I believe that the current model of evangelism has become a joke. When I was taught "how to" evangelize, I was given a "Que dice la biblia?" and told to begin one-on-one Bible studies. When I did it, it worked. The first three people I studied with became believers in Jesus. Now, this may have also been due to the fact that the three people were teenage boys, and the other two people who were in the room were American, teenage girls... but, I digress. Since that time, this pattern has not worked. I just don't see students jumping at the chance to study a fill-in-the-blank worksheet that tells them "all they need to know" about Jesus in 6 short lessons. For that matter, I find it rather arrogant to assume that 6 short lessons will teach you everything you need to know about Jesus.
The book of Acts has amazing stories of 3000 people turning to Christ after one sermon. But, the celebration in which the sermon takes place is the Jewish festival of Pentecost. This means that everyone there had some sort of apriori knowledge of the message being spoken by Peter. They had the history, the scriptures, and the background necessary to understand the radical message being proclaimed to them. Past this story, the message is brought to groups, families, and individuals, but there is not another mass-conversion like that in Acts. A man catches up to a chariot on foot, he disappears and reappears in Samaria, Peter has a vision, Paul is blinded on the road, and the jailor is shocked by the prisoners morality and ethic.
So, I have three questions that I wish for someone to answer:
1) What is the Gospel/Good News of Jesus Christ? - please don't give me a one sentence answer...
2) What about your life would draw people in to know Christ?
3) How are you living differently than the culture around you?
Monday, October 27, 2008
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Leaping Out Of Theology
I am a self-proclaimed geek. I always have been, and I always will be. The unfortunate part of this fact is that I get soaked into the theory, and I miss the practical side of the theory. Theories are easy. They are concrete. They are definite. They can be shown and examined. They can be argued and proven. In theology, the theory is often very difficult when practice is introduced.
Sin is sin. Sin has consequences, but it is forgiven in Christ. We are called as Christians to judge in ways that we wish to be judged (and, for me, that is not all that much.) We are also called to forgive. As a matter of fact, the Lord's prayer says, "Forgive our debts as we forgive those who are indebted to us." (YIKES!) And, these are great theories! But, the stark reality of life is the fact that Christians need more than blanket acceptance and ignorant approval of sin. Yes, hate the sin and love the sinner. Good theory. But, I have met many sinners who define themselves, their own lives, and their lifestyle by their sin. There is a delicate line that exists where we allow a person to work through his or her own problems and we begin to get trampled on and taken advantage of. The theory is rock solid, and it is still true. It can be argued, and it can be eloquently expressed. The practice of the theory is often convoluted and messy.
The church is the people in whom the Spirit of God dwells. This is a great theory. It can be argued and expressed. My last sermon at Rural Hill Church of Christ was on this very topic. I don't like to toot my own horn, but (toot toot) I think I expressed the background and comprehensive theology well and at the level of my audience. There are some dangerous applications to that theology. For instance, buildings may be one of the worst ideas and sponges of resources ever! I mean, we spend millions of dollars on a meeting place when that money could go to something or someone else. Also, organizational ministries that target specific demographics, people groups, and age ranges are not always the best idea. The early church was a conglomeration of many different peoples. They were all together, and they had relatively few disputes. Some people will also use this theory to go off and do whatever they wanted to in the first place, because "they are the church." On top of the fact that we look nothing like the early church, that was not the intent of the theory. But, does not that raise a whole new set of questions? What is the intent of the theory? What was the situation to which the scriptures were written? Why did the author mention that story? All of these are unanswerable, but significant, questions. The theory is air-tight, but the practice may even be heresy at the extremes.
