Character Moment #28 – April 23, 2008

Yesterday I had the great opportunity to attend Coach Poncy’s memorial service. It was an amazing celebration of a man who touched so many people with Christ’s love. He was a model of what excellence in Christian character is about.

As I listened to the various speakers, some friends, some family, even our own Coach Preus, I started to write down the words they used to describe him. What a tribute it was. They used words and phrases like…

He was a person that represented trust, honor, integrity, and respect. He understood the responsibility he had as a call to duty, as a call to serve others.

His family said he left a legacy over four generations. He modeled accountability, care for others, and remembered the little things that made others feel important. He shared the good news.

He was a mentor, a life coach, and a prayer warrior. He valued friendships, relationships, and loved kids. He was a leader that would be followed anywhere. He was trustworthy, an encourager, a teacher, and a coach. He made everyone feel good. He wanted everyone to be a part of the team. People said they were better because they had him in their lives.

He was a peacemaker. He always had time for others. He used every moment of every day to accomplish something. He was inclusive – not exclusive. He was compelled by Christ. He was consistent in his life and ministry. They were one and the same.

Coach Poncy affected so many people with the good news of Jesus Christ. He would want us all to do the same.

The words of Hebrews 13:7 (NIV) remind us of how we should remember Coach Poncy, “Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. “

Coach Poncy was a person to imitate. For those of you that are still hurting from his loss or from other things in your life, may you feel the presence of Christ, and be surrounded by His peace.

Character Moment #27 – April 16, 2008

Today is a tough day for many in our Lancer community. One of our long time track and cross country coaches, Mr. Guy Poncy, died yesterday afternoon after working out at Peters Canyon. Coach Poncy and his wife had two daughters that graduated from Orange Lutheran and had been a part of the Orange Lutheran family as a coach, substitute teacher, and parent for many years.

He was a man who had a passion for the Lord. His love for Jesus was evident to all he encountered. Coach Poncy rode his bike many days at practice and at meets. His love for the students here at Orange Lutheran was very evident. His email address was run4him2@socal.rr.com . The him was Jesus.

It is hard when someone we know and care for leaves this earth. Knowing Coach Poncy, he would say that the tears today should not be for him, for he is enjoying the promises that he believed in his life. He knows today that God is faithful and His words are true.

Coach Poncy was a man of great character, and one that will be missed by many including his wife and daughters. Let’s take a moment and ask God for His peace and comfort to all who mourn the end of his earthly life today.

Please join me in prayer.

Heavenly Father,

We thank you for your servant, Guy Poncy, for his faith and witness to those who were placed in his life. We thank you for his faith and model to us while he was with us and know that he is now with you claiming Your free gift of eternal life.

Bless his wife Rennetta and daughters Tiffany and Kristie as they miss their husband and father. Give them that peace that surpasses all understanding, and surround them with people who will comfort them with your love and care.

For our students and staff I also ask for that peace and comfort as well Lord. I thank you for faithfulness and for the eternal life we received when Your Son died and rose again for our sins.

All these things we lay before His throne. To You alone be the glory.

Amen.

Character Moment #26 – April 9, 2008

Have you ever seen a person that is trying to deceive others, having the look of being legit, but in reality not having any integrity? It’s like the person that dresses up a mannequin and places them in the car so they can drive in the carpool lane and avoid congestion. I have a friend that pulled up along a driver that did this and saw the fake passenger. Then as the car pulled away he noticed that he had a fish decal on the back of his car. I am sure there were people that saw him that day that thought, “typical Christian.” It can be frustrating to send a message out like that when the real message of the saving love of Christ is the one that people need to see and hear.

I wonder sometimes if Orange Lutheran is a “safe place to be in sin?” What I mean is I know some in our community are just struggling with certain behaviors that really have them in their grasp. Because we have enough Christian activity, enough good stuff happening, a person could pretty much hide out and not have to face those things that are bringing them down. They can pretend they are doing the right thing, like the guy with the mannequin.

I would hope that we are a school that is “a safe place to be broken.” We all have times in our lives when we need to be broken, so that we can become the people God desires for us to become. Become people who are abiding, walking, living in Him. Allowing Him to fill us with His glory.

