Others

Transformed, Renewed

"I want to love wildly and live recklessly..."

"Let it never be about numbers and what the world calls success. Let is instead be about Jesus and about love. May I be transformed by my mind being renewed. May I step out of the mindset that I filled with greed and self-satisfaction and in the one that is marked by selflessness. May the opinion of man feel as empty and meaningless as it really is, and may I care only about Your opinion of me. May I never carry my accomplishments on my sleeve knowing that my failures far outweigh them and both are worthless in Your perception. I want to follow You wherever You go- not go wherever I want and ask You to follow me. I want to know the communion of Your suffering that I may better know the joy You bring in times of mourning. I want too experience You just how You are, not how I want You to be. I want to love wildly and live recklessly and tell the world to shove it while I pursue a breath of life and become alive

by finding You in the mountains

and the oceans

and in the homeless

and sick.

May I be a man marked by love and by grace. One who loves because he is loved, and gives grace because he has received it."

This was written by Luke Miller from Gilbert, Arizona. He posted it on Facebook, and with his permission, I have posted it on The Wayfarer. My heart screamed "Yes!" when I read it. I hope your does too.

Do Also

"Jesus said, 'He who believes in Me, the works that I do shall he do also' (John 14:12). We assume He meant that we would work His miracles, but Jesus did not limit His definition of 'works' for the miraculous. The works He did -- the redemptive life, the mercy cry, the identification with sinners, rendering Himself a guilt offering -- all the works He did, we shall 'do also'."

-- Francis Frangipane, "Mercy Triumphs Over Judgment"

Cathedral

Blessed

Reflecting on 40.

I hit 40 today. Weird.

I don't have to look very far to realize what this birthday means to me. I am grateful for the life I've had to this point.

Today, through various means of modern day communication, I heard from people in California, Indiana, Texas, Florida, Utah, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Ohio, New Jersey, and Colorado as well as Ireland, Panama, Canada, England, Germany, Greece, and Northern Ireland. I received texts, calls, visits, cards, emails, IM's, and Facebook wall posts. I spoke with friends, family, and former youth, heard from cousins, classmates, and students, and received warm wishes, cards, and gifts from co-workers and those in my "inner circle". I spoke with Adam and Mike, had dinner with Brenda, Forest, Jon, Ben, Jolene, Sput, and Corey, and chatted for a while on the internet with Brendan in Ireland. In addition, I enjoyed all the little surprises my wife did to make this birthday special.

I enjoyed the company and contact with so many people these last few days, and as contemplative as 40 may cause me to be, I simply come up with the same conclusion: life is better with people in it.

Older

Self-Serving Fictions

"Even the fear of death is nothing compared to the fear of not having lived authentically and fully" (F.M. Lappe).

There are few things in my life that I find as refreshing and renewing as doing life with those who share my appreciation for authenticity and transparency. I find that I am more at peace when I am honest with myself and with others about my life, my struggles, my pain, and my quiet hopes and dreams. In authentic community, transparency gives us the opportunity to be met with a richness of grace and love that we otherwise might not ever experience.

For many of us, from the time we are very young, we begin the art of hiding, becoming actors on the world stage and masters of fiction. We take great care to display to those around us only those things they may find good and acceptable, and we disguise and conceal those things that might earn us disapproval or out-right rejection. Our fear keeps us hidden, and our obscurity keeps us from experiencing transformative grace, love, and acceptance...from God and from others!

Our protective masks and self-serving fictions bury us in shame and add to our despair. Within the confines of our own heads, we wrestle with our thoughts, agonize over our inadequacies, and lament over our losses. Instead of finding the holy, life-giving Spirit of God, we spiral into darkness and death.

What are we afraid of?

Perhaps many of us are not yet part of a truly redemptive community where mercy abounds and the Spirit of Christ reigns. Perhaps we stick to ourselves because we believe that such independence is a good thing, or perhaps we've never known anything different. With self-reliance as our banner, we march further and further into ourselves, and we quietly suffer from the loss of never having been known.

We must be authentic with each other, to voice our authentic sorrow, our authentic fear, our authentic doubts, our authentic struggles. Perhaps then, we will experience authentic community, authentic grace, authentic love.

Outrageous

"...grace and truth came through Jesus..." (John 1:17).

"There's a lot of pain -- but a lot more healing.

There's a lot of trouble -- but a lot more peace.

There's a lot of hate -- but a lot more loving.

There's a lot of sin -- but a lot more grace.

Outrageous grace!

Outrageous grace!

Love unfurled by heaven's hand!

Outrageous grace!

Outrageous grace!

