Scandalous Love

Perhaps this has happened to you. You choose a gift for someone. You wrap it, present it to them, and step back and wait for their reaction. You have to wait, because you can never be sure exactly what kind of reaction you will get.

If they are busy or distracted, they may look up from their work for a moment, accept the package, and toss it to the side without missing a beat. Then again, they may be a little more gracious. They may take a moment to thank you; but—and you’re not sure why—it’s seems they have been expecting you to show up and they are more than a little disappointed that it has taken you so long.

Then there are those folks who seem sincerely surprised and honored that you have thought enough to remember them with a gift. You might hear them say, “You shouldn’t have”—and it’s not because they now feel obligated to reciprocate. It’s these occasions that remind us of what Christmas is truly about.

Christmas is the occasion when God gave the gift of his Son to you. Jesus came to live among us, as one of us. The Incarnation is the revelation of God’s scandalous love affair with humanity.

We often fail to understand just how scandalous God’s love for us is, and how radical it is that God would show that love by lowering himself to be born in human form.

The Christmas story exemplifies how God’s ways are not our ways. God works miracles in unexpected places, in unexpected ways.  God loves us with a scandalous love.

To experience a different kind of Christmas means to not only appreciate and accept God’s scandalous love, but also to respond to the challenge to love others in that same way. What are society’s expectations of who you’re supposed to love, and who you’re not supposed to love? What kind of scandal would it create if you were to go out of the way to demonstrate love toward someone who’s not supposed to be loved? How would that be different from the safe, cautious ways we often show Christ’s love in the world?

To whom or in what way can you show “scandalous” love this holiday season because of the great love God has shown you? This is truly what Christmas is about. 

Giving Up on Perfect

The vast majority of Christmas cards that are sent each year feature scenes that depict the beauty and wonder of that silent night. The hills where the shepherds watched their flocks are perfectly manicured and bathed in a heavenly light. The wise men look especially regal as they move effortlessly through the last few miles of their journey to find the newborn king. The holy family looks especially serene as they gaze at the baby who is smiling happily from the finely crafted wooden box lined with golden strands of hay.

While these pictures help put us in the mood for a happy holiday season, they may also keep us from remembering the first Christmas was really quite messy and uncertain. Whether it was a barn or a cave, if it was the place where the animals were kept overnight, it smelled like animals. Even after travelling for a couple of days and spending the night in AAA rated facilities, most people tend to become travel weary—and it shows. I’ve been to Bethlehem—the hillsides around the city have never been at risk of being mistaken for a golf course.

If that is not enough, consider all the messy and uncertain personal and relational struggles that are a part of the story. Mary is still unmarried when she learns she is going to have a child. Joseph is caught in quandary. Mary’s cousin, Elizabeth—who is decades older and now a few months more pregnant than Mary—makes some incredible predictions about their children. On top of all that, everyone in the region has their agenda reordered by the command of the leader of the occupying foreign power.  

The first Christmas was not the neat, tidy event pictured in our nativity scenes and greeting cards. If you want this to be a different kind of Christmas, you need to give up on creating the “perfect” Christmas and remember that God shows up in the middle of the mess to bring us a message of hope.  

The miracle God wants to accomplish through you may start when you focus on helping someone you know who is struggling. Commit to praying for them, ask how you can help, and follow through with help and encouragement.  Or maybe you should consider how God can use your current struggles to help others this holiday season.

Even in the midst of the unexpected, the messy, and the devastating, you can still fully expect God to show up. May God give you eyes to see the Savior’s gracious presence in the midst of our messy, uncertain lives. This is truly what Christmas is about.

Expect a Miracle

It’s a message that is hard to avoid. It seems to be everywhere. Billboards, catalogs, and commercial after commercial on television all promise a better life for you, your spouse, your children, your family, your friends, your coworkers; if you will just give the gift they are offering. Sometimes it’s a new toy. Other times it’s a piece of jewelry. You will even see new cars with red bows parked in some driveway before December is done.

It is tempting to believe this siren’s song: the secret to filling the life of those I love with peace, love and joy can be charged to my credit card. The people in the pictures look so happy. Maybe this is the gadget or game or gem that will make this the Christmas they will always remember.

It is essential that you resist this message if you want to experience a different kind of Christmas. When you focus only on those gifts that come in brightly wrapped packages adorned with ribbons and bows, you risk the danger of failing to recognize the good gifts you have already received . . . and the even better gifts God has prepared for you.

Over the years I have received some pretty great gifts, but I must admit that even the greatest of those gifts pale in comparison to the gift of Immanuel—God with us. When you really begin to grasp the significance of that gift, it fills your heart with a gratitude and a spirit of generosity that makes it possible to celebrate the miracle of God’s gift over the materialism of more and more stuff.

Let me challenge you to consider creating some new traditions this year—traditions that focus on the miracle worker instead of the materialism. Consider some traditions that emphasize the people in your life, rather than the presents you expect to receive. Remember to make space in your schedule and in your heart for the presence of Jesus, too. Once you receive the miracle he has for you, you can become God’s conduit for delivering miracles to others.

A miracle is a unique event in the world that God does through people like you and me. God does miracles through ordinary, simple people like Mary and Joseph. We have the power to do amazing things . . . if we are willing to sacrifice some of our own comfort for the good of others.

What new traditions in your own holiday planning could focus more on Jesus’ presence than on presents? For a truly different kind of Christmas begin to pray about one or two ideas that you feel might be God-initiated dreams for you to pursue in helping change this world for God’s Kingdom.

The Cost of Doing Great Things

When they walk into a store most people –whether they are living from paycheck to paycheck or earning a six-figure salary for their particular expertise—look at the price tag before they take an item to the register. Everybody wants to know how much what they are about to purchase is going to cost.

While the price is usually expressed in dollars and cents, you may do the same mental calculus that many other people do as they determine how many minutes or hours or days they have to work to pay for this particular item. There also quite a few folks who consider what they will have to give up or put off purchasing if they decide to take their current selection home.

Of course, it’s not just the things you buy at the store that cost you something. If you want to acquire a skill or improve your performance or master a subject, those efforts require an investment of time and energy. It also means sacrificing other pursuits, diversions or activities.

On the other hand, there are a lot of “things” we enjoy for which it is nearly impossible to calculate the cost: the numerous freedoms we enjoy in this country, the right to express our opinions, and the distinct privilege to cast a ballot. It is fitting that we should set aside some time to consider the cost others have paid so many may claim these rights and such freedoms.

