For the Sake of Freedom

It seems like there are two ways most of us - myself included - apply the Christian life. 

Option A: don't sin and then someday you'll die and get a crown. 

Option B: believe in Jesus, but still find security in success, money, government, and/or reputation. 

The problem with one of those options is that if dying is the goal then living seems.... superfluous. The problem with the second is that Jesus then becomes a club and a set of morals that is really secondary in the scheme of things. In both options the real goal is to not go to hell. 

Unfortunately for us, success is subjective and temporary, and hell in the future is not a terrible threat to those desperate for hope in the present. In other words, if you're not a believer in Jesus then neither of those options offer real hope. One is the same as the life you've got now and the other is... just ... sad. 

Fortunately for us Paul, in Galatians 5:1, gives a compelling reason for following Jesus. He says this: "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free."

Freedom, in the truest sense, is not the ability to do whatever we want. Freedom is the ability to become who we are created to be. Paul's terminology implies that freedom is some sort of separate entity that can be experienced and enjoyed. God has freed you from sin for freedom's sake. Because freedom is what you were created for. 

Not freedom in the sense of being able to do anything without repercussion, but freedom in the sense of being able to become your true self. Understanding this mission of Jesus enlivens the application of his teachings. For instance:

He did not teach against materialism because he doesn't want you to have things. He taught against it because he doesn't want your joy to be based on what you have or don't have. He wants you free.  

He teaches forgiveness because forgiveness is a life free of bitterness. 

He teaches peacemaking because it is freedom from conflict. 

He teaches justice because it is freedom for all. 

He teaches to care for the poor because freedom is definitely for those who do not have it, and it is even for those who might not deserve it. 

It's tempting to think that freedom is life with no rules. The early followers of Jesus in the city of Corinth faced the same temptation.  In 1 Corinthians 10:23 Paul told them "'I have the right to do anything,' you say--but not everything is beneficial. 'I have the right to do anything'--but not everything is constructive." Another way to say it would be "just because you can do it does not mean it's not stupid." When Jesus offers freedom he is basically saying "I designed life. I know how it works best. If you want to make the most of it you'll want to do these things." 

Jesus offers a genuinely better life. Not just an eternal life, a better life. Shane Claiborne says that some people are "so heavenly minded they are no earthly good." The life that Christ has for you is not easy - you were not created for ease - but it is certainly better. He offers a better marriage, better finances, better jobs, better adventures, better purpose. He offers those things by redefining them all together. He says that good finances aren't defined in abundance but in generosity. He says that a good marriage isn't in always getting along; it's in sacrificial love. Adventure isn't an escape; it's an experience you were made to have. Purpose isn't what happens when you retire or die; it's what you live for every day. 

The Christian life stands out as a life of freedom in a world that is enslaved to appeasement. It stands out as a life of joy in a world that is constantly searching for it. It stands out as a life of contentedness in a world that is always one big break away from happiness. The Christian life stands out. It doesn't stand against and it doesn't stand in for anything. It stands out. 

That's freedom. That's why Christ has set you free. 

Double Exposure: Pray for Kalamazoo

I sat alone on a park bench in downtown kalamazoo. It was an unseasonably warm day for late February. There were people everywhere, as if they had come out of hibernation to forage for something they had missed all winter. 

Being in Michigan, that thing was the sun. 

I looked around the park at the trees absorbing the warmth but vacant of any leaves. As I looked I could see the new life that would pour out from the branches in a few short months. The image of spring was like a double exposed picture, filling in the void of one scene with the fullness of another. This must be what God sees when he looks at our world. He sees the world of cold, dark, and emptiness, but, between the hurt and pain, seeping through as if it's been there the whole time... As if it's just as real as anything else but hidden in another dimension...

Is the hope of new life. 

Redemption is the double exposure printed on our world. 

What I didn't realize as I looked across Bronson Park was the devastation that would strike in a few short hours. Six people would senselessly loose their lives in the type of tragedy that you see on television and never imagine it would happen in your city. 

Sometimes the darkness that overwhelms our world is impossible to see through. It feels as though pain is the only authentic reality and there is nothing breaking through the seams. I think that this is what faith means. This is what the author of Hebrews meant when she wrote that faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we cannot see. 

