Good morning my beautiful and precious family!
I am having a moment of just reveling in God's goodness and I wanted to share it with you all.
I just had this realization of the true honor and privilege of being a child of God. Specifically, that when God considered all of humanity and the enormous mess we are in, He determined a plan to engage us (me!) to be part of solving it. In fact, I was created with this specific time and its needs in mind. I am a servant created to serve in a particular place (most likely America), at a particular time (somewhere around the year 2000), toward a particular goal (reunification with God).
Look around, we are in a turmoil! Hatred, violence, oppression and brokenness around every turn. I have never encountered a single person who has not suffered some significant and longstanding wound in this world. And do you know what! God designed me with a particular set of talents; He made me to see those wounds, and gave me the skills to play a role in healing them.
Why is this so amazing and honoring to me? He could have just said a word and healed every single person I've ever encountered, but that's not the way He operates (most of the time anyway). Instead, He chooses to work through me - because He esteems me - and He wants me to be part of His plan, not just an observer. (WHAT!?!)
And God looks to me, and calls me warrior, and asks that I play a role in fighting the disease of hatred and brokenness that is infecting everything and everyone around me. ME! A suburban, white, intellectual situated in one of the most affluent cultures in the history of the world. ME! (You!)
How highly esteemed are we by God!!!
And to top it all off, this war I've been called to fight does not require me to hate, murder, or oppress anyone. I'm called to love, heal and serve.
How beautiful! How perfect!
What about you??? What have you been gifted to do? God has especially equipped you as well. You are no accident, but a warrior - esteemed by God, designed to fulfill His redemptive plan for this world. And I am so privileged to know you.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Thursday, July 29, 2010
A Great Morning
I have had the most amazing morning with God.
I spent a great deal of time in scripture this morning and God talked to me about many of my desires and hopes. He also addressed some of my sins and hurts. I feel like there is too much to share it all! But I want to talk about one thing in particular, my sin.
As part of my Bible study today I was asked to consider the role fear has played in my life. Given that I have historically been a nervous nelly, constantly trying and failing to please others - I knew that it played a central role. But as a wrote, I started to realize something really profound about the role a specific fear has played in my life and in my faith walk. The fear of being wrong.
I am going to try to relay how this unfolded for me; because it's not like God spoke in an audible voice. Instead it went something like this:
First, I thought to myself - well of course fear has played a role. And immediately a thought sprang to mind, you are afraid of being wrong.
Continuing on, I spoke to myself "Yes, afraid of being wrong. And underneath that is my true fear - the fear of being hurt or disappointed." So I start to write down that I am afraid of disappointment. But about halfway through writing the sentence, I am stopped. You may very well be afraid of disappointment, but you are just plain afraid of being wrong. And now, though you know this, you're trying to lie about it.
"What!?" I think to myself. And I sit for a second and the feelings and fears I have about my marriage flash before me. Fears that my husband is unfaithful or a closet drunk or drug addict. And I hear myself saying, "But what really makes me upset about this idea is the thought that I don't know, that I would have been fooled."
Oh, there is such, such shame in being made a fool for me. I can feel its ache in my chest even writing this now. Don't let anyone see that you were foolish or naive.
For years, I had a problem with lying. Not lying in the big sense but in the little everyday sense. Like the "I'll emphasize this and leave out this" sense. And that was so about hiding wrongness, hiding any smell of foolishness.
I also let it hold me back from committing to God. I always wanted to leave room for error. I don't want to commit to Christianity too much, because "What if I'm wrong?"
That crappy question fuels more of my insecurity and the petty non-sense fights in my head. "What if I'm wrong about this, or that?" I'd better prove, over and over and OVER in my head that I am right. I am so sick of proving I am right.
And what God showed me was that faith cannot be about being right or being proven right. To the world, it is foolishness. By it's very definition, in the world's eyes faith is (equals) foolishness.
God wants to make a fool of me. Ha! Wow, am I gonna need some healing. Thank God I have a Merciful and Loving Father, a Beautiful and Anointed Son and Divine and Ever-present Spirit that are in the healing and redemptive business.
