Sacred or Secular?

"And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me, it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you." Genesis 45:5

When Joseph was younger, his brothers secretly sold him into slavery. God then orchestrated Joseph's life in a way that brought him up out of bondage and into Pharaoh's house. Ultimately, Joseph became second in command over Egypt. The verse above is Joseph's account to his brothers of God's amazing plan for his life, despite the awful circumstances his brothers put him in.

Because Joseph was faithful to God during unimaginable times in his life, God was able to use him in amazing ways. Joseph's godly example influenced everyone from his own family to Egyptian slaves, prison inmates, royal servants, the King's guards, then Pharaoh himself and eventually the whole land of Egypt.

Most of us have faced those dark times when we feel our circumstances are unjust and undeserved. Yet, through it all, God remains faithful. And his purpose for our lives always comes through in the end.

We don't usually like to talk about the difficult times in our lives. But they happen. They happen in our lives and the lives of those around us. But God will use those circumstances to bring hope and help to others if we allow Him to. It sounds ironic, but it's true.

You may be facing at dark time right now. Whatever you do, don't sweep it under the rug. Instead, allow your story to bring encouragement to someone else who is facing a difficult situation as well. Talk to them about your faithfulness, even in the face of doubt. And show them how God led you and held you along the way!

There is some crazy stuff that comes at us in life. Whether it is secular or becomes sacred is up to you.

Do you care to share a situation that you thought was not of God but turned out to be a blessing?

Concrete Jungle

Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."
Matthew 9:37-38

We work, live and play in a field that is ready for harvest. Maybe the farming reference doesn't do it for you. Maybe you call it a concrete jungle or the rat race. But no matter what you've labeled it, it is life. And this life, your life, is full of people who need to hear the message of Christ.

Jesus is looking for people to help him with his harvest. He's looking for people to blaze a trail through the jungle or run the race. In other words, he wants us to reach out to those people in our lives and share his message. We're not talking about some far off place in a country we've never been to. This field, this opportunity is here, right under our feet.

You have opportunities every day to help Christ spread his message. You have them in your home, at your job, and around your community. Remember that each person you see could be lost and wandering, waiting to hear God's direction for their lives.

Be aware of the people who watch you every day. Do they see you reaching out or just tending to your own needs? Remember, you can't make people come to know Christ; only God has the power to cultivate their souls. All you are called to do is be a willing worker in the field, a survivor in that jungle or a participant in the race seeking those opportunities to show the love of Christ every day.

Picture Grace

I was recently talking with a couple about the incredible Grace of God. We live in a world that cries for justice and fairness. So it makes it so hard for us to understand and embrace God's grace. There is nothing we can do that will make God love us more... and there's nothing we can do to make God love us less. That statement came in an answer to the question... "How can I be sure that God is not going to send me to Hell when my time comes?" That simple answer is... "God doesn't send you to hell... you choose to go there on your own."

It opened this couple's eyes... that what motivates us to worship, serve, give, pray, and invite others into this relationship is not guilt... or fear... but love. God loves us so much that He has already paid the price for our sins that result in our choice of eternal destination. That love simply amazes me! That Grace overwhelms me!

I don't deserve what God has done, is doing, and will do in my life. Every Sunday that I step onto that stage... step before our church family... talk with our leadership... meet with our staff... embrace someone who is unconvinced of the claims of Jesus... I am humbled by God's grace that is directing my life. I don't deserve it!

And in spite of my "difficulties" in life... my "hardships"... my "troubles"... I don't question if God is blessing me or not... (Heaven is not here on earth...) my question is... "With God... how can I learn and grow from my difficulty, my hardship, my trouble?"

As I look at my life... with all it's celebrations and crushes... joys and jabs... successes and sorrows... God's grace still amazes me and the picture becomes clearer with each passing hardship!

Can you picture grace? What does it look like to you?

Fearless!

Check out this verse in the Bible!
"Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel." Ephesians 6:19

The request for prayer is common in Scripture. It should also be common in our daily lives. We ask people we know to pray for us, just as they ask us to pray for them.
And when we pray, we can think of a lot of different things to ask for. We may look for help in our careers, personal relationships, marriages, finances and so on.

But how many of us request help to find others who need to hear about Jesus?

