The Best New Year’s Resolution: Change The World

by Matthew Stidham, posted in Christianity

In the early 1900s, a shoe manufacturer wanted to expand sales, so they decided to send salesmen all over the world in search of new markets for their business.

Two salesmen were sent to the the remote regions of Africa, and had two very different reactions to what they found.

The first salesman telegraphed his employer:

It’s hopeless. They don’t wear shoes down here.

The second salesman telegraphed the same employer:

Wonderful opportunity! They don’t wear shoes down her yet!

Sometimes we fail to see our surroundings, our circumstances as an opportunity to change the world. (CLICK TO TWEET THIS!)

We all struggle with this. We fail to see being stuck in traffic as an opportunity to call a friend and just talk. We fail to look at difficult situations as an opportunity to grow personally. We don’t see the end of a relationship as an opportunity to form new ones.

I’m not talking about being optimistic in all situations. I’m talking about changing the way we view everyday situations.

What would this world look like if we started using the opportunities we are presented with every day to change the world, rather than gripe on Twitter. What if we decided to not be bitter but instead, as the old saying goes, turn lemons into lemonade?

Did you know the Apostle Paul talked about this same thing? He wrote a letter to the early church in Colossae. They were facing all kinds of challenges, and so was Paul. He was in prison when he wrote this! Look at what he decides to write while he is “here in chains.”

Colossians 4:5-6
5 Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone.

Here’s Paul, writing from prison, encouraging Christians on the best way to live their lives. And if you’re not a Christian, and you’re reading this…don’t worry! If you follow Paul’s wisdom here, you’ll see an improvement in your life as well!

Paul says “Live wisely…” When we choose to apply wisdom to situations instead of reacting to the emotions of the moment, we will change the way we handle situations for the better.

He tells them to “…make the most of every opportunity.” No matter what life hands us, good or bad, use those situations as an opportunity to do good instead of evil.

“Let your conversations be gracious…” Can you imagine how many problems in our world would simply go away if we could do this one thing? (CLICK TO TWEET THIS!) What would it look like if everyone simply handled every conversation they had tomorrow with graciousness? How many problems would be eliminated?

“…and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone.” This part refers to creating another opportunity with the way we handle everyday situations.  If we handle stressful, frustrating, irritating, or painful situations differently than the way the rest of the world does, we will create new opportunities.

What kind of opportunities? The opportunity to tell others why we can handle these situations differently. To tell them about the hope we have found.

We can tell them about Jesus. The Jesus who loved the outcasts of society. The Jesus who had compassion on those who everyone else ignored. The Jesus who chose to die for everyone, even the ones who hated him and put him to death.

How different would our world look if we could take difficult situations, and instead of showing our selfish, self absorbed inner 5 year old, we would show the world the true, authentic Jesus of the Bible?

Simply put, we could change the world.

So, go change the world today!

 

John Glenn and Jesus

by Matthew Stidham, posted in Christianity, Life

john-glennThe world has lost a giant among men. John Glenn, Astronaut on Mercury 7 and Discovery, U.S. Senator, U.S. Marine, and a Christian, made an indelible impression on human history.

One would guess that such a man, surrounded by science and fame, might lose his way. During his historic return to outer space aboard Discovery in 1998, Glenn gave the following statement that showed his faith in God.

“Looking at the Earth from this vantage point, looking at this kind of creation and to not believe in God, to me, is impossible…To see (Earth) laid out like that only strengthens my beliefs.” – John Glenn, Nov. 1, 1998

Thank you Mr. Glenn for sharing your amazing gifts with us. For teaching us more about the world we live in, and showing us that we can believe in the one yet to come.

I doubt I will ever be able to see the earth and the universe in a way equal to Glenn. But even without that stellar view, we can still arrive at the same conclusion!

We first have to stop and consider how improbable our lives really are. According to this article in the Wall Street Journal the chances of our existence just happening through natural means is infinitesimally small, it should have never happened. And when we realize how improbable the existence of human life is, we should look to a Creator far greater than ourselves. click-here-to-tweet

1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. – Genesis 1:1

The prologue to John’s gospel goes into a bit more detail.

