Retreat and Advance the Troops

Twice in my radio life I’ve filled the temporary role as a sales manager. I confess to enjoying the thrill of strategy and developing a plan to turn a situation around and set a new course. They were both fruit bearing experiences.

One of my techniques to set the stage for creative involvement and team building was using off site retreats. I would hold about three a year, usually at a hotel or inexpensive resort within a couple of hours drive of the radio station. The “kickoff” was a Friday dinner. Then an evening of social and fun activity. Saturday we worked all morning and into the afternoon. We left around 4 p.m. for our homes.

A different chemistry develops in an off site environment. The casual nature of the gathering removes the “strictly business” feel. Joking around increases. Maybe a little bit of starch is removed. And that looseness impacts the freedom to be more creative. At least I found this to be so.

Thus, my heart was encouraged reading this piece in the New York Times recently: “In Retreats, Start-Ups Find a Way to Recharge Workers’ Batteries.” Right up my alley! (http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/12/business/hotels-company-retreats.html)

The story leads by explaining how the chief executive at a San Francisco company rented a house for week for a “workation.” Their together time included cooking, hiking, planning, and brainstorming. As a start-up, no doubt these were powerful in team development as well.

Joshua Reeves, who heads the team, explained his purpose for the time away. “The two main goals we had were to bring the team together, take a step back and have a chance for community time and connection. Physically going somewhere else can actually be a great catalyst for introspection.” I think he has it pegged.

Interestingly, even though his first “retreat” venture was with around 10 co-workers in 2013, the company still does them—and they have nearly 300 employees. Of course, not all of the folks go. But more recently, two of their human resources teams took their “workation” at Disneyland. (Obviously, this start-up is now making money!)

As the story unfolds, there seems to be a growing interest in these kinds of getaways in corporate America. In particular, younger workers seem to value them. As a Starwood executive explained, “Millennials expect that. They want to have that interaction with the C-level executives, and incentives are a very nice way to do that, to make them feel included.”

Hotels are also seeing spike in this part of their business. Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide being one of them. They report an “approximately 12 percent increase, year-over-year, in reward and incentive travel, including retreats.” The Hilton corporation sees this growth as well.

And forget about formality! The tech industry may have paved the way toward the more casual, but other industries have followed. Out with the suits. And the boardroom presentations. More intense and intimate brainstorming and strategizing sessions happen in these relaxed atmospheres.

I found something missing in this report. Team development and building enthusiasm for the processes is driven best by a a personable, skilled leader. And if the ones trying to pull off the retreat are ineffective at this, I think a net loss can result from such time away.

A few years ago, my previous employer retained an outside firm to lead a three day off site experience. It was a first for many in the room. Some of the sessions were particularly effective. A couple breakdowns seemed to occur when group members were invited to share both strengths and weaknesses of our operation. No one had a problem listening to the strengths. Senior management found pain in discussing the weaknesses. I think that is common.

Healthy organizations require truth telling. But that kind of honesty is difficult if the conversation is not guided toward productive outcomes. Similarly, getting teams on board with vision and agendas for growth is hindered significantly if the concerns of team members is ignored. This is why many organizations fear such gatherings.

The issue of truth is quite timely on this day after Easter. Pontius Pilate, the Roman leader investigating claims against Jesus, struggled with identifying truth. The exchange between the two men is quite striking. Jesus said of His divine purpose to Pilate, “‘I was born for this, and I have come into the world for this: to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to My voice.’ ‘What is truth?’ said Pilate.” (John 18:37-38, HCSB)

Discerning truth is paramount to getting things right. That is as necessary for a healthy organization as it is for a healthy soul. If either of those situations need your attention, I have a suggestion for you. Consider a retreat. Either business or personal.

I’ve heard on good authority that the truth…will set you free.

That’s The Way WE Work. Click on the link to the right to connect via Facebook.

Let’s Talk with Mark Elfstrand can be heard weekdays from 4-6 PM Central. To listen outside the Chicago area, tune to www.1160hope.com for live streaming or podcasts. 

Tipping Point of Pain

Have you ever worked in a job where tipping is a valuable part of your income? Working for my father in a restaurant while a teenager, I picked up a few bucks as a busboy from “shared” tips. Occasionally, a customer gave me my own tip for some extra service I provided.

