Author Archives: Tom Wise

Message In A Minute: Balance

Like many Americans around my age, I spent a lot of time at a skating rink as a teenager.

I was an awful skater, I would spend time at the rink simply to socialize.

I spent more time talking with friends than I did skating. I was barely good enough to get around the oval a few times, and when it was a couples skate, I usually depended on the girl to help me keep my balance.

On one rare occasion I was skating while a few friends were hanging out along the outside of the rink. A young child suddenly fell down in front of me and I had no time or skill to maneuver around him. I was going relatively fast and couldn’t stop myself in time.

I reacted by literally leaping over the young boy who was sitting upright. I landed on my wheels and kept moving forward. I looked back at the boy, and then I turned to look at my friends who all saw me make the seemingly miraculous jump. I couldn’t believe it happened, and I couldn’t believe all my friends watched it happen.

The next time around the rink, I was feeling a little too good about myself, I waved at my friends, assuring they would be focused on me. And for no reason at all, I lost my balance, fell backwards, and slammed to the hardwood. All my friends, and many others watched it happen.

Pride literally came before the fall.

That’s a small example of being full of yourself. Others take self elevation to extremes. It’s always destructive to see yourself as superior to others. You may be more skilled or talented in some way, but you can always learn something from another.

Confidence is a good thing. But over confidence will lead to embarrassment.

Be careful to not set yourself up above anyone else. No one is beneath you, and everyone has immense value.

The truth is, a few people struggle with an out of control ego. And those type of people rarely will admit it. But it seems to me there are far more people who deal with the opposite issue. Those that lack confidence, have a low self-worth, or don’t understand their own value.

These people are often talented, creative, and compassionate, but they doubt themselves to the point of self-imposed irrelevance. These people are the ones the world needs to be confident in who they are. Society needs thoughtful, caring, noble people who believe in themselves enough to make a difference.

The odds are, many of you reading this undervalue your potential contribution to the world around you.

The young people in your life need you to be confident in who you are. God can work through you to inspire many.

Make sure you have balance when it comes to who God made you to be.

You and I are no better than any other.

But, no one else is more valuable than you.

-Tom Wise

Message In A Minute: Close Encounter

In the summer of the year 2,000, my wife and I took our youth group to a convention in Orlando, Florida.

We heard that the largest McDonald’s in the country was a few minutes away from our hotel. During a break at the convention, we gathered the group together and headed for our Mcxperience. Everything was going well. The place was huge, the food was fattening, and all were happy.

One of the girls suddenly runs up to where my wife and I were seated. Her face was red, she had tears pouring down her cheeks, and she couldn’t speak. I instantly assumed something terrible had happened. It took a few moments and some help from her friends for us to get the story.

It turns out, A.J. McLean from the Backstreet Boys was in line ahead of her. She recognized him, they exchanged a few words, and he kissed her on the cheek before leaving.

You can imagine a teenage girl meeting one of her favorite celebrities unexpectedly. And this was at the pinnacle of the Backstreet Boys’ fame. No one was bigger in a young girls mind than the young men in the group.

Much of life is predictable, day after day the same thing. Month after month, the same routine. Year after year, similar events.

But every once in a while, an out of the ordinary moment comes along.

Some people wait for moments like that to happen. But it’s very rare for life to unfold that way. Other people are determined they can force big moments to occur in their life. And a certain group of people believe God makes those moments happen.

The truth is…

There are certain things in life that just happen.
There are other things that you have to make happen.
Then, there are times when God intervenes.
To believe in only one of these leaves you confused and powerless.

True wisdom is found in knowing how to see each event or circumstance.

Meeting a Backstreet Boy in a fast food restaurant. That just happens. No real rhyme or reason to it.

But, getting the results you desire in education, physical fitness, or relationships, those are areas where you play a part in making it happen. Don’t sit back and dream, push forward and do what you know to do.

Then there are times where things seem to super-naturally work out. It is very possible God is at work in those moments. We pray, and we do our part, but there is something deeper happening.