That is a bold statement. Sadly, though, we may go weeks, months or even years without sharing how Christ has influenced our lives.

If you have not had a chance to share your story, or maybe it's been a while since you've opened up about your faith, I encourage you to pray that bold prayer. Ask God to bring that opportunity to you. And when he identifies that person in your life, pray that you "will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel."

Do you have the feeling that Paul was a lot like us? At times, Paul was afraid of ridicule and rejection when he spoke to people about Christ to the point that it affected his ministry. How do I know this? Read the verse again slowly and tell me what you think.

Live Louder!

"Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes." James 4:13-14

Good fishermen will leave out early in the morning, when it is dark, calm and quiet outside. Fishermen don't sleep in and they don't waste time hitting the snooze button. They make the most out of all the time that is available in their day. Their wake up call might come so early, in fact, that they could get a glimpse of a morning fog.

Just like that momentary fog on the water, our time here on earth is evaporating!

Do you sense the urgency or are you spending your life putting off the things God wants you to do, thinking that there's plenty of time? Or are you seizing every moment and making good use of every minute?

In the Bible reading above, James is telling us that time has no guarantees. He's challenging us to focus on what we can do today.

What are some of the things you have been procrastinating? Who has God laid on your heart and asked you to reach out to? Don't delay! Life is too short and too uncertain. So take every opportunity you can to find and fulfill your God-given purpose here on earth.

Are there people in your area of influence that can't hear and believe what you say because what you are doing is too selfishly loud? Amplify your life and live louder for Christ - and even use words if you must!

Life Principles

"Father, Make Us Wise" is an incredible prayer of wisdom that is at our fingertips... just waiting for us to digest and embrace. What I'd like to do is share from my heart what I'm learning in this journey... We'll call it... "Wisdom Deposits..." Here's what I'm learning from Colossians 3... I call it... "Life Principles to Live By..."

Colossians 3:1-4: Engage in Eternity... Think eternally..
Colossians 3:5-6: Don't get caught up in worldly pleasures..

Colossians 3:7-9: Get rid of the negativity characteristics in your life...
Colossians 3:10: Become more and more like Jesus...
Colossians 3:11: Stop separating yourself from others... Jesus doesn't do that...
Colossians 3:12: God chose me!
Colossians 3:12-13: Be intentionally positive... forgive, be kind... work at these until they become natural!
Colossians 3:14: Above everything... everything... love people! What would our world be like if we would just live by that!
Colossians 3:14-15: Love brings perfect harmony! One body... one prayer!
Colossians 3:16: Do Life-Together: teach, read, sing, counsel... build intentional relationships... all centered around the message of Jesus!
Colossians 3:17: Be really appreciative in everything!
Colossians 3:18-22: Love your spouse, your children, your parents as you love Jesus!
Colossians 3:23-25: In your work... work as if Jesus is right beside you... because He is!
Colossians 3:25: God has no favorites! I love that truth!

I love those deposits... now, comes the part of embracing each of them and adopting the wisdom that comes from each nugget of truth! What's God teaching you in your daily devotional time?

Is your leadership role dragging you down?

7 Signs You’re Not a Leader

With all the titles given these days that promise leadership, there seems to be too few leaders. And the question is, are you a leader? Here are the seven signs you might not be a leader, and if you’re not a leader, why you’re so miserable trying to lead.

The seven signs are:
1. You’re not a leader if you’re lazy. Leadership is hard work. It takes a lot of energy. It is definitely not a nine-to-five job. If you like to put in the minimum and get home to your hobbies or other distractions, you’re definitely not a leader.

2. You’re not a leader if you don’t like to read. I love the old saying that leaders are readers. Leaders constantly have to grow. Their skill sets are constantly improved by the latest information, and latest insights. They are constantly reading books, either on their iPod, hard copies, or their Kindle. Leaders are readers.

3. You’re not a leader if you don’t like people. Leadership is not a position. It’s not a corner office or a salary. It’s about people. It’s about interacting with people. It’s about trying to get selfish, self-centered, hurting, broken, wounded people to work together for a cause, for a goal, for a purpose. It’s the challenge to get them to set aside their own agendas and adopt a single agenda. To do this it means you must like people. People make things happen. They are the reason we do what we do. And if you fundamentally don’t like to work with people, you’re never going to be able to lead them.