A major complaint that I have with my $80000 dollar education from Lipscomb University is that my degree states that I am prepared for ministry, but I was prepared for theology with my degree with little emphasis on ministry. But, now that I am a teacher, I cannot blame the professors. The ivory tower of academia is easier to teach. How could anyone teach "messy"? One cannot test on messy. One cannot find simple ways to assess comprehensive understanding of subjective and situational practice of theory. You cannot quiz on "maybe." When my ministry or school students ask me for an opinion on a topic, I default to theory. The reason is that I believe that, if they grasp the theory, they will one day be able to answer the question they asked, but they are often not wanting me to answer the question they asked... it is another question entirely hidden behind their question. I know this, because I did it.
For most people, the embedded theology that dwells within the person will become his or her practice. Sometimes, two separate theories form the same practice. So, we should not be quick to assume that, merely because one chooses to take communion every Sunday, one is a legalist. However, we must be very careful that all theory and all theology points to the most important aspect of the Gospel in practice: "Love God with all you are" and "Love your neighbor as your self." Any theology or theory that deviates from these two commands has missed the point. And, any practice that spawns from theory (even good theory...) that does not practice these commands is not right.
In life, we must jump beyond the practice of designing and learning theology to the messy world of living out our ideals. At times, we must surround ourselves with the very people we believe are sinning in order to show them a savior. Sometimes, we must practice what we preach. Thus, we must preach with grace and humility.
Sin is sin. Sin has consequences, but it is forgiven in Christ. We are called as Christians to judge in ways that we wish to be judged (and, for me, that is not all that much.) We are also called to forgive. As a matter of fact, the Lord's prayer says, "Forgive our debts as we forgive those who are indebted to us." (YIKES!) And, these are great theories! But, the stark reality of life is the fact that Christians need more than blanket acceptance and ignorant approval of sin. Yes, hate the sin and love the sinner. Good theory. But, I have met many sinners who define themselves, their own lives, and their lifestyle by their sin. There is a delicate line that exists where we allow a person to work through his or her own problems and we begin to get trampled on and taken advantage of. The theory is rock solid, and it is still true. It can be argued, and it can be eloquently expressed. The practice of the theory is often convoluted and messy.
The church is the people in whom the Spirit of God dwells. This is a great theory. It can be argued and expressed. My last sermon at Rural Hill Church of Christ was on this very topic. I don't like to toot my own horn, but (toot toot) I think I expressed the background and comprehensive theology well and at the level of my audience. There are some dangerous applications to that theology. For instance, buildings may be one of the worst ideas and sponges of resources ever! I mean, we spend millions of dollars on a meeting place when that money could go to something or someone else. Also, organizational ministries that target specific demographics, people groups, and age ranges are not always the best idea. The early church was a conglomeration of many different peoples. They were all together, and they had relatively few disputes. Some people will also use this theory to go off and do whatever they wanted to in the first place, because "they are the church." On top of the fact that we look nothing like the early church, that was not the intent of the theory. But, does not that raise a whole new set of questions? What is the intent of the theory? What was the situation to which the scriptures were written? Why did the author mention that story? All of these are unanswerable, but significant, questions. The theory is air-tight, but the practice may even be heresy at the extremes.
A major complaint that I have with my $80000 dollar education from Lipscomb University is that my degree states that I am prepared for ministry, but I was prepared for theology with my degree with little emphasis on ministry. But, now that I am a teacher, I cannot blame the professors. The ivory tower of academia is easier to teach. How could anyone teach "messy"? One cannot test on messy. One cannot find simple ways to assess comprehensive understanding of subjective and situational practice of theory. You cannot quiz on "maybe." When my ministry or school students ask me for an opinion on a topic, I default to theory. The reason is that I believe that, if they grasp the theory, they will one day be able to answer the question they asked, but they are often not wanting me to answer the question they asked... it is another question entirely hidden behind their question. I know this, because I did it.
For most people, the embedded theology that dwells within the person will become his or her practice. Sometimes, two separate theories form the same practice. So, we should not be quick to assume that, merely because one chooses to take communion every Sunday, one is a legalist. However, we must be very careful that all theory and all theology points to the most important aspect of the Gospel in practice: "Love God with all you are" and "Love your neighbor as your self." Any theology or theory that deviates from these two commands has missed the point. And, any practice that spawns from theory (even good theory...) that does not practice these commands is not right.