May this time of remembrance serve as more than just a reminder that we owe a debt of gratitude to others. May it challenge you to ask, “What am I doing right now to make the world a better place?” It may be something big that requires lots of time and energy and attracts lots of attention; or it may be something small, like waiting a few seconds to hold the door for the person following you into the office.

As a community of faith we believe God calls every person to join the task of working to make the world a better place. When you spend yourself, your time, your energy, and your resources to bring about something better; God notices. May you feel God’s delight as he notices something you do to make the world a better place today.

Recognizing Greatness in the Shadows

It is hard not to notice. They are the people in the spotlight. Walking down the red carpet. Behind the microphone. Riding around in limos. Holding the MVP trophy or Oscar or Emmy or Tony or Grammy or Moonman.

It’s only natural to think that these are the people who have really accomplished something significant. These are the people that we want to be—or we hope our children will grow up to be.

Depending on how serious we are about becoming like them, we spend hours learning about their habits. What they eat. Where they live. The routine they follow. The clothes they wear. The people they know. We look for anything we can do to improve our chances of earning our place in the spotlight.

With so much attention on the celebrities in the spotlight, we may be missing folks who are making a much more significant contribution. That’s what Jesus wanted his disciples to see the day they were hanging out at the Temple in Jerusalem.

There were lots of rich people coming through wearing long flowing robes. As they walked up to the box to deposit their offering you could see them glance around from side to side to make sure that others were watching them. It was hard to discern exactly how they were able to make such a big deal of putting money into a box; but they were.

The disciples may have been thinking about how they might be able to use all that money to help Jesus in his ministry. They could probably feed a crowd with what just a few of those rich people had dropped in the box. They might even be able to entice a doctor to treat a few of the sick.

If Jesus had not interrupted their reverie, the widow would have passed by unnoticed. She slipped by so unassumingly that she was virtually invisible. The coin she had dropped in the box had made no difference in the running totals they were keeping.

But then Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others . . . . They gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on” (Mark 12:43-44).

As we remember those who have lived faithful lives, and who have  now gone on to glory; may we remember all they did—both great and small—as we give thanks for their contribution to the community of faith.

Dealing with Disappointment

The phones rings.

The number doesn’t look familiar.

“Hello?”

“This is the nurse. The doctor asked me to call you. Your labs came back . . . .”

This is where you really start to listen; but you don’t really hear what is being said because your mind is racing through questions you would have never considered asking. A diagnosis changes schedules, priorities, plans, ambitions. It may shake your confidence, make you question your faith, lead you to examine your relationships, or prompt you to reassess your values.

In the face of such disturbing news some people decide to give up. They settle into the recliner and wait for the end. They may allow those closest to them to tend to their most basic needs; but they would rather sit in silence than accept the care and condolences of their friends and family.

Other folks try to make the best of a bad situation. They listen carefully to suggestions about the best way to manage their condition. They want everything that can to remain the same—hoping they won’t become the center of attention.

Some refuse to resign themselves to accept a diagnosis as a verdict. They are determined to do more than manage the situation. They pursue changes that may reverse their condition, even when others question their resolve. They replace unhealthy habits with new routines which promise greater vitality. 

Sometimes it seems that life changes in a matter of moments—and it does. But the shape of the change depends on what you choose to do in that moment.

In the face of disturbing news, in the midst of crushing circumstances, in the light of disappointing prospects, faith calls the followers of Christ to recognize the savior is near. Even though others may disparage our confidence in him, we must not be dissuaded. Let us throw off whatever prevents us from going to him, acknowledge his power to redeem, and accept the restoration God can give. Then we can follow where he leads.

Spreading God’s Grace

With all of the survey results and polling data being reported as the nation moves toward the presidential election, you may have missed the results of the survey conducted by the Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion & Public Life. It reports that one-fifth of the U.S. public—and a third of adults under 30—are not affiliated with any religion today. That’s a 15% increase in just the past five years.

In other words, 46 million Americans do not identify with any religion. Of those, 13 million are self-described atheists and agnostics (nearly 6%); and the other nearly 33 million people say they have no particular religious affiliation (14%).

Despite the rise in the religiously unaffiliated, Pew also found that more than two-thirds of those people believe in God. One-in-five say they pray every day. According to Pew, the spiritually engaged but religiously unaffiliated do think that “churches and other religious institutions benefit society by strengthening community bonds and aiding the poor.” Most of them acknowledge faith as a positive human urge, but are increasingly turned off by the institutions that claim to represent faith.

In the midst of his public ministry Jesus commissioned around 70 of his followers and sent them into the towns and villages where he was planning to go. “These were his instructions to them: ‘The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields’” (Luke 10:2). Jesus’ last instructions to his disciples were to “go and make disciples” (Matthew 28:19).

The time we have spent learning how to share the good news in a graceful pattern has prepared you to take your place in the field. The results of the Pew survey are just one more reminder that this is work that needs to be done. I encourage you to renew your commitment to pray for those in your life who are “unaffiliated.” Look for opportunities to engage them in conversations about life and faith. Share your faith story with them with humility and love. Let them know that there is a community of believers where they can experience the love of God in meaningful and tangible ways. And let us all resolve to allow the Holy Spirit to shape us into that community that is more interested in making God’s love real than it is in anything else.

On the Winning Team

The band builds to a crescendo. The cheerleaders soar above the field as they move from one routine to another. Everyone in the stands comes to their feet. With a roar from the crowd the team streams onto the field ready to prove they are the champions everyone hopes they are. It’s called the “home field advantage.”

Whether you are on the team, roaming the sidelines or in the stands, being a part of this experience is thrilling. There is a sense of excitement that borders on ecstasy. It is really not that hard to understand why people will pay hundreds of dollars and traveling thousands of miles to spend a few hours reveling in opportunity to be part of the team.

To extend their experience of being part of the team people will even change their behavior during the week. Perhaps you know some folks who decorate their house, their office or their car with team insignia. I have a friend who is dressed in orange and blue nearly every time I see him. When we are down on the river walk, Laine enjoys exchanging a “Roll Tide” with complete strangers. She knows they’re safe because they are wearing a big crimson “A” on their shirt or hat or handbag.

Sometimes I’m afraid we forget that as followers of Christ we are part of an even greater team. After naming about a dozen great heroes of the faith and alluding to all the others who demonstrated their faithfulness to God over the centuries, the writer of the letter to the Hebrews paints a picture of the faithful running into a stadium filled with all these witnesses—martyrs of the faith. “Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,” he urges (Hebrews 12:1c).