I spent a great deal of time in scripture this morning and God talked to me about many of my desires and hopes. He also addressed some of my sins and hurts. I feel like there is too much to share it all! But I want to talk about one thing in particular, my sin.
As part of my Bible study today I was asked to consider the role fear has played in my life. Given that I have historically been a nervous nelly, constantly trying and failing to please others - I knew that it played a central role. But as a wrote, I started to realize something really profound about the role a specific fear has played in my life and in my faith walk. The fear of being wrong.
I am going to try to relay how this unfolded for me; because it's not like God spoke in an audible voice. Instead it went something like this:
First, I thought to myself - well of course fear has played a role. And immediately a thought sprang to mind, you are afraid of being wrong.
Continuing on, I spoke to myself "Yes, afraid of being wrong. And underneath that is my true fear - the fear of being hurt or disappointed." So I start to write down that I am afraid of disappointment. But about halfway through writing the sentence, I am stopped. You may very well be afraid of disappointment, but you are just plain afraid of being wrong. And now, though you know this, you're trying to lie about it.
"What!?" I think to myself. And I sit for a second and the feelings and fears I have about my marriage flash before me. Fears that my husband is unfaithful or a closet drunk or drug addict. And I hear myself saying, "But what really makes me upset about this idea is the thought that I don't know, that I would have been fooled."
Oh, there is such, such shame in being made a fool for me. I can feel its ache in my chest even writing this now. Don't let anyone see that you were foolish or naive.
For years, I had a problem with lying. Not lying in the big sense but in the little everyday sense. Like the "I'll emphasize this and leave out this" sense. And that was so about hiding wrongness, hiding any smell of foolishness.
I also let it hold me back from committing to God. I always wanted to leave room for error. I don't want to commit to Christianity too much, because "What if I'm wrong?"
That crappy question fuels more of my insecurity and the petty non-sense fights in my head. "What if I'm wrong about this, or that?" I'd better prove, over and over and OVER in my head that I am right. I am so sick of proving I am right.
And what God showed me was that faith cannot be about being right or being proven right. To the world, it is foolishness. By it's very definition, in the world's eyes faith is (equals) foolishness.
God wants to make a fool of me. Ha! Wow, am I gonna need some healing. Thank God I have a Merciful and Loving Father, a Beautiful and Anointed Son and Divine and Ever-present Spirit that are in the healing and redemptive business.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
What I am Listening To: Brooke Fraser
On the right you will find a new "What I am Listening To" list.
I've decided to devote some time to Brooke Fraser because she amazing. All of the songs on the list are from the one album I am familiar with, Albertine. Here's my reasons for including each of them:
Albertine: It's about Brooke's obligation to speak out on behalf of those who have died or are dying in Rowanda. It reminds me of my obligation as privileged Christian to speak on behalf of the oppressed in this world.
C.S. Lewis Song: It's about the Truth that there is restlessness in our spirit, that screams 'it was not supposed to be this way!'. It is about the Truth that God is not satisfied to wait for us, but pursues us. "Hope is coming for me."
Deciphering Me: I interpret this song as about the process of understanding one another and holiness of this enterprise. How when we spend the time to get to know one another intimately we provide one another a glimpse of the knowing and being known of God.
Faithful: The pain and purpose of waiting for God. What is more profound?
Hosea's Wife: A concise and real understanding of Christian perspective on the purpose of life. "We are Hosea's Wife, we are squandering this life, using people like money and truth like lies."
Seeds: A image of parenting, of our role in growing and passing on wisdom to the next generation.
Shadowfeet: A description of the process of becoming who we were created to be. It reminds me that I am growing to fill in myself. I am becoming more myself as I draw ever nearer to God.
I hope you will take the time to listen.
Love you.
I've decided to devote some time to Brooke Fraser because she amazing. All of the songs on the list are from the one album I am familiar with, Albertine. Here's my reasons for including each of them:
Albertine: It's about Brooke's obligation to speak out on behalf of those who have died or are dying in Rowanda. It reminds me of my obligation as privileged Christian to speak on behalf of the oppressed in this world.