In life, we must jump beyond the practice of designing and learning theology to the messy world of living out our ideals. At times, we must surround ourselves with the very people we believe are sinning in order to show them a savior. Sometimes, we must practice what we preach. Thus, we must preach with grace and humility.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Diving into Theology
Listening to language is critical to understanding a person's theological beliefs and backgrounds. It is amazing to me the language that we use, the songs that we sing, and the hope we proclaim to other people. The overwhelming truth is that most people just listen and soak up those words and phrases without much thought as to the practical application of them. Think about these phrases and how they have been used:
"Let's go to church." or "Don't run in church." or "This place is sacred." -
In Judaism, places were holy. The temple was holy, and it was the place in which God dwelt. However, the scandal of Christianity is the fact that the Lord is present by the Holy Spirit in you, and where he is (thus you are) is holy. By church, we do not normally mean "the congregation of collected individual participants within the kingdom of God who have gathered to praise God in worship." Instead, we mean the "building." So, parents tell their kids to not eat in church, to not run in church, or to not play in church. Before someone goes on an argument soap box, I agree that some of those things should not happen in the BUILDING, but the "church" is a different story. You see, if I agreed with that theology, I would not have been able to play little league baseball on a team with any Christians because I could not play or run in church. I played baseball for the glory of God ("whatever you do whether in word or deed, do it in the name of the Lord.) And, with the assembly of two or more Christians (where ever two or more gather in my name, I am there), I would be forced to sit and watch my peers enjoy their sport.
"I'll fly away." or "Your soul will fly to heaven" or "It's all gonna burn anyway." -
This creation, according to the Creator, was AND STILL IS good. The serpent was a crafty created being, so God believed that the world was good even with the instrument of doubt, selfishness, and sin created within it. By and large, Christianity has bought into the Platonic dualism presented by the first century philosophers rather than the eschatological views of scripture. According to scripture, God will bring a new heavens and new earth (in other words, a similar but new creation to what we currently exist within) at the End Times. While the old heaven and old earth (which was good) will pass away, the new heaven and new earth will replace it in the same place. Rather than floating off to some ethereal heaven, Christians are called to go up to meet Jesus to come back down and dwell in the presence of the Lord forever. Also, by saying that this will all burn, we buy into the fact that the kingdom involves no real participation in this world other than "saving souls" for heaven. Quite simply, we must be ministers of reconciliation who try to pull together in the present the Garden Shalom and the End Time Shalom. The earth groans to be made new, and Christians must work to allieviate that groaning by helping all of God's creation to find its purpose and created intent.
"Go talk to the minister." or "We need a ministry for that." or "Why talk to me; I am not in ministry." -
As a Christian, you are a minister. I think the title of a full-time, paid minister is part of the embedded problem. We must use the language and understanding that all people are ministers. The "church" is supporting a ministry if its people do the ministry (not if they decide to hire a minister.) Remember, if the church is the people, the ministry will happen if the people do it. Everyone is a minister. To teens... to adults... to children... If you a part of the church, you are a part of ministry to people. You cannot get away from it. The only question is whether the person is looking to you for ministry.
"We need to go back to the Bible for that." or "He just preaches the Bible." or "You would know what to do if you just read the Bible." -
I am a very strong believer in the authority of scripture. However, I find it arrogant to assume that one person is just preaching "the Bible." Are you telling me that he speaks only in Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic? All English translations and sermons are an interpretation of the words of Scripture. Some people try to speak more accruately than others, but they are still trying to interpret the text in a faithful manner. I also find these statements funny because they are rarely said by someone who was not happy with the sermon. However, the theme of Scripture is that the word cuts to the heart so much that it often offends, rebukes, angers, and condemns. Maybe I am just missing the days where we actually talk about the radical nature of the Sermon on the Mount, but I have yet to see a person crying as they left because Scripture called them out on their missing God's intent for their life while still proclaiming that the preacher "really preached the Word today." Let's be honest, for most of us, the above statements mean "He preaches insightful, fun, entertaining, and accurate (by my definition) sermons."