When you share the good news with another person, it is essential to let them know that once they make the decision to confess their faith in Jesus Christ, now they are a part of something that is bigger than any national championship or World Series victory. Now they are a part of the Kingdom of God.

It may be hard to see, but there are times and places where, if we help one another look in the right direction, we can catch glimpses of what it means to be counted as one of God’s children. As “Christ our invites to his table all who love him, who earnestly repent of their sin and seek to live in peace with one another” once again this Sunday, I pray that you may experience the thrilling excitement with a new sense of passion that encourages you to share it with someone who is looking for a place to belong.

Just Admit It

When I’m driving down the road, I believe that the other drivers sharing the road with me will observe the same set of rules of the road and regulations of the legislature that I will. When I come to a traffic light, I believe that others will stop when it turns red and that they will go when it turns green. Even when I’m running or riding my bicycle, I believe that the people who are behind the wheel of a vehicle will act in a way that is consistent with what I have come to believe is the acceptable behavior of an operator of a motor vehicle.

When I go to the doctor’s office, I believe that the doctor will use the skills and knowledge he or she has acquired through years of training and practice to diagnose and treat whatever condition I have. If the doctor prescribes medication or some other form of treatment, I believe that it will help me become more healthy. Even when I’m feeling well, I will schedule a visit periodically just to make sure that I haven’t missed a problem that could endanger my life.

When I go to the bank to deposit my paycheck, I believe that the teller will post the amount to my account, that the other officers and employees of the bank will be faithful stewards of my funds, and that when I decide to use some of my money to pay someone else for goods or services, that the money will be available to pay them. Even when I use cash, the transaction is based on that fact that both parties believe that the paper changing hands is worth something.

I could go on and on. Every day there are hundreds, if not thousands, of transactions that depend on one person believing that another person will do what they are expected to do. It would difficult, if not impossible, to sustain a community without such trust. That’s one of the reasons, we respond so negatively when we experience a situation where someone betrays our trust.

You may feel very uncomfortable leading someone to confess faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. What I want you to see is that people are already placing their faith in all kinds of practices and processes and people. And they are doing this in spite of those things being unproven, unpredictable, and unfaithful.

You have the distinct privilege of inviting them to say yes to the invitation of the one who loves them, forgives them, and accepts them with a faithfulness that is unparalleled in this world. They may be waiting for someone to join them in admitting they need to accept that gift of grace. May God give you the boldness to offer that invitation.

Beyond Excuses

Nobody’s perfect. Everybody makes mistakes. If you look at anything close enough, you are sure to find a few flaws. Even the aluminum housing of each new Apple iPhone 5 is photographed by two high-powered 29 mega-pixel cameras to determine which of the 725 unique glass inlays on the assembly line at that point is the most precise match for every single iPhone.

Even though nearly everyone would agree that perfection is rare—if it can be found at all; that doesn’t keep most of us from expecting it. We assume the server will bring the meal we ordered. We anticipate the product we purchased will perform as advertised. And we imagine everything we do will turn out exactly as we intend.

But then the salad shows up with onion, the miracle gadget is not up to the task we hoped it would do, and our best efforts fall short of our lofty aspirations.

There are a lot of people who are living in this gap between their expectations and their reality. They feel like the whole world is out to get them. And they are hurt and angry and frustrated. And when they have a few moments to reflect on what they are feeling, they have to admit that the root of their deepest frustration, anger and pain is the result of their own flawed choices.

God wants what is best for us, but God knows we are not perfect; and the good news is that God forgives. Some people believe they have to get their act together before God will accept them. Other people are still working on developing a plausible excuse. More than a few think they have done something that cannot be forgiven. Almost no one believes they deserve a fresh start.

But that is what God offers every person. And God offers it to each person because of his love for them. Not because they’ve earned it. Not because they deserve it. Not because they’ve come up with a clever explanation. Just because God loves them; and wants to restore the peace, love and joy in their life.

Helping people accept God’s forgiveness is another important step in sharing your faith and helping them move through the process that leads to a transformed life.

Recognizing the Mistake

Some people might think that the computer programming courses I took in college were a waste of time. They may have not helped me earn any money or led to position at a tech company; but spending that time writing code influenced the way I think about computers. 

One of my professors taught us that while most people think computers are really “smart,” they are actually quite “dumb.” They can only process one instruction at a time. They don’t “remember” what came before, and they can’t “anticipate” what might come next. They only follow the instructions they are given.

They can do that at a very high rate of speed that keeps increasing year after year. That’s the reason companies keep coming out with more powerful models and we keep thinking we need to upgrade. I suppose we hope we will eventually buy a device that really is “smart.” 

It may only be a few hours or it may take a few weeks, but eventually the new desktop, laptop, tablet, or game console is going to “freeze up.” For a while everything is going great. All your programs are opening faster than you can believe. The video displays details that are stunning.  The controls are so responsive you are tempted to believe it is anticipating your moves. But then; everything stops. Nothing works.

When I was assigned to write simple programs back in college, it was challenging to think through a process and break it down into it component parts. You had to consider not only where to start and what outcome you desired, but all of the decisions that had to be made along the way. If one condition existed, that called for a particular response. If another condition, that called for something very different.

If you weren’t careful (and sometimes, even if you were), you might include a test statement that resulted in the computer doing the same test over and over and over. In programming terms, it’s called an “infinite loop.”  As a novice programmer there was only one solution: find the mistake and correct it.

I wonder how many people feel like their life has been caught in an “infinite loop.” Something is going on in the background that seems to be consuming more and more of their energy; but is not helping them move toward their goals. It is keeping them from experiencing the joy they crave. How would you gracefully help them find the mistake and correct it?

That’s another important step in sharing your faith.

Scandalous Grace

You never wanted it to be this way. Indeed, you spent hours making sure this would never happen. You thought you had planned for every contingency—bad weather, car trouble, sudden illness. What you had not planned for was that all of them would converge and completely derail your efforts to make your deadline.

After pulling an all-nighter, here you are—dressed in your most professional suit—waiting to submit the work you have been laboring on for months. The deadline passed two days ago; but you are hoping you can find a compelling way to plead your case. What do you have to say to convince the person who stands behind the counter to accept what you have to give?

Someone unlocks the door and you walk briskly across the room. You lay your package on the counter and begin to tell your story. You begin at the beginning—talking about when you first learned about the project and decided you wanted to participate. You recount your careful scheduling of the various parts of the assignment —detailing the way you made allowances for interruptions. You chronicle all your troubles—the hurricane, the busted alternator, the respiratory infection that became pneumonia.  You make sure to point out that all of these setbacks were predicaments over which you had no control.

