Okay. Are you sick of hearing about computers exceeding human capabilities? I mean, perhaps that’s part of the normal arch of the human existence; as you get older, you think about new technology against the backdrop of the past. This is likely unavoidable for most people, who recall in real-time, the difficulties of their past. “That’s not how I did it”, “You wouldn’t have survived in my day”, “That’s all rubbish” might be some of the naysayers for AI. I’m honestly not sure where I fall on the spectrum, as I believe there is a good point on either side of the argument itself. On one hand, there is a very obvious ascension in power dynamics derived from AI. On the other, AI promises to solve problems that were conceivably difficult to solve with teams of software engineers and academics in very little time.
I believe that we’ve just seen the Rosetta Stone for software access released to the world
In fact, I was able to make 5 classic arcade games in excel in just a few hours working with GPT-5. That’s wild. Those games were: (PW: ChatGPT2025!)
Sam Altman’s claim that GPT-5 makes software-on-demand is quite literally true. In previous models, I found myself making far more edits to code to make things work. In GPT-5, I made far less adjustments. In fact, GPT-5 actually felt like working with a knowledgeable software engineer with an incalculable diversity of knowledge, rather than a junior or mid-level developer who needs lots of context to dive into deep projects.
If you’re not a programmer, this may not resonate that much with you, but in terms of what this means for equity in access to software, I believe that we’ve just seen the Rosetta Stone for software access released to the world.
I won’t offer any other critique of GPT-5’s capabilities here, but caution that there is tremendous power in seizing the opportunity to access the same capability to change the world for good, as there is for evil. My hope remains in Jesus, that no matter how close this may resemble the tower of babel, that people remember who they are in Him.
Secretly, (well, not so secretly now), I hope that this AI revolution will allow people to connect more, because they’ll worry less about trying to get ahead, because AI has the capability of being a great equalizer, as long as it remains accessible to everyone as it is now.
Are you sick of seeing AI Generated Content online?
Rest assured, this is a real human writing this content.
If you think about the most important relationships in your life, I’m sure the first ones that come to mind are the ones that are the most authentic. The ones that you can safely assume that you could wake them up at 3am for help, and they would help (not necessarily that they’ll be happy, because who really wants to wake up at 3am?).
Authenticity in the physical world, as a result of the digital world, has been hard from the start – scrolling and scrolling has been the reality for a lot of people, and we’re all so far engrossed in our “Ready Player One” realities, we’ve often neglected the relationships closest to us. In sociology, this is called “urban anonymity” when referring to a sea of people that are close together, but don’t know each other, leading to disorder. That definition has expanded further than just our physical selves – but also our digital world, with generative AI.
No longer can you just be trolled by your digital neighbor that lives across the world, now you have to deal with AI agents, who represent whatever the creators believe it should be for the larger group of people that utilize it – and it is unfeeling, inauthentic, often bland, and sometimes dangerous. The further degradation of our digital selves is at stake in the AI Generation. We were lost before – but now? Hardly difficult to say that we are in fact, moving towards “The Matrix”. (Where’s your tinfoil hat?)
I think it’s important that we revisit the notion of what it means to be human. To find ways to utilize AI responsibly to make our lives easier, but not at the expense of who we are as humans. We need to continue to invest in personal relationships, and make authentic and meaningful connection. That means that we need to start being transparent of the use of AI.
If you’re going to use AI, use it responsibly. Be transparent.
Ensure that you’ve notified your audience that you’re using AI as part of whatever content that you’re generating. And if you’re not going to do that – at least have the courage to modify the generated AI content, so that it’s personalized to you (“Rephrase this content in ‘talk like a pirate’ mode”). There’s only so many paragraphs of AI generated content that you have to read, that you begin to pick up that future/present content is AI generated. For those of us who use AI to solve daily problems and speed up our workflow, I assure you that if I read your content and pick up that it’s more than likely AI generated, I am not going to finish consuming your content. A lesson that even Fortune 500 companies are still learning. And one that they should learn quickly.
It’s also important that you verify the information that is generated, is accurate. Otherwise, you run the risk of allowing AI hallucination (perhaps that’s your goal?) into your content, and run the risk of ruining your credibility (Interestingly, this concept is oddly familiar to the often reality of our elders recalling the “glory days” with embellished details…), and contributing to the collective groan of content consumers of yet another AI-generated piece.