We might not see its full glory yet, but hope is here. Hope is leaking through the seams like light through a tent at dawn. It's always there. It's always real. Sometimes it's just hard to see. Jesus is hope. Jesus is love. Jesus is here. 

Witnessing Jesus

Jesus' last words to his disciples, as recorded in Acts 1:8, were as follows: "and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

In this midst of Jesus' mission statement this is one word that is unsettling. Like the look a friend gives when you're listening to them tell a story while their words and expressions don't line up. Unsettling like the times you heard the words but it doesn't feel like you really caught meaning.
We will be his witnesses.
In a culture where is seems like every Christian is up in arms with defending, proving, protecting, and defeating, Jesus calls for witnesses. What does that mean? 

Simple. 

He called for people who would tell of what they have seen. 

Jesus doesn't need defending. He doesn't need protecting. He is not afraid that the other team might score. He is not powerless. Defense might win championships but it does nothing for the kingdom of God other than tell everyone that we're afraid of losing. People who already have victory don't need defense. What He asks for is witnesses. People who know what he is like and can tell of what He has done. This requires us to ask of the disciples, and ourselves, what exactly did they witness? 

They witnessed a man who spent a lot of time with the poor, the prostitutes, the outcasts, and the sick. A man who was threatened and hated but NEVER ONCE, no matter how many chances he had, responded in violence. A man who only seemed to act in anger against those who were manipulating his Father's law to serve their own purposes. A man full of grace and truth. A man that was hated by those who's power was threatened by him but loved by those that most had hated. 

They witnessed him saying "whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it." Also "whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Even "Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me." 

They witnessed Jesus not having many possessions in the world but never worrying. They witnessed him mourning for Jerusalem and weeping over those who are lost. They witnessed him voluntarily give his life. It was not taken from him. He gave it up. They witnessed him wash the feet of someone who would betray him in the worst way. They witnessed him love every person he encountered. They saw him laugh and play with children. They witnessed his life, his death, and his resurrection. Because they saw it, they could testify to the truth. 

The question we each have to ask is simple: have we witnessed the real Jesus? I think that many of us, myself included, have missed the real Jesus for a middle class, American version of him. One that wants to love people in a safe, protected way from a distance. One politician recently made a statement about giving Christians back their power. I wonder if we have really ever witnessed Jesus if we are more concerned with having power than loving people. I think we might have witnessed morals. Maybe even biblical principles. But Jesus isn't either of those things. Jesus is a person.

This morning I had the wonderful privilege of sitting down with Muslim family in their home and simply listened. I was just tagging along with a friend, and all I did was listen and nod. We laughed, joked, and told stories. They didn't pray and cry and repent. We just showed love to them. We blessed them with a small gift to help get through a rough time. There was no reason to be afraid of them. I think maybe they witnessed a little of Jesus. I think maybe I did too.

Repost: Forgettable Generation

The amount of articles one can find either defending or attacking the millennial generation is astounding. Whether it be sarcastic twenty somethings who are tired of being called lazy or abrasive or 50 somethings who are tired of having basement dwellers, there are volatile voices on both sides pointing fingers back and forth.

It's getting old.

When you begin comparing scars between generations what you will find is that you've got a bunch of people who are all human. Each one with social, economic, and religious stressors that push in one direction or another. Each one no better or worse than the one before, and really not that different either. If the millennials were born in the 70's they would probably have experimented with psychedelic drugs, ruined the eco system, and tanked the economy. (because all of those things happen in one generation of course... oh wait...) If the boomers were born in the 90's they would live in their parents basement and work part time at Starbucks.

Why? Because each generation does what normal humans do with the circumstances they are given. You can't blame some one for doing the best with what they have. This finger pointing is just proof that each generation is still very capable of pitching fits and tattling like children.

If there is one great danger the millennial generation is facing it is this: spending more time complaining about our world than  doing something about it. We're in danger of being entirely forgettable.

Myself and my peers love being "aware" of the need in the world. We love buying Toms and shopping at 10,000 Villages. We love knowing that our light roast single origin coffee was purchased sustainably from an environmentally friendly farm that helps orphans. To over simplify it's this: we love supporting other people's efforts to make the world a better place in a way that eases our conscience.