Your adjudicator listens patiently. Once you finish, she reaches for the package, smiles and says, “Thank you! I’m sure there will be no problem.”

You turn to walk away surprised at how easy it was. Just before you get to the door some guy in dirty blue jeans and a worn out t-shirt stumbles into the office. You can tell he had a rough night, too; but not like yours. His bleary eyes and distinct aroma tell a different story.

As he slouches toward the counter, you notice that he has a package in his hand, too. It looks almost as rough and tattered as its owner. He plops it in the same spot where you had carefully placed yours, and slurs, “Well, here it is.” You wait to see what happens next.

The woman behind the counter reaches for the package, smiles and says, “Thank you! I’m sure there will be no problem.”

“No way,” you think. “Scandalous!”

Consider this: “God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners” (Romans 5:8). Yes, God’s great love is scandalously good news.

Life in the Spotlight

When you go to a concert, attend a pageant, or spend an evening at the theatre watching actors perform on the stage, the director often helps you know where to look by focusing a spotlight where the main action is occurring. As you sit in the darkness, you have no doubt that what is happening before you is worthy of your attention. When the spotlight shines, you sit forward in your seat. You don’t want to miss a second of the action.

While some people dream of stepping into the spotlight, most folks would prefer to stay in the shadows, off-stage, in the wings. They are perfectly happy to have a supporting role. They have never aspired to be a star. If no one ever asks them for their autograph, that is fine with them.

Even though that kind of humble spirit pleases God, those who profess faith in Jesus Christ are called to accept a new role—one that cannot be played out without being noticed. Peter reminds members of the community of faith, “Once you were nobody. Now you are God’s people” (1 Peter 2:10).

“Special people.” “Royal priests.” “A holy nation.” Everything changes. It’s not because of anything we do. It is all because of what God does for us. Through the power and presence of the Holy Spirit, God heals, forgives, encourages, empowers and transforms the lives of those who receive God’s grace. And when God works in the lives of the people he loves, other people notice. “God brings you out of the darkness into his marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9).

This is where you feel your face start to flush, your hands start to sweat, your heart begin to race and your mind begin to go blank, because you know what comes next. “Now you must tell all the wonderful things that God has done.”

Each disciple of Jesus Christ is called to declare the wonderful deeds of God. Each Christian is called to be a witness to Christ in the particular situation in which he or she lives. The challenge is to be a truthful, faithful, graceful and effective witness for God.

You may be asking, “Am I ready for center stage?” Let me remind you that even the most talented performer spend hours preparing for their time in the spotlight. As we move through this time together, we are going to rehearse the essential elements that will help you gracefully lead others to Christ.

The Law of Reproduction

Following an extensive study of the religious beliefs of American teenagers, sociologist Christian Smith chose the term “Moralistic Therapeutic Deism” to describe their default belief system. Here are its basic tenets:

1. A god exists who created and ordered the world and watches over human life on earth.

2. God wants people to be good, nice, and fair to each other, as taught in the Bible and by most world religions.

3. The central goal of life is to be happy and to feel good about oneself.

4. God does not need to be particularly involved in one’s life except when God is needed to resolve a problem.

5. Good people go to heaven when they die.

As Ross Douthat reviews the history of religious life in the United States in his book, Bad Religion: How We Became a Nation of Heretics, he characterizes the 1960s and ‘70s as the period when accommodation became a predominant value among influential theologians and other church leaders. People were encouraged to be less dogmatic, to acknowledge that truth is relative, and to open their minds to the wisdom of non-Christian traditions. Many believed that such openness would lead to a more inclusive Christianity.

Perhaps you can see how the combination of the belief system that Smith outlines and the climate that Douthat describes were not necessarily good for the life and health of the community of faith. If the central goal of life is to be happy and it’s all about me, then I really don’t need to be that concerned about other people. Furthermore, if being good and nice and fair to others means that I’m not supposed to question their values or behavior, then I should just keep my ideas to myself.

The truth is that disciples of Jesus Christ have a responsibility not only to introduce other people to Jesus, but also to equip them live a life worthy of someone who is known as a Christian. Disciples make disciples. Fully devoted followers of Jesus are committed to helping others become fully devoted followers of Jesus, too. The strength and influence of the church is wholly dependent upon its commitment to making disciples. Producing transformed lives, and seeing those lives reproduced in others, is the core challenge to every believer and to each congregation.

All the Good You Can

Most people are much happier when they hear that they are going to be served than they are when they find out they are going to be serving others. I will admit there are also those people who would just as soon be left alone. Still, I wonder why there is so much negativity associated with the idea of serving.

After all, when you serve someone you are doing something for their benefit. In other words when you serve your goal is to make someone’s life better by doing something good for them. When Zach McLeroy and Tony Townley dreamed up Zaxby’s while they were shooting baskets in Statesboro, they also came up with this mission statement: Consistently create encore experiences that enrich lives one person at a time. They wanted to make sure that the people who worked in their restaurant understood that it was more than just about getting food in front of a customer. With each meal they served their mission was to enrich people’s lives.

John Wesley was concerned that people not only devote themselves to worship and devotion; but also to compassion and justice. For Wesley this was one way to fulfill the commandments to love God and to love your neighbor. John Wesley’s Rule has been traditionally attributed to him as one of the ways he endeavored to encourage the people called Methodists to serve God and their neighbor.

Do all the good you can,
By all the means you can,
In all the ways you can,
In all the places you can,
At all the times you can,
To all the people you can,
As long as ever you can.

That is a whole lot of good. Can you imagine how it would enrich the lives of your friends and family if you were to adopt Wesley’s Rule? Imagine how it would improve your relationships with your neighbors and the people who work with you. Consider the ways the whole climate of a community could be transformed if all those who call themselves Christians took this commitment to do good seriously.

Serving others in a spirit of Christ’s love is essential to living a life of Christian discipleship and it is one of the most effective correctives to the destructive influence of a growing culture of entitlement. That’s the truth!

More Than a Messenger

Moments after the championship game ends—before the celebration begins to die down or the trophy is awarded; a message comes on the screen telling you how you can own your own championship shirt or hat. The next morning—sometimes even that very evening—people line up to purchase commemorative merchandise proclaiming, “We’re #1!” They may not own anything else that indicates their affection for the winning team, or they may have a closet full of clothes in their team’s colors. Nevertheless, they want show other people they are part of the victory.

