I go to the local High School for a lunch-time bible club. The club is jointly put on by three of us youth minister guys, one from youth for Christ, one from a four-square church in Kailua, and me, and sometimes our intern Kenji. Today was the last club if the year and the three of us each took about ten minutes to share with these teens.
I shared about how ridiculous and absurd Jesus’ birth is and how crazy it is that this is how God chose to enter out world and save it. The my friend Dan, the YFC guy gets up and shares a couple stories. I love Dan and feel like he has such a heart for lost teens and wants to do anything to reach them. But one of my favorite things about Dan is his honesty. He shares real struggles he has that most Christians don’t want to share for fear of looking like a bad Christian heathen or something.
Well, toward the end of his time Dan tells the kids, “I have a confession to make to you guys. I can no longer call myself a Christian,”. At this point everyone, myself included, stops dead in their tracks as we wait for Dan to go on. And he did. He went on to explain that he still believes everything that a Christian believes and that he is still trying to live the life Christ calls him to in scripture.
The reason, Dan said, that he doesn’t feel comfortable calling himself a Christian anymore is because he feels like his life doesn’t reflect what Christ calls us to. He said, “I don’t take care of the poor, naked and hungry, I don’t spend time with widows or prisoners. I don’t feel like I love my neighbor as myself, and until I feel like I do that, I don’t feel like I can call myself a Christian,”
Dan doesn’t question his salvation at all, he knows he is saved by grace and faith in Christ. But Dan seriously questions what we allow to pass for Christianity. The modern, western Christian Church is probably so far from the things that Christ called us to, that he would have trouble recognizing us as his followers. So Dan is taking a step, and he is starting with himself. We had lunch afterward and he shared more of his heart on it, but he doesn’t doubt who he is in Christ or is even discrediting Christianity. He infact is elevating Christianity by reminding himself and the rest of us the high calling we have accepted.
Christ’s way changes lives. He calls us to love God with everything we are and have, and to love our neighbors like we would want to be loved. Those are two high callings. Jesus told his disciples that they will be known by their love. If you are a Christian and are reading this, you should be seriously examining your life right now, because truthfully, I don’t measure up. I don’t need to measure up because Christi does that for me but honestly, I don’t think people know me by my love. But I want to change that. I have seen a God who is all about mercy, love, peace, and kindness and I love that. I am making steps so that my life better reflects he who took the fall for me, and who changed the world with Love.
Dan closed with this Mother Teresa quote that has been a bit of a mantra to me these last few weeks, “We can do no great things; only small things with great love”. I hope to.
Showing posts with label Reflective Window. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Reflective Window. Show all posts
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Rich
Well, I have been thinking about some things lately and I also have been pretty busy and so have been pretty MIA from the site, I apologize, and here ya go.
I have been reading a couple of Shane Claiborne's books lately and my world is being rocked. I feel like I'm being encouraged to go deeper and further in my Christianity and also feel like he pretty clearly articulates some things I have been thinking and wrestling with for a while. He talks alot about our wealth as Americans and the hindrance that is to entering The Kingdom of God, and I am being rocked. He mentions the passage in James Chapeter 5 where James warns
1Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you. 2Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. 3Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. 4Look! The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. 5You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. 6You have condemned and murdered innocent men, who were not opposing you.
Shane uses this passage to springboard to different issues where this applies to us, rich western consumers. He talks about how Christians should be against buying and wearing clothes made in sweatshops, especially where children are involved (and specifically mentions Nike and other brands ). I was cut to the core to realize my vanity desires these companies' products even though they sin against God by desecrating people. God created people as sacred, reflections of Godself and holy; literally images of The Creator. I thought of how my purchasing cheap products feeds the greedy cycle that sucks these impoverished in.
He also mentions the tomato pickers who are unfairly paid for their work. This is specifically and literally what James is talking about! I think about my time at UCLA when Taco Bell was kicked off campus because they are part of the people who pay these tomato pickers so poorly. I remember the big debates it caused and how we as rich, spoiled students were upset to lose our Taco Bell. I think of how ridiculous our response was and I pray that my sins in these ares may be forgiven.