1 In the beginning the Word already existed.
    The Word was with God,
    and the Word was God.
2 He existed in the beginning with God.
3 God created everything through him,
    and nothing was created except through him.
4 The Word gave life to everything that was created,
    and his life brought light to everyone.
5 The light shines in the darkness,
    and the darkness can never extinguish it.

There’s simply no other way to explain how our universe was created. No theory can explain how something came from nothing. That is, unless you account for our Creator.

God has blessed us with such an amazing creation. He even designed it so that when we explore the magnitude and complexity of our surroundings, it points a huge arrow right back at Him.

19 They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. 20 For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God. – Romans 1:19-20

We serve an amazing God. One who created us, surrounded us with a creation that points back to Himself, sent us a Savior to help us when we fail, and continue to provide for our every need.

Today, be proud that God saw fit to create you too! Of all the places, and all the times of history, God saw fit to place you where you are today. John Glenn changed the future of humankind with the life and time he was given. What will you do with today?

The Worst Advice I’ve Ever Heard About Stress

by Matthew Stidham, posted in Christianity, Life

What is it with stress? Why are we so overwhelmed about stress? Did you know that over 30 million Americans are currently on antidepressants?

We are a stressed out society that thrives on the idea of working yourself to death, being miserable, and wearing it as a badge of honor. And we get absolutely nothing for it! (Click to Tweet)

As a high school band director, 16-18 hour days are more common than not during the school year. During marching season, I put in 82 hours a week for three straight weeks.  Yes, you read that correctly.

Just this week I overheard someone at school say “Feeling stressed is how you know you are working hard enough!”

It’s been a rough year for sure, and the holiday season only adds stress. But last night I sat by my Magnavox Astro-Sonic stereo (I inherited from my great aunt), listened to Christmas music, drank apple cider, felt the warmth of the fire in the fireplace, and watched my daughters play in the glow of the Christmas tree, everything seemed right. I took a deep breath, sat back in my chair, and the stress melted away. While relaxing I heard the words of Jesus playing through my head:

Matthew 6:25-34
25 “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? 27 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?

28 “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, 29 yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 30 And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?

31 “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ 32 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. 33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

34 “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.”

Our lives are so upside down. We spend our days worrying about all kinds of things and neglect our families, our friends, and our Father. Instead, Jesus says focus on the Kingdom, the things that truly matter, and everything else will fall into place. Why do you have so little faith?

Lord, help our unbelief. Help us to trust in you, and to not let the distractions of this world steal the joyful peace that only you can give.

It’s my prayer that we can all rest in Christ, divert our energy and attention into serving Him, and allow everything else to be under the control of God.

Blessings to you and your family!

Hosanna In The Highest!

by Matthew Stidham, posted in Christianity, Life

All four of the Gospelʼs record the last entry into Jerusalem by Jesus before he was crucified. Iʼm going to use Markʼs account for a reference point.

Mark 11:8-10
8Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. 9Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted,
“Hosanna!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
10″Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!”
“Hosanna in the highest!”

Now most of us recognize this event in the life of Jesus and have heard it read and referenced time and time again. But today Iʼd like to focus in on just what the people were saying as Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. Now most of us have heard the word “hosanna” so many times we can’t even begin to count. We sing it in hymns, read it in the Bible, hear preachers say it and people pray using the word hosanna. But I think most of us wouldnʼt be able to give a very accurate definition of the word if asked.

Hosanna is a Hebrew word that literally means “save, we pray,” and throughout the course of time it became a term of praise as well as a prayerful statement of sorts. But when we put this understanding into the context of what was about to happen in the life of Jesus, we can definitely see a drastic change in the hearts and minds of these people in Jerusalem. Here we see the people shouting “Hosanna! Save, we pray!” Theyʼre acknowledging that Jesus was their savior! They are indicating that he has come to them in the name of the Lord! That he is part of the coming of the kingdom promised through the line of David! And in just a few days they would be persuaded by the Pharisees to cry out to Pilate to have Jesus crucified.