And hey, it’s not all that difficult?
Read the content that is being presented to you, and verify that it’s accurate. If you’re feeling equal parts “meh” and “meta” about your usage and transparency of AI, ask the AI to cite its source – and actually check it out. Let’s not make the statistic of AI generated content becoming larger and so much of the norm for our digital worlds, that we lose the element of human ingenuity and creativity on top of being false. It’s only adding insult to our injury, if the content that you’re creating is fictitious (unless of course, you’re making a fictional narrative?).
If you’re going to blog, write a story, or “generate” (in the previous sense of the word) content online, I challenge you to be authentic, and do it yourself. Use your words, not the directly generated content. And if you are going to directly use AI, utilize a disclaimer or reference in your content that says that you’re using AI to generate the content. And if you’re the sad soul or entity that wants to pretend that the generated content is your own and present it as your own – then shame on you. We’ve long had copyright and plagiarism laws across the world, and this should be no different.
Am I saying that AI content is all terrible? Absolutely not. Am I saying that you should never use AI generated content? No. AI is a great tool for creators to generate unique ideas fused with their personalities. Without this intricate pairing, I fear (and so should you) that our creativity will always be defined for us by the limitations of AI.
In a meta-analysis of this issue, I used ChatGPT to review Latin roots related to this concept, and constructed this bad boy with its help: “Plagiosynthelectescriptor“, meaning, “A person who plagiarizes synthesized intelligent writing”. Don’t be a plagiosynthelectescriptor. Because “plagiarist” apparently is too pointed of a concept for people to believe that that’s what’s happening when you utilize unaltered AI-generated content.
AI is magical. Like the honeymoon phase of any relationship, as we transition to having and seeing AI in our daily lives, we need to talk logistics, and draw lines in our relationship. One of those being that we agree that AI-generated content needs to be identified, if it is going to be presented by itself. AI-generated content should not be allowed to follow in the footsteps of photoshop technology and the fashion and beauty industry, and how it has decimated the spirit of young women across the globe with irreparable harm, and unattainable beauty.
We’ve learned this lesson already, right?
The corollary here is that AI, at least in the generative space, will make generative creativity appear to be unattainable – “Why would I write it myself, when I can just have AI write it for me?” With a few casts of characters, AI can generate within a few moments, what may be an arduous journey for the human writer (or artist). But because the AI cannot “feel”, how can it inject “feeling” into its words? Believe me, as a fallen and broken man reminiscing my own words of focusing on “logic” rather than “feelings” when having discussions with my wife, I must admit that feelings are necessary – especially when communicating with other humans. AI doesn’t care about feelings in its writing – it’s just as well that it makes up its own language. So why would we expect that it’s content would meet this important need of humans? (Then there’s also this thing called “Model Collapse“)
AI is a new technology, rife with opportunity. The world is no longer the same because of it, but let’s not be too quick to move towards a dystopian future mired by content and existence driven by AI. That is of course, why often people do not want to belong to a group anymore, because they don’t feel their voice is heard. Exclusively using AI generation without the intricate bond of human ingenuity and creativity will only result in this outcome – as we widen the gap between the “haves” and the “have nots” with the prevalence of AI, we must remember that we’re on this little planet as a spec of a quark in the larger universe, and we have to stick together. Without boundaries, it might be us versus AI. (You saw those movies, right?)
It’s been a challenging last year. We moved across the country to Texas to our “vacation home” (even though we moved with intentions to stay), jokingly conjuring up that we travel more luxuriously than the Kardashians, as we traveled with our whole home…
We moved because like Robert Frost’s The Road Not Taken, we were faced with two realities that we struggled through. We sold our home after I was laid off from a role from another company with another boss more focused on the bottom line and wanting to sell to the giant, AUS. We were rolling in the green – we made more money in that short time than we ever have – and I wasn’t able to find a job quick enough to ensure that we were not spending that money. So, we held onto that money, and we moved to Texas with the first job offer working for my former boss, whom I adore as a brother, despite our broken; but linked history.
I wanted Texas to work so bad. We needed a new start, and no one would hire us fast enough – it is tough to get a role at the director and above level, with fierce competition. We took the role, and moved on faith after fasting and prayer pointed us in that direction.
