Making An Entrance
The most important aspect of becoming a great wrestler is not having a fantastic physique, or amazing athleticism, or an outrageous outfit. The most important aspect of becoming a great wrestler is making an impactful entrance. The key to having an outstanding entrance is having a the perfect entrance song.
The best wrestling theme songs kick off with a strong opening note. From the second you hear the start of the song, you should be able to recognize exactly who is coming through the curtain. The first beat of the music should also strike a chord in the heart of the audience, raising them out of their seat to cheer the wrestler with all their heart or boo them out of the building.
Stone Cold Steve Austin had one of the best entrance songs of all time. Check out this clip from 1998 where Austin makes an iconic entrance, rescuing Mankind from a viciously unfair beating by The Rock.
As soon as the crowd hears the glass shattering, they know that Stone Cold is on his way to save the day. Stone Cold never shied away from a fight, and from the second he made his entrance, everyone in the audience knew that business was about to pick up.
The way a person makes an entrance says a lot about them. Are they bold, confident, and purposeful with the way they enter a room? Or are they weak, shy, and timid?
The way that Jesus entered our world spoke volumes about him. His entrance into our world was quiet and humble, in a dirty barn behind an inn. He did not come into our world proclaiming his perfection. Instead Jesus entered the world as a newborn child, as devoid of power as he could be.
His entrance was also completely spectacular. Jesus came into the world not through conception but through a virgin. He came in a way that could only be contributed to God in order to show that he was not merely a man.
Jesus’s entrance showed that he came into our world not to show off but humble himself to our level. He did this to show that he wanted to be in relationship with humanity. At the same time Jesus’s entrance showed that he was not just a human being, but the spirit of God incarnate. He was the powerful Son of God, entering into the world to forever change it.
When Stone Cold Steve Austin made an entrance, the crowd knew exactly what to expect. The way he made his entrance said that he was coming to lay a smackdown on whatever enemies stood in his way. You can expect the same thing when God enters into your life. He wants to enter into your day humbly in relationship and powerfully as Lord in your life. He wants to enter into your life to be close to you because he wants to overcome your enemies.
Every day we make an entrance as well. Every morning when we crawl out of bed we enter into the world anew. What sort of entrance will you make onto the battlefield of life today? Will you enter the day afraid and overwhelmed by what life has stacked before you? Or will you enter the day boldly and bravely with the confidence of God enabling you?
The same God that entered into the world humbly and spectacularly wants to enter each day with you. So when you make your entrance into each new day, may your theme song be like this psalm of David:
Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place – the Most High, who is my refuge – no evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone. You will tread on the lion and the adder; the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot.
“Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows my name. When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.” (Psalm 91:9-16)
A Ship In A Bottle Set Sail
How does little Jessica stay so positive? How is she able to be so cheerful when there’s so much in this world that can bring us down?
Did you know that last week a new holiday called “National Unfriend Day” was created? Late night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel came up with the day as a way for people to clear out the dead weight (people they never talk to that clog up their news feeds) on their Facebook friend lists without consequence.
Have we really come to this point? Are our lives so cluttered and burdened that we need to start removing friends? Facebook used to be so fun, such an entertaining distraction. The first time I logged onto Facebook was so exciting, being able to see friends I hadn’t seen in years, keeping up with what is going on in everyone’s lives, posting pictures, poking people. But now Facebook really has become kind of a chore.
Really, there’s a lot of things in life that bring us down that should be joyful. Like weddings. Just the other day I attended the wedding of a high school friend of mine. It was a beautiful ceremony and once again it was fun catching up with some old friends I had not seen in ages. Yet I couldn’t help but be bummed out by my position in life, nowhere near finding a marriage companion.
Not to mention the other countless drags that get in the way of us living a joyful life: bills, chores, progress reports, etc. With all these things to bring us down, how can we possibly be as cheerful as Jessica? And how can we possibly keep the same attitude as David did in Psalm 108:
My heart is confident, God; I will sing; I will sing praises with the whole of my being. Wake up harp and lyre! I will wake up the dawn. I will praise you, Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations. For Your faithful love is higher than the heavens; Your faithfulness reaches the clouds. God, be exalted above the heavens; let your glory be over the earth. Save with your right hand and answer me so that those You love may be rescued. (Psalm 108:1-6, HCSB)
What joy and thanksgiving flowing from David’s pen! You would think he had a perfect life from the looks of his words, but that would be far from the truth. David had plenty of issues.
David’s family never really believed in him. They never thought he could be God’s chosen warrior. David struggled with lust and was known to cheat on his wife. One of his sons died while still a baby. David had issues. And still he lifts up praises.
He’s not the only one with a broken heart giving thanks in the Bible. The stories of men like Job, Joseph, and the apostles of Christ are stories of pain and suffering mixed with praise and shouts of joy.
That’s because, the life following God is not about a life without difficult circumstances. It is about a life of facing all the difficult circumstances with an attitude of praise. You cannot expect to always be able to change your circumstances. You can only change yourself and how you respond to your circumstances.
Dig deep in your heart, mind, and soul. When life tries to bring you down, look around and see how much there is to be thankful for. See how much God has given to you. Most importantly he gave his son so that we could overcome this life and experience life to the full with Him.
So, with Psalm 108 in mind, here’s 108 things that I’m thankful for: (more…)
Gentleness; or The Trials and Tribulations Of A Duck, A Beauty, A Beast And A Congressman
As someone who has toiled my way through a variety of customer service jobs (Movie Gallery, Video Warehouse, Family Christian Stores), I have learned that there is no rule more important or effective than “The Customer Is Always Right.” That’s Customer Service 101, and following this adage is generally the best way to resolve a conflict with a customer. It doesn’t matter who is actually in the wrong in the situation. The point is that as an employee you can usually win an angry customer back over to your side by listening to them, engaging with them, and working to resolve the issue rather than arguing about it.
Not only is this a basic guideline for customer service ,this is also the definition of one of the fruits of the spirit: gentleness.
Don’t be mistaken: being gentle does not mean being a push-over or a pansy. It simply means being considerate and kind to others. Of course, it’s not all that simple. This is really one of the hardest fruits of the spirit to grasp in our culture.
We live in a culture obsessed with war. The Iraq War may not take up the majority of the nightly news anymore, but the effects of this battle and the War on Terror are still ongoing. Our country was built on war. War is what we study in the history books everyday. The Civil War. World War I. World War II. The Vietnam War. The Korean War. And that’s not to mention the countless other countries engaged in war everyday.
Our culture is constantly in conflict. It’s integrated into our brains. We cannot avoid conflict. We face it everyday. But if we are to be the people God wants us to be, we must approach conflict with a sense of gentleness. If we do not, then we are sure to pay the price. (more…)