How could these people be so double minded? How could they praise Jesus as the savior and then trample him under foot the next moment? Well, maybe we should ask ourselves. After all, donʼt we basically do the same thing when we profess Jesus as Lord and Savior on Sundays, and live the rest of the week as though he were nobody?

Radical Disrupts Place of Worship

by Matthew Stidham, posted in Life, Uncategorized

No this isn’t a recent headline from the New York Times. It’s likely what the Jerusalem Daily Gazette would have published the morning after Jesus cleared the Temple.

There is so much we can learn from this passage, but it so rarely gets brought up in churches. Questions about this passage always pop up. “Why would Jesus do such a thing?” or “Doesn’t Jesus love everyone? Why would he cause such a scene in a place of worship?”

There are two accounts of this happening in the Bible. One recorded by Matthew, the other by John. Today we’ll look at John’s account of this event.

John 2:13-17 New Living Translation (NLT)
Jesus Clears the Temple
13 It was nearly time for the Jewish Passover celebration, so Jesus went to Jerusalem. 14 In the Temple area he saw merchants selling cattle, sheep, and doves for sacrifices; he also saw dealers at tables exchanging foreign money.15 Jesus made a whip from some ropes and chased them all out of the Temple. He drove out the sheep and cattle, scattered the money changers’ coins over the floor, and turned over their tables. 16 Then, going over to the people who sold doves, he told them, “Get these things out of here. Stop turning my Father’s house into a marketplace!”
17 Then his disciples remembered this prophecy from the Scriptures: “Passion for God’s house will consume me.”
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

When I was growing up, I would hear someone reference this passage the moment a fundraising catalog entered the church building. But that’s just not the context for what Jesus is reacting to here. So if you don’t want to buy that stale popcorn, you may have just lost your scriptural basis for doing so. To fully understand what Jesus was so outraged about, we have to look back into history and take a look at what it took to worship at the temple.

Ever since the temple was rebuilt by Ezra and Nehemiah, it was the national place of worship for all Jewish people. As many as 2.5 million Jews would travel vast distances to worship God in His temple on holy days! And as we all know, there’s always cost involved when traveling.

Besides the cost of travel, a Jew wishing to worship would also have other monetary demands put upon them as they arrived at the temple. The “Temple Tax” offset the cost of maintaining the temple, and was equal to 1 day’s wage. If you were traveling with a foreign currency, you must exchange your money at a rate of 2 days wages. If you brought your own animal to offer as a sacrifice, there was a fee of 1/2 days wage for someone to inspect the animal. If you failed inspection, or couldn’t afford to travel with your animal sacrifice in tow, you could normally purchase doves at the cost of 2 days wage. But in the temple courts prices had been raised to nearly 40 days wages!

If you calculate the cost in modern day figures, it would cost anywhere from $3,000 to $5,000 just to worship at the temple!

These services that Jew’s had set up as a convenience to traveling worshippers had instead become a roadblock preventing the poor from being able to worship God in his temple, all the while lining the pockets of the religious leaders. No wonder Jesus was upset!

It’s stunning to think that something which started out so noble by aiding God’s people in worship turned out to be just the opposite. God’s people lots sight of what they were doing, and what they were causing to happen around them.

Question: What sort of things stand in the way of worshippers today, and what can we do as the Church to remove those obstacles?

How To Get Revenge for Boston and West

by Matthew Stidham, posted in Christianity, Life

keep-calm-and-pray-for-boston-29

When I heard about the bombings at the Boston Marathon my mind went to one thing…Family. My brother and sister-in-law live in Boston just a few blocks from the attacks.  They routinely take the T to Boylston street, and I knew that the race went right in front of their house.  I couldn’t help but think that they may have been victims of the bombing.  Thankfully, they were at home at the time and no physical harm was done to anyone I personally know in the Boston area.  That was Monday.