Traveling to Texas was rough. We had each other, we also had two motion-sick cats and all of our belongings either in an airplane or heading down to Texas on a truck. It was a long day, and arriving in Texas felt like such a shock – the humidity and heat immediately hit us, and it was hard to feel excited for something that felt like our world had been flipped upside down. It was so hard to be positive, when I felt like we were so far away from home. It pains me to remember that moment, home-sick for all of you, going this direction.
Texas wasn’t all that bad – in fact, it was lined with people who adorned themselves in Jesus – it was the most comforting feeling there; that there were so many believers there that held higher standards for themselves and other, and were so welcoming and warm to us – even if we didn’t get a whole lot of chance to connect in our short time.
It wasn’t too long after that we arrived, that I started having serious health issues. This PNW boy’s body was in complete shock, both literally and figuratively. I worked long days in the heat and sun, and drank water like a fish. Texas was absolutely gorgeous along the coast. But, I was drawn fiercely between fearing for your safety from everything under the sun, to the actual sun – I mean, Texas has lots of spiders, crocodiles, snakes and other venomous creatures – not to mention hurricanes, floods and those nasty cockroaches. Yet, it still felt adventurous and exciting – but as a father, I was so worried for all of you, and I knew that there was no way that I’d be able to protect all of you from everything, all the time. And that ate at my soul the entire time.
I made proactive purchases like the most avid prepper – from 3 weeks of non-perishable food, water and medical supplies – I felt like I was definitely a part of that prepper crowd. My security friends would be so proud. lol.
But the mixed feelings overcame me all the time; especially with my schedule, traveling over 50 miles each way every day, and not being able to be there for you all in this transition – you all stayed home and in the air conditioning while the heat index breached 115+…
I honestly can’t say if my health was solely a result of my long covid, or if I had seriously injured myself through heat exposure, but my heart rate was in the sky, my blood pressure was in the gutter, I passed out at the wheel of my car for a brief second (thank you Tesla Autopilot for saving my life), and was admitted to the hospital for 3 days for heart issues… And the worst part of it all is that I couldn’t be with any of you as I went through all of this by myself – only to come home to you when I could.
Having a conversation with your mother, we made the difficult decision to take a step back and say that none of the money mattered. It didn’t matter that we would likely set ourselves back several years from owning our own home again – because at the rate that we were going, it didn’t look good for me. The heat was seriously threatening my health, and my life.
Your Mom and I made the difficult decision to let it all go, in the interest of preserving our lives together. God gives, and He takes away.
As Mom and I try to reflect on what we were meant to learn on this “trip” to Texas, we are often emptyhanded with our own proclaimed explanations, but I can at least say that I’ve learned to surrender. To surrender everything and every corner of my life, and to put my faith in God, and His plan for our, and your lives together.
Today, that money is mostly gone. Between unemployment and moving expenses both to and from Texas, money came, and money went. But I am so grateful to still have my life – and to be here with all of you. I don’t deserve this life or all the great things that God has done for us, but through the mystery of it all, I call upon His name for our and your lives for the rest of our lives…
I truly see that God came to Rescue us – to show us that He commands the earth and our destinies. And all that is what really matters. Though fear surrounded me in Texas, He never failed us. Never. Not. Once.
Coming back to Washington wasn’t without its challenges and lessons – we also walked through several other lessons when we returned. Continuing to learn that trust in the continuing decline of our bank account would be met with His promise in exchange for our faith.
I found a job several months after we returned from Texas, only to lose that role within a couple of months after being challenged to define myself as one who does the right thing, regardless of the outcome. I chose integrity, and we were unemployed once again, and I can’t tell you how agonizing it was to be so close, and yet so far again from securing employment.
It would be months later that I found work again working for a Credit Union, where I found the greatest answer to four separate prayers – health, employment, giving, and a community of believers in my work. Do I know what my future looks like? Absolutely not. Do I know what God has planned for me? Sort of – only because it is a song in my heart that has been more fruitful than any other investment I’ve ever made – helping people.
I have just come out of this storm, and am taking rest in His great works. I am weary, tired, and honestly wondering if there is another foot drop I should be preparing for – but I dare to dream again, knowing that He will provide – no matter what that looks like. I’d really like that not to be homeless or broke as I’ve felt on many occasions over the last year, but I know that my God loves me for who I am; for who all of you are, and will become.
