3 Lessons God Taught Me About Money.

by Maison Tiradoegas | Nov 27, 2015 | Proverbs

3 Lessons That Helped Me Conquer 15 Years of Laziness

by Maison Tiradoegas | Nov 11, 2015 | Proverbs

Proverbs 10: 26-27

26 Lazy people irritate their employers, like vinegar to the teeth or smoke in the eyes.

Proverbs 10:26 (NLT)

My hope is that my story can speak to you. I’m always amazed at how the Lord orchestrates events to fit His specific purposes. Sharing on Proverbs 10:26 is not an accident. Please know that these words are inspired by God to encourage you TODAY.

I’ll back up now. The biggest sin I struggle with is laziness. I always see the need, but I rarely respond. This started in 6th grade. Prior, I had made straight A’s, been a state-champion athlete, and gave every task 110%. It was who I was. BUT that all changed in 6th grade. The first time I slacked off was on my finals for Science class. I had an A so I felt I didn’t need to study. I remember playing basketball instead of memorizing the Periodic Table. When I received the results I got a 43%. That was the lowest grade of my life, which resulted in me getting my first B. Here’s the problem: getting a B wasn’t ALL THAT BAD. I didn’t get in trouble, nobody treated me different; I learned that day that I could be lazy and get away with it. I learned that half effort was actually GOOD enough. I ultimately learned how to accept the “B.”

Six years later, I was one-month away from graduating High School. I got called into the counselor’s office and she told me that if I didn’t get my History and English grades up from a “D” I wouldn’t graduate. At this point of my life, everything I did was tainted by laziness. Accepting the “B” turned into, “As long as I passed.” This attitude didn’t just affect my grades—my relationships, my sports, my goals were all poisoned by lazinesses. I was placed on the “potential” shelf. Nobody really took me too serious.

My struggles with laziness continued in college and I dropped all but 2 classes my first year. I was close to dropping out and I tried to figure how I could manage without school. In my last hope, I applied to Southwestern Assemblies of God University and there I did better. So I was doing “better,” but still was operating in a “B-” mentality.

One day, one of our school leaders met with me and I asked him, “what was one thing I could work better at?”

He made the most perceptive observations someone had ever made about me and his words changed my life.

He told me: “Maison, you’re a leader. Your problem is that you’re not leading anyone anywhere.”

Sad face emoji.

My laziness was robbing my potential. I wasn’t leading because I was LAZY. I didn’t want to take the extra effort to step up in leadership.

Here’s the problem:

God is calling YOU to change this planet, but how many of us are sitting back and watching SOMEONE ELSE do it because we’re too lazy to step in and do it?

That conversation happened when I was 20. I’m 25 now, and it’s 2015. this is the first year since 6th grade that I’m LAZY FREE. I want to surround myself with the most hardworking people I can find.

That was the super super abridged version of my journey through conquering laziness, but I want to quickly share with you the three most important lessons I learned since that initial conversation.

Here’s what I learned:

1. Your age doesn’t determine your responsibility threshold.

I was lazy because I thought I was too young to be responsible. I thought that if I didn’t report my taxes, didn’t pay my bills on time, didn’t give full effort, took a lazy approach getting to know people, it would somehow work out with minimal consequences. I thought that if I spilt my drink, someone else would still clean up the mess.

On my 25 birthday, God prompted me to go to a cemetery. It was my one of the powerful times I’ve ever had with God. The rows of gravestones reminded me of how fragile my life is. How quick my life can end. I began to cry. All at once, I was reflecting on the last 15 years of not fully honoring God with efforts. I was just coasting through everything He had given me: my wife, my family, my career. Everything were “C’s” or “B’s” but they could’ve all been “A’s!” I wasn’t giving God or my family EVERYTHING I HAD. I was cheating God of what He could be doing through me.

2. I was tired of seeing people with HALF as much doing TWICE as much.

One of my closest friend’s made an unsolicited observation about my life: “Maison, the biggest pain you’ll see in your life is watching people with half as much talent as you, go twice as far.”

