Wounded Spirit

I'm reading Frank Peretti's book, Wounded Spirit. I bought it 4 years ago, and I'm finally getting around to it. In it, he addresses the damage of bullying and the long-term ramifications such treatment can have on one's psyche and faith. He argues that allowing bullying to happen or simply ignoring it inadvertently teaches that God is not concerned with justice. He goes on to speak about the need for an absolute moral standard to even address such issues. But I want to focus on his argument that our lack of action contributes to others' misconceptions of Jesus.

He's right! Millions of people point to a hurting world filled with injustice and ask how we can believe in a righteous God. Bono wisely pointed the finger at the Church. And the reality is the Church has worked hard to make a very relevant gospel irrelevant. God's Word is vibrant and real, and it's only when we water it down and soften it's edges that it becomes irrelevant. When we seek to make God's message more palatable and less offensive, it usually ceases to be the Word of God.

The Church's problem is not that the Bible is too harsh, it's that we've made it too easy. Instead, we should asked how we can believe in a righteous God and not address the injustice in the world. How can we allow children to starve and people to die alone from AIDS? In this instance, I think Bono and Jesus (and Gandhi) are on the same page.

But we can't sit around and blame the Church either.

Matthew 25:31-45 tells what will happen when the Son of Man (Jesus) comes in glory. Read here "the ultimate climax of all things ever." And Jesus gives us some insight into how he will judge us:

Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For 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.        Matthew 25:34-36

Jesus goes on to say that "whatever [we] did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of [his], [we] did for [him]" (Mt 25:40). You see it's not enough for us to join a church that loves the poor and needy. Jesus won't be doling out the judgement based on the missions team at your church or your denomination's commitment to the poor, the widow, or the orphan. He's going to judge us on our own individual acts of love to his brothers and sisters...our acts toward God's children. 


It's too easy to complain about the church!  And it's too counter-intuitive because...


we ARE the church! It is unthinkable that I might allow (or worse cause) anyone to question the goodness of God through my inaction. Can God intervene and cure all disease? feed the poor? give clean water to all those in need? Of course, he could. But that's not his plan.


Irresponsible? Heartless? Stupid? 


I might land on stupid, but it's not God who's thoughtless...it's often us!


Throughout Scripture (Ex 22:22, 23:6, 23:11; Lev 23:22, 25:47-48; Deut 10:18, 14:28-29, 15:4, 24:14 & 17, 27:19; 1 Sam 2:8; Prov 14:21 & 31, 17:5, 19:17, 21:13, 29:7; Isa 1:17; Micah 6:8 - just to name a few and not even to touch the NT, which is the appendix anyway :p) God declares that we are to care for the poor, the needy, the hurting, and broken people. God has inexplicably chosen us to love his children. We are asked to demonstrate the love of God. 


Why? Because modeling the actions of the Father make us more like him. Practicing his love and compassion conform us to his image. So my question is not am I doing enough. My question is can I be doing less?


Less, that is, to minimize the misconceptions of who God is and ultimately more to tangibly share God's love with a world in need?

Headed Camping...

in Medicine Bow, WY. I'm attempting to hit all my "must sees" before I potentially take off for parts unknown. And JoAnne and I have been talking about hiking in Medicine Bow for nearly a year now. I'm super excited...I love getting away, I love nature, I love new experiences.

But I just realized in all my chaotic packing a bunch of my camping equipment is mysteriously tucked away in some poorly labeled box. So I'm setting off with JoAnne for a weekend (who will show up with not much more than a sleeping bag and a CamelBak) and I have a trunk full of non-camping "equivalents." It's interesting - my trip to get away from all that encumbers is already overloaded with gear.

Now, I don't know if I should feel better knowing that somewhere I have a therm-a-rest that's 1/5 the size the sleeping mat I could put my hands on, a microfiber towel that's 1/4 as big as the beach towel I'm bringing, and several other space saving devices. In reality, those nifty camping aids take up room in a closet somewhere 90% of the year and only save space on about 7 weekend trips. But I have them, in case I need them...

Do you remember the movie, One Fine Day? Michelle Pfeiffer has this incredible bag that contains everything needed for every possible situation. I loved that bag! Perhaps that's why even with all my oversized non-technical equipment I still have this urge to overpack. Years of youth ministry has concealed this obsession - I needed to bring an extra towel or Bible for the kid who forgot, I had to have a fully stocked first aid kit, etc.

The reality is I admire the light packer, the person who can do without. In college, my friend, Matt, showed up for a weekend retreat with a toothbrush. THAT'S IT! Now that's probably excessive.

So if I'd like to pack, I'm stuck thinking: Do I overpack because I'm responsible or afraid of uncertainty? Because I want to be able to meet the needs of others or because I value my personal conform so much? Because I'm lazy or willing to go the extra mile?

YES! All of those! Like I said earlier, I am nothing if not complex. But I wonder how we should prepare for the spiritual journey. My friend, Joseph, was in an accident in college. He nearly lost his life, and in the process he did lose his leg. He used the illustration of packing a bag for the life journey we're on. He talked about Jesus coming alongside him in the packing process and taking things out of his bag (things that he thought he needed) and adding other things to his bag (things he couldn't see the use for).  Joseph said that he'd grown to realize whatever journey he was on, he obviously didn't need two legs.

