Self confidence is a tricky thing.
Too little, and you're a pushover, easily manipulated, and whiny. Too much, and you're brash, a bully, and arrogant. I've come to realize that I have this problem. I've also come to realize that often when I am in my overconfident mode, I'm really just covering up for my insecurities. I've failed at something, or made some sort of moral compromise, so I try to put on an air of bravado. And I'm a jerk so you can't see how insecure I am.
I've come to see in myself- and others as well- this sort of attempt at self-correction gone wrong. It often comes across in one (or more) of these ways:
Know It All If you think you are lacking in some way, why not try very hard to prove you are smarter than everyone else? Now, it's one thing to actually know a lot about something- but to act like you know everything is kind of annoying. I tend to get this way with my wife. Just today, while discussing something, I played the Know-It-All card. Fortunately, she called me on it. I was desperate to be right about something to validate myself. So I used fancy words and dismissive tones. I've been on the receiving end of this, as well. If you remember the old "Nick Burns, Your Company's Computer Guy" sketch from SNL-that's a pretty good picture of the Know-It-All.
I hate when I get like this- I feel like an elitist looking down on others. Really, that's what behaving as a Know-It-All is all about- making yourself feel superior so the real you doesn't prove a let down.
Cocky I was really good at this one in High School. Maybe it was because I watched Top Gun too much as a kid, but arrogant and cocky has always been a go-to self-confidence facade for me. It's like, if I tell myself "I'm Awesome" enough, then I- and everyone else- simply must believe it's true. As I've gotten older, I've come to realize this is the most transparent form of posturing. It's clear that the Cocky person is simply trying to convince themselves they have worth.
Democratic(Not the political party) Not really a course-correction thing, as much as a "I really don't know for sure, so you must be right" thing. I often see this come out in me as someone not totally agreeing with my course of action or idea- so I cave. I don't trust myself or my vision enough, so that when someone points out a flaw- real or otherwise- I become convinced that flaw IS the Achilles' Heel. I give myself the allusion of power because I am being a good leader and getting input. What's really happening is that I am terrified my leadership is weak, and will be thwarted if I don't back off this idea that clearly someone (in my mind, everyone) disagrees with.
I think we all struggle with self-confidence, at various times. And I know we have all experienced the insecure person trying to hide that fact. What I think is important is that we realize what value we actually have.
Well, duh.
It's easy to say that, but how do you do that? The church answer is of course, "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me..." Galatians 2:20. That is a true statement, but what does it mean, really? It means your value need not be derived from you and what you do- it needs to be pulled from the value you have in Christ. Do you think Christ loves you? Do you think Christ is pleased with you? Do you believe He has accepted you, faults and all? If you can answer yes to those, why do YOU still need to boost your ego? If you can't answer yes, then check this out:
"There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
We love because he first loved us." 1 John 4:18-19.
The root of a lack of self confidence is fear. Fear that we haven't got what it takes. Fear we will be rejected. Fear we will fail. If we can realize that God loves us- how can fear rejection by Man and his standards?
So if you find you find yourself "Nick Burns-ing" it, or "Maverick-ing" it, or even being a pushover for diplomacy sake- ask why. Why are you trying to be a jerk to hide your fears about your inadequacies?
And don't be so quick to dismiss other people who point out to you when you are posturing in such a way. I've encountered people who will joke about others being this way, when in fact they themselves are doing the same stuff.
We're all a little insecure from time to time, so be accepting of that. But also, don't try to hide it. We are broken people, and we DO need to be reminded that our God has come to put us back together, to make us alright.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Monday, November 22, 2010
A Great Cloud of Witnesses
God has been really good to us lately.
Friday, we found out we had free tickets to the A&M Nebraska game. We scrambled to find someone to watch our kids so Kristin and I could go. Unfortunately, all of our normal potential baby-sitters were either going to the game themselves (31,005 students pulled tickets for the national record for most student tickets purchased), or were babysitting for someone else going to the game. Then Saturday morning, after giving up hope that we could go, Kristin's mom volunteered to drive in and watch the kids so we could. My mother-in-law is awesome.
Kristin and I rode to the game with her Uncle Fred and cousin Cheryl, so we also got great parking thanks to their being season ticket holders. Their seats were on the lower deck, and ours were on the second, so we split up to find some food then our seats.
And what seats they were. They were pretty much 50 yard line seats for potentially the biggest game of the week- certainly the biggest thus far this year for the Aggies. We were there early enough to see the march in by the Corps of Cadets, and catch the Senior night recognitions. As the promo reels and the pre-game videos began to roll, you could tell there was something special going on.
In one way, this was expected. It was a huge game, and Aggies have long been known to be super-fans. We'd already broken the student ticket record, and we soon discovered we set the record for largest crowd at Kyle Field. Statements by Nebraska's coach putting down the Aggie fans (The 12th Man) had riled up an already rowdy student section. And the Aggies were winning again, the defense was almost back to it's "Wrecking Crew" status of the decade prior, and the fans were expecting good things again for the first time in a number of years.
That's also why it was a surprise. I had only been to one game since I graduated, and it had lacked this intensity. It had been rather sedate and almost deflated. But this night it felt like the old passion that I knew from my years as a student was back, and it was wearing maroon and waving white towels.
