Wednesday, August 10, 2016

Humanity is Brave



photo by Ivy and Tweed

In my role as COPE Exec. Dir. I have been introduced to so many good books, members who want to share theirs or tell me of another's. I can't possibly read them all, but my desire is to read more of them, not because of the prison interest alone, but because they are someone's "story".
This brief window into John Swanger's story is great read, and if it is anything like his book, "Shackled: Confessions of a teenage Bank Robber" I must have it!


Executive Director, COPE

Hired, Fired, or Wired

My "Verse-A-Day"  

My key words for today are spirituality, humility, and joy. First things first. Spirituality. I grab my prison bible and my phone to read today's verse from the app "Verse-A-Day". 

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand, who is not a shepherd and does not own sheep, sees the wolf coming and abandons the sheep and runs away. So the wolf attacks the sheep and scatters them. Because he is a hired hand and is not concerned about the sheep, he runs away.  John 10:11-13

While meditating on the words, I begin to think about human behavior, the action of running away and the impact it has on those that remain. 

If we don't run as a result of their actions, we want to. We wish we could. 

Yes, as the leader of a people, an organization, or mission, we've been hiredBut as believers in Christ, we've been fired. Fired from our old ways of doing things. We don't just get to walk away at the first sign of trouble. In fact, we're now wired anew. Able and equipped to respond differently. Whether leader or follower, paid or volunteer, we are new creatures in Christ! (II Cor. 5:17) And we are to be imitators of Him. Eph. 5:1 

So how did the Good Shepherd respond when trouble raised its ugly head? John 10: 11 says He laid down His life. You don't need to be a bible scholar to know He didn't go kicking and screaming... He did it with humility. Word #2 for the day.

Thoughts of the cross and Jesus death takes me back to the garden. The place where Jesus laid down His will and died to his wants, so that He could lead by example. 

The only way to respond to hard matters and attacks is to spend time in the garden. To get away to a place where we feel safe enough to take off our armor (pride of position and evidence of past victories) and lie vulnerable before a transforming God who can infuse us with the purpose of mission. The higher calling. The joy set before us. (Heb. 12:2-3) His will, not ours, to go on.

I love how the Message bible says it. 

"Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls.

That is exactly what I need, adrenaline! Liquid energy, coursing through my veins. 

This mornings trip to the garden delivered a healthy dose of purpose, cleared my vision, and provided joy that I would have the supernatural energy needed to not only cross the finish line, but Shepherd well.

After all, I've been hired, fired, and wired for this!

by Chandra Adams
Executive Director, COPE