Year 5, Day 343: Song of Songs 1

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Discipleship Focus: Chemistry

• Chemistry asks whether the person in question can work with the other people that God has called.

Song of Songs is going to be an unusual book of the Bible to look at through a discipleship lens.  Many of these blog posts for the next few days may all sound similar.  I’m going to try my best to not make it that way, but this book is essentially a love poem between spouses.  There is only so much that translates between a love poem and the discipleship process.

One of the things that I think does translate is this idea of chemistry.  In discipleship, we want to make sure that we can work with the people to whom God is calling us.  In marriage, this idea is even stronger.  When we consider things like dating, engagement, and marriage, we need to be certain that we have the proper chemistry with the people with whom we might be spending our life.

When we read this chapter, we get the clear impression that these lovers want to be around each other.  They want to be in each other’s company.  They want to live life together.

Obviously, that’s how it should be in a marriage.  On a less intimate scale, that’s how it should be in Christian community as well.  We should want to be around each other.  We should want to be partners in what God is doing in us and the people around us.

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Year 5, Day 334: Ecclesiastes 4

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Discipleship Focus: Chemistry

• Chemistry asks whether the person in question can work with the other people that God has called.

Chemistry is all about community.  Very few – if any of us – are truly designed to be in complete solitude.  Even the introverts among us don’t usually want to be completely alone, they want to know the close relationship of a few friends.  Trust me, I know.  I’m one of those people.  I’m an introvert.  But I would die if I had to be in complete solitude.

I think that this is a part of what Solomon is going after in this passage.  When Solomon talks about toil, he says that it is best for a person to work in conjunction with another person.  In other words, work is best shared.  That’s what chemistry is about.  We all need to work; we learned about that a few chapters back.  But work is best done when we have someone to share it with.  Work is best shared when we have someone to share it with whom we enjoy.

That’s why chemistry is important.  After all, when I fall down, don’t I want someone there who wants to help pick me up?  When I am frustrated in my work, don’t I want someone there who wants to help me see it from a new angle?  When I am celebrating a success, don’t I want someone there who celebrates with me because they understand what that victory took?  It is one thing to be alone.  It is another thing to be among others.  But true joy comes when we can be among people with whom we have good chemistry.

Furthermore, I think this issue of chemistry is also found at the end of this passage when Solomon talks about the young poor wise man.  A young wealthy wise man will have all kinds of people wanting his attention for all the wrong reasons.  Such a person won’t be able to find people with whom they have chemistry because their money will always draw otherwise motivated people to them.  But a young poor wise man will have the space to find people with whom they do relate well.  The young poor wise man will have the space to consider chemistry.

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Year 5, Day 150: Mark 3

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Discipleship Focus: Chemistry

• Chemistry asks whether the person in question can work with the other people that God has called.

I think that taking a look at Mark 3 through the lens of Chemistry will be profitable today – especially in the light of protection that we discussed yesterday.  After all, today we have more people come to Jesus and question his ministry.  More religious leaders come to question Jesus about the healing of the man with the withered hand.  They come and accuse Him of being in league with Satan, even!  And then twice we hear about Jesus’ family coming against Him because they think he has lost His mind!  So taking yesterday’s context and bringing it forward into today’s passage, we see that people continue to speak out against Jesus.

But that’s not the whole story, is it.  Crowds begin to follow Him.  The people in the world who are actually seeing people’s lives change are coming to Him.  Sure, some of those people are just coming for the show or they are coming for temporal healing and relief from their present circumstances.  But Jesus doesn’t seem to mind that.  In fact, seldom in any of the Gospels does Jesus speak out against the crowds.  They come, and He uses the opportunity to put God’s power on display.  But the truth is that even this doesn’t really speak to chemistry.  It speaks to opportunity but not chemistry.

In the midst of all of the persecution and the crowds gathering around Jesus to use Him we get a really neat story of chemistry.  Jesus calls the Twelve.  There are legitimate disciples that are gathering in the midst of the persecution and the crowd’s gathering for the show.  In fact, if we think back to yesterday, remember that Jesus called Levi into discipleship in the midst of the religious attack!

That’s the interesting thing about chemistry.  Jesus uses the situation around Him to see who is really interested in following Him.  Jesus uses the conflict with the religious leaders to speak into the lives of whoever might be listening.  Jesus uses the opportunity of the crowd to speak into whoever might be listening.  That’s how chemistry seems to work.  We speak into the situations around us and see who is willing to listen.  Then we find out with whom God has created the chemistry to work together.

