Sunday, November 18, 2007

A Novel Approach.

Lately it has become exceedingly apparent that most people think that Christians are bland, unoriginal and boring because we follow a God who has rules. He has these because He created everything and therefore understands how things work. So because of that fact He can makes all the rules He wants. Now He does this for our own benefit, and most of the time we don't see this because we are not God, but "clearly" as my friend Marlene would say they are for such a reason. Moving on, the general consensus is that being a christian is lame because you are bound by these regulations and therefore become stuffy, rigid and obstinate to the world that is breaking the very rules you are trying to follow. But Paul paints a very different picture in Galatians Chapter 5. He states to a people that oddly wanted more rules in order to be a christian( i.e. circumcision, food regulations, etc.), that It is for the very fact of freedom that Christ has set us free. This is the freedom to be unique without being sinful(I believe the Christianese word is holy) by not doing the things everybody else is doing. That is what it means to to be uncommon, individualistic and unique. This striving to be different from everybody else is only accomplished when you stop trying to be different from people and start trying to be like Jesus. You see Christ was the original avant-garde. He was so radically different from everybody else, including the religious leaders of the day that eventually they got so sick of trying to one-up him that they just decided to do away with Jesus by crucifying him among two other different(but in a vastly contrasting way)people. So, may this be a warning to all of you, being an individual is dangerous. Although you probably have nothing to worry about if you are just trying to be different from people. You are human and can never get away from that, so in effect you will always be like other people. But in the journey of becoming like Christ, you will always face opposition because that is when you truly stand apart from the crowd because sin is not different, Holiness is.

Thursday, November 1, 2007

Safe.

In the wake of grief and breakdown, something beautiful can happen. I say it can happen, because in my previous downtrodden times I have yet to experience the grace and unequivocal acceptance as I have experienced in what we as Jesus' disciples call "the body of Christ" in these last two days. Its liken to a ship that has so many functions to remain afloat in a storm that they cant possibly be handled by one person, so the whole crew works fluidly together to stay on course. This body that I call my family has literally picked my sinking ship out of the ocean of despair and placed me in the harbor of safety.

When asked about this body, "what can the church offer that the rest of humanity cannot?",I answer only one thing. You think there would be many things, but it seems that after a hard look at this question I only see only one gleaming answer. The church can offer a safe place to fail. When the world demands perfection or at the very least a strong will and strong perseverance, the Body can offer a place for those weak and imperfect souls who long for acceptance and the support they need. For those who consider themselves self-assertive, tenacious and strong towers for others, you will someday find that as I did, your breaking point is much closer than you ever thought. luckily, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."(@ Corinthians 12:9)

Reality is a funny thing. The lengths and ends we go to in order to avoid or create our own always seems to amaze me, and when God decides we are living too arrogantly or too proud of our strength, He is never hesitant to take us down a notch. It is only then that you realize the most humbling situation you can experience is a change in your reality.