“IN JESUS NAME, I PRAY FOR REVIVAL”
Lord Jesus, I pray for your continued healing over my life – thank you so much for leading me to circumstances that have helped my fear to flee my life. Thank you so much for health, for healing, and miracles over my life. Thank you for keeping my family safe in these last uncertain times – for being and declaring your authority over my life. Lord, I surrender to you every part of my life that I unmistakably continue to hold on to – Lord, create in me a new heart of my youth, and continue to guide me and prompt me to share your love with others. I am so grateful for your love, even though I don’t deserve it. I pray for Your protection over my family – please prepare a way for me through the hardest parts, and the greatest parts of my life ahead. Thank you for entrusting me to be the husband of a beautiful woman of God, and four beautiful children who are so unshakably Yours. Please help me to be a better husband and father; to walk out onto the water with faith and to lead them to You, and You alone. Thank you for rescuing me and my family; Your sovereign mighty hand is my guide. Thank you Abba, Father. Amen.
I was at men’s group this last week, and we were studying Job Chapter 8. A lot about what we talked about the rest of the time after talking about how Job’s friends were casting reasonable advice (though God did not agree) of the time, was about how we act in times of crisis for people.
A lot of men talked about how Job’s friend was simply just trying to be there. That it is natural as men to want to be “fixers” but that we should try not to do this when we are sitting with someone who is in pain, agony, or despair. Sometimes, we need to just sit and spend time with them. To the credit of Job’s friends, it says that they spent over a week with him before any documented conversations that would later get them in trouble with the Lord (in chapter 42 – I had to skip ahead). Many people wondered why it was so bad that the friends did this – I mean, they were just trying to be nice and provide “advice” – that Job must have done something wrong – he did of course make offerings for his kids, which could have been a form of preemptive recognition that they were living in sin – they of course lost their lives as well, when Satan had his way with them, in tormenting Job.
I mean, it’s true though, when you’re going through hardship, the last thing you want to hear is what you could have done better, or you shouldn’t do something that has led you to where you are. Those things are both true, but it doesn’t make you feel any better, and worse, as some of the men pointed out in the group, can actually lead people away from salvation, as they feel that they have to “tidy themselves up” before they can enter into God’s presence and forgiveness. That’s a battle that I think all Christians wrestle with, and one I’m fondly familiar with.
One of my great heroes of this world (for his bravery and undying focus), I found out awhile ago that he wasn’t Christian – and only because he didn’t feel that he belonged in heaven – that hell would likely be the place for him. I was very sad to read this, but as a prominent figure in the media and the world, I wasn’t too surprised that he’d be feeling this grief; I’d share with him what I’m reminded every time that I go to scripture that I too, do not deserve it. But that salvation is a gift. Something that was given to me on the cross, and the wages of my sin were taken from me – not because I deserve it, but because it was given freely to me, so that God could spend eternity with me. I am also reminded that I’m never going to be perfect in this world, and I will continue to fail everyday. But being a believer means that I recognize that, repent of my sin, and move forward in relationship with God, bearing the fruit of salvation.
Coming back to Job’s situation, I was thinking through the responses that I heard, and what we’re supposed to do in times of grief when people are going through hard times – the only image I could conjure up, was that while they are walking away from God, we must be physically planted in front of them, but in such a way that they don’t see us – but that we are a mirror and a reflection of what is behind, beside and in front of them – Jesus. (John 3:30, Galations 2:20, Matthew 5:16). That’s all I could think about when trying to figure out what a person should do when faced with someone else’s grief – I think the close second is to immediately follow up with humble appreciation that we are not going through the same, and what we can do to help them through this, building intentional, meaningful and present relationship with them, and following Romans 12:15: “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those that mourn.“
My hope is that I’ll be more like that in my relationships in my life. Do you?
There’s something common about man, and that’s that we’re really not that unique from each other. From recycled fashion trends, repeating historical events such as wars, famines and pandemics, to coming up with the same ideas, even despite our distances and disconnection, and even the same type of stories. A striking realization I made the other day was that a lot of western, modern leadership texts and self-help books actually represent several core principles of the Bible – which if you’re a fan of distributed systems and their summarized results, may suggest why western ideologies are often inter-socially (that is, self-described) described as societies built on strong leadership (not without their strong faults, of course; continuing to follow the trends of the Bible which is full of broken people, except Jesus).