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Year 5, Day 77: 1 Corinthians 8 & 9

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Discipleship Focus: Chemistry

• Chemistry asks whether the person in question can work with the other people that God has called.

Chemistry might be a bit of a stretch for today’s reading, but hear me out on this one before you judge me too critically.  Much of 1 Corinthians 8 – and even portions of chapter 9 – deal with the fact that we should not make something sinful that is not sinful.  Yet, at the same time we shouldn’t flaunt the use of things that aren’t sinful in the face of those who think them to be sinful.  This is about give and take.

On one hand, this is about chemistry in that often in ministry we need to seek out those who see through similar eyes.  If I am doing ministry with a bunch of people and they see many of the things that I do as sinful behavior, then there will be a perpetual stumbling block between us and the ministry will constantly be interrupted.  Therefore, part of chemistry is having much in common with the way that we see things in the world.

However, a good piece of chemistry is also being able to be comfortable with differences as well.  Not of us will even be carbon copies of one another.  We will all have differences.  Therefore, part of being in ministry with one another is finding people who will not take offense at our differences as we likewise do not take offense at theirs.  This likewise takes and builds chemistry between people.

Chemistry brings people together around shared values.  Chemistry also allows us to have differences but still come together under the one Triune God.  If we want to be effective in ministry around us, we will have to have a chemistry that allows us to celebrate shared values and gives liberty to differences.  Once again I am reminded of the great saying by St. Augustine: “In essentials, unity.  In non-essentials, liberty.  In all things, love.”  There is a saying that summarizes 1 Corinthians 8 & 9 as well as the discipleship concept of chemistry.

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Year 5, Day 70: 1 Corinthians 1

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Discipleship Focus: Ambition, Chemistry, Identity

• Ambition: We all need a goal to which we can strive.  When our ambition comes from God, we find fulfillment in our obedience into that for which we have been equipped because our Out is in proper focus.  But when our ambition comes from ourselves, we find ourselves chasing after our own dreams and trying to find fulfillment in accomplishments of our own making.
• Chemistry asks whether the person in question can work with the other people that God has called.
• Identity: Our true identity comes from the Father.  Only when our identity comes from God can we be obedient in ways that satisfy our person to our core.

Ambition, Chemistry, Identity.  Where do these three discipleship concepts converge?  Where the converge is really different for everyone.  But I can tell you where they should converge: the cross.  They should converge upon the abandonment of the self and the embracing of God’s ways.  They should converge in the place that Paul speaks about in Galatians 2:19-20.  “For through the Law I have died to the Law so that I might live to God.  Therefore I have been crucified with Christ.  It is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me.”

You see, we all have ambition.  We all look to our life and say, “I want to accomplish this or that or something else.”  We all look to life and want our own way.  As followers of God, we learn to put aside our own ambitions and embrace Christ.

Of course, much of our ambition will also affect the chemistry that we have with other people.  Do our goals mesh well?  Are we seeking the same purpose in life?  Are our pursuits running parallel to one another?  We typically get along with people who are pursuing the same goals, the same ideals, and the same values as we pursue.

But where do these goals, ideals, morals, and values come from?  Where is it that we get our identity?  It should come from the Father.  It should come from our abandonment of the self and the embracing of His character.  And here we see that it is in identity that chemistry and ambition find their rule.  When our identity is right, our ambition will be godly.  When our identity and ambition are right, we will have chemistry with the people in our life that God places before us.

So how does this all tie in with 1 Corinthians 1?  in this chapter, Paul speaks much about unity and divisions in the church.  Why are there divisions?  Divisions occur because we are often too busy pursuing our own ambition and not pursuing God’s ambition for us.  Division occurs because when our ambition is apart from God it is hard to have chemistry with the people around us.  Division occurs when our identity is not coming from God.

If we want the kind of unity about which Paul speaks in this chapter, we need to get our identity from God.  We need to be able to have chemistry with the godly people around us.  And we need to let go of our own ambition and pursue God’s ambition for us.

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Year 4, Day 308: 1 Samuel 22

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Discipleship Focus: Chemistry

• Chemistry asks whether the person in question can work with the other people that God has called.

What a cool chapter to talk about chemistry.  Even as David is on the run from Saul we can see God working through David to collect people around him.  In spite of the fact that David is an enemy of the state, God is able to use him.

David starts to collect the people around him who need him.  The poor come to him.  The oppressed come to him.  The people who need a leader or a support network come to David.  The people who were in debt gather around David.  Notice that David doesn’t turn them away.  Many people in the world would turn away the world’s outcasts.  David welcomes them with open arms.  He has the chemistry to take them and shape them regardless of whatever baggage they may carry.