The Olympic Games will open in London in less than three weeks. You may have already seen people wearing shirts, hats or jerseys announcing their support for Team USA. The sale of officially licensed merchandise is one of the ways the U.S. Olympic Team helps cover the cost of sending athletes to the games. You have to admit that it stirs your heart when you see crowds of folks dressed in red, white and blue cheering for the men and women who are representing our country.

People make the choice to show their support for teams at every level. You’ll see parents and grandparents at the Little League field wearing shirts and hats that match those of the kids playing on the field. It is not hard to tell who is pulling for which team as you walk from the parking lot into the stadium at most high school football games.

Even if your alma mater has never played for a national championship, let me remind you that every person who accepts Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior is already part of a winning team. God is currently at work in your life through the power of the Holy Spirit. God is committed to transforming you so that when people look at you they will see a representative of Jesus Christ.

While that is great good news, it is also pretty intimidating. Most of the time I feel woefully inadequate to represent the Savior of the world; and yet, that is precisely the task that Jesus has assigned to the community of believers. When I recall that Jesus prayed for all who believe in him because of the message of other believers, it reminds me that the world will be convinced not by one person’s eloquence; but by the love that marks the life of this peculiar community.

So as Paul reminds the Colossians, let me encourage you: “Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him” (3:10); then our community will truly be acceptable ambassadors of Jesus Christ.

Finding Your Way

It was Christmas Day. John Rhoads and his wife, Starry, were headed back home to Reno, NV after spending a few days with their son in Oregon. It was a 500-mile drive, so they were glad they had a GPS device to help them find the shortest route.

Since they were driving their four-wheel-drive Toyota Sequoia, they didn’t get too surprised when the GPS device told them to turn onto a graded dirt road that led into the Winema-Fremont National Forest. About the same time, the snow started to fall. John started to become concerned “when we noticed that the snow was getting deep and we were over 30 miles into this road. We thought we didn't have much farther to go.”

When they did finally decide to turn around, the snow was so deep that they couldn’t get their Sequoia to budge. They checked their cell phones to call for help, but they didn’t have a signal. Fortunately, they had packed a lot of warm clothes and a good supply of snack foods.

For three days they sat in their SUV, cranking it up every few hours to run the heater and reminding each other to eat. The weather conditions eventually improved enough for their GPS-enabled cell phone to get a weak signal and relay coordinates to a dispatcher.

This is just one story of the kind of errors that can result as people rely on one imperfect source of information. There are other stories of people driving onto railway lines, heading the wrong way down one-way streets, getting stuck under bridges, and pulling into strangers’ driveways.

Geoff Sundstrom, a spokesman for the American Automobile Association says, “We've become so accustomed to relying on our technology that we don't often think about what might occur if that technology fails us. And with that in mind we don't want to abandon some of the common-sense motoring advice that our parents and grandparents probably followed…. I think it's definitely a good idea if you're traveling in an area with which you are unfamiliar that you also have a good paper map as well as a GPS just in case you do find yourself in a situation where you are lost and your GPS isn't helping you out.”

No matter how good your sense of direction is, it is wise to have a guide you can trust when you are trying to find your way—and that’s not just when you’re driving. Indeed, you face some of the most difficult decisions about which way to turn as you move through the situations in your everyday life. Do you depend on yourself and what feels right to you; or do you allow yourself to be led by the Holy Spirit?

As Paul reminds the Galatians, “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit” (5:25). That’s the truth that leads to life.

A Lot to Learn

Several years ago one of the members of a Bible study I was teaching made a comment that I may never forget; but before I tell you what he said, let me tell you a little about him.

He was a dentist in the small town where we lived. He was married and had two children who were both active in the church’s youth program. He sang in the choir and served on a committee or two in the church. He was also active in the local chapter of a men’s service organization.

One evening about halfway through the thirteen-week course he shared this comment: “I just have to admit that there has been something that has puzzled me for a long time. I mean I see people in their sixties and seventies carrying their Bibles to Sunday School class and I think, ‘Well, it’s a big book, but it’s not that big. Don’t they know what it says yet?’”

It was a real breakthrough moment for him. Up to that point he had considered the Bible to be one of the many books in the world. He had studied lots of textbooks and still read scores of journal articles to practice his profession. He kept up with news and sports and encouraged his children to be good students (which they were); but somehow the Bible had remained just another book to him.

Accepting the free gift of grace God offers us through Jesus Christ is essential to becoming a person of faith. “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9). Nevertheless, Jesus told his followers there was more to making disciples than just initiating them into the movement. “Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you” (Matthew 28:20).

The world is a complex and confusing place in which to live. New issues seem to arise daily and many of the enduring problems we face seem to defy all solutions. While it may not have the answer to which cell phone provider you should choose or when you should refinance your house, the Bible does have much to say about the most important issues of life: how we should order our priorities, the standards by which we should evaluate our relationships, the responsibilities we have for one another and for the world.

Here’s the truth: The Bible is a big book, not that big; but big enough to hold the answers to many of your deepest questions—if you will take the time listen to all that God has to say to you through it.

60 Seconds

“If your house was on fire and you had 60 seconds, what would you take?” That is the question that Declan O'Callaghan asks Anna Brady in the movie, Leap Year, as they are waiting for the train to Dublin. Anna has traveled from New York to surprise her boyfriend, Dr. Jeremy Sloane, after her father reminds her of the Irish tradition that a man who receives a marriage proposal on a leap day must accept it. With a successful career and the prospect of a prestigious address, Anna is convinced that this marriage will be the fulfillment of all her dreams. Still she has no answer to Declan’s question. She really can’t come up with an answer to what she values most; but the question lingers in her mind.

Once she finally reaches Dublin, she is the one who is surprised when Jeremy proposes to her. A few days later while they are getting ready to host an engagement party in their new condominium, Jeremy tells Anna about a call he got from the president of the condo association while they were in Ireland. During the call he thought it would improve their chances of making the purchase if he told the woman that they were engaged to be married. Declan’s question springs to mind.

While their guests are enjoying the party, Anna steps out into the hall and pulls the fire alarm. She helps her guests find their way to the stairs and then goes back in to watch as Jeremy rushes to grab all his electronic devices before heading out. In the next scene, Anna is back in Ireland. She tells Declan, “When my 60 seconds came around I realized I had everything I ever wanted; but nothing I really needed.”

What is important to you? What do you get enthusiastic or excited about? Most people answer these questions by talking about friends, family, sports, music, or movies. They may tell you about their work or some cause they are working on. Rarely will someone mention their religious beliefs, experiences, or practices.