I made this observation, when I finished the great book, “How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie, which was made in 1936. The book’s prologue claimed that this text was the beginning of the genre of self-help books – this intrigued me, as I nestled into the audio (in redeeming my hour and half commute to work). While the book is not explicitly based on biblical principles, I could not resist drawing obvious parallels between some of the book’s advice and teachings from the Bible. Here is a summary of the book with corresponding biblical references:
Fundamental Techniques in Handling People
Don’t criticize, condemn, or complain (Matthew 7:1-2): “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
Give honest and sincere appreciation (1 Thessalonians 5:11): “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”
Arouse in the other person an eager want (Philippians 2:4): “Not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”
Six Ways to Make People Like You
Become genuinely interested in other people (Romans 12:10): “Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.”
Smile (Proverbs 15:13): “A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit.”
Be a good listener (James 1:19): “My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.”
Make the other person feel important (Philippians 2:3): “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.”
How to Win People to Your Way of Thinking
Avoid arguments (Proverbs 17:14): “Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam; so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.”
Show respect for other’s opinions (1 Peter 3:15): “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.”
Admit when you are wrong (Proverbs 28:13): “Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.”
Begin in a friendly way (Proverbs 16:21): “The wise in heart are called discerning, and gracious words promote instruction.”
Be a Leader: How to Change People Without Giving Offense or Arousing Resentment
Begin with praise and honest appreciation (Ephesians 4:29): “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”
Call attention to people’s mistakes indirectly (Galatians 6:1): “Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently.”
Talk about your own mistakes before criticizing others (Matthew 7:3-5): “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? […] You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”
Let the other person save face (Proverbs 25:21-22): “If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you.”
Praise the slightest improvement and praise every improvement (Hebrews 10:24): “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.”
Give the other person a fine reputation to live up to (Ephesians 4:32): “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
Use encouragement (1 Thessalonians 5:14): “And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone.”
Make the other person happy about doing the thing you suggest (Matthew 5:16): “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
As you can see, the principles in Dale Carnegie’s “How to Win Friends and Influence People” are closely related to the teachings found in the Bible. While not all principles in the book directly correspond to biblical teachings, the overarching themes of empathy, kindness, and effective communication can be seen in both sources, and much like the things that define our humanity, we often recycle the same ideas – our leadership and self-help texts are no different.
In my own life, it’s no secret to me that some of the greatest leaders that I have personally looked up to, also happened to be strong followers in faith – a fact that I was clueless to, in deciding that their behavior would be worth modeling, and aspiring to. The sociologist inside me would also remind me of psychology 101, where this also may be a self-confirming bias – which of course it can be, and is in some ways to analyze it – but I also mean it for their faults as well, as I haven’t met or read about a person who hasn’t been broken in some way either. I am reminded even in the humanity that the world intends to describe as self-help, is actually biblically derived.
What’s more, the greatest self-help and beginning/fundamental leadership book is the Bible!
I guess it should be no surprise to me that Dale Carnegie was a professing believer, or the fact that his writing has remained timeless in a scene of changing spotlights of the latest self-help strategies. (Though I wonder how I missed that profession in the beginning – I blame I-5 traffic and the non-traditional audiobook media). Want to be super famous in the self-help and leadership genre? Pick up a bible today! It’s not without its verifiable process – famously, Abraham Lincoln rallied a nation during the abolition movement, behind a strong biblical truth: “A house divided against itself cannot stand”.
Certainly, you may not need to proclaim faith in order to be a great leader, but as your history book can tell you, modeling your life after fundamental biblical truths is a winning strategy for all (in the game of inspiring the greatest number of people for time to come; which is dutifully cast aside by the leader properly wielding the power of such biblical truths) – for those that lead, and for those that follow. Great leaders model biblical truths.
To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away.
Matthew 25:29
Mijos, it’s not easy to get up everyday and commit to your day (and commit it to the Lord!). It’s not easy to remember to make your bed, go to school, and eventually, go to work. Especially if you have to work for someone whom you don’t enjoy working for, or you have difficulty performing or enjoying the work.
Today, I was reminded by a good friend who was practicing his Proverbs 27:17 responsibility (iron sharpens iron), of this verse:
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters
Colossians 3:23
Which reminded me of 2 Chronicles chapter 20, where Jehoshaphat Defeats Moab and Ammon, and countless other verses where the Lord reminds us that the battle is not ours, but His!