4. You’re not a leader if you have a thin address book. By that I mean, leaders are people who collect people to connect to people. We love meeting people, exchanging business cards and knowing what makes them tick. We love putting people together in order to help them be successful. We collect large address books with connections. If your address book isn’t growing by a factor of 200-300 a year, you might not be a leader.

5. You’re not a leader if you avoid confrontation. I didn’t say that leaders like confrontation; the only people who like confrontation are bullies. Leaders don’t like confrontation. Good people, compassionate people, people who like people, who have something worth offering are uncomfortable with confrontation. But it doesn’t mean they avoid it. They realize that confrontation is a frontline skill-set for any leader. When you avoid confrontation, disease sets in to any organization no matter how long it has been established.

6. You’re not a leader if you hate change. Enough said.

7. You’re not a leader if you’re debilitated by criticism. I’ve heard it often said that praise and criticism is like chewing gum. It’s great to chew on it but you never swallow it. If you’re going to be a leader, you’re going to be criticized. Your motives, your practices, your policies are going to be held up for scrutiny. People are going to talk about you behind your back. And if that debilitates you, I didn’t say you have to like it; no one does. But if that debilitates you, you’re probably not a leader.

After reading these seven signs, one of the best things that you might do for yourself is to recognize that you’re not a leader. You need to go to the people you work with and tell them, “Give me a great task to do and I’ll do it to the best of my ability. But the leading thing is not for me.”

If you are a leader, lead! If you are not, then be the best follower you can be! It takes both.

Relevant Christianity

Things are changing, have you noticed? Rapidly.
Just recently Apple announced the release of their SDK to developers, to take the iPhone to the next level. If you watched the presentation, maybe it soaked in, they were living in a very, very different world.

Those who are not able to keep up with the pace of change are going to be headed down a long road toward irrelevance.

This is a warning to those of us who lead, particularly to those who lead churches. Churches are notorious for resisting change. But if we don’t, we, like everything else around us will be stuck going down a long road toward irrelevance. What are you setting in place today? What are you dismantling? What are you setting in place today that you won’t be able to dismantle tomorrow?

If you can’t answer that question, you may be on the long road toward irrelevance.

Would you like to leave a comment on how you think resisting change can impact us individually as well as corporately?

Focus!

I love the focus of Paul. He stayed focused on his mission through shipwrecks, beatings, arguments, jail time... you name it. And he wrote Timothy to do the same thing. He gave him 3 illustrations... that still speak to us so many years later. Look at this...

"Soldiers don't' get tied up in the affairs of civilian life, for then they cannot please the officer who enlisted them." II Timothy 2:4 (NLT)
"Athletes cannot win the prize unless they follow the rules." vs. 5
"Hardworking farmers should be the first to enjoy the fruit of their labor." vs. 6
Soldiers, athletes, and farmers stay focused.

They don't...
Sacrifice what's best for what's good.
Look to the stands for rule interpretations.
Slack off in the planting to mess up the harvest.

As Christ followers it's easy to get distracted and in the same way...
We get side tracked by the world's desires and forget why we said yes to Jesus in the first place.
We start looking at the spectators and forget the game plan.
We get comfortable and lazy in the present life and wonder why there's no harvest or growth...
I say it to you the way Paul said it to Timothy... "Think about what I am saying. The Lord will help you understand all these things." vs 7.

Focus.....

Monopoly

How do we break the "monopolies" of our lives? Here are a few statements that should make you think ...

We all have toy graveyards... kids call them closets... adults call them attics, garages, storage barns... They are the graveyards of stuff we thought we couldn't live without... There's always going to be people who have more than you and less than you. Thank God for what you do have... Is your occupation your preoccupation? Our importance is not based on our possessions... but on our position in Christ because what we live for is more important than what we live on.

When Snoopy saw Charlie Brown eating turkey and all the fixings while he was outside eating dogfood... Snoopy said... "It could be worse... I could've been born a turkey..."

When we leave and get into our cars and we look at everything that's wrong with our car... we need to passionately say... "It could be worse.." And when we get home and compare our homes with other places that seem nicer... "It could be worse..." And when we sit down to watch our 26" televisions and dream of the 60" plasma hanging on the wall... "It could be worse..."

