The newest installment of The Writer’s Closet is up. It’s a song called “Baby, There’s Still Me.” Here’s the message behind the music:
“It’s Better on MySpace.” That’s what her shirt said. Her eyes said it too. I had seen her earlier walking through the mall with her boyfriend. Now she sat on a bench near the food court and was currently necking (as the old folks call it) with said boyfriend. From the neck down she was totally invested in this guy and in what they were doing. But in her eyes she looked… bored… distracted. She looked like she was thinking much harder than a person should while participating in full blown PDA.
Her shirt said it all. “It’s Better on MySpace.” It’s better when you make up a new you. It’s better when you can give details about yourself that impress people, whether they are true or not. It’s better when you can show people photos of yourself that make you look your best, whether they really look like you or not. It’s better when you can make the person on the outside come across as someone others will like and maybe even love. Because you are not so sure they might like (or love) the person on the inside.
So we play this game. We buy the right clothes. We drive the right cars. We get the right jobs. We hang out with the right people. We sell sex for love and we sell love for sex. We say the right things. We act tough when we really feel scared. We act pretty when we really feel ugly. Inside we really just want to be loved, to be accepted, to be found worthy more than anything else. And we’ll do just about anything to get it.
The problems come when the truth comes out – when we wear the wrong clothes, when we drive the wrong cars, when we take the wrong job, when we hang out with the wrong people, when we say the wrong things. When our true self comes out it totally discounts the “better” self, and therefore it totally discounts any love, acceptance, or worthiness that came with it.
Love based on lies is no love at all.
God doesn’t work this way. God says nothing could separate us from His love (Romans 8). This means that nothing we are ashamed of – our failures, our blunders, our mistakes, our weaknesses, our doubts – nothing would make Him love us less. It also means that nothing could Him love us more – the right clothes, the right car, the right job, the right friends, our strength, our glamour – none of it will earn His love. Simply said, we don’t have to play the game with God. He loves us just as we are.
The sooner we accept this truth is the sooner that we really are better.
I hope you enjoy the new song, “Baby, There’s Still Me.” Its available for a free download this month on The Writer’s Closet, my Home page, and, yes, on MySpace.
Also, I need your vote at Indie Heaven “Church or a Brothel” is currently #30 on the fan faves chart, and #3 on the Rock chart. If you’d like to see my song climb to the top of the chart, vote here.
Filed under: God, environment, life, people | Tags: david herndon, going green, mvule project, the greatest commandment
I wanted to expand on last week’s entry about “going green.” If you missed out on that entry, be sure to catch up because its not about what you think its about based on that summation.
I firmly believe that we (human beings) get things backwards sometimes. We know our world is messed up, so we try to fix the world - and not the people that live on the world, control the world, destroy the world, etc. Example: We try to “go green” by inventing hybrids, building recycling stations, and growing “organic” products. You can produce all the hybrids you want, but if people still don’t care about other people, things are never going to really change. I believe this is what Jesus had in mind when he said the most important commandment was to love god via loving people. If every human being genuinely cared about every other human being (or at least every other human being), then I believe our world would be a lot greener… in more ways than one. None of this is to say that I don’t support the green movement. I do. I believe loving people and loving the planet are two important things. I also believe you can combine the two for one dynamic, world-changing effect.
Here are some ways you can go green and love people at the same time (go green via loving people)
1. Car Pool Evangelism/Discipleship: If you’re a Christian, you probably have that certain person really want to share Christ with. Effective evangelism and discipleship requires time, it requires a relationship. Often this relationship is with someone you spend a lot of time with, a fellow student, a co-worker, etc. So, what better way to initiate more time together (for talking/listening/sharing) than a car pool? You could lead someone to Christ and cut down on harmful emissions.
2. Feed the Hungry, Not the Landfill: Do an inventory of everything you use on a weekly basis in your home, from food to laundry detergent to toilet paper. Try to categorize these things (and more importantly the quantity you use) into three categories: absolutely necessary; beneficial but not necesarry; and pure pleasure. Try going a month using only the “absolutely necessary” category. Use the extra money you save at Wal-Mart that month to sponsor a mission organization, a church, or another benevolent charity. You’ll cut down on waste, probably lose some weight, and help the needy community. Take it a step further and go a year using only the “absolutely necessary” category.