But the best of tipping experiences was when I was asked to help park cars at a Radisson hotel in Minnesota. What a great gig! You got to drive some pretty fine cars and then made oodles of tip money in a couple of hours when serious banquets were held.

So I can’t say I relate well to those who depend on people’s generosity in tip giving. Moreover, I find the practice often raises questions. What worker expects and deserves a tip? How much is “right”? And what is the acceptable thing to do when service is poor in a tipping environment?

Each of us must flesh out answers to those questions on our own. I’ve found myself going to Google for input on how much to tip. But not always. For example, some companies allow a goodwill “tip cup” to be placed near a register at a place like Dairy Queen. Or a sub shop. I avoid those. And when service is poor, I sometimes leave less.

But I must admit I was unaware of the larger problems in the world of tipping. My eyes were opened in reading an item found recently in the Washington Post. It is titled, “I Dare You to Read This and Still Feel Good About Tipping.” https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/02/18/i-dare-you-to-read-this-and-still-feel-ok-about-tipping-in-the-united-states/?wpisrc=nl_az_most

The story opens by describing a former restaurant owner who ended the practice of tipping at his restaurant. He then “enforced” a mandatory 18 percent service fee. And he claimed EVERYTHING improved at his place as a result.

Much of what follows in the article is an interview with Saru Jayaraman, co-founder and co-director of what is known as ROC United—the Restaurant Opportunities Center United. She champions the view of ending the modern tipping system. And her data is quite revealing.

What is the current federal tipping minimum wage? I could not have told you. Apparently, it’s $2.13 per hour. This is the minimum amount a restaurant is allowed to pay workers who collect tips.

If Jayaraman’s research is correct, this low paying entry wage has roots in slavery. Really? She claims that the tipping practices of Europe were brought to America in the 1800s as wealthy Americans returned from travel and thought it to be a good practice. Then, it was hotel workers, porters, and employees of restaurants who got tipped. But unionization provided more income for the hotel workers and porters. Restaurant workers were left out. Most of these people were black workers and as Jayaraman states, newly freed slaves.

I recommend reading the article for more history on the practice of tipping. But here’s another aspect of a tipping related problem that causes concern. It’s when “favors” are expected or demanded of the servers. And we’re not talking about refilling your water glass.

Statistically, about seventy percent of tipped workers are women. Most of their restaurant jobs are at places such as Red Robin, IHOP, and the like. What is the economic situation of this group of people? They suffer three times the poverty rate of the rest of the U.S. workforce and use food stamps at double the rate.

But for Jayaraman, here is the worst part. These people “suffer from the absolute worst sexual harassment of any industry in the United States. When you’re a woman living on tips—even if you’re making a lot of money on tips, which most women aren’t—you’re subject to the whims of the customer, and really encouraged by management to objectify yourself or subject yourself to objectification to make money in tips.”

Other challenges mentioned were the employers who allegedly misused tip credits. And several people groups that get worse service than white males. It was a darkly painted picture.

So should all tipping be eliminated? Not necessarily. Jayaraman advocates a policy that seven states now require. In California, for example, every employer must pay the full minimum wage to servers. Tips are requested on top of that. And while it might seem logical that such a change would create economic havoc, it hasn’t happened.

The Bible does not specifically address the practice of tipping. However, knowing the economic hardship of many who have low paying jobs and hope for good tips, it might cause us to reconsider generosity. The Bible has plenty to say on that.

Try these verses: Proverbs 11:24-25: “Some people give much but get back even more. Others don’t give what they should and end up poor. Whoever gives to others will get richer; those who help others will themselves be helped.” (NCV)

As for cow tipping, well, you’re on your own there.

That’s The Way WE Work. Click on the link to the right to connect via Facebook.

Let’s Talk with Mark Elfstrand can be heard weekdays from 4-6 PM Central. To listen outside the Chicago area, tune to www.1160hope.com for live streaming or podcasts. 

Ethical Dropouts on Illness

Company theft. It happens on all levels. The really minor stuff is taking pens, making personal copies, and the like. It advances into some pretty sophisticated thievery.

One pizza delivery guy embezzled thousands of dollars from the company for which he worked. It took a while, but he systematically did this by manipulating receipts. The employer was pained by having this young man arrested. But indeed he did.

