Song - To Live is to Die

In high school, I was involved in my church’s youth group. I was pressured into it. At that point, church was something I had to do on Sunday mornings. I didn’t want to have anything else to do with it.

Fortunately, I had some friends that I grew up with at the church and they pressured me to come to some meetings. It turned about to be good. Actually, it turned out to be life changing. Each year, the youth group goes to a youth conference held at Montreat, NC. During those weeks, I found myself and how I fit.

I remember this so clearly … during summer before my senior year (1990), I went to Montreat; it’s what you did in the summer. One of the leaders brought his band, Ladder 9, to do a concert. It was my first true exposure to Contemporary Christian music. Yes, I bought the tape and I still have it today.

One of the songs and its lyrics continue to speak to me today … “to die is to live and to live is to die.” When I leave this world, I will go to a greater (eternal) life with Christ – to die is to live. This gives me comfort at funerals, especially for those that I feel left this world too early. To live is to die … as we live and follow Christ’s path, we die with the satisfaction of the love we shared and the promise of eternal life.

I treasure that tape. As I research on the web, I don’t find Ladder 9. I won’t be able to replace it. However, those words have already made an impression in my heart that won’t ever be lost.

It takes all kinds

Have you ever been board at a meeting? Was it not going fast enough for you? Was is more talk and less action?

I have. For all those reasons and more.

Over the years, I’ve realized that there are planners, do-ers, and people in the middle. And all are needed. God and Jesus doesn’t only employ Type-A personalities; they found the planners and do-ers right for the task. The apostle Paul appears goal-oriented, strong, and direct, as well as, augmentative and liked things his way. Peter appears more of a people person, as well as, permissive and maybe long talker. Abraham appears calm and affirming, as well as, indecisive and unemotional. Moses appears respectful and orderly, as well as, perfectionist of himself and imposing that standard on others.

Each is different. And yet each brings something to the table that Jesus and God wanted to use that at point. Paul was able to challenge the status-quo. Peter worked towards harmony which sometimes can take a while and a lot of talking.

Maybe you just need to know what to do (output of the meeting). Then going to meetings is not for you. Maybe you like the conceptual, planning stuff. Then meetings could be right for you. While at the meeting, remember that God has put many kinds of people together. Some are fast thinkers while others need time to think about it.

In our church, work, or other dealings, Jesus is bringing different people together. Different perspectives together. We each have some Paul, Peter, Abraham, and Moses in us. Some are more dominant than others. This mix might change depending on the situation. You could be more passive like Peter about where to have dinner or more assertive like Paul about your child’s medical illness.

Gary Smalley is known for his family counseling practice. His counseling recognizes that you need to understand each person in the family. He has created a Meyer-Briggs type personality test. Let’s call it the Smalley personality test. At its core, the Smalley personality test says there are 4 personality types and each person demonstrates a piece of each. People have expanded on this work to associate each personality type with an animal but also to a related biblical figure. Here’s a simple test and interpretation. Take a few minutes and learn a little more about yourself.