In the midst of 90,000 plus people, yelling for their team to the point of losing their voice, I saw what passion is about. I saw it in the efforts of the young men on the field. I heard in the deafening cries of the 12th Man on defensive stands. I felt it my heart as I watched video of seasons gone by and heroes of those years. I am an Aggie, and I felt it that night. It went beyond a head knowledge that, yes I have an Aggie ring and a diploma, so I'm an Aggie. It was more than just me wearing a maroon Aggie jersey. It was more than yelling at the right times and singing the War Hymn and 'Sawing Varsity Horns Off" with the rest of the fans. It wasn't what I was doing or wearing.
It was who I was.
In the moments of tension and excitement, as the Aggies saw the Husker's final pass fall incomplete, and Ryan Tannehill took a knee to end the game- I found myself longing for more of this. Victory. Passion.
As a Christian, I learned a lot about passion Saturday night. If we were as passionate, as motivated, about Christ as we were about BTHO Nebraska- what could we accomplish? I was inspired by the 12th Man, because they- though they never set foot on the field- gave all that they could for a game that mattered.
The "game that matters" to us as followers of Christ demands our full commitment, our full passion. It demands that we wear our voices bear proclaiming Christ. It demands we adorn ourselves not with maroon and white, but with the acceptance of the blood of Christ- shed for us so that we may know Him. It demands that we stand for each other when play is close and our friends need all the support they can get to hold on just a little longer.
When the final time ran away from the clock, those white towels began to fly. Tossed upward like graduation caps, they floated a few rows down from their launching point. The celebration was not just for the team on the field, it was for all of us. We had all given of ourselves, yelled our support, stood our ground, and waved our towels. Those guys on the field gave their blood, sweat and tears, and they looked to us, their very own "great cloud of witnesses" (Hebrews 12:1) and welcomed us into their victory.
I want to be as passionate for your victory in Christ as I was for the Aggies victory on Kyle Field. I want to give my support to you, so that when your victory is won, you too will turn to me, and the rest of your "12th Man" and say, "This victory is all of ours!"
Passion is shared, and it it mutliplied in its sharing. May our passion for Christ be as contagious as a Yell from Kyle Field on Game Day.
Friday, we found out we had free tickets to the A&M Nebraska game. We scrambled to find someone to watch our kids so Kristin and I could go. Unfortunately, all of our normal potential baby-sitters were either going to the game themselves (31,005 students pulled tickets for the national record for most student tickets purchased), or were babysitting for someone else going to the game. Then Saturday morning, after giving up hope that we could go, Kristin's mom volunteered to drive in and watch the kids so we could. My mother-in-law is awesome.
Kristin and I rode to the game with her Uncle Fred and cousin Cheryl, so we also got great parking thanks to their being season ticket holders. Their seats were on the lower deck, and ours were on the second, so we split up to find some food then our seats.
And what seats they were. They were pretty much 50 yard line seats for potentially the biggest game of the week- certainly the biggest thus far this year for the Aggies. We were there early enough to see the march in by the Corps of Cadets, and catch the Senior night recognitions. As the promo reels and the pre-game videos began to roll, you could tell there was something special going on.
In one way, this was expected. It was a huge game, and Aggies have long been known to be super-fans. We'd already broken the student ticket record, and we soon discovered we set the record for largest crowd at Kyle Field. Statements by Nebraska's coach putting down the Aggie fans (The 12th Man) had riled up an already rowdy student section. And the Aggies were winning again, the defense was almost back to it's "Wrecking Crew" status of the decade prior, and the fans were expecting good things again for the first time in a number of years.
That's also why it was a surprise. I had only been to one game since I graduated, and it had lacked this intensity. It had been rather sedate and almost deflated. But this night it felt like the old passion that I knew from my years as a student was back, and it was wearing maroon and waving white towels.
In the midst of 90,000 plus people, yelling for their team to the point of losing their voice, I saw what passion is about. I saw it in the efforts of the young men on the field. I heard in the deafening cries of the 12th Man on defensive stands. I felt it my heart as I watched video of seasons gone by and heroes of those years. I am an Aggie, and I felt it that night. It went beyond a head knowledge that, yes I have an Aggie ring and a diploma, so I'm an Aggie. It was more than just me wearing a maroon Aggie jersey. It was more than yelling at the right times and singing the War Hymn and 'Sawing Varsity Horns Off" with the rest of the fans. It wasn't what I was doing or wearing.
It was who I was.
In the moments of tension and excitement, as the Aggies saw the Husker's final pass fall incomplete, and Ryan Tannehill took a knee to end the game- I found myself longing for more of this. Victory. Passion.
As a Christian, I learned a lot about passion Saturday night. If we were as passionate, as motivated, about Christ as we were about BTHO Nebraska- what could we accomplish? I was inspired by the 12th Man, because they- though they never set foot on the field- gave all that they could for a game that mattered.
The "game that matters" to us as followers of Christ demands our full commitment, our full passion. It demands that we wear our voices bear proclaiming Christ. It demands we adorn ourselves not with maroon and white, but with the acceptance of the blood of Christ- shed for us so that we may know Him. It demands that we stand for each other when play is close and our friends need all the support they can get to hold on just a little longer.
When the final time ran away from the clock, those white towels began to fly. Tossed upward like graduation caps, they floated a few rows down from their launching point. The celebration was not just for the team on the field, it was for all of us. We had all given of ourselves, yelled our support, stood our ground, and waved our towels. Those guys on the field gave their blood, sweat and tears, and they looked to us, their very own "great cloud of witnesses" (Hebrews 12:1) and welcomed us into their victory.
I want to be as passionate for your victory in Christ as I was for the Aggies victory on Kyle Field. I want to give my support to you, so that when your victory is won, you too will turn to me, and the rest of your "12th Man" and say, "This victory is all of ours!"