Corporate theft is often referred to as “shrinkage.” The FBI claims it is the fastest growing crime in the United States — bigger than identity theft, cyber fraud, credit card theft, and Internet scams. And it proves difficult to uncover. Fom the article written by the pizza company owner, “Nearly 75 percent of employees do it, and the vast majority of discovered theft goes unprosecuted, according to FBI statistics.”  http://businessmagazinegainesville.com/employee-theft-corporate-americas-dirty-little-secret/

But there’s a more subtle and unethical sort of theft that apparently many people feel no guilt over. Stealing time. Specifically, sick time.

The United Kingdom may be the unwanted champion of this dishonor. The details are chronicled in the story, “Calling in sick? This country beats everyone.” http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/europe/united-kingdom/130715/calling-sick-country-beats-everyone

If the reports are correct, UK employees take more than four times as many days off work for “sick leave” than their global colleagues. PwC (previously PricewaterhouseCoopers), examined 2,500 companies to determine that “UK workers took an average of 9.1 days off sick per year. This was nearly double the 4.9 days U.S. workers took off, and four times as much as their counterparts in Asia-Pacific (2.2 days).”

It may seem innocuous to some, but that number cost these firms nearly $43.8 billion a year according to PwC calculations. 

Obviously, most of these days are legitimate sick days. But from another more recent report, “the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) estimated that around 12 percent of UK sickness absence was fraudulent.” That makes about $5.2 billion PER YEAR in time theft!

Closer to home — home being Chicago — we have a common example of this kind of thievery. In January, the Chicago Tribune compiled the data in their story, “The jailhouse flu hits Cook County”.  http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/ct-cook-county-jail-sick-guards-edit-017-20160115-story.html

It was the Tuesday after the NCAA championship football game. The county jail had to be placed on lockdown after 18 percent of those scheduled to work called in sick for the 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. shift. What are the odds of that?

The Tribune writers asked if it was unfair to question the “integrity” of those workers. They answered their own question! Here were the stats they presented:

•135 people called in sick for the 3 to 11 p.m. shift on New Year's Eve.

•637 called in sick over four shifts during the weekend of May 2, 2015, which included the Kentucky Derby and a live broadcast of the Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao "Fight of the Century.”

•877 called in sick over four shifts during the February 1, 2015 weekend, which featured the Super Bowl and a blizzard.

The Teamsters union representing these correctional officers were angry at this news coverage. Of course they were. They defended members' rights to use earned sick days. They blamed the unusual spikes on winter weather! Sheesh! And for reference, a total of 128 workers reported ill to Cook County Jail on Super Bowl Sunday – about a third more than a typical day of sick calls.

To be fair, Chicago correctional workers are not a unique breed. On average, about 1.5 million U.S. workers call in sick after Super Bowl Sunday. Time magazine believes that might be due, in part, to the  reported 325 million gallons of beer Americans consume — or the 1.3 billion chicken wings they devour.

Some managers apparently got creative and held day after brunches or special events designed to draw employees BACK to the workplace after these big events! Are we a creative people or what?!

One of the other observations proven to hold true about sick days is that happy employees take less of them. And those who hold critical roles within an organization do the same. That’s worth considering.

It’s a timely discussion because March Madness starts up this coming week. Now we have a few weeks of big time college basketball games on the weekends. And along with that comes the “shrinkage” of time lost to office pools, pre and post game chatter, and possibly those “sick out” days.

I only speak with a call to those who care about moral convictions on these matters. Watch yourself. Be reasonable. Don’t overindulge. But please don’t steal a day from your employer faking illness. 

A good proverb to remember in this regard is this: “The honor of good people will lead them, but those who hurt others will be destroyed by their own false ways.” (Proverbs 11:3, NLV)

And as for March Madness, I’m picking Kansas. Or Oregon. Or Stony Brook.

That’s The Way WE Work. Click on the link to the right to connect via Facebook.

Let’s Talk with Mark Elfstrand can be heard weekdays from 4-6 PM Central. To listen outside the Chicago area, tune to www.1160hope.com for live streaming or podcasts. 

A Gala of Praise

I’m on the road this week, traveling in California. Most of my trip is pleasure. And like all trips we take, when the details all work out, so much the better.

My first stop upon arriving was the Hilton Universal City hotel. Nice property. Right across from Universal Studios. Some auditions were going on nearby. I almost stopped in to see if they had a role for an old radio guy. Wisdom prevailed.

The overnight stay was courtesy of my son, Marshall. He had some spare Hilton Honor points and I needed a bed. It all worked. They treated me like I was the real deal—but I knew I was an Honors impostor. A poser, if you will!