Anyway, I am scared. I don't know that I am weeping and wailing but I am scared to my core. No matter how good we think we are, when we contribute to these companies that are everywhere, we are going against God's design and plan. We sin for a 99 cent taco, or an 8 dollar t-shirt. We desecrate humans so that we may be in style or have cheap, tasty food. The wages we fail to pay these workers are crying out against us and I am terrified. I pray that God would have mercy on me for my greed and I pray that God would give me wisdom to change, and strength to fight against the global, consumer empire that I live in.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Body-Surfing and God
I was hanging out with a UCLA friend, Ryan Frontiera the other day (he recently moved out here from So-Cal)and we were talking about bodysurfing. We are trying to get together to do some bodysurfing and were talking about bodysurfing as the purest form of wave-riding and experiencing the ocean's power.
When you think about it, all you really need to body surf is yourself and some waves. now there are the optional things, like fins, which I use, or a wet-suit maybe if the water is colder, but when you boil it down, all someone needs to surf is their body and a break. Anyway we were talking about the irreplaceable feeling of being fully in the water (up to your head) and how you get a feel for the ocean and its size by that, and then we talked about how when you ride a wave, you personally feel the power that wave releases with your body; power that has built and traveled miles upon miles to reach that point.
It's also interesting to think about how exposed bodysurfing leaves you. I experienced this recently, as when a monster set comes in, you can do nothing but dive under the wave and hope you get deep enough or hope the wave isn't too powerful that it will get to you anyway. Anyway, bodysurfing can provide a surreal experience, one where the participant excitedly rides, but honestly can (and should) fear the ocean. I can bodysurf pretty well, and usually don't get freaked out by too much anymore, but one trip to the pumping North Shore, or for me these last couple weeks at Sandy Beach where I swear, the faces were mountains of water. Well all that got me thinking about God, partly because the power the ocean unleashes is like a movie preview of God's own power ( I mean not only did God create these oceans and the ability for waves to form, travel and break, but the prophet Isaiah [40;11--13] tells us that God measures all the waters in the hollow of his hand), but also because because all over the bible, fearing God is described as a good, honorable, right and holy thing. It seems that often when the bible mentions people fearing God, its almost as if it is a blessing to them.
Well, our contemporary Christianity tries to neuter our God by making God's defining attribute love. Now the interesting thing is that the bible gives us a much larger and complicated (read, really really hard to comprehend) picture of God. So for so long I wrestled with this idea of fearing God, but also understanding that God is love and that every good and perfect gift comes from God (James 1:17). So there is mentally this disconnect and whenever I heard people talk about fearing God, they would say things like, "well, you shouldn't really fear God, it means more to be in awe" or other things like that. The problem is, however, that the bible continues to talk about fearing God as a good and wise thing.
I think that picture really locks in for me when I think about the ocean and bodysurfing. I mentioned earlier that I'm pretty proficient in the water, and I am, but that doesn't change the fact that at any moment, on any wave or diving under any wave, I could break my neck or even be killed. I know that's kindof heavy and maybe you feel it's in poor taste (as my wife, mother, and mother-in-law might wonder) but the honest truth is that there is a possibility of the ocean totally messing me up every time I go out.
Now, that said, I don't spend my time in the water paralyzed by fear but if the ocean's power isn't somewhere in people's minds when they are in the water, then they are brave or foolish. There is a part in CS Lewis' The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe where the Pevensie's, the series' main characters are about to meet Aslan, the king. They don't know that Aslan is a lion and they ask their beaver friends if he is "quite safe". The beavers respond somewhere to the likes of, "aren't you listening?!?! He is a lion! Who said anything about safe? Of course he isn't safe. But he is good, and he's the king."
These two things, the Narnia passage and my time bodysurfing when the waves were large, have helped me see a little better this picture of a God who is absolutely good and loving and holy, but is also dripping with pure raw power. Our God is not safe and (to paraphrase the beavers) anyone who can stand before without their knees knockin' is either braver than most or downright foolish. God is definitely good and I see markings of that all over my life, and I am thankful that God is also not safe. It seems like the lives God desires for us always are more joyful, contented and blessed when they aren't safe. Here's to trying to live that out and make it a little more real in my life!
PS: the pics are from a pretty small day on the North Shore, only about 3-4 feet (Hawaiian measure, from the back), or 6-8 foot faces. It gets anywhere from 20- 35 feet from the back over at Wameia Bay
When you think about it, all you really need to body surf is yourself and some waves. now there are the optional things, like fins, which I use, or a wet-suit maybe if the water is colder, but when you boil it down, all someone needs to surf is their body and a break. Anyway we were talking about the irreplaceable feeling of being fully in the water (up to your head) and how you get a feel for the ocean and its size by that, and then we talked about how when you ride a wave, you personally feel the power that wave releases with your body; power that has built and traveled miles upon miles to reach that point.