C.S. Lewis Song: It's about the Truth that there is restlessness in our spirit, that screams 'it was not supposed to be this way!'. It is about the Truth that God is not satisfied to wait for us, but pursues us. "Hope is coming for me."
Deciphering Me: I interpret this song as about the process of understanding one another and holiness of this enterprise. How when we spend the time to get to know one another intimately we provide one another a glimpse of the knowing and being known of God.
Faithful: The pain and purpose of waiting for God. What is more profound?
Hosea's Wife: A concise and real understanding of Christian perspective on the purpose of life. "We are Hosea's Wife, we are squandering this life, using people like money and truth like lies."
Seeds: A image of parenting, of our role in growing and passing on wisdom to the next generation.
Shadowfeet: A description of the process of becoming who we were created to be. It reminds me that I am growing to fill in myself. I am becoming more myself as I draw ever nearer to God.
I hope you will take the time to listen.
Love you.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Why Jesus Christ was not a Terrorist
Our church is currently in a study exploring 1st Peter.
To provide some context, 1st Peter is a letter written by one the apostle's (Peter) to his scattered church, the 1st Church of Jerusalem, due the severe persecution of the early Christian church during that time. So, this letter was written to folks who were quite literally facing brutal death by the hands of their oppressors (typically the religious and governmental authorities) for their faith.
So this next part may sound strange; specifically, what we studied this weekend was about submitting to authority. That's right! Right at the beginning of a letter to a group of oppressed refugees, facing death at the hands of the religious and governmental authorities of their day is a series of passages on submission to authority.
Seriously! What up Peter?!? Shouldn't we be talking about revolution? Rebellion?
Nope... he says "Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men." (1 Peter 2:13-25).
He goes on to talk about why this is important (I can imagine, because if I got that letter I'd need some justification for his position as well). He gives three major reasons:
(1) Authority is designed to be good for all (e.g., it's supposed to promote good and punish evil).
(2) Our role is to influence others by doing good (a.k.a., our role is not to punish corrupt authorities - that's God's job).
(3) Our divine role model for this is Jesus Christ.
This message spoke to me so, so personally. I think because one of the things that drew me to Christianity was it's place in changing the world. I want to be a part of something that lifts up the oppressed, that names evil, that undermines the structures which dominate and control the powerless. As a result, I think - in some way- I want to be a terrorist for God. In fact, one of the early Christian writings that drew me in actually used that metaphor but renamed terrorism with some other, nicer phrase (e.g., gorilla love mercenary or something like that).
And I am not saying that Christianity is NOT about changing this broken world or lifting up the oppressed, it is. But what this passage of scripture speaks to is our general methodology for achieving those aims.
Specifically, I am guessing that these early Christian refugees were likely considering some terrorism of their own, ya know. If I saw my daughter get dragged through the streets and raped or my brother beaten and murdered - I'd probably be thinking of strapping the equivalent of a bomb to my chest for Christ. And I'd feel pretty justified to - these were evil men, doing evil things! (I am not being facetious here - these men were doing evil things).
But Peter steps in and says, "No. Not that way. We do not work that way!" We work by "Showing proper respect to everyone. Lov[ing] the brotherhood of believers, fear[ing] God, honor[ing] the king." (1st Peter 2:15-17)
We work through love, service and submission. That's right, if the evil king wants to kill us because we believe in Christ - we don't blow him up, we don't hate him, we submit to his authority to kill us.
This is an incredibly challenging passage of scripture for believers, let a lone those who do not believe. Specifically, we are going to look like nuts to atheists.
In fact, I've got a Marxist, atheist friend of mine who pretty much thinks the new testament was written to prevent slave classes from uprising and killing their masters. And I can see why he thinks that. I mean our scripture says it - let them beat you, let them kill you, turn the other cheek, walk the extra mile, respect their authority, love them. It suggests a way that is a radical departure from rebellion or terrorism. Specifically, it say trust God to handle this and trust that His plan of Love to ultimately succeed.