I was at this hotel for an evening banquet celebrating 30 years of ministry for MasterMedia. It’s a relational outreach to decision makers primarily located in Hollywood and New York City. It was also a night of tribute for the founder, retiring CEO and Chairman, Dr. Larry Poland. A few dozen friends and luminaries offered words of praise and admiration for this soul winner to the media elite.

Eric Metaxas, a Salem national talk host and New York Times bestselling author, was the emcee. His wit showed up with him as it almost always does. He has a knack for being “Christianly irreverent,” spewing gentle insults and one liners that guys like me find delightfully humorous.

One group of Eric’s soft targets were the several people who praised Larry Poland by video, but not in person. Kathie Lee Gifford, Pat Boone, and others on this list were chided about being “too important” to actually attend the gala. No one is safe if you are in Metaxas’ sights. I’ve been with Eric many times—mostly for interviews—and the zingers are the highlights from this Yale grad.

Musical selections came from two gifted performers…Sarah Horn and Jordan Smith. Sarah was called up impromptu by Kristin Chenoweth at the Hollywood Bowl in 2013 to sing “For Good” from Wicked. The shared performance on video went viral and has been viewed over one million times. I’m confident Kristin and the talent around her was quite surprised with the sound that came from Sarah Horn. She has great vocal chords. (Read about her Hollywood Bowl story here: http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/In-Her-Own-Words-Sarah-Horn-Shares-Inspirational-Story-of-Singing-with-Kristin-Chenoweth-at-the-Hollywood-Bowl-and-Going-Viral-20130825)

Jordan Smith has become somewhat of a household name. His tryout in 2014 for NBC’s The Voice did not go as well as he hoped. His dreams seemed dashed. But the following season, he got a callback from a show team member for another tryout. As he said at the banquet, “The rest is history.” Jordan shared about his growing faith as a follower of Jesus in between two songs—one from his new album and the stunning crowd pleaser, “Somebody to Love.” This was the song that he performed in the semifinals of The Voice that set him apart. He received a standing ovation. It was fun to watch.

While I didn’t know several of the people who added their touching testimonies of God’s work through Larry Poland in their lives, their words made him sparkle. These kinds of events can embarrass one as well, because deep down we know that we don’t live up to being treated as a legend. Larry admitted this to be true.

Allow me to be more descriptive. Dr. Larry Poland was uniquely gifted by God for the assignment he had for 30 years. Accessing these super high achievers in Hollywood and New York for discussions on faith is incredibly difficult. As a few testified, such calls from “religious” people to meet usually result in massive criticism of the entertainment industry. Who looks forward to meeting with mean spirited Christians?

Larry is different. The stories throughout the evening told of a man who met with them with brotherly  love, honesty, respect, and sometimes words of challenge. More than anything, they admired his authenticity. Several who spoke were industry captains, including the head of HBO!

In true Poland style, he shared a ficticious story of a tennis racquet “complaining” about how tennis players got all the glory…when it was the racquet that did the work. A golden tennis great responded to the racquet’s complaint by saying that the tennis tool would be nothing without the master of the game’s incredible skill. The racquet would be reduced to tinder.

And with that, Dr. Poland concluded his remarks. His lesson was simple. All of us using our gifts are like those racquets. Without our Creator/Master giving us life and equipping us for our work, we would be dead weight. Taking credit away from the Master is a disservice.

The writer of the book of Hebrews encourages us this way: “Now may the God of peace—who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep…may he equip you with all you need for doing his will. May he produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to him. All glory to him forever and ever! Amen.” (Hebrews 13:20-21/NLT)

May you be so equipped. And give credit where it is due.

That’s The Way WE Work. Click on the link to the right to connect via Facebook.

Let’s Talk with Mark Elfstrand can be heard weekdays from 4-6 PM Central. To listen outside the Chicago area, tune to www.1160hope.com for live streaming or podcasts. 

True Confessions of the Candidates

Over the last week, Americans were dealt an inexcusably bad few days of insulting presidential politics. Despite how competitive the business world is, you rarely (if ever) hear the kind of belittling assault against another respected leader. Usually, trash talking is reserved for sports personalities whose mouths need more sensitivity training.

Before the intensity of this political season was so ramped up, I made several appeals on my talk show to the concept of civility.

