to retaliate and our weary heart could be exposed to more hurt.

Thank goodness our God does not think along these lines and that when we go to Him for forgiveness and love, we get it, and it doesn’t come with a “but.” Letting go of resentment and opening our hearts should not be a hindrance, but God-given relief.

Through God we have the power to transform relationships, and forgiveness is at the core of that transformation, and that my friend, is love that is clearly unconditional. I believe good ole’ Rover would agree.

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