I think this bears repeating: Trust God to handle this. Trust that His plan of Love will ultimately succeed.
Without faith, we should and do make no sense.
So I was challenged... Do I make no sense? Are my friends and family looking at me and saying, "she loves so radically - I don't understand her"? If not, then I am living this out wrong. I am still living as though I am of the world, instead of just passing through.
Another question, "Do I believe there is a God in Heaven who sees all and judges rightly?" If I do, there is absolutely no room to be a terrorist for Jesus. In this economy it is God (and only God) who can judge and execute fairly - thus, my judgment cannot be fully trusted. Just because it seems right to me to blow someone up (which, let's be real - sometimes this feels like a VERY good idea) - it does not mean I am right or I should.
God is very plain on this fact - as a child of God I serve, I obey, I love. Done. Servant attitude, servant heart. This plan will ultimately change the world for God, but not the way I've seen before and not necessarily in the way I would have it done.
To provide some context, 1st Peter is a letter written by one the apostle's (Peter) to his scattered church, the 1st Church of Jerusalem, due the severe persecution of the early Christian church during that time. So, this letter was written to folks who were quite literally facing brutal death by the hands of their oppressors (typically the religious and governmental authorities) for their faith.
So this next part may sound strange; specifically, what we studied this weekend was about submitting to authority. That's right! Right at the beginning of a letter to a group of oppressed refugees, facing death at the hands of the religious and governmental authorities of their day is a series of passages on submission to authority.
Seriously! What up Peter?!? Shouldn't we be talking about revolution? Rebellion?
Nope... he says "Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men." (1 Peter 2:13-25).
He goes on to talk about why this is important (I can imagine, because if I got that letter I'd need some justification for his position as well). He gives three major reasons:
(1) Authority is designed to be good for all (e.g., it's supposed to promote good and punish evil).
(2) Our role is to influence others by doing good (a.k.a., our role is not to punish corrupt authorities - that's God's job).
(3) Our divine role model for this is Jesus Christ.
This message spoke to me so, so personally. I think because one of the things that drew me to Christianity was it's place in changing the world. I want to be a part of something that lifts up the oppressed, that names evil, that undermines the structures which dominate and control the powerless. As a result, I think - in some way- I want to be a terrorist for God. In fact, one of the early Christian writings that drew me in actually used that metaphor but renamed terrorism with some other, nicer phrase (e.g., gorilla love mercenary or something like that).
And I am not saying that Christianity is NOT about changing this broken world or lifting up the oppressed, it is. But what this passage of scripture speaks to is our general methodology for achieving those aims.
Specifically, I am guessing that these early Christian refugees were likely considering some terrorism of their own, ya know. If I saw my daughter get dragged through the streets and raped or my brother beaten and murdered - I'd probably be thinking of strapping the equivalent of a bomb to my chest for Christ. And I'd feel pretty justified to - these were evil men, doing evil things! (I am not being facetious here - these men were doing evil things).
But Peter steps in and says, "No. Not that way. We do not work that way!" We work by "Showing proper respect to everyone. Lov[ing] the brotherhood of believers, fear[ing] God, honor[ing] the king." (1st Peter 2:15-17)
We work through love, service and submission. That's right, if the evil king wants to kill us because we believe in Christ - we don't blow him up, we don't hate him, we submit to his authority to kill us.
This is an incredibly challenging passage of scripture for believers, let a lone those who do not believe. Specifically, we are going to look like nuts to atheists.
In fact, I've got a Marxist, atheist friend of mine who pretty much thinks the new testament was written to prevent slave classes from uprising and killing their masters. And I can see why he thinks that. I mean our scripture says it - let them beat you, let them kill you, turn the other cheek, walk the extra mile, respect their authority, love them. It suggests a way that is a radical departure from rebellion or terrorism. Specifically, it say trust God to handle this and trust that His plan of Love to ultimately succeed.