Second, notice David’s chemistry with the one remaining priest from Nob.  All of his family has just died.  He could have easily hated David for being the motivating cause that led Saul to have Doeg the Edomite kill the priests.  But David overcomes this.  David welcomes the priest.  He reminds the priest that they have a common enemy who wants them both dead.  Then he reminds the priest that he will always have a home.

That’s chemistry at work.  God works through David to bring all kinds of people around him so that when the time is right God can work through all of them.

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Year 4, Day 273: Judges 12

Theological Commentary: Click Here 

Discipleship Focus: Chemistry

• Chemistry asks whether the person in question can work with the other people that God has called.

In Judges 12 we get another opportunity to look at Jephthah.  In my theological commentary from 3 years ago, I was reminded about the fact that the Ephraimites came up against Gideon as we heard in Judges 8.  I was reminded how Gideon diffused the situation by humbling himself whereas Jephthah reinforces the conflict and fighting breaks out.  42,000 Hebrew people die because the situation cannot be resolved peacefully.

This led me to think about the idea of chemistry.  Does a person have what it takes to work with other people?  Does a person have what it takes to build relationship with others?  I believe we all have this ability, but some of us are able to do it on a much larger scale.  After all, some people have hundreds of friends and everyone seems to like them.  Others of us seem to have only a handful of friends, but those friendships run very deep.  All of us have the ability to have chemistry with others; we just have it in differing degrees.

Clearly Gideon had lots of chemistry.  Gideon was able to finagle his way into becoming the king of the Hebrew people – attested by his son’s name!  Jephthah, however, doesn’t appear to have much luck with chemistry.  His own people drive him out as we saw in the last chapter.  They only take him back when they need him.  Now the Ephraimites come before Jephthah and Jephthah doesn’t have the chemistry to diffuse the situation.  It’s a tough lesson for Jephthah to learn about himself.

But here’s the neat thing.  In the end, God still works through Jephthah.  God doesn’t only use the high-chemistry people like Gideon.  In fact, one might argue that in the end of his life Gideon’s high chemistry actually got him and the Hebrew people under him into quite a bit of spiritual trouble!  This isn’t true about Jephthah.  He may make people mad and not have the chemistry to fix the situation, but neither does he lead the Hebrew people away from God, either.  In this respect, Jephthah is not too unlike Samson, who we’ll meet shortly.

One doesn’t need high chemistry to follow God.  One simply needs to use what you have and follow God’s leading.  Where God leads, He will equip you to do the work that needs to be done.

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Year 4, Day 249: Acts 16

Theological Commentary: Click Here 

Discipleship Focus: Chemistry

• Chemistry asks whether the person in question can work with the other people that God has called.

What an absolutely great chapter to have a look at chemistry!  We begin looking at Paul and Timothy.  Outside of Jesus and His three closest disciples – Peter, James, and John – Paul and Timothy are one of the greatest mentor/disciple relationships to which we can look.  Timothy watches as Paul is nearly stoned to death.  Paul comes back and encourages the church in Lystra at least twice after nearly dying at the hands of the people in the town.  Timothy looks to Paul as a great hero, someone to follow and imitate.  Timothy follows Paul and learns at his feet.  Clearly Paul and Timothy have chemistry together with respect to mentoring and discipling.

Paul and Lydia are another great example.  The Holy Spirit leads Paul to Philippi.  Within Philippi, Paul is led to a river, where there is a place of prayer.  Paul meet Lydia and some other women.  Paul preaches to them, tells them about what God has done through the Holy Spirit, and Lydia listens intently.  In fact, Lydia invites Paul and his followers into her home and shares in his ministry.  Clearly Paul and Lydia have chemistry with respect to mentoring and discipling.

One of the most unique examples of chemistry is Paul and the jailor.  Clearly they have chemistry as at the end of the story we hear the jailor being accepted into the Christian community that Paul had begun in Philippi.  What is neat about this story is that it takes a moment of sacrifice for the chemistry to be discovered.  Paul demonstrated that he has respect for the jailor’s life by not running away when he has the chance to leave.  Paul demonstrates his openness to chemistry with the jailor and the jailor responds in like kind. 

Come to think about it, there was a display of sacrifice with respect to Timothy.  Certainly there was a display of vulnerability with respect to Lydia as well.  Chemistry seems to be often forged and tested in times of trial and vulnerability.

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Year 4, Day 241: Acts 8

Theological Commentary: Click Here 

Discipleship Focus: Chemistry

• Chemistry asks whether the person in question can work with the other people that God has called.