At some point, we must begin to think about what we say before we say it. Or, maybe the Scripture is correct: "Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry." If you listen well, you will hear what someone believes. You do not have to have all the answers, and it is likely that the other person does not have them either. Have sympathy. Chose your words well because they may be the beginning of something brand new.
"Let's go to church." or "Don't run in church." or "This place is sacred." -
In Judaism, places were holy. The temple was holy, and it was the place in which God dwelt. However, the scandal of Christianity is the fact that the Lord is present by the Holy Spirit in you, and where he is (thus you are) is holy. By church, we do not normally mean "the congregation of collected individual participants within the kingdom of God who have gathered to praise God in worship." Instead, we mean the "building." So, parents tell their kids to not eat in church, to not run in church, or to not play in church. Before someone goes on an argument soap box, I agree that some of those things should not happen in the BUILDING, but the "church" is a different story. You see, if I agreed with that theology, I would not have been able to play little league baseball on a team with any Christians because I could not play or run in church. I played baseball for the glory of God ("whatever you do whether in word or deed, do it in the name of the Lord.) And, with the assembly of two or more Christians (where ever two or more gather in my name, I am there), I would be forced to sit and watch my peers enjoy their sport.
"I'll fly away." or "Your soul will fly to heaven" or "It's all gonna burn anyway." -
This creation, according to the Creator, was AND STILL IS good. The serpent was a crafty created being, so God believed that the world was good even with the instrument of doubt, selfishness, and sin created within it. By and large, Christianity has bought into the Platonic dualism presented by the first century philosophers rather than the eschatological views of scripture. According to scripture, God will bring a new heavens and new earth (in other words, a similar but new creation to what we currently exist within) at the End Times. While the old heaven and old earth (which was good) will pass away, the new heaven and new earth will replace it in the same place. Rather than floating off to some ethereal heaven, Christians are called to go up to meet Jesus to come back down and dwell in the presence of the Lord forever. Also, by saying that this will all burn, we buy into the fact that the kingdom involves no real participation in this world other than "saving souls" for heaven. Quite simply, we must be ministers of reconciliation who try to pull together in the present the Garden Shalom and the End Time Shalom. The earth groans to be made new, and Christians must work to allieviate that groaning by helping all of God's creation to find its purpose and created intent.
"Go talk to the minister." or "We need a ministry for that." or "Why talk to me; I am not in ministry." -
As a Christian, you are a minister. I think the title of a full-time, paid minister is part of the embedded problem. We must use the language and understanding that all people are ministers. The "church" is supporting a ministry if its people do the ministry (not if they decide to hire a minister.) Remember, if the church is the people, the ministry will happen if the people do it. Everyone is a minister. To teens... to adults... to children... If you a part of the church, you are a part of ministry to people. You cannot get away from it. The only question is whether the person is looking to you for ministry.
"We need to go back to the Bible for that." or "He just preaches the Bible." or "You would know what to do if you just read the Bible." -
I am a very strong believer in the authority of scripture. However, I find it arrogant to assume that one person is just preaching "the Bible." Are you telling me that he speaks only in Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic? All English translations and sermons are an interpretation of the words of Scripture. Some people try to speak more accruately than others, but they are still trying to interpret the text in a faithful manner. I also find these statements funny because they are rarely said by someone who was not happy with the sermon. However, the theme of Scripture is that the word cuts to the heart so much that it often offends, rebukes, angers, and condemns. Maybe I am just missing the days where we actually talk about the radical nature of the Sermon on the Mount, but I have yet to see a person crying as they left because Scripture called them out on their missing God's intent for their life while still proclaiming that the preacher "really preached the Word today." Let's be honest, for most of us, the above statements mean "He preaches insightful, fun, entertaining, and accurate (by my definition) sermons."