Through my Jesus I can stand!

There's a lot of fear -- but a lot more freedom.

There's a lot of darkness -- but a lot more light.

There's a lot of doubt -- but a lot more vision.

There's a lot of perishing -- but a lot more life."

Lyrics by Robin Mark

Kindness

Addiction

"I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison, and you came to visit me" (Mt. 25:35-36). I can't help but see my friends and students who struggle with addiction when I read these verses. For many of them, their addiction has left them hungry, thirsty, alone, dirty and unkempt, sick, and in chains of one sort or another. I recently was given this poem by one of my students. It's about meth addiction, and the message is powerful. Be merciful, just as Christ is merciful.

"I destroy homes -- I tear families apart.

I take your children and that's just a start.

I'm more valued than diamonds, more precious than gold.

The sorrow I bring is a sight to behold.

If you need me, remember, I'm easily found.

I live all around you, in school and in town.

I live with the rich, I live with the poor.

I live just down the street and maybe next door.

I'm made in a lab, but not one like you think.

I can be made under the kitchen sink,

In your child's closet, and even out in the woods.

If this scares you to death, then it certainly should.

I have many names, but there's one you know the best.

I'm sure you've heard of me, my name is Crystal Meth.

My power is awesome, try me, you'll see.

But if you do, you may never break free.

Just try me once and I might let you go.

But if you try me twice, then I'll own your soul.

When I possess you, you'll steal and lie.

You'll do what you have to do just to get high.

The crimes you commit for my narcotic charms

Will be worth the pleasures you feel in my arms.

You'll lie to your mother; you'll steal from your dad.

When you see their tears, you must feel sad.

Just forget your morals and how you were raised.

I'll be your conscience, I'll teach you my ways.

I take kids from their parents; I take parents from their kids.

I turn people from God. I separate friends.

I'll take everything from you, your looks and your pride.

I'll be with you always, right by your side.

You'll give up everything, your family, your home,

Your money, your true friend, then you'll be alone.

I'll take and take til you have no more to give.

When I finish with you, you'll be lucky to live.

If you try me, be warned, this is not a game.

If I'm given the chance, I'll drive you insane.

I'll ravage your body; I'll control your mind.

I'll own you completely; your soul will be mine.

The nightmares I'll give you when you you're laying in bed,

And the voice you'll hear from inside your head,

The sweats, the shakes, the visions from me,

I want you to know they're gifts from me.

But then it's too late, and you'll know in your heart

That you are now mine and we shall not part.

You'll regret that you tried me (they always do),

But you came to me, not I to you.

You knew this would happen.

Many times you've been told.

But you challenged my power.

You chose to be bold.

You could have said no then walked away.

If you could live that day over now, what would you say?

My power is awesome, as I told you before.

I can take your life and make it dim and sore.

I'll be your master and you'll be my slave.

I'll even go with you when you go to your grave.

Now that you've met me, what will you do?

Will you try me or not? It's all up to you.

I can show you more misery than words can tell.

Come, take my hand, let me lead you to hell.

By Alicia VanDavis, a 21 year old who lost her life due to an overdose on meth.

Explained

A wee bit of an explanation may be required...

If you've spent any time in either mainstream or evangelical Christianity in America, you've no doubt heard the phrase "Love the sinner. Hate the sin." I must confess...I've never really liked the saying. We like to repeat catchy little phrases like this and have a pocket full of quips ready to use when the opportunity arises. I just don't find them truly helpful in meaningful dialogue.

Time and time again, I've heard "Love the sin. Hate the sinner" to justify a whole range of attitudes and behaviors against other people and other people's sin. We use such phrases to justify our judgment of others and highlight the sins that particularly stick out to us.

It's our own sin that should appall us, I think.

It's just easier for us to focus on other people's sin.

And it makes us feel better about ourselves.

Now, I'm not suggesting that we should pretend like sin doesn't exist. It is a subject clearly addressed in the narrative of the scriptures. But if we're going to be appalled and disappointed by sin, it needs to start with ourselves. My sin is as foul as "theirs" or yours. In fact, I suppose I could say that I am "the worst of sinners" (1 Tim 1:16).

His mercy is sweet.

I do like the idea of loving sinners. This remarkable idea seemed to start with the Father, and He seems to want us to do the same. He doesn't love because of our lack of sin, so it only seems right that we should do the same.

And another thing...

Loving sinners is good. Loving yourself is good. We can be appalled by our own sin, but we cannot justify the self-loathing, self-hating, self-flagellating mindset we get ourselves into. Even at our worst, we are loved by God.

Go ahead...love the sinner.