As Paul closes his first letter to the Corinthians, he reminds them, “I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said” (15:3).  As we work together to think clearly about the truth, it is crucial that we understand what is most important so that our lives are not so full of the things we want, that we have no place for what we need.

Three in One

Controversy is nothing new to the church. Within a few weeks of Peter’s first sermon, the disciples had to deal with a group who was concerned that “their people” were not receiving the attention they deserved. Soon after that, Peter is invited to the home of Cornelius, a Gentile—someone he had been taught was “unclean.” When Peter returned to Jerusalem, he knew he had some explaining to do. Much of the Book of the Acts of the Apostles recounts the way the early community of faith dealt with one controversy after another.

When you read the letters of Paul, Peter, James and John (and even the short letter of Jude), it is not too difficult to imagine some of the controversies they were trying to address. There were procedural questions and doctrinal issues and interpersonal conflicts. One important principle runs through all of this discourse. Paul puts it this way: “Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone” (Romans 12:18).

Still as the church grew and became more diverse, it struggled with a variety of issues. Interestingly, some of the earliest and most passionate disputes grew out of the different ways people tried to explain the nature of God. Great controversies arose around conversations about God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

Constantine was the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity. About a decade after he made religious tolerance the policy throughout the Roman Empire, he authorized the leaders of the church to convene in Nicaea (at public expense) to address the most divisive controversies of the day. From these discussions arose the classical doctrine of the Trinity: God is understood as “one substance,” but “three persons.”

While the Council of Nicaea was able to hammer out a consensus about the way the church would talk about God; it could not fully explain the character and substance of God’s relationship with those he loves. So we continue to struggle with ways to describe the nature of God.

Perhaps we would be better served by focusing on our experience of God. Perhaps we should meditate on the ways God reveals himself to his people. Perhaps then we can come to a more helpful understanding of our God who has revealed himself in a threefold way—Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer; but who has always revealed himself as the one, complete, perfect, undivided God.

Live the Life

Perhaps you have noticed the sticker on the back window of the pickup in front of you at the light. Or maybe one of your kids or grandkids has it emblazoned on the t-shirt they’ve been wearing. You may have been invited to a party by one of your friends and they offered you a koozie with this same logo. Maybe that’s when you stopped and asked, “What is ‘Salt Life’?”

What has become a ubiquitous business logo started out as a saying two of the company founders had tattooed on their necks. It was their way of expressing their love for the ocean and aquatic sports. According to their website, “The four partners of Salt Life are avid ‘watermen’ and extreme surfers, free divers, spear fishermen and blue water fishing experts. All have traveled the globe surfing, fishing and diving in pursuit of the Salt Lifestyle.”

Since its beginning in 2003, the Salt Life merchandise line, which includes T-shirts, hats, visors and—of course—stickers, has grown into a surfing, fishing and diving-wear empire, selling online and in more than 1,000 independent retailers and six regional and national companies, including Bass Pro Shops, Dick’s Sporting Goods, and Belk. In 2010 the company signed a licensing agreement with a group of partners in Jacksonville to expand the brand to include a restaurant called “Salt Life Food Shack.”

The people at Salt Life are committed to promoting the lifestyle of an avid beach lover. “Be it surfing, fishing, diving or just enjoying a day at the beach, we all have one thing in common... the ocean and all it has to offer!”

While that is a touching sentiment; as members of a community of faith, we have something much more significant that we share in common: God’s gift of life through his Son, Jesus Christ. As John tells his congregation: “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13).

What’s more, Jesus calls his followers to be salt. We're not supposed to let the world transform us; we are called to transform the world. “Let me tell you why you are here. You're here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You've lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage” (Matthew 5:13, The Message). So, live a salty, eternal life!

Put to the Test

When most people begin to think about buying anything, one of the first questions they consider is whether their purchase will be a good value. I mean most folks don’t have money to throw around; and money you spend on one thing is money you don’t have to spend on something else.

Everybody likes low prices (well, maybe not that baby that keeps throwing cereal at Jimmy Fallon); but low prices don’t always mean great value. If something breaks soon after you buy it because it is made with inferior materials; even if it has a full replacement guarantee, that’s not a good deal. Most people hope that whatever they are buying is produced with quality.

That’s really what most folks consider when they think about value: that combination of price and quality. Some people focus on the price, while others put more emphasis on the quality. The price is pretty easy to determine. It’s the quality that is more difficult to discern.

For those people who are particularly concerned with the quality of the products they purchase, one of the references they frequently check is Consumer Reports. For over 75 years the staff of Consumer Reports has been testing products to help consumers “distinguish hype from fact and good products from bad ones.”

According to their website, “More than 100 testing experts work in seven major technical departments—appliances, auto test, baby & child, electronics, foods, health & family, and recreation & home improvement, while more than 25 research experts work in three departments—product acquisition, product information, and statistics & quality management.” That is some serious testing, but it is what has made Consumer Reports one of the most trusted independent and impartial sources of information in the world.

While Consumer Reports has made a science out of product testing, it is still difficult to determine the quality of many elements of your life. If you are concerned about the quality of your faith, let me suggest you look carefully at the first few verses of 1 John 5. John seems to outline three simple tests that indicate the quality of a truly victorious life: faith, love, and obedience.  The assurance of a place in God’s kingdom is something you’ll value, no matter what the price.

Fear Not!

Once Adam and Eve ate the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, the hiding began. First they hid themselves from each other; and then when God came to take a stroll through the garden with them that evening, they hid from God. Why were they hiding? Adam says it clearly, “I was afraid.”

While God does send them out of the garden, God shows his continuing love and care for them by making them clothes and giving them a new place to live that has all they need to thrive. God has standards and God expects his children to live by those standards; but when we fail to live up to those standards—even when we knowingly and willfully break God’s standards—God’s love continues.

Consider this: When Adam and Eve’s son, Cain, kills his brother and tries to hide it from everyone, there are consequences; but God doesn’t annihilate him. Cain’s own actions have made it impossible for him to live in community with his family of origin. When Cain says God’s punishment is more than he can bear, God promises to put a mark of protection on him, “so that no one who found him would kill him” (Genesis 4:15).

In spite of this lavish display of grace, throughout the Bible you find people still have to be reassured every time God shows up. When God approaches Abraham to offer him the opportunity to be the father of the covenant people, God’s first words are, “Do not be afraid.” When he appears to Moses and invites him to lead the Israelites out of slavery, God’s first words are, “Do not be afraid.” When Joshua is left with the task of leading the conquest of the Promised Land, God comes to him with the message, “Do not be afraid.”