I think this bears repeating: Trust God to handle this. Trust that His plan of Love will ultimately succeed.
Without faith, we should and do make no sense.
So I was challenged... Do I make no sense? Are my friends and family looking at me and saying, "she loves so radically - I don't understand her"? If not, then I am living this out wrong. I am still living as though I am of the world, instead of just passing through.
Another question, "Do I believe there is a God in Heaven who sees all and judges rightly?" If I do, there is absolutely no room to be a terrorist for Jesus. In this economy it is God (and only God) who can judge and execute fairly - thus, my judgment cannot be fully trusted. Just because it seems right to me to blow someone up (which, let's be real - sometimes this feels like a VERY good idea) - it does not mean I am right or I should.
God is very plain on this fact - as a child of God I serve, I obey, I love. Done. Servant attitude, servant heart. This plan will ultimately change the world for God, but not the way I've seen before and not necessarily in the way I would have it done.
Friday, July 16, 2010
Oh Happiness!
For those of you who don't know already, I am obsessed with this David Crowder Band Song, "Oh Happiness."
When you first listen to it, it sounds like a catchy pop song with A LOT of synthesizer action. And let's be honest, that's probably enough for me to get hooked on a song. (Oh heaven did I love "Stacy's Mom" - I love you Jackie Anderson!)
But Oh Happiness has an incredible depth to it, that most catchy pop songs lack. (They can't all be Mr. Jones you know?)
In all seriousness, I think to fully comprehend Oh Happiness, you need to first do some reflecting. First, I want you to think of the worst, most painful atrocities in this world. What do humans look like at their meanest and darkest.
Then I want you to think about the pains in your own life, the things you believe can NEVER fully heal. The things you've said to yourself, "I will never get over this. I will carry this around until I die."
Now listen to Oh Happiness (lyrics printed below).
Everything can be turned around, made right, made beautiful, made worth it. Beauty from ashes!
I imagine that there are some of you reading, who think "This is a fairytale, this is impossible. You cannot make Auschwitz worth it!" I know, I know! How could it ever be worth it, right? But the joy of Christianity is this, Full Redemption is EXACTLY God's promise and plan. She is singing join me! Hope in me! I will deliver you. I will redeem everything you hand me.
Redeemer God,
Your love and mercy is incomprehensible to me. I am awash in Your promises. I cannot fully understand them but thank You for bringing me to a place where I can believe them. Please do the same for those who cannot see past the atrocities of this world. Give them a personal glimpse of the hope You provide, a taste of the Grace that is Your very nature, of the true fullness of Your redemptive plan.
I love You so.
When you first listen to it, it sounds like a catchy pop song with A LOT of synthesizer action. And let's be honest, that's probably enough for me to get hooked on a song. (Oh heaven did I love "Stacy's Mom" - I love you Jackie Anderson!)
But Oh Happiness has an incredible depth to it, that most catchy pop songs lack. (They can't all be Mr. Jones you know?)
In all seriousness, I think to fully comprehend Oh Happiness, you need to first do some reflecting. First, I want you to think of the worst, most painful atrocities in this world. What do humans look like at their meanest and darkest.
Then I want you to think about the pains in your own life, the things you believe can NEVER fully heal. The things you've said to yourself, "I will never get over this. I will carry this around until I die."
Now listen to Oh Happiness (lyrics printed below).
Oh, happiness
There is grace enough for us
And the whole human race
From the full streams
Of Your care
All who come
Begin again
Hard or friend
Rich or poor
All who need
Need fear no more
Such a thing to give away
All regrets
Let go, forget
There's something that
Mends all of that
Such a thing to give away
Sound the church bells
Let 'em ring
Let 'em ring
For everything can be redeemed
We can be redeemed
All of us
There is grace enough for us
And the whole human race
From the full streams
Of Your care
All who come
Begin again
Hard or friend
Rich or poor
All who need
Need fear no more
Such a thing to give away
All regrets
Let go, forget
There's something that
Mends all of that
Such a thing to give away
Sound the church bells
Let 'em ring
Let 'em ring
For everything can be redeemed
We can be redeemed
All of us
This is the absolute heartbeat of gospel... we have NOT out sinned God's ability to love us or to redeem us. Everything can be redeemed - Auschwitz can be redeemed, Darfur can be redeemed, the time your father told you he wished he'd worn a condom the night you were conceived can be redeemed, the time you lashed out and told your friend they weren't worth your time can be redeemed.