Living life as a Christian poser is a dangerous life to live. Humbling ourselves and allowing God to change our lives is powerful. Believing in the power He has to forgive us of all of our wrong doings is freeing. It is my prayer for us all that God will expose those things in our lives that keep us from having a true relationship with Him. It is within that relationship that our true character lies.[i]

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[i] thoughts from Todd Proctor, Rock Harbor, 2.24.08, “the last week of Jesus – Monday”

Character Moment #25 – April 2, 2008

I have shared with you that one of the things I do on a daily basis is read the Bible. I started this 11 years ago and it has been a blessing ever since. The version I picked this year was “The Message” by Eugene Peterson. This past week I was reading from Luke 6 and came across these words. The sub heading was…Work the Words into Your Life…

43-45"You don't get wormy apples off a healthy tree, nor good apples off a diseased tree. The health of the apple tells the health of the tree. You must begin with your own life-giving lives. It's who you are, not what you say and do, that counts. Your true being brims over into true words and deeds.

46-47"Why are you so polite with me, always saying 'Yes, sir,' and 'That's right, sir,' but never doing a thing I tell you? These words I speak to you are not mere additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundation words, words to build a life on.[1]

Powerful words. You know people like that though that always say the right thing or come off as the people who are the most respectful, but they are not. It is a show, it’s a game. It is not truthful, it is not sincere.

Maybe you are that person. Respectful on the outside, but on the inside, your true personality, you could care less. Well I tell you that people see through the façade – the phoniness.

Luke went on in that passage with words of Christ that really challenge us to be a person of character.

48-49"If you work the words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter who dug deep and laid the foundation of his house on bedrock. When the river burst its banks and crashed against the house, nothing could shake it; it was built to last. But if you just use my words in Bible studies and don't work them into your life, you are like a dumb carpenter who built a house but skipped the foundation. When the swollen river came crashing in, it collapsed like a house of cards. It was a total loss." [2]

Being a person of character is smart – Christ says so. Being phony, not sincere, is dumb. And if you chose to live your life that way, at some time your life will crumble around you.

These are hard words today, but important to hear. It is my prayer that God’s Spirit will stir up our school to be a community that values character. That our words and our actions will honor Him every day!

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[1] The Message (MSG) Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson, NAVPRESS

[2] Ibid.

Character Moment #24 – March 19, 2008

Tomorrow kicks off one of my favorite days of the year, the beginning of March Madness: the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. Sixty-four teams with the opportunity to be crowned national champion in a little over two weeks. It is exciting, and almost everyone fills out their brackets to see if they can guess the winner.

What is interesting is that the games on the first two days of the tournament are shown when most people are at work or school. Researchers estimate that the loss of productivity nationwide around the tournament is nearly $1.7 billion dollars. CBS internet will show all the games and even has a “boss button” that quickly brings up a spreadsheet so that it looks like someone is working instead of watching the games.

Watching the tournament is exciting though, especially when an unlikely team can upset another team like Valparaiso University did a few years ago when Bryce Drew hit “the shot” to beat Mississippi State. He will always be remembered for that shot and the university gained much exposure worldwide because of his heroics.

While the tournament itself can be a fun event, many people suffer greatly by getting caught up in the excitement and betting money illegally. “The FBI estimates that of the $2.5 billion Americans gamble on the NCAA tournament each year, only $80 million is legally bet through bookmakers in Nevada.” Some of this may appear to be harmless, but there are many people who lose their sense of good judgment and go way overboard by betting recklessly.

So how does this tie in to excellence in Christian character? It is probably like going 75mph when the speed limit is 60mph. We can all justify why we do something, but sometimes it is important to ask ourselves are we staying in bounds. Picking winners in the NCAA tournament isn’t a bad thing. Getting so caught up in a pool that it affects our job and our relationships is.

For the record, I root for the same team every year to win the tournament. Go Jayhawks!