This leads us to use controversial hashtags, wear mildly offensive t-shirts that question the norm, and make a big deal online or at a rally about the problems we see. That is not a bad thing. In fact holy discontent is a good thing. As believers we should look at the world and be unhappy with the injustice that we see. Here's the caveat: We only have the right to complain if we're willing to do something about it.

It's not that we shouldn't spend our money through responsible organizations like Toms. It's that we shouldn't pass the responsibility for change off on other people by purchasing expensive shoes that make us feel like world changers. Buying Toms is great, but the shoemaker is bringing about change by making the shoes, I'm just buying shoes like a always do.

We must each find our place in making a difference instead of simply wearing tshirts that quote Ghandi. We're in danger of being forgettable because we're in danger of not doing anything. It's time to do something. It's time to live our values instead of just buy them. If your passion is the environment, keep buying organic, but do more than buying food. If your passion is ending human trafficking, do more than wear the tshirt. If your passion is helping the hurting, then go physically help someone.

Changing the world is our responsibility, yours and mine. The Holy Spirit doesn't use people who don't do anything. 

Simple Christmas; Simple Jesus.

I love Christmas. I absolutely love it. I love Christmas trees, apple cider, snow, lights, carols, presents, Alabama Christmas on vinyl... I love Christmas.

Christmas is also a time of the year I am forced to face questions that make me uncomfortable.

It's a paradoxical season. At the same time we sing and pray for peace on earth we find ourselves arguing about what greeting to use. We thank God for giving up his very life for us while we make lengthy, expensive Christmas lists. We put up elaborate and costly displays of a simple, even shameful, manger into which a poor family laid Jesus after his birth. We even fill shoe boxes with things like toothbrushes and simple toys for children across the world and then buy our friends and family things that they don't need.

This season, more than any other, draws connections between materialism, prosperity, comfort, and Jesus that He never drew.

Let's take time this year to remember Jesus, who, not considering his "God-ness" something to be used for himself, made himself nothing. He became a servant and surrendered himself to the lowest possible death, that of a cross. Because he was generous to a point that many would call him unwise - even reckless - God raised him to glory. His extreme selflessness was his glory.

This Christmas may we remember the simplicity of the season. It is a season of thankfulness for salvation and generosity to those who do not deserve it. It is a season of the simple joys of life. As we open our presents and finish up our shopping may we each be challenged to look honestly at our lives. May we give radically and selflessly, not only to those who already have more than what they need, but to those who have needs greater than our own. May we not consider our blessings something to be used for our own good, but surrender ourselves for the good of others and the glory of God.

As you shop this year consider companies that choose to do good with their profits.
http://www.toms.com/
https://www.cotopaxi.com/
http://unitedbyblue.com/
http://www.krochetkids.org/
http://www.tenthousandvillages.com/
http://www.everythinghappy.com/
and many more

If you're like me, most of these companies look pretty expensive. Here are some other ideas.
Generosity Tip Jar: every time you buy a gift from a company with questionable integrity (basically everywhere) put a dollar (or a percentage) in a jar to donate to a company that does good or a family with greater needs.
Donate Time: There are always people that need help cleaning their house, food that needs to be served, trash that needs to be cleaned up, etc. This year, if money is not something in abundance, choose to be generous with your time. Time is money as they say!
Generous Friendship: One of the greatest needs this time of year is found in people who, for one reason or another, won't be spending time with family this year. Maybe they are elderly and can't get around. Maybe they have been cut off because of bad habits. Maybe they don't have family in the area. Choose to be generous with your friendships and open up your heart and home to someone who needs to experience love this season.

Have a truly blessed holiday season as you choose to be a blessing to those around you.

Actually Different

Jesus is a radical. His lifestyle, while engaging to the culture he was surrounded by, stood in clear distinction to the values of the world around him.
Jesus commonly used a phrase like this:  "You have heard it said... But I say to you..." In this way he challenged the expectations in culture and religion.  Like our world, the majority of people listening to Jesus speak had come to accept their perspective as accurate because little challenged them to do otherwise.

He did not avoid culture. He understood it; he communicated using it. People looked at him and connected with him because we was like them. It was this connection that allowed him to be so radically different from them. It is as if Jesus' life was continually saying "I'm like you but I have a better way."