It just seems to me that our stuff means more to most people than it should...after all, when is the last time you witnessed a hearse pulling a uhaul?

LoveAttack

Serving From The Heart...
What makes a trip to the grocery store or retail store or even a church something to remember? Are there certain events, actions, moments, experiences that say to us as we leave... "Wow. I want to come back here."? I think there are. What brings someone to transform from being a 1st time guest to a returning, excited, can't-bear-to-miss-out "family member?" Granger Community Church in Granger, IN calls it the "Wow Factor." Wal-Mart and other retailers call it "Creating Loyal Customers For Life."

Scripture calls it "Hospitality."

Paul wrote.."Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality". Rom. 12:13 (NIV)

To me... It's that "Hospitality Factor" that begins the transformation of a 1st time guest into a returning, excited, can't-bear-to-miss-out family member. And when guests keep coming back, they experience the powerful love of God, the incredible true messages of Jesus, and the life-changing experience of the Holy Spirit that helps them take their next step in their relationship with God.

The question is... How can those who have already said "Yes" to Jesus shine in their Hospitality Factor? Great question. We can learn a lot from those who have studied, researched, and been successful in helping people feel welcomed. Click here to watch a short clip and see how one young man changed the entire atmosphere of a grocery store.

Wow! What can you do to increase your "Hospitality Factor?"

I Want to be Held...

I remembered a great question last night that really got me thinking...

It's a question that I believe every pastor, leader, teacher, believer should ask themselves as they pursue to mature in their faith and relationship with Jesus. One of the greatest growth processes in becoming more like Jesus is reading and embracing God's Word! So many neglect this powerfully packed, principle-laden, personality enhancing, supernaturally inspired collection of the wisdom of God.

So what's the question?

It was asked by another student some time ago while attending Bible college who had just listened to a pastor/teacher speak on developing a relationship with God during chapel... Here's the question... "As he spoke... I noticed that he held the Bible but my question is... was he held by the Bible?"

That's a huge question for me... as I speak... do I just hold the bible or has the Bible been holding me? Is it still holding me... even when I don't speak?

I don't know about you... but I want to be held and not just hold.

If I were looking for a church to attend...

If I were looking for a church to attend Sunday morning, here are 16 things I’d look for . . . .

1) When I enter do I hear laughter?
2) Are people greeting me as a job or a joy?
3) Does the place look like they were expecting me?
4) Are people buzzing as they greet each other?
5) Is there spirited music playing as people gather?
6) Does the music move me?
7) Do the people on stage look real and engaged?
8) Are the announcements short, strategic, and to the point?
9) Is the Scripture written out on the big screen?
10) Does the pastor smile?
11) Does the message title promise a relevant topic I am interested in?
12) Does the pastor speak with humility and authority?
13) Do I feel the presence of God?
14) Are people listening and engaged?
15) Is the service no more than 71 minutes?
16) Does it pass by fast?

Are you Angry?