But like Joshua marching around the walls of Jericho, we must work hard. I’m certain it was exhausting marching around the city each day – perhaps just as exhausting as it is to remember to take out the trash, brush your teeth, do the dishes, fold your laundry… (I’m looking at you, Ari).
My work has been no different today, as I’m reminded of my own instruction, and God’s great and unfailing wisdom – I do not work for man, but for God, and God alone. His plans are way better than ours, and if our lives have not been proof enough of His mercy, there’s still a lot of life ahead of us that He’s promised us.
Therefore, it’s up to us to readjust our perspectives, and to find joy in the work that we do, knowing that it’s all in His great timing. I’m reminded of that in my own work today, when I received an email from one of my bosses that was not very kind. Even though my initial thoughts left me distraught about the situation, I am reminded again, that no matter how I am treated, it is not I who is being treated this way, but God, as I am His child, as you are His also.
I was also reminded today of a very important verse, that changed my heart’s perspective:
You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven.
Matthew 5:43-45
So it is said, and I am humbled today by these words, and prayerfully submit in earnest; pray with me; pray for me.
Padre Dios, oro para que la sabiduría entre en la vida de este hombre. Oro por discernimiento y sanación de todo mal que haya enfrentado, para que sea recordado de tus grandes misericordias y que su corazón se ablande ante Tu amor. Oro para que encuentre paz y gran fortuna al regresar a Tu diseño para todos nosotros, y que espere con paciencia Tu suave yugo y los planes que tienes para él en su vida. Te pido que sigas fortaleciéndome para ser gentil en espíritu, amable en mis palabras y lleno de vida en mi respuesta. Perdónalo por lo que no sabe, como yo lo haré en la sinceridad de tus promesas sobre mi propia necesidad de perdón por mis errores. Oro fervientemente por tu dirección en nuestras vidas, para que seamos buenos administradores de lo que nos has dado y guiemos a otros hacia ti. Gracias, Jesús. Amén.
There may come a time in your life that you find yourself overwhelmed with the things that are going on in your life. I have tried to be a model for you all of my life, by showing that there are some jars that you must prioritize over others in your life. In this analogy, you can have as many jars as you’d like, but you’ve only got one pitcher of water that you can pour out into those jars. It also matters where you fill your cup up.
You treat me to a feast, while my enemies watch. You honor me as your guest, and you fill my cup until it overflows. Your kindness and love will always be with me each day of my life, and I will live forever in your house, LORD.
Psalms 23:5-6
Life will give you a dozen jars, and you can choose to do nothing with them and waste the talents that you’ve received in your overflowing cup. You can also focus on just a few jars, and miss the opportunities of filling other jars. You can also fail to seek God while you’re filling jars, that when you’re empty, there’s nothing left of you. You can also fill up a dozen jars half way, and never accomplish anything in your life.
My hope is that you’ll see God as the living water that He is, and seek him with all of your heart – He will fill you until you are overflowing, allowing you to fill a field of jars – if you invite Him into your life, and trust that He is there with you.
The irony of great success and amazing leadership is that at the center of each of those stories lies a truth that is inescapable – God was present in each of those stories. A remarkable saying that had great consequence in its day, was a quote by your 19th cousin:
“A house divided against itself cannot stand”
Abraham Lincoln – Illinois Republican State Convention, Springfield, Illinois, June 16, 1858
Originated from the bible:
But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand
Matthew 12:25
While it was likely known by most of the people hearing that speech from Abraham that it was a quote from the bible, I think that fact escapes present understanding as we review remarkable leadership qualities of leaders. That isn’t to say that great leaders must be Christian to be successful – but their successes are marked by tenets clearly articulated in the Bible.
My hope is that you’ll take that truth, and learn more from the God who loves you fiercely, pouring into the jars in your life that will glorify Him, and He will continue to allow you to prosper through triumph and tragedy.
It’s a wildly awesome pleasure to be your father, and my hope for you will see that you have an even better Father, who loves you more than I ever could.
So, learn to fill the jars in your life using the Living Water of His gracious gifts to your lives – I can’t wait to see what His plans are for each of you!
Mijos – if you’re ever faced with conflict, be the first to examine your own actions.
3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye."- Matthew 7:3-5
This extends to just about everything. Had an argument with your mother? Apologize. Fighting with your brother or sister? Apologize. Took something by accident? Don’t wait for them to notice – take it back; immediately! Have a disagreement with your coworker? Break bread with them and find common ground.
