What I've learned from Bishop Eddie Long (Part 1)

As I have watched the media storm surrounding the allegations against Bishop Eddie Long I have learned much more about the media and human nature than I have about his innocence or guilt in the situation. I have seen a man who poured his life into others being ripped to pieces by people that he has undoubtedly prayed for in his years of service to humanity. After giving away cars to those in need and working to feed the hungry Bishop Eddie Long has found himself in the middle of a heated debate concerning his integrity as a result of the unconfirmed accusation of others. So what can one learn from this as we endeavor to live out our "New Life Now"? Personally I have learned to not to be decieved by the applause of the crowd. We have recently seen how quickly the cheers of the crowd can turn into a cry for a cricifixion. People are fickle so we would be foolish to build our goals and ministry efforts on such an unstable foundation. Our efforts must be centered on the foundation of Jesus Christ and our love for Him because "all other ground is sinking sand." People can easily disappoint, discourage, and distract us so we would benefit from keeping them in the proper perspective. Keep your eyes on Christ and you'll be able to rise above the taunts of the crowd and trust me when I tell you that if you desire to do anything great for God you better look good on wood because the same crowd that lifts you up one moment will have the capacity to try to tear you down the next.

Can you read the bottom line?

It is almost time for me to renew the prescription for my glasses and with such being the case I thought about the exam as I reflected on what to share with you. If you have never had an eye exam let me begin by encouraging you to do so as soon as possible. The thing about vision is that sometimes you don't know how much it needs to be corrected until you see how it feels to see the way God designed for you to see. (My goodness, that will preach!) Much in the same way when we drift through life with no vision for the future we flow to where ever the winds of life take us instead of clearly seeing which routes to take and which decisions to make because we have our destination in view and recognize (through divine vision) how to get there. Vision can be tricky though, because even though I went this time last year to have it examined I have to go again this year. I believe that such is also the case with our spiritual vision. We could all benefit from periodically taking a moment to step back to examine whether or not we're seeing God's plans for us clearly (according to His Word) and whether or not we're actively advancing toward that end. As I considered the routine of the optometrist during the exam one particular phrase came to mind; they often ask, "Can you read the bottom line?" This is a powerful principle because many times in life as we pursue our dreams we risk losing sight of the "bottom line." What is the bottom line you ask? For a Christian living a new life the bottom line is Jesus Christ and whether or not we're using our energy, effort, and expertise to accomplish the plans that He spoke of in the Bible. Can you read the bottom line? Do you remember that everyday is an opportunity to do something that will make Jesus' Name more famous in the earth? Can you see that there is more to life than acquiring the hottest possessions and being liked by the most people. Can you see that there is more to life than watching other people live it? Can you read the bottom line?