3. Save the Ozone/Save a Village: The Mvule Project is a great organization to sponsor. Visit their site to get all of the wonderful trees, but here are the basics: Certain regions in Africa have been completely deforested, the people lack education, employment, and health care to name a few. When you buy an Mvule tree from the Mvule project you ultimately provide job opportunities and stimulate economic growth which leads to the building of schools, churches, and hospitals. Your one tree will change the future of generations. You’ll also be helping to alleviate the deforestation problem that is facing the globe.
Those are a few of my favorites. Sound Cheesy? A little. Simple? Yes. But real change does not happen over night. It happens in small steps. We can all take at least one step. I have more to list, and will do so in the future. In the meantime, please share your ideas about how to go green via loving people. More importantly, act on your ideas!
Filed under: God, environment, life, people, religion | Tags: christianity, church, david herndon, environment, God, going green, hybrid, recycling
Its been a while since I posted a controversial blog. I know you’ve all been waiting for one, so here you go:
With gas prices soaring and global warming heating up, everyone from Woody Harrelson to Rob Bell has something to say about “going green.” It is a real issue and the state of the environment is something we all need to seriously think about. It is also a movement that is on the rise within Christianity and the Church’s voice on the matter gets louder every day. As an avid outdoors person myself, I am a big supporter of the “go green” movement. That being said, I do have some concerns with the way it is being presented in Christian circles. It seems that the Christian view is being taught that if you are a believer, yet are not environmentally conscious or active, then you are committing a sin. In some ways “go green” is being taught as the Eleventh Commandment (thou shalt drive a hybrid), and as usual I have a little different view on the spiritual side of this discussion.
The question that keeps popping up in my head as I hear green sermons and have green discussions with people is this: What is God’s perspective on “going green?” Is it really as big a deal to Him as it is to us? How concerned is God with our environment? If Jesus traveled by jet, would he buy a carbon offset? It is often taught that God is green and that being environmentally aware is vital to our spirituality. I’m not so sure.
The most famous scripture quotation would come from Genesis 1, in which God gives man authority over the earth, the vegetation, and the animals with the command to subdue to the earth and be fruitful and multiply. The interpretation is often that God’s command for man to “care for the earth” is really a command to “take care of the earth,” that our responsibility is to do our best to preserve it and protect it. But is that what God is saying? He could be saying, “I’m giving you the earth - do with it whatever you want -it’s yours.” In Isaiah God talks about how the grass will wither and the flower will fade, but the word of the Lord will stand forever. I interpret this as God saying, “Don’t get too invested in temporary things, but invest in what is eternal.” He presents the earth as being a temporary thing - a material thing, if you will. It will not always be here. God’s word is eternal. It will always be here. It will always stand. It is the only thing worth truly investing in. Biblically speaking, no matter what we do environmentally, no matter how green we get, the earth is eventually going to be destroyed anyway. It was never meant to last forever, so how concerned should we be in preserving it? In Genesis 6, God himself decides to flood the earth and start over (talk about a global warming crisis). He doesn’t seem too concerned there about “going green.” He does seem concerned with preserving righteousness.
The truth is, I just don’t find much in the bible that presents a strong spiritual argument for “going green.”
One day someone asked Jesus what the greatest commandment is. Jesus did not say to recycle or install solar panels on your house or to drive a hybrid. He did say this: “you shall love the Lord, your God, with all of your heart, soul, and mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: you shall love your neighbor as yourself. All of God’s laws hang on these two commandments.” It seems Jesus’ priority was less in how we treat the earth and more in how we treat the creator and the people of the earth.
Before you get too angry with me and misinterpret what I’m saying, let me be clear: As humans, we should try our best to be good stewards of the earth. As Christians, we should be the front runners in this movement. I’m not telling you to start throwing all of your trash on the side of the road or to start burning down forests or to start killing bunny rabbits or anything. Out of respect for our Creator, we should respect His creation. I just think we’re going about things the wrong way.
Instead of opening the newspaper and seeing articles about how to care for the environment, I would be delighted to see articles about how to care for people. Instead of seeing a movie star on TV talking about being green, I would like to see a movie star talking about being loving. Instead of governments imposing pollution taxes, I would like to see governments imposing uncompassionate taxes. Instead of Nobel prizes being awarded for environmental accomplishments, I would like to see Nobel prizes for evangelical accomplishments.
