Available for 200-250k in Smyrna

Happy Tuesday!

There are definitely a shortage of homes out there- but I found several great ones available in Smyrna in the $200-250,000 range...take a look!

1600 Harrow Ct
$216,000
4/2/1

2009 W McLaughlin St
$229,900
3/2

4105 Oakstone Dr
$249,900
4/2/1

Have a great day!!

Significance

I can't believe I entirely missed writing a blog last week. And I am a day late this week! Needless to say it has been extremely busy around here. I currently have 10 contracts pending and am working with several buyers and a few new listings. Plus it is the end of the school year for Jonas and, thus, there are all kinds of events at his school. Plus we are planning the summer for the college ministry. Plus I am helping them head up a class at church. Plus, plus, plus!!

I am going to take a break from my series on pop culture Christian lies and look today at something I have been tuning into lately.

Almost all of us have a tendency to forget our place in the world. Since we live inside ourselves, we are each, by default the most important person in our own world. I have seen more and more people that lose sight of the bigger picture. I don't know if there truly are more people with a very, very small world view or if I am growing my world view to the point where I notice everyone else's more. Hard to say. Could be both, I suppose. The point is this, I am insignificant. You are insignificant. At the same time, you and I are both extremely significant. It is an odd but true dichotomy.

I have really started seeing this on a very small level. You go to a restaurant and raise cain because someone forgot to bring you some bread. Perhaps they forgot because the kitchen messed up someone else's order and they were busy figuring out how to help. You are driving and you honk at someone at a red light because they are turned around messing with a kid in the back seat. Is your extra 30 seconds really worth them ignoring the kid that just dropped its drink and is screaming? You go to Kroger and the checkout person isn't the most friendly person you've ever met. Is it worth telling the manager that the person was unfriendly? Did you know that person has a grandparent on hospice right now and they were at the bedside until 3 AM?

See what I mean, we forget, no ignore, the fact that everyone else is significant, exists outside of our little world and has their own set of issues. We demand service or some kind of attention like it is our right. We forget that, really, we are insignificant and, really, that small piece of bad service is highly insignificant. Thus we are all significant and insignificant at the same time.

My goal, upon realizing this and tuning into it, is to be a catalyst for good. Instead of getting upset at the unfriendly checker-outer, be kind to them. My goal is to be as jovial and kind as possible to the people that everyone else dumps on. I want to try to make them feel significant and appreciated instead of feel like a servant. I want to serve them so they can better serve others. That is significant. That will help the world.

I don't know that I did a good job explaining my views on how individual people are significant and simultaneously insignificant. Why don't you try? First, do you agree? Second, how would you explain it?

Murfreesboro Condos

Good afternoon! 

There are so many condos being built all over in Murfreesboro and if you want low maintenance and community amenities- this might be the way to go for you! Take a look at some of the ones available!

903 Thunder Gulch Way

1532363

$154,900

1,642 sq ft

3bed/2bath/1half

714 Village Green Circle

1535241

$165,000

1,752 sq ft

2bed/2bath

234 Danoher Walk1531445$199,9002,169 sq ft3bed/3bath

Christians Must Stand Up For Themselves in Society

So I wrote this on Thursday and forgot to post it!! It's been a crazy few days. I will write about that in a week or two. Anyway, sorry for the delay, here it is.

Have you noticed that Christians tend to get pushed around in our culture a bit? If we speak out against any prominent figure for a public sin, we are intolerant bigots. If we take a stand for morality, we are backward and old fashioned. If we try to reason with mother culture concerning our views on scriptural tenets, we are judgmental, ignorant and hateful. If we try to evangelize, even a little, we are zealots or "fundamentalists" (and that has taken on a negative connotation). It seems that every time a television show has an outspoken Christian in it the character is some kind of dangerous nutcase or is in for comic relief. Don't you think it is time for Christians to take a stand and demand our rights and demand better treatment?

Well, I don't.

