The Manti T’eo Folk Tale and Your Integrity...

Okay this story is pretty bizarre right?
This story (tale) is still unravelling but what we do have in front of us is a "girlfriend" (Lennay Kekua) that doesn't exist whos story of battling Leukemia and eventually dying from the disease was inspirational to him (Manti T'eo) throughout this football season.

The craziness stems from the fact that it's all a big hoax.
The questions still being asked are many but derive from 2 angles:
Was Manti T'eo duped by this "person" and who knows why???
or
Was he actually a part of the concocted 'fib' to generate sympathy for a few different reasons?

And the media scrutiny is harsh to say the least...

How about we pull that "magnifying glass" off of Manti T'eo and those involved in this folk tale and spin it around onto ourselves.

....and ask...

Have I ever stretched the truth to gain some sort of personal interest?
Have I ever exaggerated a story or event to make it sound more appealing?
Have I ever played with the numbers in order to benefit myself?
Have I ever shared a story with others without knowing for certain if it was 'real' or if those were the 'actual' facts but told it anyway because it always gets a bunch of laughs?

I mean we could go and on and on with these type of questions couldn't we?

So let's pull back a minute from all the media frenzy of today and step outside this bizarre story and look at our own bizarre story.

We are all broken, we are all in need of saving and when left to operate in the ways of the world then we can answer YES to every one of those questions posed earlier and we can add many, many more.

Let's use a bizarre story like we have today
to be grateful for Amazing Grace
to be thankful for Unending Mercy
to be blessed with God's Abundant Love in Jesus Christ

that our past can be forgiven, we have a purpose in the present, and hope for the future spending an eternity with Creator God in heaven.

"He heals the broken, and bandages their wounds." Psalm 147:3

Who are you?

Now that we've closed out 2012 and we've launched into 2013 our minds are filled with these great expectations...... "I'm going to be better this New Year."

"You'll see... I've got BIG plans." "I'm gonna lose weight, I'm gonna exercise more... I'm gonna eat better, I'm gonna learn how to play that 'instrument' I've put away in my closet... I'm gonna get a better job, I'm gonna save more money, I'm gonna quit smoking or drinking" or whatever vice seems to have a handle on us.....

I'm gonna, I'm gonna....

Well, we are eleven days into the New Year... how's it going?

This is about the time (if it already hasn't happened) that we begin to slide, to put aside those grand ideas and expectations.

I'd like to encourage you to move forward with your plans and expectations with a simple question.... "Who are you?"

Can you answer that question?

It's really important. It's really important because if you can't answer that simple question then you'll never be able to succeed in all the areas of life that you want to.

Most folks answer that question with their name and career choice. 

"Well I'm Joe Parks and I work for Rex Supply in Outside Sales."

But that's not who you are... that's your name and a job description.

"Well I'm a husband and father" 

Sure those are roles you play in life, but without a spouse and children "Who are you?"

I mean just you.... just you.

Not your name or career or roles you have currently... who are you?

In his book "Victory Over Darkness" Neil T. Anderson asked that question, "Who are you?" and got similar results that I mentioned above. 

He concluded that none of those were sufficient and offered this... "You are a child of God"

That's who you are.

YOU are a child of God. That's a big deal folks. 

It really is.

For any of us to succeed and move forward in this New Year we must be able to answer the question, "Who we are". Only then will we completely understand our goals and mission that is for us... not just this year, 2013, but in life.

For more insight watch or listen to "Who am I?" part 1 at FocusChurch.com recorded on Jan. 6th 2013 and join us for the rest of the month as we dig deeper into that question.