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A New Book for a New Year

Jan 1st, 2008 by Todd

Our staff gave me a book this Christmas titled Breakfast with Fred. It is a collection of thoughts by a man I was not familiar with, Fred Smith, Sr., a mentor of leaders. In addition to his thoughts are comments and exercises for reflections by other leaders who have been impacted by him. The book is arranged into 52 short chapters – one for each week of the year. Today I read the first chapter. While I can’t say it was anything new, it is a good reminder for the new year to manage myself wisely. It is all too easy to fall into habits of operating; continuing to do just what I’ve been doing, putting out fires, responding to the tyranny of the urgent, reflecting too little and not accomplishing much  in the category of ‘fruit that remains’. More...I have a normal habit of taking a day at the beginning of the year to reflect before the Lord on the year behind me and the year that is before me. It’s not always fun to take an honest look at yourself before God, allowing the finger of the Holy Spirit to point out those things He wants changed. And I wish I could say at the end of a year, as I look back on my writings from the start of the year, that I’ve responded well to all that He has shown me. But I keep trying, and look to Him again hoping that as this next year ends I’ll look, smell, and remind others a little more of Jesus.  I’m reminded of a refrain from a Rich Mullins’ song “Oh its hard; so hard; you know it’s hard to be like Jesus!”. This is far more difficult and complex than one might gather from Charles Sheldon’s book In His Steps: What Would Jesus Do?  (from which came the popular WWJD bracelets. ) The reason it is so hard is because there is a fundamental problem with ‘me’: the sin nature that is bonded to my earthly body. Because of my in-born weaknesses, I am in constant need of the Holy Spirit’s help. Taking the time to reflect is like re-setting a clock to universal time, or checking the bearing of navigation instruments, or going for a regular physical. Reflection enables us to see where we’ve gotten off course and adjust our coordinates accordingly. An annual extended time of reflection is good, but I need more; weekly, daily and ultimately moment by moment. It is like another new thing for me this Christmas - a GPS. Essentially, I want to be tuned-in to the Holy Spirit as a satellite receiver to the heavenly GPS signal, hearing the turn-by-turn instructions. It is part of being like Jesus who said “I do nothing except what I see my Father doing”. A lofty aspiration for sure, but it is a new year. Hopefully this inspires you to aspire as well.

Posted in Book Reviews, Bookstore, Random Thoughts

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