I think if we as humans became consumed with loving people, then our environment would be in a better state. Our world is going to great lengths and spending incredible amounts of money in the interest of the environment. What would our world look like if we went to such lengths and spent as much money in the interest of loving people?
The grass will wither. The flower will fade. The earth is temporary. God’s word and God’s ways will stand forever. You tell me which is more important.
I look forward to your comments.
Filed under: God, life | Tags: complaining, hospitals, perspective, thankfulness
A few weeks ago my youngest son was in the hospital for the fourth time in as many months. When you’ve stayed in the hospital that much, it kind of starts feeling like a relative’s house - you know where to find things, you know everyone that lives/works there, you walk around comfortably in your pajamas. We’ve even stayed in the same room every time. One particular day during this stay I was a little grumpy (maybe from waking up every hour the night before as I shared a “cot” with my wife for a bed). In my grumpiness, I began to complain. I complained about how thin the walls were and how we could here other babies crying and other rooms’ televisions. I complained about how hot it was in the room and how a hospital should have a functional air system. I complained about the furniture and how uncomfortable it was. I complained about how no one had any news for us after all the tests they had run. I think I may have even worked in the phrase “this is all worthless” at some point.
This is not one of my finer moments, nor is it something I’m proud of. It is true though.
Later that day I was trying to do some work (still in the hospital). I’m working with a group called The Love Alliance and we’re trying to help encourage people to be agents of change in their communities. I was working on a presentation for a group I would be speaking to later that week. I was putting together statistics about the state of the world, how badly we need people to step up and do something instead of just talking about it. Then I ran across this statistic: 30,000 children die every day simply because they do not have access to simple medical care.
I’ve never felt like a bigger loser than I did right then.
Here I am complaining that the hospital (one that is less than 5 miles from my house) has a faulty AC, and across the world thousands of children are dying because they don’t even have a hospital in their town, region, maybe even country - much less one with an air conditioner. I immediately changed my tune. I immediately asked my wife (the one who bears the brunt of my tyrades) to forgive me. I had received a fresh perspective.
I spend far more time than I care to admit complaining. Sometimes I spend an entire day in a grumpy mood over trivial things. We all do, dont’ we? We get cut off in traffic or a coworker says something rude and we go into “woe is me” mode, as if the sky were literally falling around us. We forget to be thankful that we have a car and a job - two things that most of the world will never have. Even if our car is a junker and our job sucks, we’re still better off than more than half of the world population.
But we don’t see that. I don’t see that. I/We need a fresh perspective.
So my challenge to you today is when you are tempted to complain about something - stop, take a deep breath, and ask God to give you some fresh perspective. You may have more to appreciate than you realize.
If you have any consistency in reading this blog, you will know that I have some pretty big concerns about “mega-churches.” My most recent blog in this arena apparently ruffled some feathers, raised some questions, and began what I think is a significant thought process. I do not oppose mega-ministries, but I do have some serious concerns about how/why they do things. It is never comfortable to be the one asking the questions of accountability. Thanks to all who responded… hopefully you will have some response to this blog, so here we go…
I find it interesting that a few months ago I wrote a blog about the ordination of homo-sexuals, which only received 3 comments out of 71 total views (1 of which should be disqualified because it was my mother -she has to respond). A couple of weeks ago I wrote the “fifty million dollars” blog, in which I made some negative comments about a certain Atlanta based Mega-Church and I received 17 comments out of 160 total views. Apparently we have stronger feelings about Andy Stanley than we do about Gay Ministers. So the Mega-Church issue is obviously a subject many people have mixed feelings about, and it might be good to talk about it some more. Here are my top 3 grievances with the Mega-Church. The rule is, if you read them, you MUST comment. This page is meant to be a discussion.
Grievance #1. Multiplication: I think it is clear when you study the Bible that God’s method of increasing His impact is through discipleship and multiplication. Elijah poured into Elisha, Jacob into Joseph, Moses into Joshua, Samuel into David, Jesus into the disciples, Paul into Timothy, and the list goes on. Jesus was God’s Son, solely charged with man’s redemption, but even he did not try to do it all himself. He commanded the disciples to make some more disciples that would make some more disciples, etc, etc. They did, and that is why I’m writing this blog right now. Think about that for a minute.