10 Ways Angry People Change the World

Things change. But whether they change for the better or not depends on what people do; not just any kind of people, but angry people. Yes, you heard it right. It’s angry people who change the world. Comfortable, satisfied, stuck-in-a-rut, trying-to-protect-my-turf people don’t change the world. They nurse the status quo, which I’ve heard is Latin for the mess we’re in. It’s absurd to say that the way to change things is to make people angry. Most angry people are not constructive, but destructive. But it’s just as foolish to think that things will change when everyone is fat and happy.
So here are ten ways that angry people change the world:1. There’s a wrong that must be righted, now. We’re talking about a serious wrong; a principle, not a preference. Something is violated that leaves a gaping hole in the ethical fabric of life.2. The wrong is in the circle of my influence. There are two circles we have to always be aware of: the circle of my concern, and the circle of my influence. In the circle of my concern, I can pray, study, think, consider; there’s not much I can do. It’s only in the circle of my influence where I can make a positive change. Where there is a wrong that must be righted within the circle of your influence, you have the seed for a true revolution.3. The wrong moves from a bother to a burden. With a glaring wrong in front of you, it’s hard to ignore it. It’s an ethical thing, a principle; a violation of what’s right, good, and just about life and it bothers you. The minute it becomes a burden, something you can’t shake or run away from, it becomes your responsibility. You become the missionary, the mover of the movement.4. “Someone ought to do something” becomes, “I must.” Everyone talks about the things that ought to be different. These things are many. But the must-dos and must-haves of life are few.5. The passion becomes a vision. The real meaning of passion is to suffer. That’s what angry people do when there are wrongs that must be righted. They suffer. And when that suffering becomes intense, a vision arises; a picture of things not as they are, but of how they could be if something happened.6. Other like-minded people catch the vision. The visionary now talks to his friends and shares. He must. He can’t keep it inside. It’s a burden that can’t be bottled up.7. First steps are taken. This is the hardest thing to do; to take initiative, to take first steps when those first steps seem to be so woefully short of meeting the need of revolution and change. But they’re necessary. They’re always small, usually done in obscurity by lonely, angry people with a vision.8. Results are small, but promising. This, again, is a tenuous point in the process of change. We’re looking for big results. We want to make small input and have big output. That simply doesn’t happen. First results are small, but promising leading in the right direction.9. More people buy into the mission as missionaries. Results attract support. Results attract people. Movers and shakers like being around new things that are arising and happening. And when they come around the mission, they become missionaries.10. Eventually, the movement creates APB. APB stands for Abundance, Prosperity, and Blessing. Over time the vision of how things ought to be, and should be, and must be, translate into vision. Surrounded by people with steps, great things happen.
Here is the formula for how angry people bring about great change:W+AP+V+MAP+T=REVOLUTION Simply said, a wrong, plus angry people, plus vision, plus more angry people, plus time, equal revolution.DF

Elijah

"Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops." James 5:17-18

Elijah, although ordinary, was used in extraordinary ways.

Through a simple but powerful prayer, he changed the spiritual direction of an entire nation. Elijah knew how God was going to use his power to influence this nation and he was committed to doing whatever God asked him to.

God can use you in the same powerful way.

But you've got to take the time to listen to God when he speaks. Can you hear him? Or is the hustle and bustle of life drowning him out? If you do hear his voice, are you committed to doing whatever he asks?

Because we are all such self-involved creatures, it's easy to forget that our purpose for being here is not for our own personal fulfillment and happiness. We were put on this earth to bring God glory, not ourselves.

If you're living with a self-centered attitude, your potential is sadly limited. But if you commit to do whatever God asks you to, then any ordinary life can truly be used in amazing and extraordinary ways. Just try it and see!

I’ll admit this election did not turn out as I had hoped. I supported McCain primarily because I am pro-life and I prefer his small-government mindset. But now that the election is over, I’m not going to harbor bitterness toward Obama supporters or go into attack mode. Obama has been elected president of this country, and that means I have a biblical responsibility to support him in prayer—even if I challenge his policies.

Whether you voted for Obama or not, you need to pray for him. Here are 10 ways I plan to intercede for him regularly:

1. Pray for Obama’s protection. We already know that some weird, neo-Nazi fanatics in Tennessee plotted to kill Sen. Obama during his campaign. Let’s pray that racist hatred is not allowed to spread. Let’s cancel every assassin’s bullet in the name of Jesus. May civility triumph over bigotry.

2. Cover his wife and daughters in prayer. It is not easy to live under constant media scrutiny. Pray for Obama’s wife, Michelle, and their two daughters, Malia and Natasha, as they face invasive cameras, nosy reporters, maniacal fans and dangerous enemies. Obama is not only a politician but also a husband and a father.

3. Pray that Obama will govern with God’s wisdom. God rewarded Solomon because he asked for wisdom instead of wealth, long life or vengeance on his enemies (see 1 Kings 3:11-12). Pray that Obama will order his priorities like that. Despite Solomon’s tragic character flaws, his legacy was wisdom. We can ask God to give our president the same grace.

4. Ask God to keep our president humble. Many great American leaders became corrupt after they moved to Washington. The fatal attraction of fame, wealth and power proved irresistible. The only thing that will guard a man or woman from this pitfall is humility. May God deliver President Obama from the curse of pride.

5. Pray for wise and righteous advisers to surround him. Godly leaders cannot do their job alone. Even the best leaders have failed because they trusted the wrong people. Pray that Obama will not select his counselors based on party, race, pedigree or political cronyism but on godly character and proven wisdom. Pray also that he will not allow secret traitors into his inner circle.