Prayers for West

When Wednesday rolled around we were confronted with another tragedy. And while it appears that this time is an accident rather than an attack, many of our enemies around the world still claimed victory by publicly voicing their joy in the fact that so many American lives have been lost.  They cheered when Americans died! The physical and emotional wounds are just as deep in West as they are in Boston.  Lives lost, bodies maimed, buildings destroyed. It’s horrible no matter how you look at it.  I have friends that live in and around the area of West, and even had a friend stop in at a gas station there just a few minutes before the explosion.  But thankfully no physical harm came to anyone I know personally in West.

No physical harm…there’s plenty of emotional and spiritual harm done.  As Americans we’ve all suffered emotional wounds that sent our minds reeling back to 2001. When we see our enemies cheering in the streets at our misfortunes  it makes us mad. And whether we knew anyone who was a victim of these tragic events, we still hurt and feel a little uneasy about leaving our homes.  It’s at times like this that we need to stop and refocus on what’s truly important to us!

Matthew 6:25-27, 33-34 (NIV)

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?… 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

But what about those enemies cheering in the streets? What about revenge?  We want to get back at those who rejoice in our pain!  We want them to feel the pain their victims have felt!

Romans 12:19-21 (NIV)

19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 On the contrary:

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
    if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”

21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Do you really want to get back at our enemies?  Do you really want to make evil pay? Then be like those countless heros who helped in the moments after the attack in Boston!  Be like the many who are helping and donating in West! Repay evil for good! Show our enemies that terror and tragedies may slow us down but they won’t break our will to do good in the world! May we never forget the lives lost in Boston, West, NYC, and anywhere else that evil strikes.  Some day all evil will get what’s coming to them.  Let’s be sure we live our lives being thankful, being kind, and always seeking God instead of revenge.

What are you thankful for today?

Proposition 8: How Christians have messed up big time!

by Matthew Stidham, posted in Christianity, Politics

The Supreme Court of the United StatesThis week the Supreme Court began hearing arguments in the Hollingsworth v. Perry case (aka. Proposition 8, aka. Legalizing Gay Marriage). Many feel this is a political issue while others feel it’s a deeply religious issue, but for certain it’s a very divisive issue.  Many Christians have been accused of hate and bigotry at every turn for opposing gay marriage, but that’s not the reason Christians (or at least the ones I know) oppose gay marriage! It’s because of love.  Let me explain.

To make sure we’re all starting with the same information let’s discuss what’s at issue. Proposition 8 was placed on the ballot and passed in 2008 as an amendment to the state constitution of California which stated that “only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.”  A ballot amendment is where the voters of the state of California voted according to their majority values that they wanted their state to recognize marriage as only between a man and woman.  Any legal resident of the state of California had the right to vote on this amendment and it passed.  Therefore, the majority population of the state of California believes in the “traditional” view of marriage.

Also at issue is the Defense of Marriage Act which was drafted and passed by the 104th United States Congress and signed into law by President Bill Clinton in 1996.  The main point of the law reads as follows:

Section 2. Powers reserved to the states No State, territory, or possession of the United States, or Indian tribe, shall be required to give effect to any public act, record, or judicial proceeding of any other State, territory, possession, or tribe respecting a relationship between persons of the same sex that is treated as a marriage under the laws of such other State, territory, possession, or tribe, or a right or claim arising from such relationship.

Section 3. Definition of marriage In determining the meaning of any Act of Congress, or of any ruling, regulation, or interpretation of the various administrative bureaus and agencies of the United States, the word ‘marriage’ means only a legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife, and the word ‘spouse’ refers only to a person of the opposite sex who is a husband or a wife.

Proponents for gay marriage want basically two things. 1) To have Proposition 8 ruled unconstitutional in the state of California, 2) A Federal ruling legalizing gay marriage nationwide (similar to the Roe vs. Wade ruling) and giving them “equal protection” under the law for the same rights as heterosexual married couples.