Passion is shared, and it it mutliplied in its sharing. May our passion for Christ be as contagious as a Yell from Kyle Field on Game Day.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Action Figures and Lessons on God's Kindness
Before I start, let me clarify that I am a grown man, and I am thoroughly confident in my adulthood.
I collect action figures. Specifically DC superheroes like Batman, Superman and Green Lantern. The specific type is often difficult to find, so there is a lot of browsing Walmart and Toys R Us (good thing I have kids to use as an excuse to go), or trying to find a cheap on-line dealer. Occasionally, they run an exclusive line to Walmart. This means if you don't find it there, good luck paying retail prices on Ebay. (Hint, it doesn't happen.) So Friday I made a run, based on the info that these things were starting to hit stores all over the country. I admit I actually prayed that they'd be there, and fully explained to God that I realized this was totally un-spiritual and sort of indulgent. There weren't any out, so I asked a sales associate if they knew when any might come in. She went to check, and ten minutes later she returned with a box containing just what I was looking for. I was so glad to have just saved a ton of time and gas trying to catch these elusive plastic heroes and I thanked the nice lady, and made my purchase.
Then, I remembered my prayer. And I realized that God's kindness isn't always in the form of the super-spiritual. How often have you found a parking spot right there at the door that was open? Or gotten a random check in the mail when you needed it? Or heard a favorite song just when you were needing it?
The truth is, God cares about what makes you happy. He doesn't always make it happen, but He loves to see you smile. Every now and then, He gives you that little cherry on top- that "I know you'll like this!" type of kindness.
I know some people will say these things are just coincidence, or random things happening. And you can believe that, but I choose to believe that there is a personal God who loves me. A God who desires to show me kindness, even in the inconsequential things. And why would God show so much kindness?
" Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?" --Romans 2:4
Paul is saying God puts off His wrath to show His kindness so that you'll repent. Why stop at just the withholding of wrath as His demonstration of kindness? Jesus would kindly allow an adulteress to live, and nudged her toward repentance. He was kind to Zacchaeus, who then made his tax collector indiscretions right.
When I found those un-important action figures, it showed me God cared. And if God cared about the little things in my life, maybe I should to. Those little moments of indulging in sin needed to be paid attention to. God cared enough to try to make me smile with a little thing, maybe I should care enough to honor Him in the little things.
So, I thanked God for the action figures. And for His kindness.
I collect action figures. Specifically DC superheroes like Batman, Superman and Green Lantern. The specific type is often difficult to find, so there is a lot of browsing Walmart and Toys R Us (good thing I have kids to use as an excuse to go), or trying to find a cheap on-line dealer. Occasionally, they run an exclusive line to Walmart. This means if you don't find it there, good luck paying retail prices on Ebay. (Hint, it doesn't happen.) So Friday I made a run, based on the info that these things were starting to hit stores all over the country. I admit I actually prayed that they'd be there, and fully explained to God that I realized this was totally un-spiritual and sort of indulgent. There weren't any out, so I asked a sales associate if they knew when any might come in. She went to check, and ten minutes later she returned with a box containing just what I was looking for. I was so glad to have just saved a ton of time and gas trying to catch these elusive plastic heroes and I thanked the nice lady, and made my purchase.
Then, I remembered my prayer. And I realized that God's kindness isn't always in the form of the super-spiritual. How often have you found a parking spot right there at the door that was open? Or gotten a random check in the mail when you needed it? Or heard a favorite song just when you were needing it?
The truth is, God cares about what makes you happy. He doesn't always make it happen, but He loves to see you smile. Every now and then, He gives you that little cherry on top- that "I know you'll like this!" type of kindness.
I know some people will say these things are just coincidence, or random things happening. And you can believe that, but I choose to believe that there is a personal God who loves me. A God who desires to show me kindness, even in the inconsequential things. And why would God show so much kindness?
" Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?" --Romans 2:4
Paul is saying God puts off His wrath to show His kindness so that you'll repent. Why stop at just the withholding of wrath as His demonstration of kindness? Jesus would kindly allow an adulteress to live, and nudged her toward repentance. He was kind to Zacchaeus, who then made his tax collector indiscretions right.
When I found those un-important action figures, it showed me God cared. And if God cared about the little things in my life, maybe I should to. Those little moments of indulging in sin needed to be paid attention to. God cared enough to try to make me smile with a little thing, maybe I should care enough to honor Him in the little things.
So, I thanked God for the action figures. And for His kindness.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Desperate Revolution
"The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation."
- Henry David Thoreau
If revolution is birthed in belief, then it is most certainly conceived in desperation. Thoreau was, whether he realized it or not, conceiving a revolution that is alive and kicking today. So many people are resigned to a life that is less than what they expected it would be. Dreams they held on to as they entered college and even the post-college world have disappeared. To paraphrase a Caedman's Call song, the optimism of our youth is dead and gone.
What happened? Did we get bogged down in the intricasies of adulthood- the responsibilities that we failed to see in all our dreaming? Did we get told 'No!' by our elders enough that we started to believe we couldn't change the world? Or did the dream just prove to be too grand to become reality?
Maybe all, maybe something else entirely. But the simple truth is, there are a lot of people I know that look at life and think, "This is not what I expected, and it's too late to change that now." They are resigned to life as they know it. Yet they are desperate to really live. It is in this desperation for renewed vigor, new chances to reclaim old glories, that revolutions are conceived.