Dr. Samuel Johnson lived in the 1700s and was a devout Anglican. He has been described as “arguably the most distinguished man of letters in English history.” His words: “When once the forms of civility are violated, there remains little hope of return to kindness or decency.”

Singer Emmy Lou Harris once said, “As citizens we have to be more thoughtful and more educated and more informed. I turn on the TV and I see these grown people screaming at each other, and I think, well, if we don't get our civility back we’re in trouble.” And she was not commenting on the debates!

Pier Massimo Forni is a professor of Italian literature. Well over a decade ago, he helped create the Johns Hopkins University Civility Project. Its purpose was to learn what influence such character qualities as politeness and respect have on society—especially in the workplace. And then, what happens when these relational enhancers disappear.

Here’s what Professor Forni observed: “Civility means a great deal more than just being nice to one another. It is complex and encompasses learning how to connect successfully and live well with others, developing thoughtfulness, and fostering effective self-expression and communication. Civility includes courtesy, politeness, mutual respect, fairness, good manners, as well as a matter of good health.”

The recent political debates lack most of that description. Instead, led by the new “Don Rickles of Politics”—Donald Trump—opponents and their ideas are held up to ridicule. The recent exchange in the debate with Marco Rubio, and Trump’s followup press conference with Chris Christie, provide ample evidence.

The New York Times headline this week states it bluntly: “To Fight Critics, Donald Trump Aims to Instill Fear in 140-Character Doses.” http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/27/us/politics/donald-trump.html?emc=edit_th_20160227&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=68618012&_r=0

An example the Times used mentioned a Republican strategist who made a negative comment about Trump skipping a debate. She was then labeled by The Donald as “a dummy” who only acted out of revenge. Marco Rubio is now carrying the “Choker” label. Ted Cruz is “nothing but a liar.” A fellow talk show host from our company was made fun of by Trump for not having a bigger audience.

From the Times, “With his enormous online platform, Mr. Trump has badgered and humiliated those who have dared to cross him during the presidential race. He has latched onto their vulnerabilities, mocking their physical characteristics, personality quirks and, sometimes, their professional setbacks.”

It puts his opponents in a terribly awkward position. They can choose to challenge a Trump position—and face his backlash. They can return insults, and demonstrate the same lack of civility that he does. Or they can be aggressive on their perception of his weaknesses as a candidate and wait for the onslaught of insults.

It’s certainly not limited to Republican candidates. Mrs. Clinton brings her own arsenal of meanness to the campaign by often portraying all Republican leadership as racist, uncaring, and against women. And she claims to be ABOVE the fray.

Here’s what is most unnerving about this to me. Trump claims he’s been audited so much because he is a “good Christian.” He’s proud to be a Presbyterian. Cruz, Rubio, Carson, and several Republican dropouts claim Christian commitments as well. Chris Christie embraces his Catholic faith. John Kasich grew up Catholic, but is now part of a conservative Anglican church. He’s actually written two books about faith, values, and politics! Mrs.Clinton readily identifies herself as a “lifelong Methodist.”

Get the picture? These candidates are on a primetime stage not only representing a political party, but showing to the world how “Christians in politics” act. And it’s not pretty.

I would love to see a one hour television special called, “True Confessions of the Candidates.” Oh, it wouldn’t be a bunch of sordid stuff. It would be a series of admissions as to where civility has been lost in this political season. It would include humble apologies and a perceptible sense of authentic repentance for bad behavior to not only other candidates, but to the electorate!

Matching the confessions would be offerings of forgiveness by fellow candidates. At minimum there would be handshakes to agree to stop the nonsense. There might even be rich, brotherly hugs! Or with Hillary, a fine sideways Christian hug.

Wouldn’t THAT be something!

Offending a brother is not new. In Jesus’s day, one of His followers wanted to know how much to forgive. “At that point Peter got up the nerve to ask, ‘Master, how many times do I forgive a brother or sister who hurts me? Seven?’ Jesus replied, ‘Seven! Hardly. Try seventy times seven.” (Matthew 18:21-22, MSG)

Humility. Admitting our wrongs. Granting forgiveness. Civility and faith in action.

As the English aristocrat Mary Wortley Montagu stated, “Civility costs nothing, and buys everything.”

Three cheers for civility!

That’s The Way WE Work. Click on the link to the right to connect via Facebook.