Everything can be turned around, made right, made beautiful, made worth it. Beauty from ashes!
I imagine that there are some of you reading, who think "This is a fairytale, this is impossible. You cannot make Auschwitz worth it!" I know, I know! How could it ever be worth it, right? But the joy of Christianity is this, Full Redemption is EXACTLY God's promise and plan. She is singing join me! Hope in me! I will deliver you. I will redeem everything you hand me.
Redeemer God,
Your love and mercy is incomprehensible to me. I am awash in Your promises. I cannot fully understand them but thank You for bringing me to a place where I can believe them. Please do the same for those who cannot see past the atrocities of this world. Give them a personal glimpse of the hope You provide, a taste of the Grace that is Your very nature, of the true fullness of Your redemptive plan.
I love You so.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Weary of this world and its ways
Good morning my people.
I am writing to you feeling both tired and worn. I am feeling so sad and frustrated with this world and its ways of rejection and stereotype. I feel bombarded from all sides by in-groups and out-groups.
Let me explain. My faith walk is unique, in that God grabbed me out of place that is atypical- the world of academe or the intellectual. It is hard for me to imagine two worlds more at odds than the worlds of intelligentsia and religion. They are each others' favorite out group, with religious leaders frequently disparaging academic values and pursuits as "narcissistic" and "divorced from lived experience."Academics are no better, slinging the mud of "hypocrisy" and "willful ignorance" in the other direction.
And now, I am considered a part of each in group. I am a dual insider. Or a dual betrayer depending on how you look at it. Because my true allegiance belongs to neither, I believe in neither. I believe in, I put my faith in, I bow down to, I follow Jesus Christ alone.
"Wait!" you say, "Doesn't that mean you are religious? You must align with the religious side of the war?" No. I love and respect very many intellectuals. I understand their hearts, to fight for people who have been oppressed by religion. I respect their calling a Pharisee a hypocrite when there devotion to the Word becomes perverted into hatred of people. Because, you see, the Christian church without a clear and fixed eye on Jesus is no church. And religion with no God is just another country club.
"Well now it's clear your really an intellectual." No. I love many religious people and participate in religious ceremonies regularly. I understand that religion is intended to provide a sure path to God- the noblest of pursuits. That Pharisees become Pharisees out of devotion to God and devotion to an unswerving application of His word. I respect that religion names the false and empty meaning of pursuing knowledge for knowledge sake. Because, you see, without God intellectual pursuits are just another way to anesthetize our fear of death.
So I am out of the closet folks. You know where my true allegiance lies.
What Christ has confronted me with is this simple fact: Behind every stereotype I have is a person, who feels the way they feel for a reason. And the more I think I hate them, the more I need to love them - because they need me.
I am writing to you feeling both tired and worn. I am feeling so sad and frustrated with this world and its ways of rejection and stereotype. I feel bombarded from all sides by in-groups and out-groups.
Let me explain. My faith walk is unique, in that God grabbed me out of place that is atypical- the world of academe or the intellectual. It is hard for me to imagine two worlds more at odds than the worlds of intelligentsia and religion. They are each others' favorite out group, with religious leaders frequently disparaging academic values and pursuits as "narcissistic" and "divorced from lived experience."Academics are no better, slinging the mud of "hypocrisy" and "willful ignorance" in the other direction.
And now, I am considered a part of each in group. I am a dual insider. Or a dual betrayer depending on how you look at it. Because my true allegiance belongs to neither, I believe in neither. I believe in, I put my faith in, I bow down to, I follow Jesus Christ alone.