But not all revolutions are for the best.
A mid-life crisis that sees you ditching your marriage, or going into debt to own that ridiculously cool sports car is not the kind of revolution we should want. A revolution that is not thought out and leads to you quitting a job with no other way to provide for the family is not advised either- unless of course God is telling you to do it. And He better be REAL clear on that.
I have reached a point of quiet desperation that lead to a revolution. Actually, there have been several. Most recently, I have become desperate to matter. I don't want to be just another cog in the wheel of the world- I want to make a difference. I have become desperate to show those around me that there is more to life than just getting a good job and doing the 'right thing' as society defines it. I am desperate to see the college students I serve really live, and never take no for an answer when it comes to what God places on their hearts.
I was once an idealistic young minister. I thought I could change the town I served. I was told, blatantly and implicitly, that that would never happen. Repeatedly. I was told that most ministers do their duty and never make a wave beyond a small group of people. I was told that this was a great work, for ministers to make a small impact.
I resigned myself to quiet desperation that I would never make a large impact- despite my dreams to the contrary. I lived in this state for many years and through two ministry fields. But one day, my desperation to reach a people that could still change things was birthed into a revolution. I realized that the people with the most desire, the most passion to change things were those whose optimism had not been assaulted by 'wisdom' from their elders to the point of exhaustion. They still held fast to hope, they still expected things.
My revolution would be dressed in a non-tradtional church, it would meet in a bar, it would be young. But at it's heart would be this thought: "God is bigger than our doubts, fears, and cynicism." My revolution was that the young adults who knew Christ could and should lead and guide their church while they still had optimism. Rather than waiting until they were 'old enough,' they would lead now. Their energy and excitement would be harnassed and encouraged.
It hasn't been easy, and we still aren't where my dream of revolution needs to be, but I am seeing a growing collection of Revolutionaries surrounding me. Some are deep in thier faith, others are still young. Some had already been bitten by the cynicism bug, and are fighting to be free of it. But I believe these people I've come to love can CHANGE things.
I believe it because they are changing me. My 'quiet desperation' has conceived a belief, a faith in Christ deeper than any time in my since I was in college- not unlike those Revolutionaries I know. It is only a matter of time until we give birth to a Revolution that changes those closest to us- and God willing, the city we live in.
This is why we are left on this Earth after being rescued by Jesus. Not to give in to 'quiet desperation' and acceptance that life just isn't getting any better. No, we are here to be His Revolution- to call those wandering to come back to Him, to find those who are lost, and lead the way for those who are blind.
We are to be the Revolution we are desperate for.
- Henry David Thoreau
If revolution is birthed in belief, then it is most certainly conceived in desperation. Thoreau was, whether he realized it or not, conceiving a revolution that is alive and kicking today. So many people are resigned to a life that is less than what they expected it would be. Dreams they held on to as they entered college and even the post-college world have disappeared. To paraphrase a Caedman's Call song, the optimism of our youth is dead and gone.
What happened? Did we get bogged down in the intricasies of adulthood- the responsibilities that we failed to see in all our dreaming? Did we get told 'No!' by our elders enough that we started to believe we couldn't change the world? Or did the dream just prove to be too grand to become reality?
Maybe all, maybe something else entirely. But the simple truth is, there are a lot of people I know that look at life and think, "This is not what I expected, and it's too late to change that now." They are resigned to life as they know it. Yet they are desperate to really live. It is in this desperation for renewed vigor, new chances to reclaim old glories, that revolutions are conceived.
But not all revolutions are for the best.
A mid-life crisis that sees you ditching your marriage, or going into debt to own that ridiculously cool sports car is not the kind of revolution we should want. A revolution that is not thought out and leads to you quitting a job with no other way to provide for the family is not advised either- unless of course God is telling you to do it. And He better be REAL clear on that.
I have reached a point of quiet desperation that lead to a revolution. Actually, there have been several. Most recently, I have become desperate to matter. I don't want to be just another cog in the wheel of the world- I want to make a difference. I have become desperate to show those around me that there is more to life than just getting a good job and doing the 'right thing' as society defines it. I am desperate to see the college students I serve really live, and never take no for an answer when it comes to what God places on their hearts.
I was once an idealistic young minister. I thought I could change the town I served. I was told, blatantly and implicitly, that that would never happen. Repeatedly. I was told that most ministers do their duty and never make a wave beyond a small group of people. I was told that this was a great work, for ministers to make a small impact.
I resigned myself to quiet desperation that I would never make a large impact- despite my dreams to the contrary. I lived in this state for many years and through two ministry fields. But one day, my desperation to reach a people that could still change things was birthed into a revolution. I realized that the people with the most desire, the most passion to change things were those whose optimism had not been assaulted by 'wisdom' from their elders to the point of exhaustion. They still held fast to hope, they still expected things.
My revolution would be dressed in a non-tradtional church, it would meet in a bar, it would be young. But at it's heart would be this thought: "God is bigger than our doubts, fears, and cynicism." My revolution was that the young adults who knew Christ could and should lead and guide their church while they still had optimism. Rather than waiting until they were 'old enough,' they would lead now. Their energy and excitement would be harnassed and encouraged.
It hasn't been easy, and we still aren't where my dream of revolution needs to be, but I am seeing a growing collection of Revolutionaries surrounding me. Some are deep in thier faith, others are still young. Some had already been bitten by the cynicism bug, and are fighting to be free of it. But I believe these people I've come to love can CHANGE things.