6. Ask for the spirit of reconciliation. Some segments of our deeply divided society want nothing to do with Obama now that he has won the presidency. Even some Christians will be tempted to harbor resentment and nurse political grudges throughout his term in office. Pray that God will grant forgiveness and healing so that leaders on all political levels can have constructive dialogue.

7. Pray that Obama will adopt pro-life convictions. Many politicians have changed their views on key issues while in office. In the 1800s some leaders who favored slavery later denounced it. In the 1950s some who opposed racial integration later became champions of it. Even though Obama won approval from many voters because he sanctions abortion, God could soften and change his heart.

8. Bind all evil forces assigned to manipulate our president. The specter of Islamic terrorism looms over the United States, and dark forces are ready to infiltrate. Our only hope lies in prayer to the God who is able to expose and outwit the schemes of the wicked. This is truly a time for spiritual warfare, and intercessors must not come off the wall in this hour! Pray that no foreign government, terrorist organization or demonic principality will use Obama as a tool. We must stand strong against the spirit of antichrist that promotes dictatorship, persecution of Christians and hostility toward Israel.

9. Pray that Obama’s door will remain open to the church. The loudest voices of secular culture—from Bill Maher in Hollywood to atheists in academia—would be happy if religion were removed from public life. Pray that Obama, who claims to have a personal faith in Jesus Christ, will unapologetically welcome Christian leaders into his company and seek their counsel. And pray that false religious leaders (who claim to know Christ but deny His power) will not have his ear.

10. Pray that our nation will enjoy God’s peace and blessing during the Obama administration. The apostle Paul instructed early believers to pray for all in authority “so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity” (1 Tim. 2:2, NASB). God’s will is for America to experience peace and prosperity so that we can continue to export the gospel to the nations. This must happen whether a Democrat or a Republican is in the White House. As we cry out for God’s mercy on our wayward nation, pray that He will allow us to be a light to the world as we finance global missions, feed and heal the world’s poor and share Christ’s love at home and abroad.LG

Just Read The Will

"This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us." 1 John 5:14

I want to present to you a new way of viewing prayer that you may not have thought about. The Bible not only has answers for life, but also tells us step-by-step how we can get even more out of life. God takes an interest in you as a person and is standing by, ready to answer your prayers, if they are the right ones. How can you be confident that you're praying the right prayers?

You have to know God well enough to know what he would ask for.

Prayer isn't asking for what you want. It's putting yourself in a position to want what God wants. And that happens as you begin to know God better. As you get to know him better, you will be given the wisdom to know how to pray according to what he wants you to have. Be confident in knowing that God hears your prayers. Rather than worrying if he hears you, work on getting to know him better. Show interest in who he is. Read his Word. Continue to pray. Because as you do, you will discover that God has more blessings for you than you could ever imagine.

People are always asking me how they can know God's will for their lives. My answer is the same everytime - "To know God's Word is to know God's will". That is why the New Testament is considered as God's last testament. It is His last will and testament. Sound familiar?

Into the Sea

There's a story about a proud young man who came to Socrates asking for knowledge. He walked up to the muscular philosopher and said, "O great Socrates, I come to you for knowledge and wisdom."

Socrates recognized a pompous numbskull when he saw one.

He led the young man through the streets and down into the sea, and chest deep into water. Then he asked, "What do you want?" "Knowledge and wisdom, O wise Socrates," said the young man with a smile. Socrates put his strong hands on the man's shoulders and pushed him under. Thirty seconds later Socrates let him up. "What do you want?" he asked again. "Knowledge and Wisdom," the young man sputtered, "O great and wise Socrates." Socrates crunched him under again. Thirty seconds passed, thirty-five. Forty. Socrates let him up. The man was gasping. "What do you want, young man?" Between heavy, heaving breaths the fellow wheezed, "Knowledge and wisdom, O wise and wonderful..." Socrates jammed him under again Forty seconds passed. Fifty. "What do you want?" "Air!" the young man screeched. "I need air!" "When you want knowledge and wisdom as you have just wanted air, then you will have knowledge and wisdom."

What do you want out of life? Do we need to take a walk down the street and into the sea? Chase your dreams like your life depended on it!

Care to comment?