Most Mega-Churches are into planting campuses - not new churches - campuses. Attend one of these campuses. You’ll be greeted by a person, you’ll be musically led in worship by a band, but the message will come from the sole Pastor of the church via satellite or internet or dvd. Where is the multiplication in that? These churches often make a habit of hiring professionals to “work” the service - professional musicians, PR, production companies, etc. They raise the “quality” of presentation, but create no opportunity for volunteering in a significant capacity. Where is the multiplication in that? How can you follow Jesus’ commands of making true disciples if you never give the followers a chance to do more than be a spectator?
Also, often these spectators are lost on the biblical mandates and vision behind why the church does what it does. I hear more about how cool these churches are, how technologically advanced they are, who is leading worship, who is speaking, and how much money they are spending. But I hear very little in regards to what spiritual experience and connection with God is happening. Even Northpoint’s own employee thought it more important to inform me of how much money was spent on their Buckhead campus rather than WHY they even built a Buckhead campus. True Discipleship requires you to explain the Why. If people don’t understand the Why, then they will never get the What, the How, the When, or the Who. Think about that for a minute.
Grievance #2. Spending: Many people argue that you cannot put a price on evangelism, that we should do whatever it takes to reach the lost. The result is that many of the Mega-Churches are spending billions of dollars (collectively) to build structures to “attract” people to their “campus.” They will spend ungodly amounts of money in the name of serving Jesus. First of all, this is not how Jesus did ministry. He went to where the lost were. He did not wait around and wait for them, nor did he bribe them to hang out with him. If we have to spend millions of dollars to make church “attractive,” then I would say we are not truly being what the Church is meant to be. Read Acts 2 sometime.
Often the church will spend money in the name of “quality.” We want to give Jesus our best, so we feel we need to buy the best. As we speak, I am making decisions for my own church’s new building and sound system. My salesmen demand that my church “deserves” the best speakers, etc. I’ve also heard this pitch at a car dealership - you deserve the best, but lets be honest, a Honda Civic can get me just as many places as a BMW. I may deserve it, but do I need it? And at what cost? If I buy the $22,000 soundboard for my church instead of the $5,000 what potential ministries are being missed in that $17,000 difference. Mega-Churches have a duty to draw the line between what you deserve and what you need. Jesus always gave us what we needed over what we deserved. Think about that for a minute.
Furthermore, most of the people who criticize the church do so about money. If we are trying to reach our critics, then we’re not doing ourselves any favors by spending money just because we have it. I agree, we should do whatever it takes to reach the lost. But “whatever it takes” is not always “everything you have.”
Grievance #3. Pride: also known as the “know it all” complex. Many Mega-Churches hold annual conferences for other (small) churches to come learn “how to do church the right way.” In other words, “this is how we do it and so should you.” Many of these Pastors write books on how to be a pastor and how to run a church. In other words, “this is how I do it and so should you.” What mandate says that if your weekly attendance surpasses 10,000 people then you are doing it “right?” I know Jesus often ministered to thousands of people, but in the end it was a very small group that actually did what he taught. I think we fool ourselves to say that numbers equals success. Just because people are attracted to what you are saying does not mean your saying the right thing, or rather, true things. Think about that for a minute.
All churches should first and foremost challenged to listen to God and do whatever He says. When Jesus was questioned about his methods, his answer was always some form of this: “I say what I hear the Father say and I do what I see the Father doing.” My church is not made up of the same people that an Atlanta church is made of. Our circumstances are different. Our struggle is different. Our calling from God is the same, but the method is almost guaranteed to look different than anything else. We are meant to conform to Christ, and not to each other. The Church universal could make so much more of an impact in the world if we would embrace our differences rather than try to outdo and redo each other. We’re not all a bunch of feet (II Corinthians). Think about that for a minute.
So there you have it. I tried to convey my worries without hurting anyone’s feelings. I hope that you commenting folks will respond with as much passion and insight as you have before. Also, I think it would be fun to forward this blog all the way to a Pastor of a true Mega-Church and get a response, so if you have any connections…
Okay, I’ve been sitting on this one for a couple of weeks and I can’t hold it in anymore. It is sure to step on some toes and rattle some cages, but in the end I hope I can start a healthy discussion here about what is necessary.