I believe it because they are changing me. My 'quiet desperation' has conceived a belief, a faith in Christ deeper than any time in my since I was in college- not unlike those Revolutionaries I know. It is only a matter of time until we give birth to a Revolution that changes those closest to us- and God willing, the city we live in.
This is why we are left on this Earth after being rescued by Jesus. Not to give in to 'quiet desperation' and acceptance that life just isn't getting any better. No, we are here to be His Revolution- to call those wandering to come back to Him, to find those who are lost, and lead the way for those who are blind.
We are to be the Revolution we are desperate for.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Believing Revolution
We all want something to believe in. It is the rallying cry of the Human Race. We seek something to believe, whether it is science or religion, something out there or something inside us, or even just ourselves. And we want others to believe in us, which is why we often work so hard to fit in. Belief makes the world go 'round.
The problem of late is that there is so much to believe in. I mean, there is so much "truth" to be found that it is hard for us to choose just one. So, we have created this concept- moral relativism. Simplified, it means "Do what feels right to you." It works great for a while because there is no wrong answer. Well, unless you do something that makes you feel bad, but then the punishment comes from you and not some outside source. But over time, many moral relativist (many, not all) find that they really don't believe in anything, and they start their search all over.
The church, as well, has found itself in a place where, like the song says, we need "something to believe in, because I'm living just to breathe." The belief that believers seek is not some concept- but actually a way of life. They realize that for at least a generation the church has grown its roots into the floor, she has grown sedentary. By extension, followers of Christ seem to have adopted a rather lazy view of spirituality. They don't want to sacrifice to know Christ, they don't want to be told their lifestyle doesn't honor Jesus, they don't really want to take a stand for Him other than to maybe wear a cross or a T-shirt. It has been safe, easy, and -in America, at least- expected that you are a 'Christian,' as if it is by birthright. Moral Relativism has crept in so that Christians do what they feel is right, not what God has shown He desires. But Moral Relativism is but a symptom of the real problem.
We don't believe.
Yeah, we know there is a God. We know He died for us and blah, blah, blah...but man, I'm really too busy for a meaningful relationship. If God were a girlfriend, we would have dumped Him years ago because there just wasn't a spark anymore. We know about Him, but He doesn't really live to us. A big part of this problem is that we don't see too many followers of Christ that are genuinely passionate about Him. We hear stories of believers in far off lands, but here in America, our "Christian Examples" are celebrity pastors and writers who tell us a lot about how we should live sacrificially while they sit in their large churches with top-notch tech. I don't find myself getting excited to believe in their God.
And so, we are lethargic. We believe there is a God, but we are still simply living just to breathe, to make it to the next paycheck, to eek out a decent grade on that test, to try to avoid another fight with the significant other about finances or the kids or what to watch on TV. We believe, but we do nothing with it. And we complain that our nation is going to Hell because no one will stand up for Christ.
We want a Revolutionary- someone to shake us from our apathy. But we need them to explain things step by step, we need to know exact answers, exact facts, for we don't want to step out on faith if we might fall. We are fearful and mistrusting of the God we believe in.
So what is the answer?
We need to be the Revolutionary we seek. Not Big Time Pastor. Not Emergent Church Writer. Not Celebrity Turned Christian. US. YOU and ME. The way to do it is to listen to the gentle voice, the almost silent whisper that comes from deep in our heart- that feeling that there must be more than this, more than this nothing that our faith has become.
Our belief must not simply rest on itself. It must grow to a fever- a passion- if we are going to see a change in not only ourselves, but our world. Change based simply on facts without passion has never truly been seen, at least to my knowledge, because Revolutionaries are passionate.
Dispassionate revolution brings no change.
And that is just what we have today. People are passionate about changing government, health care, immigration, and the economy. But we talk about wanting to change the state of faith in our nation, and we turn all clinical, emotionless.
Wake up. Come alive and fight with all that you have to get a glimpse of Christ. Be willing to shed blood, sweat and tears in your pursuit of Him. Let everything else fade away, realize that everything else- even the good things like family and doing a good job at school or work- are lesser things than knowing God.
Be willing to be seen as a Freak for believing so totally in God. Be willing to do something that others think insane or unsafe if it is God calling you to it. Weep when you sing a love song to God or when you hear the story of another Child of God. Be broken when you see others, even enemies, fall. Be torn up inside over the struggles others face. When you yourself fall, allow yourself to be picked up by God, not through a set of man-made redemption steps.
It is time to start believing in Revolution. And it is time to start a revolution int your own beliefs.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
God OR Country?
Does being a Christian mean you have to be a patriot? And really, just what is a patriot, anyway? Dictionary.com has it this way:
–noun
1. a person who loves, supports, and defends his or her country and its interests with devotion.
2. a person who regards himself or herself as a defender, esp. of individual rights, against presumed interference by the federal government.
3. ( initial capital letter ) Military . a U.S. Army antiaircraft missile with a range of 37 mi. (60 km) and a 200-lb. (90 kg) warhead, launched from a tracked vehicle with radar and computer guidance and fire control.
As cool as the missile definition sounds, I'm really sticking with the first one for the purposes of this entry.
Election Season ended here in America on Tuesday. Well, actually one ended and another began, but that's irrelevant. It ended with a lot of people who say they love God and Country thanking supporters and promising to work hard for the good of the people. This sounds really good, and we Christians seem to eat up all the God talk from our favorite candidate, but something is bothering me.
I worry that we have become stronger patriots for the US than we have for God.