Another sad face emoji.

How many people do you know that make the team, achieve the grade, become the better parent, accomplish their dreams, live out their purpose, that have half as much talent as you?

ITS BECAUSE THEY TRY! it’s because they’re not lazy. They give every ounce of effort. They leave nothing on the field. These kind of people are unstoppable magnets of purpose! These people squeeze every ounce out of life and take action to live out the plan that God has crafted for them.

3. Urgency. Focus. Persistence.

Anyone who knows me well, knows that these are the words God has spoken over me for this stage of my life. These words together create a very powerful, hardworking, intentional human being. An individual who applies these words cannot be stopped. This person is the gasoline God uses to ignite a revolution of change!

——-

So will ask yourself these questions. Fervently pray about your response, and conquer this demon.

1. Am I allowing laziness to rob my potential?
2. Am I cheating God from what He wants to accomplish through my life?
3. What letter grade would I give myself TODAY?

Lover Not a Fighter

by Maison Tiradoegas | Oct 12, 2015 | Proverbs

Proverbs 3:27-35

Subconsciously, I’ve become more tolerant with violence. I’m very selective with the kind of movies / shows I watch that have sexual content, but when it comes to violence it’s really, “whatever” because it’s all fake right? I watched the first episode of Gotham, and it’s violent, but I enjoyed it. I’m not saying not to watch Gotham; I am saying I think violence is subconsciously rooted within me.

Here’s why I care: Several months ago, our team was playing in a soccer championship. Game’s tied, and everyone on the pitch is tired—we’re in America so it’s “field” not “pitch.” The player from the other team and I are aggressively running shoulder-to-shoulder. After a few yards, he irritably pushes me over. I laid there for a second and realized, “Wait this guy just pushed me!” So I jumped up and put my hands around his neck. Here’s the deal: I don’t normally try to choke people out, I’m not a violent person, but I think subconsciously I was acting out what I saw on TV. If I have a problem with someone, then I should do something about it. We’re never too old to be influenced by what we watch. Now to God’s Word!

27 Do not withhold good from those who deserve it when it’s in your power to help them.

28 If you can help your neighbor now, don’t say,“Come back tomorrow, and then I’ll help you.”

The book of Proverbs is about action. Take action of your life. Understand that wisdom is elusive, and if you don’t seek it out, you’ll miss it. Same principle here: If someone comes to you in need—whatever that may look like—don’t put them off. Solomon’s two parameters:

First, give to those who deserves it.  If it’s in your means “ power” to help them.

When I was younger, there was a homeless individual in a wheel chair begging for cash. She told me of her miserable story and the circumstances that landed her in a wheel chair. So I gave her some money. I moved on. She moved on. An hour later, I was walking and saw this same homeless woman jump up from her wheel chair and ride off in a cadillac… Hustled.

Second parameter Solomon gives: if you have the means. Giving something you don’t have is extremely dangerous. I’ve fallen into this many times. You want to pay for a special dinner, but you know you’ll have no money for the week. That’s not wise.

29 Don’t plot harm against your neighbor, for those who live nearby trust you.

30 Don’t pick a fight without reason, when no one has done you harm.

31 Don’t envy violent people or copy their ways.

Honestly, when I read passages like this, I naturally feel that they don’t apply to me. I don’t strategically plot to hurt someone. It’s not my intention to bring harm to anyone, but according to Jesus, sinful thoughts are just as bad. What leads to violence? Anger does. Are you angry with someone? Angry to the point that you wish something negative may happen to them? Not just physical harm, but maybe you wish that this person wouldn’t grow in their influence, that this person wouldn’t get a promotion, that God wouldn’t elevate this person. I think those thoughts reflect our hearts more accurately.