"Wait!" you say, "Doesn't that mean you are religious? You must align with the religious side of the war?" No. I love and respect very many intellectuals. I understand their hearts, to fight for people who have been oppressed by religion. I respect their calling a Pharisee a hypocrite when there devotion to the Word becomes perverted into hatred of people. Because, you see, the Christian church without a clear and fixed eye on Jesus is no church. And religion with no God is just another country club.
"Well now it's clear your really an intellectual." No. I love many religious people and participate in religious ceremonies regularly. I understand that religion is intended to provide a sure path to God- the noblest of pursuits. That Pharisees become Pharisees out of devotion to God and devotion to an unswerving application of His word. I respect that religion names the false and empty meaning of pursuing knowledge for knowledge sake. Because, you see, without God intellectual pursuits are just another way to anesthetize our fear of death.
So I am out of the closet folks. You know where my true allegiance lies.
What Christ has confronted me with is this simple fact: Behind every stereotype I have is a person, who feels the way they feel for a reason. And the more I think I hate them, the more I need to love them - because they need me.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Dealing with Difference
This week at service we talked about my church family's association with a man in Uganda. Specifically, a man named Martin (last name was said but I don't remember it) has been a partner to our outreach arm in Africa. We've partnered with him out of admiration for his success in working against AIDS and out of a personal relationship with his family.
Apparently, there has recently been a bill (of which this man is a very public supporter) in Uganda related to homosexuality. The details of this bill remain unclear to me but I am guessing that it includes general laws against homosexual sex or (i absolutely hate this word) sodomy; as well as some laws against male-male pedophilia and sexual behavior when you have AIDS. Also, original drafts of this bill included the death penalty - though I am not sure for which of these behaviors (e.g., all of them, only pedophilia, etc). Thus, it hit the media as the "gay killing bill" and because our church is associated with Martin, our church is being associated with the "gay killing bill." Furthermore, there is apparently video circulating in which Martin says some pretty inflammatory (and I am guessing hateful) things.
Lovely!
So what do we do? Many other churches associated with Martin have cut ties with him. Shall we cut ties? Publicly denounce him? Our church leadership has chosen a different path - they chose to talk to him about it. About a month or two back they sat down with Martin and asked him about the specific offensive things he said and an understanding was reached. I was not at the meeting - I am not sure of the specific understanding that was reached. My pastor said that the relationship was sustained and that Martin has agreed to consider counsel from our church leadership.
This disagreement between Martin and Canyon Ridge has lead me to truly consider how I (we) deal with difference and offense in this world. What do you do, WHAT DO I DO, when someone I've respected, or someone I love does something I disagree with? What if this disagreement is over something really big?
Because it does not seem to me that Martin has cut ties with the bill nor does it seem to me that Canyon Ridge has decided that we support the bill - that means that a relationship has been sustained and cultivated when significant differences remain.
Furthermore, this has not come at some consequence to Canyon Ridge. Given the passion around this bill, we've been called to explain our "continued association" with Martin. As though the world expects that if you disagree with someone, the automatic and best option is to denounce them! And if you don't, you might as well be that person. To connect with a person is to identify with them fully.
I realize that on the national and political stage this is the norm, but I argue that this is a common, common pressure in our lives. You don't like what your sister believes about health care make sure you draw a huge boundary between her opinion and you. In years past, I've felt this pressure in my marriage! If David said or believed something I thought might reflect poorly on me, I would control the heck out of his public language or behavior.
In fact, I am CONVINCED, that if we starting cutting off every person with whom we shared significant differences we would one-by-one cut off every other person in our lives.
I also believe that Christianity, as a faith, speaks directly against this sort of thinking and behaving. The only things we are called to "cut off" are our sins. Throughout the New Testament we are called to reconciliation, restoration, and acceptance of difference.