Catch “Let’s Talk with Mark Elfstrand" weekday afternoons from 4-6pm on AM 1160 Hope for Your Life. To listen to the live broadcast or a podcast of previous shows click here

A Champion Losing Friends

It’s February. As in Feb-BREW-ary. Football fans are now in withdrawal. Baseball players are reporting to spring training. The NBA and NHL seasons are getting more serious. The NCAA Basketball Tournament is just weeks away. NASCAR is ramping up. Oh, did I forget golf?

Didn’t mean to. Golf is my Sunday “go to” sport, especially during the winter months when scenes from Hawaii, Arizona, and California make me wonder why any of us live in cold climates. Yesterday was no exception.

Watching the final round of PGA tournament at the Riviera Country Club in the gorgeous southern California sunshine was almost too much to take. Just saying “Pacific Palisades” oozed with warmth. It’s the country club of many Hollywood stars.

However temperamental the reports of those who work on stage or screen, few could top the reputation of yesterday’s champion at the Northern Trust Open. Bubba Watson. And I was cheering for him all the way until the final winning putt dropped.

It seems like Mr. Watson is gaining on a nagging problem. His oft-out-of-control temper. It has cost him in more than one way.

A most telling report on the complexity of this man came out last summer. It was an excerpt from the book Slaying the Tiger by Shane Ryan. Even the title of the piece made me wince, “How Bubba Watson’s Temper, Religion, and Exquisite Game Made Him the Most Divisive Player in Golf.” http://www.sbnation.com/golf/2015/6/16/8782233/bubba-watson-profile-shane-ryan-slaying-the-tiger

The opening sentences set the stage: “Anti-Bubba sentiment has been around as long as Bubba Watson himself, but until 2014, it had largely simmered below the surface. There are very few outlaws in golf, and the players enjoy certain protections from the media, especially on the television side.” But an incident in 2014 drew the most criticism in the golf star’s young career.

It happened at the 2014 PGA Championship. In a practice round, the PGA of America held a long-drive contest. Most golfers enjoyed the moment and even goofed off a bit for the crowd. Not Bubba. When Watson showed up at the 10th tee, he cursed the event as “ridiculous” not just to himself, but to the PGA staff assembled around the hole. And in his anger, he impishly avoided trying to hit a long drive—something he is very good at.

Those who follow golf may not know the details of that story, but they are certainly aware that Bubba has a temper. He is not above caustic words to his caddy. Or criticisms about a golf course. His foul mouth has gotten the best of him while in these moods.

So why do people like him? For a number of reasons. He’s been a very generous man. In his moments of victory, sensing what he has overcome in life, he weeps—genuinely. He treasures his family, including a wife who, while dating, told hm she could not bear children. He offered to adopt—which they have.

Additionally, with a name like “Bubba” and an unorthodox golf method derived from NO lessons, he’s a champion to those of us who golf with all of our imperfections. He’s passionate. And, at times, quite personable.

What admittedly makes him difficult to embrace in the faith community is his stated Christian beliefs. At the same PGA Championship event, Bubba was asked if he cared what people thought about him. He retorted, “Truthfully, no. Because the way I’m trying to live my life, read the Bible, follow the Bible…no matter what I do, no matter if I win every single tournament, half the world is going to love me and half the world is going to hate me no matter what. You can’t impress everybody and you can’t make everybody happy.”

Shane Ryan wrote in response in his book, “It was classic Bubba—reverting to religion, scolding anyone who questioned him, and placing himself above those with the temerity to criticize a man of God. All of which leads to a familiar question: Does he practice what he preaches?”

Does he practice what he preaches? Isn’t that the question by which all Christ-followers seem to get measured? It’s one of the most biting descriptors we fear: hypocrite!

You should read the article I referenced if you want a much clearer sense of how our “walk” impacts our “talk.” And vice versa. Bubba, like many of us, uses Scripture to admonish others. But Jesus said, “You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” (Matthew 7:5, ESV)

Christ followers, like golfers, should take this message to heart.

We all need to work harder on our game.

That’s The Way WE Work. Click on the link to the right to connect via Facebook.

Catch “Let’s Talk with Mark Elfstrand" weekday afternoons from 4-6pm on AM 1160 Hope for Your Life. To listen to the live broadcast or a podcast of previous shows click here

A Presidential Faith

It’s Presidents Day. Another federally determined Monday holiday. A day to pay homage to those who chose to run for the highest office in our land. And win. Our presidents.