I believe that Christians have an obligation to be peacemakers, not rabble rousers.  There are virtually no Biblical examples of Christians being angry and standing up for their rights. Jesus flipped tables in the temple but that was internal to the church of the time. Jesus worked against the Pharisees but he did not do so by "taking a stand" or inciting an audience. He did it peacefully and with well reasoned argument. Paul spent time in jail because of his faith. He did not incite people against Rome. Paul did not "stand up for his rights" on a public stage and demand better treatment for all Christians or demand equality. He did benefit from rights granted to him as a Roman but he never made demands based on his "God given rights." He never demanded special treatment or equal treatment to non-Christians. He never "took a stand" for his rights in the context of some other group getting special treatment. He never let the government's special treatment of one demographic incite him to demand the same treatment. He wanted the rights he was already granted and otherwise he worked the movement under the government. Both Jesus and Paul were after the souls and salvation of men and women, rather than government legitimization.

Don't misunderstand what I am saying, if our government was to lock someone up with no reason other than because they are a Christian, that's one thing. That would be contrary to our law. If the State of Tennessee wants to take the Ten Commandments out of a public building, that is quite different. It is within the rights of the state to do so. Our reaction should not be mass protests and inciting anger, but rather prayer and evangelism to promote our cause peacefully. When faced with the discussion of abortion, we should not protest in front of clinics and blow up buildings and all this other stuff. We should be available to minister to the hurting and lost. We should be working with the populace that is at risk for this before they get to the point of seeming to have no choice. When Christians feel that the world is pressing down on their individual rights or are offending them, we should do two things to imitate Christ:

1) turn the other cheek
2) love first, provide second, correct last

That is the example of Christ. That is how we reach a hurt, lost and dying world. When we incite and get angry and bluster and yell and protest, we only feed Satan and we only strengthen the resolve of the opposition. Human nature takes over as no one wants to lose a fight. How much different would it be if we didn't worry about losing the fight? Instead we only ministered to the participants in the fight. Just a thought.

Judgement

This little blog series has been a fun one to work on. I still have a few more to go but this particular topic tends to strike the nerves of people sometimes. I know I am right about this but it just feels wrong to say it. It is also not a popular opinion to have amongst non-Christians and even amongst many Christians. It is the topic of judgement. Specifically, "passing judgement".

Our culture is definitely a culture of individuality, permissiveness, "you don't hurt others, I don't care what you do". At the same time, if someone were to speak against the actions of someone else for committing what they see as sin, the speaker gets lambasted for "passing judgement." Even Christians or quasi-Christians will say things like "only God can judge me" or "before you say something, check your own sins out". While these things are true, only God can be the final judge of you and your life and I definitely have my own sins to be concerned with, they are not a complete picture of the obligations of Christians.

The Bible does direct us to use judgement and to rebuke immorality and to not be stumbling blocks to others. It also tells us to confront an immoral brother (1 Corinthians 5, Matthew 18:15). Further, it tells us not to yoke with unbelievers (2 Corinthians 6). All of these actions require us to judge the actions and even the hearts of others. How do I know if I am a stumbling block to you if I don't know enough to judge your heart a bit? How do I know to confront you about immorality if I don't first judge what you do to be immoral?

This is all fine and good but what about Matthew 7:3-5? How can we possibly "judge" others when we sin too? I think the answer lies in the heart of the person "passing judgement". Do I point out your sin in order to boost me to a position over you? Do I point out your sin so that I look good? Do I point out your sin and completely ignore my own? All of that is wrong. Do I point out your sin with a heart bent to truly helping you on your walk while I am simultaneously working on my own sin? Is it with a heart of humility and servitude? That is correct.

At the end of the day, the Bible tells us to judge others. It tells us to be concerned about others' well being. It does not want us to condemn, only God can do that, and it certainly does not give us the right to pass final judgement. We do have to exercise judgement in our dealings with the world and in our choice of mate (do not yoke). We also must exercise judgement in keeping the church pure and holy. We must do so, however, with humility, with a heart aimed toward helping and growth, not condemnation and self aggrandizement.