I do not support gay marriage and it’s not because I’m a homophobe, a bigot, or that I hate some group of people…it’s quite the opposite.  Look at what the Bible says:

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 NIV – 9 Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

There are several other verses I could reference, but this verse sums up all others very nicely.  First of all this passage very clearly states that “men who have sex with men” (or homosexuals) will not inherit the kingdom of God.  Is the Apostle Paul trying to single out homosexuals and turn them into some sort of unforgivable monsters out to destroy everyone? NO!  Notice who else he points out, the sexually immoral (anyone who has sex outside of a marriage between a man and a woman!), thieves, greedy people, drunks, slanderers, and swindlers!  Paul isn’t singling out homosexual behavior as unforgivable…quite to the contrary! He indicates in verse 11 that the Christians in Corinth used to be involved in the very same sins he listed, and they had been forgiven!

I do not stand in opposition of gay marriage because I hate gay people.  I don’t!  Paul didn’t stand in opposition to the practice of homosexuality because he hated gay people.  He didn’t!  God doesn’t forbid homosexuality because he hates gay people.  He doesn’t!  In fact God sent his only son, Jesus, to die for the gays, the straights, the drunks, the sober, the murderers, the peace keepers, the adulterers, the faithful spouses, the liars, the honest…you see my point.  Jesus died for all so that all people everywhere, regardless of their past failures, could be saved!  And until Christians fully understand this, embrace this, and live this, and share this fundamental truth of our faith we will be misunderstood by many as homophobic and hateful people.  In large part, we Christians haven’t been doing a good enough job of sharing the love of Christ with others, and we must fix that problem NOW!

I have had very good friends in my life who were alcoholics.  I love those friends and care about them, so much so that I don’t support their drinking.  It’s bad for them…it hurts them whether they see it or not.  God tells us that it hurts them spiritually and that sin separates them from a right relationship with God.  That’s the worst part of drunkenness!

I have had very good friends in my life who were gay.  I love those friends and care about them, so much so that I don’t support their homosexual lifestyle.  It’s bad for them…it hurts them whether they see it or not.  God tells us that it hurts them spiritually and that sin separates them from a right relationship with God.  That’s the worst part of homosexuality!

1 Timothy 2:3-6 NIV – 3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time.

So there it is.  Christians love others and wish for them to do what is right in the eyes of God.  We’re imperfect people trying to live out and teach others a message of perfection…and that’s pretty difficult to do!  Do we always get it right?  No.  Are there some Christians that come across as hateful?  Unfortunately, yes.  Does that mean that we are all hateful people?  Not at all!

Christians have truly messed up big time in spreading the message of the Gospel!  When people feel the reason we don’t support something is because of hate towards other people, they don’t understand the love of Christ, and that’s our fault!  We must show the love of Christ to all people at all times and in all situations, while remaining faithful to God’s commands.  Let’s get to work!

What are some ways you feel Christians could do a better job in showing the love of Christ to others?

Long Absence!

by Matthew Stidham, posted in Uncategorized

I’m sorry for the long absence everyone.  It has been a very busy start to this year, but it is my intention to post more regularly in the coming weeks, and also to expand the topic areas discussed.  In case you don’t know, I work as a Junior High/High School band director and will be shedding light on the struggles and great rewards of teaching music in a small school.   Of course, we’ll still discuss the same issues as always.

In the mean time I hope you enjoy your week, and just for kicks, do something this week to make others smile…it’s contagious!  Adios!

Warning! What Is Your Heart Really Telling You?

by Matthew Stidham, posted in Christianity, Uncategorized

I have this theory about our hearts.  I think our hearts tend to deceive us when it comes to our true intentions.  When we try to examine the condition of our hearts, I don’t feel that we always get an accurate picture.  I believe that our hearts try to convince us that our intentions and feelings are genuine and noble, but our hearts lie.

 Mark 7:20-22 —20 He went on: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. 21 For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, 22 adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly.

Let me give you an example of what I mean.  All four of the Gospelʼs record the last entry into Jerusalem by Jesus before he was crucified. Iʼm going to use Markʼs account for a reference point.