Character Moment #23 – March 12, 2008

Have you ever been in a situation where you just knew you would be better off to lie or cover up what you had done wrong? No one would most likely find out, so what would be the point of confessing a mistake. In fact, if you told someone the truth, you might even have to suffer an unpleasant consequence. What would be the point in that? I think that is a pretty easy lie to buy into. If we don’t have to tell the truth why should we?

Stephen Lim wrote in his article, “Telling the Truth - Does it Pay?”[1] wrote the following…

“We are a nation of liars. In a national survey 91 percent of Americans admitted to lying regularly. Thirty-six percent confessed to telling serious lies which hurt others, are totally self-serving or break the law. Does it pay to tell the truth? If others lie, aren't we putting ourselves at a disadvantage if we don't? Working my way through school, I delivered special delivery mail for the U.S. Postal Service. Each morning the dispatcher handed drivers a pile of letters and packages. Before starting our route, we recorded the number of stops we had to make. While the other drivers padded their figures, I didn't. This made me look bad in comparison, lowering the supervisor's opinion of my performance. This consequence was minor, however, compared to those (consequences) suffered by (the) many who choose honesty. Consider a few: Because they do not cheat on assignments and tests to boost their grades, some fail to get into the college of their choice. Others don't succeed in getting a coveted job because they refuse to puff their resume. ‘It's harder and harder to be an honest person,’ laments Michael Josephson. ‘You feel like a jerk in a world where other people are getting ahead by taking shortcuts.’”

He concludes his article by sharing why we should tell the truth.

“Why should we tell the truth? The Bible commands: ‘You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor’ (Exodus 20:16), and ‘Speak the truth in love’ (Ephesians 4:15). While we may simply follow this standard in a dutiful way, we obey with greater conviction when we grasp the reasons behind it. God gave us his commandments in order ‘that we might always prosper’ (Deuteronomy 6:24). In what ways does telling the truth benefit us? He listed four reasons.

1. Healthy relationships require trust.
2. Society deteriorates when falsehood multiplies.
3. Lies also create stress.
4. Most importantly, we tell the truth because God wants us to reflect his nature and spirit. The Bible says, "God...does not lie" (Titus 1:2), and "it is impossible for God to lie” (Hebrews 6:18).

We need to be led by “the Spirit of truth” John 14:17, instead of the spirit of deception. While lying seems less serious than many offenses, it reflects a direction of life, moving us away from the God of truth. For this reason we should avoid even white lies. Many lies seem of little consequence, but the cumulative effect erodes the character of truth in us.

Lying may give us an immediate advantage. But consider the eventual costs—the breakdown of relationships with people and God. In the short-term, truth-telling doesn't seem to pay, but it rewards us with what's important—relationships of trust, peace of mind and spiritual health.”

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[1] Originally published in Plain Truth, May/June 2001 http://www.agts.edu/faculty/faculty_publications/articles/lim_telling_the_truth.pdf

Character Moment #22 – March 5, 2008

I enjoyed listening to Mr. Reece’s story yesterday in chapel of the wrestlers who took a stand for Christ, even to the point of death. I just wonder how many of us could ever do it? When faced with death would we be like the guy that walked off the lake to safety or be one of the remaining 39 that stood for Christ so powerfully that their faith led another to join them?

What tremendous character those men had as they knew their lives were on the line, yet they would not flinch; they would not back down.

In your life you will meet all types of people with all levels of character. People who are known as having high character are memorable. They are people that leave a positive impression on us. You will also encounter those whose character is lacking. Some might say they have questionable character. These are the folks who are seldom trusted, because they tend not to be genuine in their dealings with others.

In life you make the decision to be a person of high character or low character. It is developed by the many decisions that you make repeatedly over time. Once you are known as a person with questionable character though, it is a tough label to shake. It is not unforgiveable though, and not irreversible. The way to change your character is by making that next decision with integrity. The sign outside the office area I am in says, “It is never too late to do the right thing.” I believe that whole-heartedly, and I am living proof that God can change a person’s character in the proper direction.

My hope for each of you is that you will to be known as a person who has great character. That it will be something you take pride in, not in an arrogant way, but in a way that communicates you hold it to be extremely important and valuable.