Now some translate this as being spineless and not having any moral compass (e.g., acceptance = no difference, whatever is good for you is fine with me). NO! That is not accepting difference, this is cheaply (and quite often falsely) minimizing difference. Others translate this as acceptance of sin (e.g., acceptance = seeing evil running a muck all over some one's life and saying nothing). Again No! If you know someone and you sin/evil/poor choices ruining their lives we are called to step in and say something about it. What this is saying is that we do not accept the option of "writing someone off," or "denouncing someone"as Godly options. God seeks to reconcile, restore and build understanding. None of which are things that occur overnight, without sacrifice and without - in this world - misunderstanding or persecution.
This is a tall, tall order - is it not? A challenge I feel incredibly humbled by.
Lord,
Please give me the strength to love, to reconcile, to restore in a world that tells me to cut off and protect myself. You loved in this radical way first, let me follow your example. I am so incredibly humbled by you. I love you.
Amen.
Apparently, there has recently been a bill (of which this man is a very public supporter) in Uganda related to homosexuality. The details of this bill remain unclear to me but I am guessing that it includes general laws against homosexual sex or (i absolutely hate this word) sodomy; as well as some laws against male-male pedophilia and sexual behavior when you have AIDS. Also, original drafts of this bill included the death penalty - though I am not sure for which of these behaviors (e.g., all of them, only pedophilia, etc). Thus, it hit the media as the "gay killing bill" and because our church is associated with Martin, our church is being associated with the "gay killing bill." Furthermore, there is apparently video circulating in which Martin says some pretty inflammatory (and I am guessing hateful) things.
Lovely!
So what do we do? Many other churches associated with Martin have cut ties with him. Shall we cut ties? Publicly denounce him? Our church leadership has chosen a different path - they chose to talk to him about it. About a month or two back they sat down with Martin and asked him about the specific offensive things he said and an understanding was reached. I was not at the meeting - I am not sure of the specific understanding that was reached. My pastor said that the relationship was sustained and that Martin has agreed to consider counsel from our church leadership.
This disagreement between Martin and Canyon Ridge has lead me to truly consider how I (we) deal with difference and offense in this world. What do you do, WHAT DO I DO, when someone I've respected, or someone I love does something I disagree with? What if this disagreement is over something really big?
Because it does not seem to me that Martin has cut ties with the bill nor does it seem to me that Canyon Ridge has decided that we support the bill - that means that a relationship has been sustained and cultivated when significant differences remain.
Furthermore, this has not come at some consequence to Canyon Ridge. Given the passion around this bill, we've been called to explain our "continued association" with Martin. As though the world expects that if you disagree with someone, the automatic and best option is to denounce them! And if you don't, you might as well be that person. To connect with a person is to identify with them fully.
I realize that on the national and political stage this is the norm, but I argue that this is a common, common pressure in our lives. You don't like what your sister believes about health care make sure you draw a huge boundary between her opinion and you. In years past, I've felt this pressure in my marriage! If David said or believed something I thought might reflect poorly on me, I would control the heck out of his public language or behavior.
In fact, I am CONVINCED, that if we starting cutting off every person with whom we shared significant differences we would one-by-one cut off every other person in our lives.
I also believe that Christianity, as a faith, speaks directly against this sort of thinking and behaving. The only things we are called to "cut off" are our sins. Throughout the New Testament we are called to reconciliation, restoration, and acceptance of difference.
Now some translate this as being spineless and not having any moral compass (e.g., acceptance = no difference, whatever is good for you is fine with me). NO! That is not accepting difference, this is cheaply (and quite often falsely) minimizing difference. Others translate this as acceptance of sin (e.g., acceptance = seeing evil running a muck all over some one's life and saying nothing). Again No! If you know someone and you sin/evil/poor choices ruining their lives we are called to step in and say something about it. What this is saying is that we do not accept the option of "writing someone off," or "denouncing someone"as Godly options. God seeks to reconcile, restore and build understanding. None of which are things that occur overnight, without sacrifice and without - in this world - misunderstanding or persecution.
This is a tall, tall order - is it not? A challenge I feel incredibly humbled by.
Lord,
Please give me the strength to love, to reconcile, to restore in a world that tells me to cut off and protect myself. You loved in this radical way first, let me follow your example. I am so incredibly humbled by you. I love you.
Amen.
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