Mark 11:8-10 — 8Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. 9Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted,

“Hosanna!”

“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” 10″Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!”

“Hosanna in the highest!”

Now most of us recognize this event in the life of Jesus and have heard it read and referenced time and time again. But today Iʼd like to focus in on just what the people were saying as Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. Now most of us have heard the word hosanna so many times we couldnʼt even begin to count. We sing it in hymns, read it in the Bible, hear preachers say it and people pray using the word hosanna. But I think most of us wouldnʼt be able to give a very accurate definition of the word if asked.

Hosanna is a Hebrew word that literally means “save, we pray,” and throughout the course of time it became a term of praise as well as a prayerful statement of sorts. But when we put this understanding into the context of what was about to happen in the life of Jesus, we can definitely see a drastic change in the hearts and minds of these people in Jerusalem. Here we see the people shouting “Hosanna! Save, we pray!” Theyʼre acknowledging that Jesus was their savior! They are indicating that he has come to them in the name of the Lord! That he is part of the coming of the kingdom promised through the line of David! And in just a few days they would be persuaded by the Pharisees to cry out to Pilate to have Jesus crucified.

How could these people be so double minded? How could they praise Jesus as the savior and then trample him under foot the next moment? Well, maybe we should ask ourselves. After all, donʼt we basically do the same thing when we profess Jesus as Lord and Savior on Sundays, and live the rest of the week as though he were nobody?

We always have feelings, and most of the time those feelings are influenced by what happens around us.  I am extremely happy or angry and sad when I watch the Dallas Cowboys play…it all depends on their play.  My feelings are influenced by my surroundings.  I think this is true in the case of the citizens of Jerusalem as Jesus entered.  It’s easy to cheer when everyone around you is cheering.    It’s easy to confess Christ when everyone around you is doing the same thing, but when you are all alone, or surrounded by non-believers, it becomes much more difficult…just ask Peter!

I think the true nature of our heart is exposed when we’re alone.  When we’re not surrounded by the cheering crowds, or by the safety of our church family.  It’s how we act when we’re alone…when we’re in the difficult situations, when we’re frustrated, upset, and stressed.  What do our hearts say about us then?

Don’t judge the condition of your own heart when you’re in the middle of the cheering moments, but look at the lonely moments…when you find yourself in a similar situation to Peter.  When everything is going wrong, when we’re scared and alone and we have to make a choice…at that moment can we still cry Hosanna?

8 Easy Steps to Improve Your eBay Sales and Income Immediately!

by Matthew Stidham, posted in Financial

For those of you who don’t know, I worked for a small independent music store for about 7 years during my teens and early 20’s.  One of my major jobs at this store was to sell as much store inventory on eBay as possible.  After spending a few years listing and selling items on eBay day in and day out, you get pretty good at listing and selling. When my wife and I got on the Dave Ramsey plan and went through Financial Peace University, we decided to sell a lot of the items we no longer wanted or needed on eBay, and still have great success buying items specifically to sell. After having several friends and relatives ask me for some advice on how to maximize their sales and profits, I decided to share these  8 Easy Steps to Improve Your eBay Sales and Income Immediately!

1.     Keep the title simple, but descriptive.

Far too often I see products listed with lots of fluff in their item description.  When I see these items I just keep browsing and never look at the product.  Simply put, you want a title that gives an accurate name of the product you are selling and a very brief description of it’s condition.  For example, I would not click on a title such as AMAZING APPLE IPHONE GREAT DEAL DON’T MISS IT!  But I would consider a listing as follows: AS IS Apple iPhone 3G – 8GB – Black (AT&T) Smartphone.  The product description is completely informative as to the cell network, memory capacity, model, and condition (AS IS usually indicates there is something wrong with the item.)

Also, avoid spelling mistakes.  Not to many people search for Aple computers, or iFones.  So test your title: if you can tell what you are about to see before you click on the link, you’re probably doing fine in this area.

