Speaking Life vol. 1

It's been a while since I (Scottie) have blogged. This is only my second post since we started our blog. It was a very busy school year with lots of fun activities going on...I am not writing to talk about myself though. A few years ago I became aware of the idea of "speaking life". Words are so powerful and can be used for good or evil. Unfortunately, words are probably used for evil or self-centered purposes more often than not. This can come in many forms including slander, insults, gossip, lies, deceit or anything that does not uplift God or others. I can also be guilty of words that do not bring life, so I am trying to make an effort  to speak life to people and about people. Proverbs says "a word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver". So, without further ado today I am speaking life about a good friend of mine named Christopher Bates.
Some of my California people may have know him, but for all my Midwesterner's you have not met him (sans Joe and Courtney). I'm not even sure where to begin when talking about Chris. He is a breath of fresh air. He is the head strength and conditioning coach at California Baptist University. In the world of academia it can get awfully stuffy and puffed up with all the degrees, footnotes, and high horses. Chris just keeps it real. He is who he is and we could use some more of that in this world. It is cliche to say someone is authentic or being real, but he really is. His position is important, but he wouldn't let you know that. He has been touched by grace and really understands what this life is about. He has such a good grasp of eternity that he makes more out of the present life than many people do. He is so down to earth and filled with humility there is only one way to put it that could help people understand. If you were the CEO of your own company and for some reason were required to hire a boss for yourself, you would want to hire someone like Chris Bates. In fact if I am the President of the United States someday I will demote myself to Vice President and hire Chris to be the President. It is a poor misconception that if you are humble you will not get respect. I have more respect for the homeless guy asking for money or plastic bottles than folks who "demand" your respect because if their title, or because they feel entitled. Anyways, Chris has a title, but he doesn't flaunt it and I have great respect for him. Also, he tells you the truth in a loving way. He is honest, knows how to build relationships, and understands that the heart is much more important than external behavior modification. At the end of the day he is the someone you want to be around because you will be a better person for it.