Don’t limit your understanding of how life works to just one category.

You might have moments that just happen. You will definitely have moments you need to make happen. Most of all, I hope you have a life filled with moments when God intervenes.

For all of us, “I Want It That Way.”

-Tom Wise

Message In A Minute: Let Your Adventure Speak

A couple of years ago my brother and I discovered a YouTube channel that we’ve grown to love.

The channel “Adventure Archives”, consists of four friends who spend time in nature and document what they encounter on the journey.

Their cinematography skills are excellent, the original music scores are well suited to the scenery, and the ongoing narration is insightful and inspiring. The overall quality is better than anything I’ve seen on cable television. One day I imagine everyone will know who they are.

The young men are good friends and it shows. They demonstrate an attitude of constant wonder and willingness to learn. The group deals with adversity like unpredictable weather or equipment failures with determination and humor. My brother and I look forward to each new episode. In fact, we’ve been inspired to plan our own outdoor adventures.

I especially love when one of the guys starts to explain the subtle differences in mushrooms, trees, or plants. Those things aren’t all that compelling to me. But this guy makes them compelling because he exudes joy in every detail of each specimen. He has knowledge, but that knowledge comes from a deep interest he has. And his passion draws you in to an otherwise forgettable subject.

Interested people are interesting.
Fascinated people are fascinating.
Wonder filled people are wonderful.

An excellent author doesn’t want you to see them in the writing, he or she wants you to see what they see by conveying it through the writing.

The young men of Adventure Archives let us see nature, friendship, and adventure through their eyes.

I want to do this with Christianity.

I hope that I can be so interested in Christ, that people see him through me. Then I hope they become so fascinated with Him that they don’t need me at all.

That’s what being a disciple really is.

So consumed with learning and growing that your life speaks for itself.

Your priorities preach, your demeanor demonstrates, and your attitude articulates.

Let your adventure inspire those around you.

-Tom Wise

https://www.youtube.com/user/AdventureArchives

Message in A Minute: See The Best

In 7th grade, at random times during the school day, I would hear a certain teacher down the hall yelling at students.

He was known for taking disruptive students out in the hallway and the whole school would echo with the his stern voice. Mr Pacifico didn’t mess around, and we all knew it. Most every student had a healthy respect for him, even if they didn’t have his class.

I feared that one day I would be in that class.

The next year, I was in his class and I was terrified. 

At that time in my life I was battling depression and panic attacks. I couldn’t concentrate on school work, I couldn’t focus on the lectures, I couldn’t read the required chapters. It was an extremely difficult time.

I did well on every test but I got behind on my daily class work. One day, Mr. “P” as he was known, called my name out and told me to meet him in the hallway. I knew I wasn’t in trouble for any behavioral issues but my fear took over. I walked through the door and braced myself for the verbal assault I was sure to receive.

What happened next changed the way I viewed Mr. P. It changed the way I viewed myself, and it still encourages me today.

Mr. Pacifico calmly and sincerely asked me what was going on in my life. As if he could sense the source of my struggle, he helped me talk through what was troubling me. We talked for a long time.

He expressed concern that I was wasting my potential. While I don’t remember exactly what he said, I remember he used the word “gifted” to describe me, and he filled me with hope and courage.

I continued to struggle for years after, but from that day on, I had Mr. Pacifico’s words to give me a better perspective.

For me, this mirrored my relationship with God. 

At 18 years old, I approached God with fear and regret, but I was met with acceptance and encouragement. He gave me a new perspective and a new direction. Obviously my relationship with God holds dynamics that go beyond this comparison. But it does make me wonder a few things.

Do I see the best in people, even if they can’t see it yet?
Am I bold enough to speak words that people need to hear?
Can I demonstrate sincere concern for others in a way that will help them reach their God given potential?

What about you?

Maybe you and I still need to be taken out in the hall every now and then to get some perspective.

-Tom Wise