The History Channel sets us straight on how this American holiday came to be celebrated on the third Monday in February. “Originally established in 1885 in recognition of President George Washington, it is still officially called “Washington’s Birthday” by the federal government. Traditionally celebrated on February 22—Washington’s actual day of birth—the holiday became popularly known as Presidents Day after it was moved as part of 1971’s Uniform Monday Holiday Act, an attempt to create more three-day weekends for the nation’s workers…Presidents Day is now popularly viewed as a day to celebrate all U.S. presidents past and present.” http://www.history.com/topics/holidays/presidents-day

Currently, we have several souls vying for the title. One woman among them…Hillary Clinton. A man seeking to become the first Jewish president, Bernie Sanders. The list of Republicans wanting the job is steadily reducing in number. Lack of interested voters means you lack money. The aberration in this year’s election is the possibility of having three finalists who, in truth, don’t NEED money. That would be Donald Trump, Hillary “The Speech Maker” Clinton, and possibly the “Independently Wealthy Independent” Michael Bloomberg.

A candidate’s religious faith is definitely being brought into play whether we value that as a society or not. Several of those in the running have openly stated their allegiance to Christianity. Marco Rubio has gone so far as to create a commercial about his beliefs. Ted Cruz considers himself an evangelical. Jeb Bush, Donald Trump, and Hillary Clinton align themselves with the Christian name. And then there’s Bernie Sanders.

The Washington Post covered his personal beliefs in their recent article, “Why Bernie Sanders doesn’t participate in organized religion.” Sanders grew up in the Jewish faith, attended Hebrew school and was bar mitzvahed. He actually worked on a kibbutz in Israel. Later we learn he drifted from Jewish customs. And today? He says “I am not actively involved with organized religion.” https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/bernie-sanders-finally-answers-the-god-question/2016/01/26/83429390-bfb0-11e5-bcda-62a36b394160_story.html

As the Post reports, “Sanders said he believes in God, though not necessarily in a traditional manner. ‘I think everyone believes in God in their own ways. To me, it means that all of us are connected, all of life is connected, and that we are all tied together.’” Later from the story, it notes that Jimmy Kimmel questioned Sanders a few months ago whether he believes in God and if that is an important issue to the American people. To which Sanders replied, “I am what I am. And what I believe in, and what my spirituality is about, is that we’re all in this together.” That last line, repeated, seems to be his mantra.

It’s interesting that the senator finds connection to the Christian faith the same way he finds a connection to other faiths. While speaking at Liberty University, an evangelical Christian school to be sure, he stated, “I am motivated by a vision which exists in all of the great religions — in Christianity, in Judaism, in Islam, Buddhism and other religions — and which is so beautifully and clearly stated in Matthew 7:12. And it states: ‘So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the law and the prophets.’”

When you hold the highest office in our land, you’d better have something to hold on to. According to the Pew Research Center for Religion and Public life, only three presidents, (Jefferson, Lincoln and Andrew Johnson) have been unaffiliated with a specific religious group. This certainly does not connote or deny any level of commitment. Just affiliation.

I was recently reading about the debate of whether Abraham Lincoln truly embraced a faith in a personal God. Conclusions from multiple sources say he also (like Sanders) had a season of spiritual drift. But his later years brought clear evidence that he saw the need for a power beyond himself for strength and to heal our nation.

It’s my conviction that most Americans agree with another Jewish man who write political commentary, Dr. Michael Brown. In a recent editorial he wrote, “I am honestly not looking to elect a perfect saint as president nor am I asking the candidates how well they know the Bible or how many hours a day they pray. But I am looking for someone who, along with dealing with our budget and immigration and national security, will stand for righteousness and lead with integrity.”

Given the state of disunity in our country, perhaps these words of King David from the Old Testament give perspective, “The God of Israel spoke; the Rock of Israel said to me, ‘The one who rules the people with justice, who rules in the fear of God, is like the morning light when the sun rises on a cloudless morning, the glisten of rain on sprouting grass.’” (2 Samuel 23:2-4, HCSB)

A president who lacks a healthy fear of God will lead a nation with a lack of wisdom.

Happy Presidents Day.

That’s The Way WE Work. Click on the link to the right to connect via Facebook.

Catch “Let’s Talk with Mark Elfstrand" weekday afternoons from 4-6pm on AM 1160 Hope for Your Life. To listen to the live broadcast or a podcast of previous shows click here