At some point, we must begin to think about what we say before we say it. Or, maybe the Scripture is correct: "Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry." If you listen well, you will hear what someone believes. You do not have to have all the answers, and it is likely that the other person does not have them either. Have sympathy. Chose your words well because they may be the beginning of something brand new.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Why I Just Don't Care About This Election...
I just do not care about the election this year. At the beginning of the political debating and candidate selection, I was pretty excited. But, I am tired of it now. Oh, do not get me wrong, I will still probably fight the crowds to express my right to vote and become a part of something that is bigger than me. Honestly, I just stopped caring.
You see, in the heat of all of this political turmoil, I have been working. I am working two jobs. I am a youth minister and a Bible teacher at Ezell. I work between 51-55 hours a week with one break on Saturdays. And, I realized that all of the political stuff has been happening, but I am too busy to see it. And, I love it! I have not seen anything. No ads. No commercials. No mud slinging. No debating over issues. No right or left wing agendas. No endless debates over the sanctity of human rights, fetus rights, criminal rights, or religious rights. No mindless drool about economics systems and recessions. No Bush part 2 or 1st minority questions.
Just work and the Olympics. And, I am working hard.
You see, in the kingdom of God, there is a lot of work to be done. And, it will not be done by the American government. Oh, the government may make it easier for me to do my jobs. They may take more of the money that I make (that is God's money anyway) from my jobs. They may make laws that guide people to live kingdom lives. But, in the end, this election will not change much in the direction of the kingdom of God. For that matter, most elections have not changed the direction of the kingdom of God.
So, for now, I just do not care. I am too busy doing my best with the time I have within the kingdom to worry about whether this country will have trickle-down economics for the next 4 years. I am too busy loving my students to care whether No Child Left Behind is still in effect. I am too busy calling myself and others to a higher standard to worry about what is happening in Washington. I am just too busy to ask God whether he is Republican or Democrat... or even if He cares. I am just busy.
So, I challenge YOU... "The harvest is plenty, but the workers are few." I charge you to get up off of your man-chair watching MSNBC. I ask you to put down the New York Times. I plead with you to get of the blog roles... AND, JUMP INTO THE KINGDOM THAT SURROUNDS YOU!!! I do not care what party you claim... because the hungry do not care! I do not care who you will vote for... because the thirsty just need water. I do not care... because there is a world of sick, lonely, dying, starving, and hurting people who need the non-partisan hands and feet of Jesus to once (JUST ONCE) stop arguing about the best way to serve and just stinking serve!
I will vote... I am just writing in "Jesus" for President!
You see, in the heat of all of this political turmoil, I have been working. I am working two jobs. I am a youth minister and a Bible teacher at Ezell. I work between 51-55 hours a week with one break on Saturdays. And, I realized that all of the political stuff has been happening, but I am too busy to see it. And, I love it! I have not seen anything. No ads. No commercials. No mud slinging. No debating over issues. No right or left wing agendas. No endless debates over the sanctity of human rights, fetus rights, criminal rights, or religious rights. No mindless drool about economics systems and recessions. No Bush part 2 or 1st minority questions.
Just work and the Olympics. And, I am working hard.
You see, in the kingdom of God, there is a lot of work to be done. And, it will not be done by the American government. Oh, the government may make it easier for me to do my jobs. They may take more of the money that I make (that is God's money anyway) from my jobs. They may make laws that guide people to live kingdom lives. But, in the end, this election will not change much in the direction of the kingdom of God. For that matter, most elections have not changed the direction of the kingdom of God.