2.     Choose your category listing carefully.

eBay has gotten much better with helping you choose a good category to list your product, but this still escapes some people.  A while back I sold an antique trumpet on eBay.  Now while this item is an antique that would appeal to some antique collectors, it is still a trumpet that would appeal to musicians, including those who usually care nothing about antiques.  If I were to list the trumpet in antiques I’d miss a large portion of the interested buyers, and the same is true for listing the item only in musical instruments.  So I listed the item in both categories so that all potential buyers would get an opportunity to see and bid on my antique trumpet.  Product exposure is very important!
It is important to know that listing in multiple categories does cost extra money at listing time, but it can be well worth the cost.  Just don’t get stupid with double listings.  Yes an iPhone plays MP3’s, but don’t list your iPhone under MP3 Players.  Someone searching for MP3 players is looking for an iPod, not an iPhone so you’d be completely wasting your money doing this!  So ask yourself, “Who would want to buy this product?”  Once you are convinced on a category (or possibly two), then list your product accordingly.

3.     Take clear pictures of what you would want to see.

Put yourself in the buyer’s shoes.  If you were trying to buy a piece of fine China, such as a bowl, would you want only one blurry picture taken from directly above?  If you answered “yes” to the preceding question, please donate your computer and camera to the poor and never think about eBay again.  If you answered “no” to the question, then be sure you don’t make the same mistake.  If you were buying a used item, you would want to know just how used it is.  With the example of the bowl, take a wide picture of the entire item followed by detailed pictures of the sides, the inside, the bottom label (clear enough to read!) and any chips, cracks, or scratches the bowl might have.  You don’t want the buyer surprised by these things once they’ve already purchased the bowl because it’s likely they will ship it back to you and demand a full refund (eBay will help them do this too!).
And please don’t take the pictures with your cell phone. With today’s technology even the cheapest pawn shop digital camera has the ability to take clearer and higher quality eBay pictures.  Use the camera’s close-up settings, and avoid using the camera flash unless it’s absolutely necessary to show a blemish.  I usually turn all the lights in the room on, and leave the flash turned off.  This allows indirect light to show the item as your eyes would normally see it.  Also try placing the product on a white background, such as a white sheet, blanket, or towel.  This will help your product stand out in the pictures.
Again, sometimes you do have to take one picture with the flash to help a scratch, or crack show up that otherwise will not.  In most cases you are looking at a max of 3 to 5 pictures.  Some people go overboard and list 20 pictures of the same post card sized item.  Go through and delete any duplicates, or pictures that didn’t really show what you wanted.  Just be sure that any problem areas are well documented in your pictures.

4.     Save money by avoiding unnecessary features and fees!

While they may look really cool, eBay does offer some unnecessary options on listings that simply don’t help much.  I never pay the extra $2 for a Bold or Highlighted listing.  The theory is that it somehow attracts the eyes of buyers, but in the long run the quality of the content in the listing is what sells the item.
Avoid the listing “themes” that give your pictures frames, or the picture slideshow.  I know how to click on a different picture when I want to see a different picture.  eBay charges you to have all these options on your listing, and many are simply not necessary. And please whatever you do, don’t do the silly graphics like showing dancing reindeer around the screen at Christmas.  Just don’t waste your time and money doing this sort of stuff!  I have never once had someone say “Hey Matt, I bought that $5000 dollar guitar from you because of the dancing elf you included in your listing!”
Pretty much the one exception that I make to this rule is the Gallery Picture listing option (about $0.35).  This feature includes a thumbnail sized picture to the left of your item description so the potential buyer can actually see what they are about to click on.  While it’s not necessary to do, I am personally more likely to click on that link than one without the Gallery Picture listing.

5.     Give accurate, but positive descriptions.

When you are typing up your description (this is different from listing title) be sure that you are accurate.  Tell us about the chip in the finish.  Tell us to check out the photo that shows the crack and scratches.  A buyer wants you to be honest and wants to feel like they are getting an accurate description.  Trying to avoid mentioning flaws doesn’t go over too well.
On the other hand, don’t come off sounding like Eeyore in your listing.  If the item has a crack but is still fully functional then tell us.  If we go back to the AS IS iPhone listing from earlier, I included in the description a list of what was wrong (the screen and back cover) but then pointed out that these problems were completely fixable and that the buyer could end up getting a great deal on a great phone that just needed a little fixing up.  The most important thing here is to be honest, and be positive in the way you describe your items.