32 Such wicked people are detestable to the lord, but he offers his friendship to the godly.

33 The lord curses the house of the wicked, but he blesses the home of the upright.

34 The lord mocks the mockers but is gracious to the humble.

These verses have the sentence structure of, The Lord doesn’t like this, BUT he likes this instead. As Christ followers our prayer each day must be, “God please make me humble. Make me upright. Make me godly.”  Each day, we must be striving to become closer to Him and shed our sin.

35 The wise inherit honor, but fools are put to shame!

This is my prayer and hope for everyone I meet. I want everyone to to inherit honor. Another word for honor is glory. I want everyone to inherit glory! I want everyone I meet to put the foolish worldly things away and inherit the beautiful honor & glory that God has prepared for his people.

We need to tell everyone! We need to desire to see people inherit this honor! Our lives need to be a reflection of Jesus’ redemptive work. Our lives are the biggest reflection of Jesus’ love and the best tool we have to share the gospel. For many, seeing is believing and what better physical proof that Jesus exists than our lives!

Photography: @carrlosluna

A Pleasing Smelling Candle

by Maison Tiradoegas | Oct 4, 2015 | Proverbs

Proverbs: 2:1-11

The worst thing a little boy can get for Christmas is a pair of jeans, a chapter book, or a non-mechanical toothbrush—I’ve gotten all three. So for Christmas one year, my mom bought me a small green book. I remember being very frustrated because it was another present that wasn’t a Playstation. This small book was the book of Proverbs. As great parents do, they give gifts that outlast any rugged toy.

1 My son, if you receive my words
and treasure up my commandments with you,
2 making your ear attentive to wisdom
and inclining your heart to understanding;
3 yes, if you call out for insight
and raise your voice for understanding,
4 if you seek it like silver
and search for it as for hidden treasures,
5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord
and find the knowledge of God.

The Bible is full of this kind of conditional language: If you do_______, then God will do______. It’s beautiful language. Solomon here is first, pleading with us to make wisdom the absolute compass of our lives. Second, he’s describing the infinite value of this wisdom. The wisdom he’s describing here, is more than good, moral teaching. This wisdom is not any sort of yin-yang, “live simply” philosophy. If there’s was anyone that knew the teachings of the world, it was Solomon. The wisdom he’s describing here is grounded in the wondrous truth of fearing the Lord. Earnestly seek, posture yourself to fear the Lord, then you will receive his knowledge, which will make you wise.

6 For the Lord gives wisdom;
from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;

The Lord is the source of wisdom. Nobody gains wisdom except through God. Again, we must not mistake good precepts with wisdom.

7 he stores up sound wisdom for the upright;

True wisdom belongs to those who are honorable and honest. This wisdom cannot be bought. This wisdom is not cheap.

he is a shield to those who walk in integrity,
8 guarding the paths of justice
and watching over the way of his saints.

This doesn’t mean nothing bad will ever happen to the saints, but the protection He’s talking about is a protection, which is bigger; one that covers our paths. I was reminded of Job 1 in this instance:

8 And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?” 9 Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for no reason? 10 Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11 But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.” 12 And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.

NLT says:

12 “All right, you may test him,” the lord said to Satan. “Do whatever you want with everything he possesses, but don’t harm him physically.”

9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice
and equity, every good path;
10 for wisdom will come into your heart,
and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul;
11 discretion will watch over you,
understanding will guard you,

Solomon is still on the “then______” part of the condition. If you seek wisdom that is rooted in the fear of the Lord, then you will understand righteousness and justice, which results to wisdom. The unmeasurable wisdom of God has a two fold purpose: One, it’s meant to glorify God, also it meant to bring our lives a sweet, uncomprehending, pleasantness. God’s wisdom is meant to bring us a peace, a calmness. Like a pleasing smelling candle, our lives should have an inevitable, pleasant scent that is attractive to others.

My Prayer for us today is that we would ask God to reveal this wisdom. Seek this wisdom. Pray for God to make this wisdom real to us—a wisdom that is rooted in the fear of the Lord.

Written by: Maison Tiradoegas

Photo by: Chelsea Francis