So, for now, I just do not care. I am too busy doing my best with the time I have within the kingdom to worry about whether this country will have trickle-down economics for the next 4 years. I am too busy loving my students to care whether No Child Left Behind is still in effect. I am too busy calling myself and others to a higher standard to worry about what is happening in Washington. I am just too busy to ask God whether he is Republican or Democrat... or even if He cares. I am just busy.
So, I challenge YOU... "The harvest is plenty, but the workers are few." I charge you to get up off of your man-chair watching MSNBC. I ask you to put down the New York Times. I plead with you to get of the blog roles... AND, JUMP INTO THE KINGDOM THAT SURROUNDS YOU!!! I do not care what party you claim... because the hungry do not care! I do not care who you will vote for... because the thirsty just need water. I do not care... because there is a world of sick, lonely, dying, starving, and hurting people who need the non-partisan hands and feet of Jesus to once (JUST ONCE) stop arguing about the best way to serve and just stinking serve!
I will vote... I am just writing in "Jesus" for President!
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Camp Ponderings
1) I find it strange/sad/encouraging/empowering that many people feel that Camp is the closest thing to heaven that they feel here on earth. I pray that we channel that and figure it out so that we can do it for more than just one week out of the year.
2) This has been the year of difficult themes. Impact was all about the Prophets' message to us and their audience. Camp's theme was about living life to the fullest now! I feel like the themes keep getting deeper and deeper... and I like it...
3) I have decided that worship is a lifestyle that is sometimes expressed in song. And, the song must come from a life that is dedicated to the same things. I believe that this is the reason camp has the best worship of the year... we are all living it out on a daily basis.
4) There are few things more valuable than listening to students speak a message from the Word. Whether that message comes in form of a lesson, a skit, a presentation, or a late night comment, it is beyond encouraging.
5) I have concluded that one must taste and see that the Lord is good. That means... just because someone is present at camp, it does not mean that everything will stick.
6) I am convinced that we need friends who are committed to the same morals, ethics, values, and Jesus that we are committed to.
7) I long for the day when parting will not happen, praise will be on my lips, friends and family will surround, and God will be in our midst... again... and again... and again... to the fullest.
2) This has been the year of difficult themes. Impact was all about the Prophets' message to us and their audience. Camp's theme was about living life to the fullest now! I feel like the themes keep getting deeper and deeper... and I like it...
3) I have decided that worship is a lifestyle that is sometimes expressed in song. And, the song must come from a life that is dedicated to the same things. I believe that this is the reason camp has the best worship of the year... we are all living it out on a daily basis.
4) There are few things more valuable than listening to students speak a message from the Word. Whether that message comes in form of a lesson, a skit, a presentation, or a late night comment, it is beyond encouraging.
5) I have concluded that one must taste and see that the Lord is good. That means... just because someone is present at camp, it does not mean that everything will stick.
6) I am convinced that we need friends who are committed to the same morals, ethics, values, and Jesus that we are committed to.
7) I long for the day when parting will not happen, praise will be on my lips, friends and family will surround, and God will be in our midst... again... and again... and again... to the fullest.
Friday, July 18, 2008
The Myth of Happiness
What is happiness? I watched a movie staring Will Smith a while back that showed a man who was apparently in pursuit of happiness (spelled "Happyness" in the movie title.) It was an inspiring and tough movie with tear-jerker appeal. However, the man was not very happy until the very end of the movie. A case could be made that the man was not happy at all until he got what he wanted. But, isn't that the definition of the world's view of happiness?
Is happiness good fortune after a lifetime of disappointment and hurt? Is happiness finally getting what you wanted after wading through a lifetime of being stepped on? Is happiness a feeling of pleasure or satisfaction that seems from a good experience? Is happiness getting to experience the American Dream (which often starts as a nightmare)? Or, is there more?