And it doesn’t stop with the Old Testament. Indeed, as God begins the work of establishing a new covenant; one holy messenger after another begins with “Do not be afraid.” During their last meal together Jesus tells his disciples, “Do not be afraid.”  When the resurrected Jesus meets the women in the garden on Easter morning he tells them, “Do not be afraid.”

When John writes his letter to the church he reminds them that God loves them. Indeed, God loves them so much that God “sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins” (1 John 4:10).  So when you know and rely on the love God has for you and accept the power the Holy Spirit gives you to live a life that is pleasing to God, there is no reason for you to be afraid. 


May we grow to love each other the way God loves us.

Building Something Great

Many years ago a man was on a journey. As he began to enter one village, he noticed that it seemed more prosperous than many he had been through. As he continued along the main road, he found himself before a large construction site. He wondered what was being built.

There were three men working near the road. So he approached one of them and asked him what he was doing. The man was clearly annoyed by this interruption. He looked up from his work with contempt in his eyes. “Can’t you see what I’m doing? I’m chiseling this huge rock into smaller stones. I’ve been doing it for years; and it looks like I’ll be doing it until the day I die.” He muttered something under his breath the traveler was glad he couldn’t understand and went back to his work.

Still curious about the project, the traveler moved on to the next man who was engaged in the same activity just a few yards farther on. “Can you tell me what you are doing?”

The man relaxed his grip on his hammer and looked up. He seemed pleased for the chance to take a break. “We are shaping these stones to build a wall here,” he said as he pointed along the ditch that lay beside him. “It’s hard work, but I’m glad for the opportunity to earn the money to provide a home and food for my wife and children.” He looked back down at the stone on his bench and raised his hammer once again.

“Better,” the traveler thought to himself; but he still didn’t have any news worth sharing. There was one more man busy chiseling stone. “Perhaps this fellow can tell me more.”

“Excuse me. Can you tell me what you are doing?”

Like the others, the man was covered with dust and his hands were rough; but he laid down his hammer, straightened his back, and looked toward the sky. As he raised his hands over his head, his face broke into a huge smile. “We are building a cathedral—a shrine to God. It will be a light for the world and will proclaim God’s glory to generations yet unborn.”

John tells the community of believers, “It is not yet clear what we shall become. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he really is” (1 John 3:2). As we live in the light of the glory of the resurrected Christ, may we more clearly catch the vision that “we are now God's children.” Let that reality give you power to live a life of faith—especially when the work is hard.

A New Way of Living

Last Sunday in churches around the world Christians united their voices in singing, “Christ the Lord is risen today!” The resurrection of Jesus Christ is certainly an event worthy of celebration. It assures those who put their trust in Jesus that death is not the end—there is life beyond this present reality. The hope of resurrection comforts those who have lost loved ones with the promise that they will be reunited some day.

Fully devoted followers of Christ recognize that this extraordinary, unique and unparalleled event offers much more than just the promise of life after death. It opens the possibility to a completely new way of life here and now. That is what John tries to make plain to the community of believers when he writes his first letter to the church.

John wants those who have put their trust in Christ to know that through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, God has opened the possibility of a transformed relationship with God and with one another. They no longer need to live in fear that God is going to punish them for the things they have done wrong. God wants them to experience the joy of authentic fellowship.

John also recognizes how tenuous this fellowship can seem in the midst of the struggles, trials and temptations of life day by day. He reminds them that the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is offered to them as they seek to live lives that reflect the character of their savior. Indeed, it is the love of God—fully expressed in the sacrifice of Christ—that makes it possible for them to live a holy life.

For John this is more than an intellectual argument or a philosophical proposition. It is a message rooted in his direct experience with Jesus—the same Jesus he heard teach with authority; he saw heal the sick, the blind and the lame; he embraced with his own arms and touched with his hands. While the truth he shares concerns eternity, he wants those entrusted to his care to know that this truth has profound implications for their current situation.

This is such an important idea that we are going to take the next few weeks—this whole period between Easter and Pentecost—to consider this message John delivers to the church. As we begin let me invite you to read the whole letter (it’s only five short chapters) as if it were addressed personally to you. I pray that we may all discover a deeper confidence that will enable us to live more boldly for our risen Lord!

The Light of Hope

As the women were headed toward the tomb very early on that Sunday morning, they were worried. How were they even going to begin to do the difficult and painful task of caring for the dead body of their friend and teacher? They had seen the place where his body was left just days ago. They had also seen the huge stone that had been rolled in front of the opening. The tomb was sealed. The rock was heavy. It was early. They had little reason to hope.

The truth was that from the time they had first begun to follow Jesus the promise of hope was often overshadowed by opposition, difficulty and doubt. Jesus taught the Word of God with authority, and the religious authorities questioned his credentials. Jesus fed the hungry, and people accused him of being a glutton. Jesus cast out demons, and they said he was in league with the devil.

Even this last week had been a real roller coaster ride. The crowd had welcomed him just days before they turned on him and called for his execution. How could the same people who had shouted “Hallelujah!” hurl such insults as he hung on the cross? How could one of his own disciples have sold him out? Where were his disciples now? Is this really where their journey of hope had led them?

Their worry turns to amazement as they approach the tomb. A heavenly messenger waits for them with an astonishing message: “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you’” (Mark 16:6-7).

Who would think to look for hope in a cemetery? It is precisely at the point when despair seems most overwhelming that the power of God brings hope to those who are faithful. Nothing is too great for God to overcome—not even death. That is the great good news of Easter.

The Word gave life to everything that was created,
and his life brought light to everyone.
The light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness can never extinguish it. (John 1:4-5)

As followers of Christ, let me encourage you to reflect the light of the resurrected Jesus. There are people all around you who are stumbling in the darkness. The One who gives you hope offers hope to them, as well. May those around you see a difference in your life since you have made this journey of hope all the way to the empty tomb.

Christ is risen.

He is risen, indeed!

Alleluia!

Riding the Waves

One of the online devotional resources I read posed an interesting question this week: “How much discipline and practice does it take to ride a wave?” There was a picture of a man in a rash guard and board shorts riding out the end of a wave on his surfboard. He wasn’t doing any spectacular tricks. From the picture it didn’t seem to be particularly beautiful day or especially interesting surroundings. It was just a picture of a man on a board in a sea of foam.

If you have been out to the pier at Tybee, perhaps you have spent time watching the surfers practice their sport. They come dressed for the conditions. They carry their boards to the water. They paddle out to the deep. And then they wait. And they wait.