He understood, with a faith that truly surpasses understanding, that God is the only one who knows what our trip entails. We may think we're headed for the Bahamas and end up in Antarctica...when we do, we'll be happy we lugged that parka around a for weeks.

As God teaches me crazy lessons or continually removes something I so desperately want to carry or adds to my pack something that seems bulky and worthless, may I constantly see that he's the ultimate trip planner. My I be willing to carry whatever he determines I need and to let go of the rest.

Worth Dying For...

Spent the morning reflecting on a little bit of history I learned while on a family trip to Scotland a few years ago. Of course, there’s a good number of opinions flying around, but this is the story as I heard it…

The Castle of Urquhart sits on the bank of Loch Ness. We don't hear much about it today. Its nearly 4,000 years of history are overshadowed by a mythic creature that was first sighted in 1933.

Urquhart was a military stronghold, which changed hands countless times is the tenuous Scottish history. As the Scottish and English fought for the right to control the throne in Scotland, Urquhart Castle became a battleground. In 1692, the English parliament ordered its destruction for fear of it falling into Jacobite hands. The Jacobites, Highland Warriors, were determined to maintain the rightful royal line rather than following England's appointed puppet kings. Their tenacity struck fear in the heart of English officials who decided the best route was to dynamite the disputed castle and walk away.

Hmmm…

The Urquhart clan, Jacobite supporters, were so committed to their goal of restored Scottish royalty that it threatened their financial ruin. Such drastic beliefs divided the family. At one point the clan was so at odds that half the clan marched in support of the true monarchy while the remainder kept up appearances of English support to maintain their coffer.

Doesn’t all this sound familiar?? It should.

78 years of monstrous tales…tails? have all but erased centuries of truth. A handful of the clan was willing to give up everything to serve the rightful authority. Those in power choose to destroy the castle out of fear of what a few passionate followers can actually accomplish.

Are we as Christians that passionate about our allegiance to the Lord? Do we believe it’s worth sacrificing everything – money, adoration, security, our lives – to insure that no one else sits on the throne? Are we that unrelenting in our pursuit of single-minded devotion? Or do we cow-tow to the invading, foreign presence that storms into our lives demanding respect and fear? 

A lot of historians speak about the massacre at Castle Urquhart and the strategy of the Urquhart clan as a military failure. I'm not surprised. It failed to accomplish its intended goal of restoring the Stuarts to the throne. But wouldn't the Urquhart clan view servitude to an English king as failure, as well? They may not have accomplished their ultimate goal, but at least they upheld their principles in the process. 

Choosing the right over the safe and secure path isn't popular (and sometimes it defies logic). Sometimes our efforts to serve the True Authority look like failure to the world around us. Not that we're looking to dive head first into catastrophe, but often the direction God guides us in looks like a ruined castle...

"In that day, I will restore David's fallen shelter - I will repair its broken walls and restore its ruins - will rebuild it as it used to be." Amos 9:11

God destroyed Jerusalem because the Israelites had turned their eyes from him. He wanted to teach them that devotion to him is essential.

Is it really more comfortable to conform to the invading ruler? Will it actually ensure security?

Well Worth the Read...

Cause I didn't write it!

If I had it would be harsher and spend more time addressing Mark's oppression of women under the guise of true female and (what's worse) "Christian" liberation.

I too know that Jesus was counter-cultural, uncomfortable, and messy. I like him that way!! But I have deep concerns with Mark Driscoll's teachings.

The following is an excellent blog addressing only a few of them:

http://reverendjohn.blogspot.com/2011/07/letter-to-pastor-mark.html

Months in the Making

Finally, I’ve started blogging! And what was the hang up? What kept me from starting this endeavor 7 months ago?

The TITLE

I know! The absurdity of it all! Here I am, attempting to make a quasi-regular commitment to putting together multiple paragraphs, and I couldn’t generate 2-3 words that encapsulate my essence. Of course, anyone who has known me longer than a few weeks recognizes I balk at labels. I’m not comfortable with idea that I could be so simple. That a quippy phrase can accurately sum up all that I am. 

Perhaps it's because I like the idea of mystery. But more likely it’s because I understand the complexity of the God who made me…far too intense, far too complex to be summed up by humanity. Trite statements that reduce God to our level of understanding have caused countless pain – war, hurtful church experiences, hatred perpetuated in the name of Jesus. If we can’t boil the creator down to fluffy “isms,” maybe the labels we ascribe one another aren’t terribly helpful either. Of course, stereotypes are stereotypes for a reason…they tend to be true, but they are oversimplified.

 

I think self-ascribed labels are harder.  How do I think the world sees me? How much arrogance do I convey in a title? Should I strive to be funny? Witty? Do my attempts at humor and wit reveal just how lame I really am?

And let’s just be honest, what’s the rush. There’s no real mad-dash to hear what musings are running through my head. In all reality, Ben and JD will most likely be my only audience. But at 5’1” who am I to undermine a small contingent.

So here goes…

JUNDERWRITTEN – Written by Jenn Underwood