I submit that happiness is a fleeting, illusive, and temporary feeling that should not be the target of one's pursuit. Happiness is a great feeling. But, pursuing a life filled with a good feeling is like trying to nail Jello to a tree. It is impossible to fully attain. Living a life in pursuit of happiness will only lead a person to a life filled with sadness, disappointment, and frustration.
So, what should we strive for and pursue? My answer is joy. But, what is joy? Joy is not a feeling of excitement. Joy is a mindset of contentment in any and all circumstances. If the pursuit of happiness is likened to nailing Jello to a tree, the pursuit of joy is like taking hold of a rail. Joy is found when you grasp onto something that is firm and solid. Joy can be found in the most dire of circumstances. Joy does not come from circumstantial good fortune, but it comes from an internal relationship.
Joy is not found merely by attaining a well-paid job. Joy is not found merely by taking the next financial ladder step. Joy is not found by merely accomplishing life-long dreams. Joy is found in knowing that 1) stuff is temporary, 2) life is eternal, 3) the most important aspect of pain and excitement is your response to it, and 4) the biggest things in life are taken care of by someone else.
I am not interested in another "pull yourself up by the boot straps," "rags to riches," "self-made man" story of happiness. I am interested in a relationship that allows me to be mended even when I am broken, content in the midst of pain and suffering, and joyful whether I am at the peak of my health or facing death. The excitement and joy of my story comes from the fact that the God I serve, not my own actions, makes it possible for me to live a different life.
Is happiness good fortune after a lifetime of disappointment and hurt? Is happiness finally getting what you wanted after wading through a lifetime of being stepped on? Is happiness a feeling of pleasure or satisfaction that seems from a good experience? Is happiness getting to experience the American Dream (which often starts as a nightmare)? Or, is there more?
I submit that happiness is a fleeting, illusive, and temporary feeling that should not be the target of one's pursuit. Happiness is a great feeling. But, pursuing a life filled with a good feeling is like trying to nail Jello to a tree. It is impossible to fully attain. Living a life in pursuit of happiness will only lead a person to a life filled with sadness, disappointment, and frustration.
So, what should we strive for and pursue? My answer is joy. But, what is joy? Joy is not a feeling of excitement. Joy is a mindset of contentment in any and all circumstances. If the pursuit of happiness is likened to nailing Jello to a tree, the pursuit of joy is like taking hold of a rail. Joy is found when you grasp onto something that is firm and solid. Joy can be found in the most dire of circumstances. Joy does not come from circumstantial good fortune, but it comes from an internal relationship.
Joy is not found merely by attaining a well-paid job. Joy is not found merely by taking the next financial ladder step. Joy is not found by merely accomplishing life-long dreams. Joy is found in knowing that 1) stuff is temporary, 2) life is eternal, 3) the most important aspect of pain and excitement is your response to it, and 4) the biggest things in life are taken care of by someone else.
I am not interested in another "pull yourself up by the boot straps," "rags to riches," "self-made man" story of happiness. I am interested in a relationship that allows me to be mended even when I am broken, content in the midst of pain and suffering, and joyful whether I am at the peak of my health or facing death. The excitement and joy of my story comes from the fact that the God I serve, not my own actions, makes it possible for me to live a different life.
Friday, May 30, 2008
The Myth of Life
There are many people who say they are "pro-life." What does that mean? 90% of the time, it means that the person fights for the life of a fetus inside a woman's womb. As a former fetus myself, I am deeply glad that my mother was, in these terms, "pro-life." However, I must question such a grandiose moniker being place on merely making sure women carry their babies to full-term. That is not really "pro-life"... it is pro-birth. And, don't get me wrong, I am pro-birth. But, pro-life is something completely different.
A dear friend of mine wrote a song with a line that says, "Just because I'm breathing doesn't mean I living life." Therefore, we must define life.
Is life the ability for blood to pump, air to breathe, or food to digest? Is life merely the things that happen from birth until death? Is life the quality of animate objects? Is the life the sequence of events (spiritual, physical, and mental) that hold existence together? Or, is life something much deeper?