A couple of weeks ago I bumped into an old friend at a wedding. This friend currently works at Northpoint Community Church in Atlanta, home to Andy Stanley and other Pop-Christian-Culture Spiritual Gurus. As we talked he began filling me in on all that is going on with Northpoint and everything he’s working on. Then he invited me to come up to Atlanta some time so that he could give me a tour of their newest Buckhead Campus. Here is how the conversation went:
Friend: You really need to come see our new Buckhead Campus.
Me: I’ll give you a call next time I’m in the area.
Friend: But you really need to see this building. It cost Fifty Million Dollars.
Me: FIFTY MILLION DOLLARS?!
Friend: Yeah, fifty million dollars. (said in a “what’s the big deal” tone)
Me: SERIOUSLY, FIFTY MILLION DOLLARS?! (no, this is not a typo)
Friend: Yes, fifty million dollars. (now he seems a little annoyed)
Me: Don’t you think you guys could have used fifty million dollars to eradicate world hunger or something instead of adding another building to Atlanta?
Friend: Yeah, but this building is like a work of art… it’s all glass… the view is amazing… its beautiful… its even up for an architectural award… we hired the same architects that built the Atlanta Aquarium. (now he’s really annoyed)
Me: Don’t you think you guys could have used fifty million dollars to eradicate world hunger or something instead of adding another award winning building to Atlanta?
Friend: Well, we raised 25 million within the church. (does that mean a 25 million debt?)
Me: Don’t you think you guys could have used 25 million dollars to eradicate world hunger or something?
Friend: Well, property in Buckhead is really expensive, so that’s where a lot of money went.
Me: I hear real estate is pretty affordable in third world countries that don’t have schools or hospitals or churches.
Friend: Well, it was good seeing you. Call me next time you’re in Atlanta.
I’m not sure if we’re still friends, as I may have offended him. I’ll be the first to admit I came off a little strong, but am I the only one who has a problem with this church spending such a ridiculous amount of money on a building? I mean I know buildings cost money - a lot of money - but not fifty million dollars. So I left that conversation (or rather was left in that conversation) with a lot of questions:
Is it necessary to spend that much money on a church? Is it necessary for churches to use award winning architects to build their buildings? Is it necessary for churches to be made of all glass and to have amazing views? Is it necessary for churches to build in the most expensive areas of town? Do we go to such great lengths because we are trying to make church and Jesus attractive to the world around us? What kind of message are we sending to people when we try so hard to get them to come to church? What kind of message are we sending about Jesus if we have to try so hard to get people to come to church? How can we teach people about Jesus and compassion and justice, ask for their money, and then waste it on a building instead of replicating Jesus’ compassion and justice?
Northpoint is not the only church going to such great lengths to reach people. “Mega” churches all over the country are spending enough money to buy the moon building worship facilities. But for what purpose? Does Jesus really need us to make him attractive? When Jesus prayed for all believers in John 17, was he envisioning the mega-church? Is Christianity suppossed to be attractive? Is this the same way Jesus would have done it?
Jesus did not need a fancy building to teach and heal. He did not need flashy backgrounds or the latest presentation software or a Mac. He sought necessity and sufficiency over flash and splurge. He was relevant. He was authentic. He was effective. But He was not wasteful. He presented the Truth and let the Truth do its work.
He told all of his followers to lose themselves and to die to themselves and to love others more than they love themselves. As a result all of his followers abandoned him and He was killed as a result. It doesn’t sound very attractive or fun or easy, but it made the biggest impact the world has ever witnessed.
I think Jesus would have spent fifty million dollars feeding the hungry, healing the sick, and freeing the oppressed.
The other day was not going so well for me. A lot of stress was upon me from many different directions, and the result was that I was exhausted, frustrated, afraid, and angry. In a word, I was weak. My wife, in trying to help me, unintentionally offended me. The sad thing is, I knew it was not her intention to offend me, but it was so easy to be offended and it honestly brought a little relief for me to “take things out” on her. I know it sounds awful, but I’m just being honest. Subconsciously I needed somewhere/something/someone to lash out at without any added stress or consequence. Subconciously I knew my wife is strong enough and loves me enough to deal with me being a jerk, so I took it out on her.