They look out into the vastness of the ocean for a wave. It is quite ironic, really; because all you can see when you look out into the ocean is waves. But they are looking for the wave that will carry enough energy to carry them and their board on the short ride from their place in the surf toward the beach.

When they spot such a wave, the real action begins. They scramble around, start paddling, and (if they have timed their efforts just right) they stand to their feet as they accelerate down the slope of the wave as it moves toward the shore.

Now let me take you back to the question: “How much discipline and practice does it take to ride a wave?” I imagine it takes quite a bit of both; but it also seems that whoever is willing to commit themselves to the practice and the discipline can succeed in riding the waves.

You don’t have to be a certain age. You don’t have to pass an intelligence test. You don’t have to have a certain body type. You just have to be willing to commit to practice the habits that lead to the ability to ride the waves; and you have to do it day after day.

As we move toward the end of this season of Lent, let me encourage you to stay committed to the disciplines that will carry you along on your journey to hope. Even the waves of the ocean pale in comparison to the power of God that is moving all around us.

May you experience the thrill of riding the wave of God’s awesome power—a power so great that it restores sight to the blind, heals the sick, and brings the dead to life.

Alert to the Dangers

It seems much more difficult to adjust to the “spring forward” change to Daylight Saving Time than to the “fall back” one. In large part that is because the idea of getting up an hour earlier is extremely unpleasant to most people. On top of that, most folks are already sleep-deprived. Nearly half of Americans say they rarely or never get a good night's sleep during the week.

That may not seem like such a big deal, but consider this. There is research that indicates the number of car accidents increases on the Monday after daylight saving time begins. Workers report more injuries on the job the Monday after the beginning of daylight saving time. In the days after the shift, heart attacks are also more common. When people are tired they are in danger.

The truth is sleepiness contributes to human error in variety of settings. When people are depleted physically, emotionally or spiritually they are at risk; and life is full of challenges, distractions, and interruptions that make it difficult to reach our intended destination.

A lot of people look for a quick fix. You can hardly get to the register in most gas stations without knocking over a bottle of “energy.” Others look for their rush by scratching numbers off a lottery ticket. A few experiment with drugs. Still others turn to pornography or extramarital affairs. It seems that people will try all kinds of ways to short-circuit the thrill of being alive.

When you tire on the journey to hope, you are most susceptible to temptation. It is so tempting to choose something that promises momentary pleasure; but that leads to long-term pain. That is one of the reasons the season of Lent is a time to consider the resources available to believers, especially when they meet resistance. There are so many things that interfere with your reaching your intended destination. Do you know where to turn when you need to refuel?

Let me encourage you to remember where Jesus found the strength to continue his journey to the end. He gathered his closest friends around him. He spent time in earnest prayer. He affirmed his total commitment to God’s purpose for his life. These are things you can do to faithfully continue your journey to hope.

To Serve, Not To Be Served

Should every American go to college? That’s a question that has stirred quite a bit of public debate over the past few weeks. Some have suggested that a college education is the path to job security and economic success. Others have openly questioned the value of the college experience and warned that the lessons learned in an institution of higher learning are irrelevant, if not destructive.

Andrew Delbanco entered the debate this week with an op-ed piece that was published in The New York Times. Mr. Delbanco is the director of American studies at Columbia University and also the author of the forthcoming book, “College: What It Was, Is, and Should Be.” He admits that there may be some merit to the argument “that elite college culture encourages smugness and self-satisfaction.” He continues:

Our oldest and most prestigious colleges are losing touch with the spirit in which they were founded. To the stringent Protestants who founded Harvard, Yale and Princeton, the mark of salvation was not high self-esteem but humbling awareness of one’s lowliness in the eyes of God. With such awareness came the recognition that those whom God favors are granted grace not for any worthiness of their own, but by God’s unmerited mercy — as a gift to be converted into working and living on behalf of others. That lesson should always be part of the curriculum.

In this respect . . . our leading colleges could use a little more of their own old-time religion — not in any doctrinal sense, but in the sense of taking seriously the Christian virtues of humility and charity. In secular terms, this means recognizing that people with good prospects owe much to their good fortune — and to fellow citizens less fortunate than themselves. . . .

Perhaps if our leading colleges encouraged more humility and less hubris, college-bashing would go out of style and we could get on with the urgent business of providing the best education for as many Americans as possible.

Like James and John, most people want some assurance that they will eventually receive the honor they deserve (see Mark 10:35-45). Jesus lets them know clearly that’s not the way it is going to be in the community he is creating. Instead, the greatest will be the one who serves.

“Working and living on behalf of others” is the most faithful way to follow Christ on our journey to hope.

Take a Look in the Mirror

Early in the movie, Six Days Seven Nights, the crusty charter pilot, Quinn Harris, shares an important insight with Robin Monroe—the young professional who has recently arrived with her fiancé:

Quinn: They come here looking for the magic, hoping to find romance, when they can't find it anywhere else.
Robin: Maybe they will.
Quinn: It's an island, babe! If you didn't bring it here, you won't find it here!

That’s important to remember whenever you are embarking on a journey. It’s the reason you want to travel with trusted companions; but it is also a reminder that it is worthwhile to reflect on the person who is always with you. As Confucius said, “And remember, no matter where you go, there you are.”

That’s good news for some folks, but more than a few folks spend huge amounts of time, energy and money trying to reinvent themselves. Perhaps they recall the pronouncement of that wise swamp ‘possum, Pogo, “We have met the enemy and he is us.”

In the introduction to Pogo Papers Walt Kelly tried to explain what he meant by this:

...Specializations and markings of individuals everywhere abound in such profusion that major idiosyncrasies can be properly ascribed to the mass. Traces of nobility, gentleness and courage persist in all people, do what we will to stamp out the trend. So, too, do those characteristics which are ugly. It is just unfortunate that in the clumsy hands of the cartoonist all traits become ridiculous, leading to a certain amount of self conscious expostulation and the desire to join battle.

There is no need to sally forth, for it remains true that those things which make us human are, curiously enough, always close at hand. Resolve, then, that on this very ground, with small flags waving and tiny blasts of tiny trumpets, we shall meet the enemy, and not only may he be ours, he may be us.

So as we make this journey of hope, don’t be discouraged that you can’t get away from who you are. What Walt Kelly said may be true, “We are all of us responsible for our myriad pollutions, public, private and political.” That’s our call to confession.

Just remember this journey also serves as an opportunity to recall that God created you in his image. God’s nature is within you; and by God’s grace, that nature can become a greater and greater source of the basis for your hope.