On T.I. (or T.I.P.)

After watching recent interviews of the rapper T.I. by Larry King and Jamie Foxx, I have concluded that I really like him (T.I.). He is what many of us from urban communities grow up seeing everyday with some differences. He is rugged and refined, aggressive and articulate, common and uncommon simultaneously. His lifestyle resembles many of those from the ‘hood, but his grasp of people and the world goes beyond expected limitations.

Larry King seemed to recognize this as well. He asked T.I. many questions that seemed to say, where does this behavior come from? If you know better, why are you doing worse? T.I.’s reply was hard to hear, but real - I am a product of my environment. (Check out the clip below to hear more - starts at minute 7:05)




What T.I. says is true even if it hurts to hear it. He grew up around violence, turmoil, and drugs. So he participates in those things. I liken this to someone who grows up near the beach. If you ask them if they know how to swim, they will answer yes, of course. Why? Because it was in their environment. They grew up around water, so swimming is natural. In the same way, T.I.’s environment (and ours) impacted the way he developed and matured.

So what can Christians gain from T.I.’s response? I believe there are two lessons. One, our environments make us who we are. We have to take this seriously. We have to look around and ask ourselves, is this atmosphere creating the person I want to become? Do I have the right people around me? The right goals in place? The right influences? If not, we need to consciously move from our surroundings OR practice lesson two and…

Change our environment. What is compelling about T.I. is that he is now changing the environment he came from. He is going back to juvenile centers and telling children how to prevent going down the same path. He is also shifting the paradigm on what people think about black men from urban areas. This is a good example for us. As we are in our surroundings, we have the opportunity (and responsibility) to contribute positively. When we do this, others are changed by our example and our presence (Matthew 5:15, Philippians 2:15 below).

We have a choice in what we surround ourselves with. Be aware, life has a ripple effect. One thing affects another. When ripples come, we can either be the water or we can be the stone. The water moves with it’s surroundings. The stone creates ripples that can’t be denied. There are times when we need to be both. Choose wisely and you and your environment will be blessed.



Lord, please remind us that we are all products of our environment. Let us choose them wisely. Knowing this, let us also be rippled and be ripplers. Let’s be conscious of the change that happens and the change we can create. I thank You for the surroundings I have been in and the things each has taught me. I pray I continue to glean from them. Thank You for it all.




Belly flopping,
Jeremy






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Matthew 5:14-16 (NASB)
14"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden;
15nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.
16"Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.


Philippians 2:15 (NASB) - so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world,

On the One Degree Theory

A good friend of mine, Mark Baker, and I were having a conversation and he mentioned the most incredible thought. Mark is truly one of those organic sages. Often, he says things that are just mind-blowing. I tell him that I’m going to write them down and I have written many. I thought I’d share one of our most recent conversations here. It was definitely helpful to me.

In discussing our futures, Mark suggested that there is a point that our lives are supposed to end up at. This point is our destiny. However, what we do everyday can affect where we end up. He likened this to a point that we are aiming at. If we are off even one degree today, we can completely miss the destination we were supposed to end up at. This is illustrated below.

Like Paul in the Bible, Mark believes there is a mark that we are supposed to reach when we end this life. (Philippians 3:13-14 below) That mark is stationary – it doesn’t move. What can change are our behaviors and attitudes today. If we are off now even one degree, it can mean the difference between success and tragedy.

Does that mean we need to become perfect? Well, not exactly. It does mean we should always be being perfected – becoming more and more like our destiny everyday.

Another important part of this theory that Mark mentioned is the idea of our family’s destiny being affected by our ability to reach our individual mark. If we are off one degree, it could take our children years to get from where we’ve taken them to where they’re supposed to be. In essence, they have to make up for all the work we didn’t do and then live their own lives too.

That sounds like a lot of pressure! However, the simple message for me was to live a life of diligence. Not overly concerned with being a perfect person, but overly concerned with being perfected. Making sure I am improving everyday. Making sure my children and grandchildren aren’t fighting some of the same pitfalls that I face today. This kind of diligence makes you evaluate your decisions more, be a better neighbor, and accomplish the goals God has given you. Be consistent, be diligent, and remember, one degree can change everything.





Lord, thank You for the power of friendship. As You said, iron sharpens iron. I thank You for the Bakers and their wisdom and insight. Even more, I thank You that You have a plan for my life. Please allow me to keep pressing toward that mark. Give me the wisdom to see you in every potential opportunity and decision. Please correct me when I am off even one degree, so that I reach my destiny. Thank you for reminding me that Ashley and my destiny are interdependent [and that Jocelyn (and future children)’s destinies are dependent on us]. I know this is not meant to burden me, but it is meant to show the significance of today. I love You and look forward to knowing You more.






Sifting,
j.a.g.








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Philippians 3:13-14
13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.