I have a friend who is the parent of a teenager. This teenager is going through a lot of changes right now: puberty, freshman year of high school, new social stresses, friendship changes, identity crisis, plus some personal past pains that make him a little different from other kids his age. It can be a stressful time for the kid, which in turn becomes a stressful time for his parents. The kid is pretty much just being a jerk to his dad, and if you ask him why he doesn’t have a good reason. His dad, my friend, said to me, “He has a lot to be angry and frustrated about right now and I’m the safest place for him to get that out.”
No one tells you when you get married that sometimes your spouse is going to be awful to you, and there is nothing you can do about it. Sometimes you just have to be a punching bag.
No one tells you when you become a parent that sometimes your kids are going to be terrible, and the best thing you can do for them is to let them be terrible. Sometimes you just have to be a punching bag.
No one understood this aspect of love better than Jesus. I would dare say that Jesus is the biggest punching bag of all. He in effect says, “Take your pain out on me, even if it kills me.” So we did. So we do. And so it makes it better. God truly does work in mysterious ways. His system of fairness seems so off balance sometimes. Our system is that if someone is hateful to you (no matter what their situation), then you get a chance to be equally hateful to them (again, no matter what their situation). Jesus in effect says that the fair thing to do sometimes is to lose, to let them beat you even when you don’t deserve it. Jesus says, “Greater love has no man than this: that he lay down his life for his friends.” Sometimes the best way we can serve those we love is to let them take it out on us, to be the punching bag. It is not easy, and it definitely does not feel good.
The bible also says that in our anger we should not sin. We could make an argument that others should not take their pain out on us. I believe this is true. I believe it was wrong for me to lash out at my wife. I believe it is wrong for my friend’s son to be so cruel to his father. But I believe the appropriate, Christ-like response to sin is not to condemn, but to bear the burden for the other. Clearly, this is what the cross is all about. If someone you love is going to hurt someone, it is better for it to be you because you are strong enough to take it. Sometimes you just have to be a punching bag.
So the next time a loved one lashes out at you try this:
Step 1: Take a deep breath.
Step 2: Try to identify their source of pain (it most likely has nothing to do with you at all)
Step 3: Brace yourself for impact. Don’t retaliate. Don’t try to fix it. Just let them “hit” you as much as they need to.
Step 4: Quietly forgive them and continue to love them.
I work with teenagers, and often we will be out somewhere doing something fun. Perhaps we get a little too loud or rowdy at times and some conscientous adult will approach our group and ask, “Who is in charge?” Obviously they think I am a teenager instead of an actual adult. Some of this could have to do with my behavior when I am with teens, but at the same time I do not stand out to them as an actual real adult. A couple of years ago I went to a rated R movie (don’t judge me - it was just a little violent) and I got carded. The 15 year old movie attendant wanted to make sure that I was in fact old enough to view a movie of such rating. A church attender asked me where I attend school, not attended, as in the past tense, but attend, as in the present tense. Often I will be out somewhere with my son and people will hear him call me “Daddy” and actually ask me how old I am (implying that I am too young to be a father).
But when I look around at other people my age (late 20’s/early 30’s), they look like me. They have kids. They have jobs. They own cars and homes and have responsibilities. I wonder if they get similar treatment. Probably, and here is why: Its Hollywood’s fault! I know it sounds cliche, but I mean it.
This has long been a theory of mine: We think young people should look older because older people play young characters on TV. Of course I look like I’m 17. That’s because all of the 17 year olds on TV are played by 30 year olds.
TV is constantly distorting reality. We think older people should look younger than they actually do because older TV stars work so hard at looking younger. What’s wrong with looking older if you are older? Women think that after having a baby they should immediately be able to fit into their old prom dress. Is that a realistic expectation? No. They only think that because after the stars have babies they wear girdles out in public. Gwyneth Paltrow actually wore two girdles at the same time to look thinner. We expect men to be brawny and stupid because all of the male characters on TV are brawny and stupid (Everybody loves Raymond, According to Jim, etc.). The list goes on and on. Hollywood airbrushes the pictures, changes the lighting, uses stand ins and doubles… anything they can do to make things larger than life.
And boy do they. They make it so big, we feel like our self image and our quality of life is not good enough.
It may seem like I’m getting onto hollywood. I’m not. I think they are doing exactly what TV shows and movies and “fantasy” businesses should do. I’m getting on to us for allowing our sense of reality to be so shaped by people and businesses that make a career out of being fake. Our response is that instead of simply being entertained, we replicate what we see. Instead of having a good laugh and saying, “Yeah right,” we pause in thought and say “What if.” We need to be more realistic.