6.     Know the true value of your item.

Just because you like a particular item doesn’t mean that people are going to pay more for it.  If Taylor Swift used your Sharpie to sign your arm, the fact remains it’s just a Sharpie and has no increased value!  We often place great sentimental value on items that we own which means if we had to buy that item from ourselves, we would be willing to pay more for them than the average eBay buyer will.  Just realize that except for in rare cases, you probably won’t make more on your item than other people are on theirs simply because it’s yours.
That being said, if you do all of these 8 steps completely and correctly then you should be able as much as much profit as possible out of an product you sell.  But have the realistic price of what items like yours are selling for on eBay.  Search for products like yours before you list and look at only the completed listings.  If the items like yours are selling for around $5, it’s a safe assumption that yours will do the same.  If the products like yours are not selling at $10, yours probably won’t either.  eBay simply doesn’t work that way.  Know what your product is worth and list it accordingly.
Avoid the Buy It Now feature unless you are selling something at a huge discount and want the money today instead of 5 days from today.  If you are going to ask the same amount for the Buy It Now at which most auction items will end, it simply isn’t worth the price because it likely won’t be used by a buyer.  Most people like the thrill of the auction and the belief that they will come out ahead if they don’t use the Buy It Now.  And don’t mess with the reserve price.  Just start your auction at the lowest price you are willing to take for the item.
Ask yourself the following question:  If someone was standing right in front of me with cash, what is the smallest amount they could put in my hand before I would let them leave with this item?” Answer that question and use that as your starting price.  If it sells then you came out ahead.  If it doesn’t then you aren’t really willing to sell the item for what it’s worth.

7.     Timing is everything.

How much time do you spend browsing eBay at 9:00am.  How about 3:00am, or 11:30pm?  These are times of the day where eBay’s traffic is not at its peak.  You want your item to end during Prime Time viewing, which means you need to list your item during the same time, or use the scheduling feature to automatically list your item during Prime Time (just another non-recommended fee).  You want your item to end during Prime Time because auctions will usually increase drastically in price during the last few minutes.  Excited buyers get into bidding wars over your product, unless they are asleep at 1am.  Make sure you list, or that the auction will end during your favorite Prime Time TV shows.
Also stick with a 5 day listing for most items.  7 and 10 day options are available, but unless you are selling a very rare or high dollar item such as a car, the longer auction just doesn’t benefit you much.  1 and 3 day auctions are available as well, but I don’t feel that they give enough time for your item to be seen by as many potential buyers.  eBay purchases are not usually impulse buys.  Most people look at a product they want to buy several times before they bid so give them the adequate time of a 5 day auction.

8.     Do your shipping through eBay.

eBay usually gives you a discount if you print your shipping label through them, and will automatically send your buyer a tracking number (one less thing you have to do).  My recommendation is to use the USPS flat rate shipping boxes if at all possible with your item, and include a few extra dollars for your “handling charge.”  This is not unethical in any way because you will burn gas going to get the box, and don’t forget that tape, bubble wrap, printer ink, and paper costs all come out of your pocket as well.  If I’m using the $5 flat rate box, I will probably charge $7 flat rate shipping to ship the item so that my expenses are covered.

At any rate (please pardon poorly placed puns and alliteration) try to stick to flat rate shipping.  If this is not an option, then completely package your item before the listing.  This is to ensure that you can accurately determine weight and dimensions to use in the shipping calculator that eBay provides to figure shipping costs.  This also helps you avoid shipping costs won’t exceed the amount you are charging the customer for shipping.

I hope these tips will help you with your next eBay listing.  If you have any additional questions, feel free to shoot me an email and I’ll try to help you out as best as I can.  Good luck, and Happy Selling!