"Christian" Nation?
Much talk has been bandied about for the last few years about the Christian-ness of our nation. I believe the foundations of our nation were based on the freedom of a people to seek God as they see fit, and I also believe that many of the people who fought to make that way of life possible a couple hundred years ago were Christians. Most. Not all.
I believe that the vast majority of Americans call themselves Christian. Just because I call myself an Aggie does not mean I'm on the team that plays on Saturday. So, I believe that while between 80 and 90 % of us say we are Christians, the way we live our lives does not validate that.
There is no doubt that the Judeo-Christian worldview has a huge role in the laws we follow. Many of the Ten Commandments are represented in some form or another in our legal system today- but that does not make us a Christian nation.
Our founders set out to create a great nation, and I believe they succeeded. But over the 234 years since then, we have seemed to adopt this attitude that we are God's Chosen People. Like Israel. Honestly, I think its this view that makes us think we're a Christian nation. We have come to believe we are entitled to God's favor, but not His Lordship (aka His guidance and direction for living).
It's Happened Before
Israel started out great under Saul. Then Saul tanked it. David picked up the pieces, and despite numerous failings, built an awesome and God centered nation. But throughout its lifespan, Israel seemed to feel entitled to God's favor, but not His Lordship and definitely not His Discipline.
Just the other day, I randomly opened my Bible to Jeremiah 37. I read through chapter 39, which contains the fall of Jerusalem, and effectively the end of the nation of Judah (and ultimately Israel as a whole). It's too long to copy here, so go read it, its interesting. But I'll sum it up.
Zedekiah was made a puppet king by the king of Babylon while Jerusalem was under siege. He was not listening to God, so he sent for Jeremiah to pray for them. Jeremiah came back and said that God told him even though Egypt was marching to their aid, they would go home and the Babylonians would come back and destroy everything.
Then Jeremiah was thrown in prison because he was viewed as a deserter for going to check on his land. He again told the king that Babylon would take the king prisoner, and asked why he was imprisoned while the prophets who had told him that things would never get this bad for the Great Nation were free. (By Hebrew law, false prophets were to be stoned- by rocks.) Jeremiah gets to then live in the guards' courtyard and eat bread. Awesome. There, he prophesies that those who desert to Babylon will live, but those who stay will die.
They throw him in an empty, muddy well, where he sinks. But the king has him pulled out and asks him again for guidance. Jeremiah again says, "Give yourself up to Babylon or you will see Jerusalem burn, and you and your family may not live." The king seems to listen, at least to ponder this, but then in chapter 39, he is still doing things his way. The wall falls. The king runs. The Babylonians catch him, kill his sons and the nobles of Israel before his eyes. Then they take his eyes.
Jeremiah is freed by the Babylonians, but God's prophecy is declared that because the nation failed to heed His words, it would see disaster, not prosperity.
What Does That Have to do With the US?
The patriots- those prophets who though Israel and Judah to great to fall- were wrong. They had placed their faith in the nation, not the God. They had grown too proud to see that the king could not save them, nor could the nobles and the army save them. Jeremiah spoke something truly unpatriotic- give up and take the punishment you have earned. Let your proud city fall, but keep your life and the chance to seek forgiveness and restoration.
I am not anti-American, and I am certainly not claiming any prophecy that America will fall. But she can. We are a people that express the entitlement of being God's people without accepting His guidance. I'm not talking about the politicians here, I'm talking about we Christians. We demand moral uprightness of our leaders without demanding it of ourselves. We grow angry that our President doesn't attend church very often, but most Americans don't either. The ideal of America is deemed more worthy of fighting for than the reality of God. Oh, we'd never say that outright, but our actions dictate it. If we were as vociferous in our love for God as we are for expressing our desire to "return America to the right values," then I might give us credit. But it seems to me we expect America to still be prosperous and powerful because we are a "Christian Nation."
Yet we do not pledge allegiance to God, unless we need something. What if God told you, like He told Jeremiah, that you should leave behind your country, because it must fall for it's failures? Could you turn your back on your country?
Because, for Jeremiah and his contemporaries, to choose Country was to reject God.
I love my country and all that it provides for me. But I love my God more. And for all our talk of "Restoring America," it comes to nothing if we don't first "Restore our Relationship with God."
Each and every one of us.
–noun
1. a person who loves, supports, and defends his or her country and its interests with devotion.
2. a person who regards himself or herself as a defender, esp. of individual rights, against presumed interference by the federal government.
3. ( initial capital letter ) Military . a U.S. Army antiaircraft missile with a range of 37 mi. (60 km) and a 200-lb. (90 kg) warhead, launched from a tracked vehicle with radar and computer guidance and fire control.
As cool as the missile definition sounds, I'm really sticking with the first one for the purposes of this entry.
Election Season ended here in America on Tuesday. Well, actually one ended and another began, but that's irrelevant. It ended with a lot of people who say they love God and Country thanking supporters and promising to work hard for the good of the people. This sounds really good, and we Christians seem to eat up all the God talk from our favorite candidate, but something is bothering me.
I worry that we have become stronger patriots for the US than we have for God.
"Christian" Nation?
Much talk has been bandied about for the last few years about the Christian-ness of our nation. I believe the foundations of our nation were based on the freedom of a people to seek God as they see fit, and I also believe that many of the people who fought to make that way of life possible a couple hundred years ago were Christians. Most. Not all.