You might be surprised to see me pull out the topic of chemistry when Acts 8 is such a huge chapter with respect to the spreading of the church.  I could have gone with Philip’s obedience.  I could have gone with Simon’s approval.  I could have even gone with the discipleship square and the persecution the disciples received.  But today I want to stop and focus on Philip through the lens of chemistry.

Philip goes out into the world when persecution comes.  Persecution drives him out, but he quickly finds himself paired up with people who will listen.  Philip has a clear chemistry with the Samaritans!  As he goes out into the world, he is capable of working with the people that God places in his life.

Furthermore, look at Philip as he leaves Samaria.  He finds the eunuch.  Again we can see the chemistry that happens between Philip and the eunuch.  The eunuch wants to learn and Philip is willing to teach.  Philip isn’t shy, nor is he heavy-handed.  Philip is able to communicate the message of the gospel to the eunuch.  There is a clear chemistry between Philip and the people God is putting into Philip’s life.  It’s one of the reasons that Philip knows to whom God is calling him to speak.

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Year 4, Day 23: Genesis 24

Theological Commentary: Click Here 

Discipleship Focus: Calling, Capacity, Character, Chemistry, Competency

• Calling asks whether or not God has called the person to the particular work at this point in their life.
• Capacity asks whether or not the person has the time in their life to obey God.  
• Character asks whether or not a person have the interior spiritual life needed to be obedient to God.
• Chemistry asks whether the person in question can work with the other people that God has called.
• Competency asks whether or not the person has the readiness to be obedient to God’s will.

Whenever I read Genesis 24 I am struck by Rebekah.  Here is a woman that is put together.  She has been raised well.  Her faith in God is strong.  She is a leader, but one who is humble about her leadership.  She is willing to do as God asks of her.  I believe the presentation of Rebekah in this chapter is one of the great examples in God’s Word.

We can use the 5 C’s to evaluate leadership potential.  If we look at this story of Rebekah through the lens of the 5 C’s we can also get at what it is that God really sees in Rebekah.

Certainly Rebekah displays calling when she listens to God as he asks her to be hospitable and draw water for Abraham’s servant and his camels and in so doing answer his prayer.  Certain Rebekah displays calling when she agrees to go with this man and be a wife for a man she’s never met.  Rebekah displays capacity in taking the time to serve Abraham’s servant thoroughly enough to also water his camels.  Rebekah displays character in her hospitality.  She also displays character when she meets Isaac for the first time and she covers herself up in modesty.  Rebekah displays chemistry with Abraham’s servant at the well in addition to displaying chemistry with Isaac, enough so that the Bible notes that Isaac loved her all his days.  Finally, Rebekah displays competency in both her discernment about what God is asking her to do as well as in her hospitality at the well.

In this story we see a leader who is clearly demonstrating all five of the leadership dynamics at a very high level.  Rebekah was the full package.  She was a great choice for Isaac as God continues to unfold his plan for humanity through the descendants of Abraham.

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Year 4, Day 6: Genesis 6

Theological Commentary: Click Here 

Discipleship Focus: Calling, Capacity, Character, Chemistry, Competency

• Calling asks whether or not God has called the person to the particular work at this point in their life.
• Capacity asks whether or not the person has the time in their life to obey God.  
• Character asks whether or not a person have the interior spiritual life needed to be obedient to God.
• Chemistry asks whether the person in question can work with the other people that God has called.
• Competency asks whether or not the person has the readiness to be obedient to God’s will.

The 5 C’s are a means of looking for spiritual leadership.  In order for a person to successfully follow God’s directive, each of these characteristics should be present.  It takes Calling, Capacity, Character, Chemistry, Competency in some form to obey.

Within this opening story of Noah, we can clearly see each of these aspects, although some are admittedly more prominent than others.  Certainly Noah is called; God clearly speaks to Noah about His plan.  Noah has capacity as he is able to seemingly drop his life’s work and dedicate his life to the building of this large boat.  Noah has the character he needs as he is willing to obey God’s specifications regardless of how the people around him may have reacted to his actions.  Noah has the chemistry needed to work with others, although admittedly the people with whom he’s working is his own family.  Noah has the competency to accomplish the task as at the end of this chapter we can see that the ark is constructed and ready to be used.  Noah has what it takes to be obedient to God.

We can obey God.  But it is always easier to be obedient to God when our Calling, Capacity, Character, Chemistry, Competency increase.  The greater we have these characteristics within us, the more likely we will obey and be successful in our obedience while not wrestling with what God has asked us to do.

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