“Username…” (by Mel McGuire)

I spoke in another article about passwords. In the process of writing that, I realized that the password is often accompanied by a user name. I felt impressed to write about those as well. What is your user name?

At my job, to access our network and company email programs, I have to use an assigned user name. I do not have the option to create my own.

This should serve as a reminder to me that my employer maintains the right to the content on those networks, and they decided how they want to track my activities and hold me accountable for what happens when my user name is logged on.

Other websites and cyberspace places encourage you to create your own user name. This can get pretty interesting, and in some cases, downright comical. But at least you probably will not forget your own personalized user name.

God has also given us unique user names. Because we really do belong to Him and we really are responsible for what goes on with our “account”. I have come to believe He really does not want us to change or choose our own usernames, but He allows us to do so. I wanted to have some fun with this, so here we go:

For the charismatic person, usually a man, who is charming and can command a room merely by their presence…the one who speaks persuasively and passionately…the smooth tongued man who could sell you the shirt already on your back! That guy…God may assign a username of “Soulwinner”.

But if left to choose, “that guy” may pick something more along the lines of, “PLAYAHPLAYAH”

For the person, usually a woman, who somehow comes to know everyone else’s business, intimate secrets, and private conversations…God may call “Prayerwarrior”.

But she, misguided in her purpose, goes with, “GOSSIPGIRL”.

The person with incredible stage presence and amazing voice, God says, “PsalmistofHeaven”.

But they, blinded by the spotlight, opt for “ROCKSTAR”.

Or the person with the incredible work ethic, who is reliable, dependable, and seemingly always doing something for somebody else, God has chosen, “Kingdomservant”. The bible does say the greatest in the Kingdom is the servant…and the word deacon means servant…but I digress.

Misunderstanding their purpose and impact, they log on as “MARTYR4EVER”.

Personalized user names are a lot like some Halloween costumes…they become a window into the person’s true identity and self-imager or desire.

God’s user names offer insight into how He sees us and would like to use us. Ask God about your gifts, talents, passions and pursuits. Then ask again, “What is my user name?”

Log on daily with the user name He gave you. It will help you remain true to who He made you, who you really are, and were always meant to be. A child of God, named by Him, operating on His network for His glory.

Resist the temptation to take His gifts and talents and use them for your own purposes and plans. His plans are better, His purposes are greater, and His user name for you is already authorized.

Log in please…

 

“Snapshot…” (by Mel McGuire)

A friend recently obtained a “smart phone” and used it to take my picture. Now when I call him, my picture is displayed and he knows it is me. It was just a snapshot, but it made me think. Every time I call him, that is the image of me he will see, and that image will stay with him…and his phone.

When others see the image, they may only know me by that single image and could form an opinion about me. I would trust my friend to correct any crazy conclusions they might make about me by saying something like, “he actually is much smarter than he appears”.

All of us at one time or another in our lives are judged by someone else’s view of a snapshot of our life. One moment in time, an instant, one thing that we do or don’t do, and it gives an image of who we are. We have all done it too… formed an opinion about others based on a snapshot we see of them, right or wrong.

Our lives are more portfolios than snapshots. God knows the beginning from the end and He said the end of a thing is better than the beginning. We can’t let others deter us from our destiny because of a snapshot. Even if it is a good picture they see, it can still represent only a small part of whom and how we are. God knows how all the pictures work together to form a true image of who we really are.

You can do your job successfully for years, have one bad moment, make one bad choice, and you are the poster child for what is wrong with your profession. Some people are unable to live down or outlive the negative impression they left in a single moment of weakness or stupidity.

I thank God He knows our whole story. He looks at the photos of our lives from beginning to end and keeps every moment in proper perspective. We need to learn to do the same.  We’ve all had bad days, bad times, and bad seasons in our lives. It’s called life, and we need to cut others some slack and show some mercy, just like God shows us.

As believers, we are not perfect. We should strive to do right, but we should not act like we “can do no wrong” even while we are doing right, so when we do mess up, there is room in another’s heart to forgive us and keep it in perspective.

Sometimes our self-righteousness leads others to root for our downfall, and then they “blow up” the snapshots or our mistakes, frame them, and display them for all to see.Then our testimony loses credibility with the very people God wants to minister to.

God told it to me like this; He has called us to live a supernatural life, not a superhuman one. We hurt, we get angry, and can make mistakes just like anybody else. They are just snapshots.  How we get into situations is not the testimony, its how we come out that declares His glory!

We are created in His image, so let Him mold you to be like Him and others will see Him in you. That is an image worth saving. That is God’s snapshot.

“Hover…” (by Mel McGuire)

Those who know me well recognize my love and affinity for military aircraft, specifically jets. When I saw “Top Gun”, I was done. I didn’t even realize there was an annoying love story unfolding…I just wanted to see the planes doing what they do…turning and burning. “I feel the need…the need for speed!”

Anyway, this is not about that…not directly anyway. I have been thinking about helicopters lately (job related, too much to go into…trust me.) and I remember as a rookie going up in our helicopter several times. When we would get on scene to assist ground units, we would go into this orbit around the area…I’m sure you’ve seen this in your own lifetime.

We have special binoculars that are gyroscopically balanced (Lord, I hope that is a word) to allow the observer to maintain focus without getting dizzy from going in circles. I asked the pilot, “Why don’t we just hover?” It seemed like a reasonable question to me (the rookie), since we have all seen and heard news helicopters parked in place in the sky for what seems like an eternity.

The pilot told me that it takes much more fuel to hover than to orbit. He also pointed out the better perspective we get when we are orbiting as opposed to staying in one place and having only one viewpoint.

God has been reminding me to get back into orbit and to stop trying to hover in place. My Christian life should be about moving (forward), not staying stagnant or stationary. Too often we limit our perspectives, we can’t see the other side of a problem or the onset of a solution, because we are hovering…we say we are waiting on God, we are looking for His hand to move. But we are stressed and worried, and we are burning precious emotional and spiritual fuel, trying to stay in place.

Athletes will tell you it is easier to react when you are already in motion, as opposed to moving from a standstill or stationary position. Look at tennis players waiting to receive a serve, or baseball players just as the ball is pitched…they are in motion…they are not hovering.

Stop wasting fuel. Get moving and begin to survey your situations from different angles and perspectives. God will be better able to show you what He sees because eventually you will come around to His viewpoint. Hovering can be annoying to others too. The news chopper over your neighborhood for extended periods of time can be a nuisance. So too some of us are hovering in place and hindering others around us. They need you to move so they can keep moving (forward)!

We are designed to be in motion, our growth depends on it. Staying in place takes as much energy as moving forward, and sometimes more. So stop hovering and get back into your orbit around the Son. Keep Him in the center of your life so you can maintain proper perspective and not just keep “going around in circles”