The life of Jesus stands in as distinct of opposition to culture today as it did 2,000 years ago. Over time many have come to accept that this opposition is defined by what his followers do not do. We do not smoke. We do not drink. We do not sleep around. We're different.

Though these things that we choose to abstain from are part of what makes of different, when they become the primary variation between Christians and all others, they create a legalistic and shallow picture of who Jesus really is. (Besides each thing we choose not to do is not about what we avoid, but what we do instead. It's not that we don't have sex outside of marriage, it's that we seek purity in all things. It's not that we don't cuss, it's that we are respectful with our words. The "don't" always comes from a "do.")

Take the beatitudes. In these profound words from Christ he does not so much challenge the actions of culture as the values. He challenges materialism, selfishness, violence, and comfort.

Maybe the things that make us different should be less about what we don't do and more about what we do. Jesus attracted attention because of the good he did in society. Not the good he participated in with his church, but the good he did. He healed the sick, befriended the friendless, and loved the poor, all the while He was preaching hope, salvation, and freedom from sin.

Maybe by choosing to purchase with integrity - supporting justice instead of enabling slavery and greed- we appear as different. Maybe in being generous with our possessions and finances instead of continually looking for the latest model, newest toy, or most comfortable sweater we stand out. Maybe in the way we treat the sick, poor, widowed, and orphaned we look like Jesus. Maybe it is what we value and then what we do, instead of what we avoid that makes us like Jesus.

If you, like me, are beginning down the road to being truly like Jesus here are 2 simple resources.
This sight provides information on the justice practices of many organizations that we buy from regularly. Choose to spend with integrity. http://www.free2work.org/

This site provides a list of simple actions that might help you find a place to start. Some are radical, some are simple. If I'm honest with you, all are intimidating to me because they challenge my sense of comfort. I think I need to be challenged. Maybe we both do.
http://thesimpleway.org/index.php/resources/details/50-ways-to-become-the-answer-to-our-prayers

Anyone Can Change the World

I recently read an article which contrasted the ideas of ambition and meekness. It questioned how Jesus words to "make disciples of all nations" and to do "greater things" than even he did compared with statements about the meek inheriting the earth and the poor in spirit being blessed.

I believe this thinking stems from a flawed concept of change. The problem we face when we think of changing the world is that, most often, the mental picture that comes to mind is a packed sanctuary or a globally recognized non-profit.

In reality neither of these things necessarily leads to change. Effectively engaging culture, while important, is not change. Just because every millennial listens to the podcast, reads the book, or buys the shoes does not mean anything has really changed.

We have seen evidence that even laws, though an important step, do not necessarily lead to change. Just because people have to follow the rules or they'll get in trouble doesn't mean that they care or sacrifice for the cause. Killing people is illegal in most of the world. This hasn't led most of the advanced world to put much effort into stopping the killing that we do not commit or does not effect us. Dietrich Bonhoeffer said that "Silence in the face of evil is itself evil: God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act." Making a rule to stop people from doing something doesn't change hearts anymore that ending slavery stopped racism. 

The fact is that lasting change is not legislation.
Change is not business.
Change is not even leadership.

Each of these can be- and should be- used to bring it about and can be necessary for immediate action and justice. But they are not change in and of themselves.

The only way for change to be a lasting and effective venture is to change people. The one's singing the songs, buying the clothes, walking in the marches, and handing out the food have to experience real heart transformation for it to be more than an event.

Change is person to person. When we think of world changers we think too quickly of celebrity leaders and too slowly of nameless mentors working with inner city kids. Jesus was meek. He sought out the poor and lowly. He hung out with the outcasts. He rarely did something to promote himself. On occasion He actually pleaded with people to not promote his name. It was what he did that attracted attention. Specifically, it was what he did for other people. He accepted them, forgave them, healed them, fed them, and then died for them.

Change is life on life. Change starts and ends with people who genuinely experience hope and are compelled to share it. Poor legislation and bad lighting can foster transformation though humble people and servant's hearts. Beautifully written policies and worship albums can cause serious damage without them.

When Jesus told us to do great things and to reach the world He was reminding us to be meek and to be servants because that is how the world is reached.