I believe that the vast majority of Americans call themselves Christian. Just because I call myself an Aggie does not mean I'm on the team that plays on Saturday. So, I believe that while between 80 and 90 % of us say we are Christians, the way we live our lives does not validate that.
There is no doubt that the Judeo-Christian worldview has a huge role in the laws we follow. Many of the Ten Commandments are represented in some form or another in our legal system today- but that does not make us a Christian nation.
Our founders set out to create a great nation, and I believe they succeeded. But over the 234 years since then, we have seemed to adopt this attitude that we are God's Chosen People. Like Israel. Honestly, I think its this view that makes us think we're a Christian nation. We have come to believe we are entitled to God's favor, but not His Lordship (aka His guidance and direction for living).
It's Happened Before
Israel started out great under Saul. Then Saul tanked it. David picked up the pieces, and despite numerous failings, built an awesome and God centered nation. But throughout its lifespan, Israel seemed to feel entitled to God's favor, but not His Lordship and definitely not His Discipline.
Just the other day, I randomly opened my Bible to Jeremiah 37. I read through chapter 39, which contains the fall of Jerusalem, and effectively the end of the nation of Judah (and ultimately Israel as a whole). It's too long to copy here, so go read it, its interesting. But I'll sum it up.
Zedekiah was made a puppet king by the king of Babylon while Jerusalem was under siege. He was not listening to God, so he sent for Jeremiah to pray for them. Jeremiah came back and said that God told him even though Egypt was marching to their aid, they would go home and the Babylonians would come back and destroy everything.
Then Jeremiah was thrown in prison because he was viewed as a deserter for going to check on his land. He again told the king that Babylon would take the king prisoner, and asked why he was imprisoned while the prophets who had told him that things would never get this bad for the Great Nation were free. (By Hebrew law, false prophets were to be stoned- by rocks.) Jeremiah gets to then live in the guards' courtyard and eat bread. Awesome. There, he prophesies that those who desert to Babylon will live, but those who stay will die.
They throw him in an empty, muddy well, where he sinks. But the king has him pulled out and asks him again for guidance. Jeremiah again says, "Give yourself up to Babylon or you will see Jerusalem burn, and you and your family may not live." The king seems to listen, at least to ponder this, but then in chapter 39, he is still doing things his way. The wall falls. The king runs. The Babylonians catch him, kill his sons and the nobles of Israel before his eyes. Then they take his eyes.
Jeremiah is freed by the Babylonians, but God's prophecy is declared that because the nation failed to heed His words, it would see disaster, not prosperity.
What Does That Have to do With the US?
The patriots- those prophets who though Israel and Judah to great to fall- were wrong. They had placed their faith in the nation, not the God. They had grown too proud to see that the king could not save them, nor could the nobles and the army save them. Jeremiah spoke something truly unpatriotic- give up and take the punishment you have earned. Let your proud city fall, but keep your life and the chance to seek forgiveness and restoration.
I am not anti-American, and I am certainly not claiming any prophecy that America will fall. But she can. We are a people that express the entitlement of being God's people without accepting His guidance. I'm not talking about the politicians here, I'm talking about we Christians. We demand moral uprightness of our leaders without demanding it of ourselves. We grow angry that our President doesn't attend church very often, but most Americans don't either. The ideal of America is deemed more worthy of fighting for than the reality of God. Oh, we'd never say that outright, but our actions dictate it. If we were as vociferous in our love for God as we are for expressing our desire to "return America to the right values," then I might give us credit. But it seems to me we expect America to still be prosperous and powerful because we are a "Christian Nation."
Yet we do not pledge allegiance to God, unless we need something. What if God told you, like He told Jeremiah, that you should leave behind your country, because it must fall for it's failures? Could you turn your back on your country?
Because, for Jeremiah and his contemporaries, to choose Country was to reject God.
I love my country and all that it provides for me. But I love my God more. And for all our talk of "Restoring America," it comes to nothing if we don't first "Restore our Relationship with God."
Each and every one of us.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Busy-ness Kryptonite
Me: Hey, I'd love to get together sometime soon to talk ministry stuff with you.
Pastor Friend: I'm busy until next week, how about Wednesday.
Me. I'm out of town. Friday?
Pastor Friend: No, I'm booked. How about the middle of next month? I've got tons of stuff to do, meetings and conferences. You know.
---------------------------------------
Me: So, how are things going in your relationship with God?
Student: OK, it's just lately, with school and tests coming up, I just haven't had time to do much reading or praying.
---------------------------------------
It's not moral relativism. It's not politics or causes. It's not even heresy and denominational strife that is killing the church.
It's Busy-ness.
These conversations are very common these days. I have them all the time. I've been the one making excuses for why I can't meet, or why my life has gotten too hectic to stop for 10 minutes to read the Bible. Being busy has become the cancer eating way at Christianity. It is our kryptonite.
I find it odd that we live in a world where technology has made everything move faster- cars, communication, work. Yet, we seem to have less time than ever. I remember being in college and being told to enjoy all the free time you have now, it'll never be like that again. Now, the students I know seem to never have time. I am always hearing that this test is coming, or that projects deadline is looming, or etc. They have legitimate concerns about doing well in school to get a good job, but I am starting to wonder: At what cost?
The hectic pace of life so many of us live leads to a complacency of faith. Which breeds apathy toward Christ. Which leaves us dead. We have given at the office, at school, even to our families so much that we have nothing left for God.
We need a Revolution.