I am pro-life, but I must define what I mean by that statement.
Life is more than blood, breath, and excrement. True life is found in believing that ALL life is valuable. From the baby being born to the crippled old man dying... From the high school senior with an attitude problem to the kindergarten child with his hands on his first diploma... From the American born solider to the Iraqi born Muslim... From the African American who suffered the full brunt of segregation to the white middle-class teenager has never seen such horrors... From our best friends to our worst enemies... ALL LIFE IS VALUABLE. And, it should be treated as such.
True life is living a life of love, service, humility, and sacrifice. True life is looking at every person as the image of God that they are. True life is not found by fighting for birth but by being peaceful until death. True life is experienced now and continues forever. It has little to do with clothes, food, drink, air, or blood. It has everything to do with relationship, attitude, knowledge, and passion. True life is found, modeled, and experienced through Jesus.
A dear friend of mine wrote a song with a line that says, "Just because I'm breathing doesn't mean I living life." Therefore, we must define life.
Is life the ability for blood to pump, air to breathe, or food to digest? Is life merely the things that happen from birth until death? Is life the quality of animate objects? Is the life the sequence of events (spiritual, physical, and mental) that hold existence together? Or, is life something much deeper?
I am pro-life, but I must define what I mean by that statement.
- I am pro- "best possible home life." Many children are born into homes where they have no hope before they began. They are born to homes without fathers. And, they are born into families with histories of violence. This must be corrected.
- I am pro- "affordable cost of living." So many people are bogged down by home prices, gas prices, and keeping up with those around them. From this, they cannot live. They can only work to keep up.
- I am pro- "affordable health care." Many people could not afford the medical expenses for birth, dental work, or check ups. Then, they get chewed out for thinking they could skirt one. That is not right.
- I am pro- "anti-war." There is an irony in the fact that we care that babies get born, but we want to throw those babies 18 years later into the War Machine to die.
- I am pro- "agent of death control." What good is it that we convinced a mother to have her child if that child has no father, joins a gang, and picks up a knife, gun, or drugs to kill someone or himself?
- I am pro- "community assistance." Yes, people take advantage of programs. But, everyday, I see families who are struggling to feed, clothe, and shelter their little ones and themselves. I refuse to throw the program out because of scheming people.
- I am pro- "targeted education." All people need to learn. Some students are in a cycle that, statistics say, they will never get out. People need skills and teachers who are patient and loving.
- I am pro- "trans-global relations and international peaceful discussion." The world is "everyone vs. us" until we recognize that we are all one. I have friends in 20 different countries around the world right now. There is no "us", and there is no "them" anymore.
- I am pro- "birth." As I have just mentioned, I believe in all life. I believe that babies should be brought into the world, but I believe it is our job to make the world livable for them. I struggle thinking about babies being born with handicaps, to fatherless homes, into the cycle of crime and poverty, or victims of a rape case.
- I am pro- "life." The life of the baby, the life of the mother, the life of the father, the life of the grandparents, the life of the surrounding neighborhood, the life of the state, and the life of the religious community.
Life is more than blood, breath, and excrement. True life is found in believing that ALL life is valuable. From the baby being born to the crippled old man dying... From the high school senior with an attitude problem to the kindergarten child with his hands on his first diploma... From the American born solider to the Iraqi born Muslim... From the African American who suffered the full brunt of segregation to the white middle-class teenager has never seen such horrors... From our best friends to our worst enemies... ALL LIFE IS VALUABLE. And, it should be treated as such.
True life is living a life of love, service, humility, and sacrifice. True life is looking at every person as the image of God that they are. True life is not found by fighting for birth but by being peaceful until death. True life is experienced now and continues forever. It has little to do with clothes, food, drink, air, or blood. It has everything to do with relationship, attitude, knowledge, and passion. True life is found, modeled, and experienced through Jesus.
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