But this doesn’t mean that you become a doormat. You must have respect for yourselves as well, as you do others.
“38 You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ 39 But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. 40 And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well.” Matthew 5:38-40
This last verse is an interesting one – our pastor had a perspective I had not heard about, that I think speaks volumes to the passion that God has for us. God wasn’t just simply saying that you needed to allow the other person to step over you by offering your other cheek – He was telling you to have respect for yourself, by standing up and allowing them to go deeper into the hole that they created by disrespecting you, so that they may see that you have respect for yourself. Jesus did this for us when He died on the cross, and it’s important for us to do this for those around us, as we are a light on a hill.
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-5
So – go forth and make that first step in each conflict – you’ll reflect Jesus in each of those steps, and people will begin to wonder what gives you power – and you’ll be able to reflect God’s love for them.
Today you read a book with mom and Oakley, while I was making chocolate chip pancakes for Ari. You were reading! And you were doing so well – at only 1 week after being in 1st grade! Totally “mastered” your Kindergarten sight words. I am so proud of you, and I know that your mom feels the same way. You are growing so big, and I know that you will become a God-Fearing Man of God. It was so nice to relax, despite what has been going on lately at work – something I regret, but something I’m taking active steps to try to resolve and change the direction of our lives; without affecting this beautiful growth that I’ve seen in you.
You’re a little shy, but you’re growing into your own. Last week, your 1st grade teacher told me that you were very talkative… I found that surprising, but only because I thought it was funny that my little boy was starting to grow up. Too. Fast. You like to eat “cheese sandwiches” which are really just cut cheese, turkey and mayo on the bread. Except, you tear apart the sandwich for some reason… and eat everything separately. I blame your mom for that. haha. You love Roblox, playing with the iPad and playing games with me (on the computer, or on the PS5). You’re a tender soul, and you love to play! You care deeply about what you do during the day, and you’re excited about school. You and your siblings give me so much joy to see you growing and happy – God has blessed me greatly with your presence, and your love – what a privilege I have of being your father!
Father, please watch over my son Jezziah. He has bad dreams at night sometimes because he gets scared and he’s all alone. Well, with his brother. But, I ask that you would give him courage to seek you, that you would empower him to be your servant, that he would be meek and tender hearted throughout his life, serving others; but also strong and courageous to do the right thing when no one else is looking. I ask that you would be with him, and fill his sails, as he adventures into this life with you. Please comfort him in his days of deep need, and remind him of Your love for him. Please give him strength to see the day for what it is, and to keep learning, keep reaching, and keep becoming the man of God you want him to be. Gracias dios para este dia con mi familia bellisima. In your precious and loving name,
Mijos – You’ve heard me say it a lot during your life – it doesn’t cost anything to dream. Well, I want you to know that you should also dream big. Dream like tomorrow you’ll be a NASCAR driver – like you’ll fly to the moon – or Mars, with my buddy Elon. Or, you’ll make a difference in someone’s life, because you’ll teach them to read for the first time in their entire life. Or you’ll build a well that will sustain the life of a rural village in Africa. You’ll be in the Olympics; a 6th grade teacher, a police officer. Or, you’ll race motorcycles on the raceway. Or you’ll knit marvelous garments that are extraordinarily beautiful. Or perhaps one day, you’ll follow in my footsteps.
Don’t let the world tell you no. Don’t give up because it’s hard. If you were meant to do it, you will, with God’s help – because that will have been his plan for you. “He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.” My hope is that one day, you’ll find exactly what you’re looking for; what you’ve dreamed about. But do so with God – because nothing in this world is worth doing without His word filling your sails; leading you on the way!
Know that life will be hard. You’ll be hurt. Lots of times. Physically, mentally, spiritually. You’ll hit a dead end, and you’ll wonder where up is at. It’s on your knees in prayer, Mijos! Run to Him, and He will show you the way. My prayer is that your prayers will be like a stream of water throughout your life; much like the stream needs the water, and the tree needs the earth – you need God! The best part about His love for you, is that it’s better than my own. Like the story of the prodigal son – the one who took his inheritance and squandered it all, who came back to his father without anything, but then was given everything – God is always there for you, no matter what. You need only see He is there with you, ALWAYS.