It takes work to maintain a good relationship, and a good relationship needs to be growing. With Christ, we have sat ourselves down and put out roots. We have 'gotten saved' or been rescued by Christ, and we feel that is good enough. Sometimes its an issue of thinking that we've gotten heaven, why put in any extra effort? I need to work harder to succeed in school or at work, but I don't need to work harder at knowing and pursuing God.
We are abusing grace. And we are being selfish.
Our relationship with God is not ours only. My faith affects my wife, children, friends and co-workers- the list goes on. When I am apathetic or complacent in faith and the acting out of said faith, I am not giving them my best. That's to say nothing of my sub-par worship to God. We have taken to heart this idea that "My faith is personal," which is true- but its not the whole story. My relationship with God- what we talk about, what He convicts me of and encourages me with- is very much personal. But how that relationship changes me (and it must change me or it is not a vital relationship) does affect those around me. If I am sleeping, they are not challenged or pushed in their faith. But if I am energized, engaged, dare I say revolutionized? Then my faith begins to breathe into them. They too come alive.
I want to be a revolutionary Christian not so I can feel good about my personal faith, but so I can see others come fully alive. Saint Irenaeus said "The Glory of God is man fully alive." I want to be fully alive, and I want to lead others to that state, to bring glory to God.
I look around at my fellow Christ followers and see more people weighed down by the stresses of school, work, family and just general busy-ness than I see people buoyed by a vibrant faith in Christ. I want to see us stop trying to find a way to fit God into our lives, and start trying to find a way to work our lives around God. I'm not advocating setting aside three hour prayer sessions, or 24 hour Bible readings, I'm just saying if we care as much about seeking God as we do about getting a grade or meeting a deadline or watching that show, we might be a little different. We might see those stresses through the eyes of God, and thus see them as they are.
So, I challenge you. Find time to spend with God. Make Him of first importance. Before studying. Before work. Before family time. All of these endeavors will be made more fruitful if done as secondary to pursuing God.
We are desperate for something to believe. For something that makes us realize that there is something worth living for, something worth striving for. We need a Revolution of Faith.
So be the Revolutionary in your life.
Seek Him.
First.
Pastor Friend: I'm busy until next week, how about Wednesday.
Me. I'm out of town. Friday?
Pastor Friend: No, I'm booked. How about the middle of next month? I've got tons of stuff to do, meetings and conferences. You know.
---------------------------------------
Me: So, how are things going in your relationship with God?
Student: OK, it's just lately, with school and tests coming up, I just haven't had time to do much reading or praying.
---------------------------------------
It's not moral relativism. It's not politics or causes. It's not even heresy and denominational strife that is killing the church.
It's Busy-ness.
These conversations are very common these days. I have them all the time. I've been the one making excuses for why I can't meet, or why my life has gotten too hectic to stop for 10 minutes to read the Bible. Being busy has become the cancer eating way at Christianity. It is our kryptonite.
I find it odd that we live in a world where technology has made everything move faster- cars, communication, work. Yet, we seem to have less time than ever. I remember being in college and being told to enjoy all the free time you have now, it'll never be like that again. Now, the students I know seem to never have time. I am always hearing that this test is coming, or that projects deadline is looming, or etc. They have legitimate concerns about doing well in school to get a good job, but I am starting to wonder: At what cost?
The hectic pace of life so many of us live leads to a complacency of faith. Which breeds apathy toward Christ. Which leaves us dead. We have given at the office, at school, even to our families so much that we have nothing left for God.
We need a Revolution.
It takes work to maintain a good relationship, and a good relationship needs to be growing. With Christ, we have sat ourselves down and put out roots. We have 'gotten saved' or been rescued by Christ, and we feel that is good enough. Sometimes its an issue of thinking that we've gotten heaven, why put in any extra effort? I need to work harder to succeed in school or at work, but I don't need to work harder at knowing and pursuing God.
We are abusing grace. And we are being selfish.
Our relationship with God is not ours only. My faith affects my wife, children, friends and co-workers- the list goes on. When I am apathetic or complacent in faith and the acting out of said faith, I am not giving them my best. That's to say nothing of my sub-par worship to God. We have taken to heart this idea that "My faith is personal," which is true- but its not the whole story. My relationship with God- what we talk about, what He convicts me of and encourages me with- is very much personal. But how that relationship changes me (and it must change me or it is not a vital relationship) does affect those around me. If I am sleeping, they are not challenged or pushed in their faith. But if I am energized, engaged, dare I say revolutionized? Then my faith begins to breathe into them. They too come alive.
I want to be a revolutionary Christian not so I can feel good about my personal faith, but so I can see others come fully alive. Saint Irenaeus said "The Glory of God is man fully alive." I want to be fully alive, and I want to lead others to that state, to bring glory to God.
I look around at my fellow Christ followers and see more people weighed down by the stresses of school, work, family and just general busy-ness than I see people buoyed by a vibrant faith in Christ. I want to see us stop trying to find a way to fit God into our lives, and start trying to find a way to work our lives around God. I'm not advocating setting aside three hour prayer sessions, or 24 hour Bible readings, I'm just saying if we care as much about seeking God as we do about getting a grade or meeting a deadline or watching that show, we might be a little different. We might see those stresses through the eyes of God, and thus see them as they are.
So, I challenge you. Find time to spend with God. Make Him of first importance. Before studying. Before work. Before family time. All of these endeavors will be made more fruitful if done as secondary to pursuing God.
We are desperate for something to believe. For something that makes us realize that there is something worth living for, something worth striving for. We need a Revolution of Faith.
So be the Revolutionary in your life.
Seek Him.
First.
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