The ultimate consequence is that we end up striving for a perfection in life and in self and in others that can not only never be attained, but was never meant to be attained or pursued. We are destined to be perpetually let down. Maybe men were never meant to be so strong that there is no room for compassion. Maybe women were never meant to be a size two, or worse. Maybe teenagers were never meant to have sex before they graduate high school. Maybe families were never meant to live in a house that big. Maybe we were never meant to date 15 women at a time and break up with one a week and then marry whoever survives in the end. But yet these are the realities portrayed in our culture and we pursue them with all that we have. Even when we attain them, we are still left empty.
Here’s the challenge: give yourself a break. Don’t judge your quality of life or your self-image based on what you see in the culture around you. Try to find out what God (the One who made all of this) expects of you and what kind of life he designed for you to life. I guarantee it is much easier to attain and absolutely fulfilling. Know and trust that God made you and God loves you… just as you are. The only thing you should ever be concerned about changing is your nearness to Him.
I have been very concerned lately about how we (meaning those of us who call ourselves Christians) are treating other people. I would like to write for you the story of Donny, a friend of XXXChurch.com, but this story has already been written. Click here to read it, and then come back to this blog…
Go ahead… Read Donny’s story, then come back….
This is what I’m talking about! The church is meant to be a source of refuge and rescue in this fallen world. We are meant to be the Christ incarnate, to represent His characteristics and attributes to the people around us. But instead we push people who are “different” than we are away… or we say “come back when you look and act a little more like we’re used to around here.” Or we write them off completely (like in Donny’s story) and assume that they could never be a Christian.
My friend Wes is one of the strongest Christians I know. He faithfully leads worship at our church and volunteers with our youth group. He loves Jesus and he loves sharing Jesus with others. Wes also has a “few” tatoos. Once we went to a multi-church function where other youth groups were involved. A youth pastor from another church asked me “Who is the tatoo guy here with?” I answered that he was with me. Then this youth pastor asked if Wes was a recent convert!
Why? Because he has tatoos?
Why is that we (meaning those of us who call ourselves Christians) have a hard time believing porn stars and people with tatoos can be devout Christians? We suffer from the same virus that caused the Pharisees to think it was ridiculous that Jesus would hang out with Prostitutes and Drunks instead of with them.
When we look at people we all too often see what was or what is, but we never see what could be. Isn’t that kind of the point of Grace? Does Jesus not look at us and see us in our sin and choose to accept us and to love us and move us to become what we could be?
Who are the people you have a hard time believing would ever be interested in Jesus? Do you write them off? Do you avoid them? Are you selling them short? Do you see them for who they were, for who they are, or for who they could be.
Are you sure that if Jesus were here in the flesh he wouldn’t be spending time with them and talking to them?
Oops… he is here in the flesh. Think about it.
I was listening to a friend the other day talking about how he had to “get it together.” We had a whole conversation about how hard it is to “get it together” or to get “my act” together or to get “myself” together. It does not matter how you phrase it, the concept is the same: I think somewhere deep inside of us we all have this feeling, this inclination that we are incomplete and the life we live is not satisfactory.
Now, on one hand this is true. Apart from Jesus Christ, we are incomplete and our life is unsatisfactory, both for Him and for us. But I’m talking about Christians today, who despite the fact they have received new life in Christ, are still discontent with the rest of their lives. Who started the lie that we are incomplete WITH Jesus in our life?
I realize that there will be times when life seems chaotic, circumstances are out of control, and our internal state of emotions is unstable. Our mistake is in letting these temporary, circumstantial factors affect our belief and trust in Christ. Yes, you are screwed up and you will screw up, but it does not invalidate Jesus’ grace in your life.
So, have you lost it? Do you not “have it together?” I have news for you… you never will, not on your own. So instead of spending your time dreaming of a day when you will “get it together,” start looking at the reality of the situation and look for what difference Jesus makes in it. Look for the joy that comes from resting completely in his strength and living a life that says, “the only way I’ll get through this is if Jesus carries me.” Stop dreaming of being rescued and realize that you already have been.
This is a short blog, but there is freedom in this. Don’t analyze it. Don’t criticize it. Just read it, believe it, and live it.
