Ask It Review

ask itYour greatest regret could have been avoided had you asked this particular question and then acted on your question.

That is a pretty powerful statement when you take a minute to consider it. By asking a particular question (and acting on it), you can avoid regret? Sounds pretty bold. In his book, Ask It, Andy Stanley makes some pretty powerful arguments that support that statement.

From his years of being a pastor in the church and also growing up as a pastor’s kid, he has a unique perspective on the decisions people make. At one point in the book, he says that we can learn from past bad experiences and poor choices, even if it is someone else’s bad experiences and poor choices. He has seen enough regret and hurt in the lives of people that he understands the importance of asking this question.

Here is the question: In light of my past experiences, my current circumstances and my future hopes and dreams, what is the wise thing to do? It is based on a passage of scripture in Ephesians 5.

While that may not seem like an earth shattering question, when you begin to apply it, it does provide wisdom. In the book he applies this question to specific areas of our lives including time, morality and finances.

The strength of this book is the practically in which Stanley writes. He doesn’t speak in generalities or with examples that don’t fit with our culture, but in very practical ways and cuts right to the heart of many issues.

Near the end of the book he makes a pretty observation. He notes that many people feel like the decisions they make are of a private nature. Basically my decisions are mine to make. However, the consequences of those decisions become public. Basically, whoever you marry, whatever car you drive or home you purchase, whatever job you take, people are going to know. Your private decisions will be public. It makes sense, then, to involve people in the front of those decisions so that when the outcome is public, there are no regrets.

Ask It is a good book and would be a great tool for a small group. Not only is asking the question important, but then applying the answer to that question.

Video Games in Real Life

video-gamesI’ve had this email sitting in my Inbox for almost two weeks now. It’s a story that perhaps you have already seen, but for some reason I was shocked/amazed by it. Basically it’s the story of a college student who wanted to live out the video game Grand Theft Auto. The student stole a vehicle, kidnapped a young lady and then drove the stolen truck like a person would while playing the game.

This post isn’t railing against the video game GTA or against video games in general. It’s more of a fascination with someone who actually takes the step to bring the made up world of a video game into the real world. There have been other events in the news that have connections with video games.

It’s a pretty strong reminder that we become like the people/activities with whom we spend most of our time. 1 Corinthians 15:33 reminds us, “Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.”” This is an example that this student spent too much time with bad company.

Here’s the article that appeared on Tim Elmore’s Growing Leaders Blog. You can read Tim’s thoughts on his post about the student’s actions.

You may not believe this, unless you heard it on the news last Wednesday.

A 20-year old college student and lacrosse player at Auburn University was arrested in Baton Rouge, LA on several counts of reckless driving and hit and run accidents—after he ran into a wall with a stolen car and was arrested by police. Zachary Burgess now faces charges of auto theft, simple kidnapping and nine counts of hit and run.

His reason for doing this?

During questioning, Burgess allegedly told an officer that he “wanted to see what it was really like to play the video game Grand Theft Auto.”