It's also interesting to think about how exposed bodysurfing leaves you. I experienced this recently, as when a monster set comes in, you can do nothing but dive under the wave and hope you get deep enough or hope the wave isn't too powerful that it will get to you anyway. Anyway, bodysurfing can provide a surreal experience, one where the participant excitedly rides, but honestly can (and should) fear the ocean. I can bodysurf pretty well, and usually don't get freaked out by too much anymore, but one trip to the pumping North Shore, or for me these last couple weeks at Sandy Beach where I swear, the faces were mountains of water. Well all that got me thinking about God, partly because the power the ocean unleashes is like a movie preview of God's own power ( I mean not only did God create these oceans and the ability for waves to form, travel and break, but the prophet Isaiah [40;11--13] tells us that God measures all the waters in the hollow of his hand), but also because because all over the bible, fearing God is described as a good, honorable, right and holy thing. It seems that often when the bible mentions people fearing God, its almost as if it is a blessing to them.
Well, our contemporary Christianity tries to neuter our God by making God's defining attribute love. Now the interesting thing is that the bible gives us a much larger and complicated (read, really really hard to comprehend) picture of God. So for so long I wrestled with this idea of fearing God, but also understanding that God is love and that every good and perfect gift comes from God (James 1:17). So there is mentally this disconnect and whenever I heard people talk about fearing God, they would say things like, "well, you shouldn't really fear God, it means more to be in awe" or other things like that. The problem is, however, that the bible continues to talk about fearing God as a good and wise thing.
I think that picture really locks in for me when I think about the ocean and bodysurfing. I mentioned earlier that I'm pretty proficient in the water, and I am, but that doesn't change the fact that at any moment, on any wave or diving under any wave, I could break my neck or even be killed. I know that's kindof heavy and maybe you feel it's in poor taste (as my wife, mother, and mother-in-law might wonder) but the honest truth is that there is a possibility of the ocean totally messing me up every time I go out.
Now, that said, I don't spend my time in the water paralyzed by fear but if the ocean's power isn't somewhere in people's minds when they are in the water, then they are brave or foolish. There is a part in CS Lewis' The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe where the Pevensie's, the series' main characters are about to meet Aslan, the king. They don't know that Aslan is a lion and they ask their beaver friends if he is "quite safe". The beavers respond somewhere to the likes of, "aren't you listening?!?! He is a lion! Who said anything about safe? Of course he isn't safe. But he is good, and he's the king."
These two things, the Narnia passage and my time bodysurfing when the waves were large, have helped me see a little better this picture of a God who is absolutely good and loving and holy, but is also dripping with pure raw power. Our God is not safe and (to paraphrase the beavers) anyone who can stand before without their knees knockin' is either braver than most or downright foolish. God is definitely good and I see markings of that all over my life, and I am thankful that God is also not safe. It seems like the lives God desires for us always are more joyful, contented and blessed when they aren't safe. Here's to trying to live that out and make it a little more real in my life!
PS: the pics are from a pretty small day on the North Shore, only about 3-4 feet (Hawaiian measure, from the back), or 6-8 foot faces. It gets anywhere from 20- 35 feet from the back over at Wameia Bay
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
My Salty Weekend
This weekend was a tough one for me. It was one of those where I remember how bitter and angry and chump-like I can be. From our dog being a butt, to our car giving me crap for changing the oil, to me being bitter towards my wife for no good reason, it was a weekend full of bitterness for me (out here in the aloha state, we say someone is salty, not bitter). I think God really wants to show me some junk in my heart and my life and part of it took all that coming to the surface this weekend.
Anyway, needless to say, I tried spending alot of time in the water and trying to get my heart right (it's funny how you can't necessarily will that to happen). But on Sunday it was great because I triumphed over my car and got everything running well, and was met here at the church by one of our Jr high leaders and parents (and just an awesome guy) and we went out to the Sandy beach and met another guy there and did some bodysurfing. The next day I ran into the parent/leader at sandy beach again and we talked about how we both experienced a salty weekend and how we really used Sunday's session to clear our heads, start fresh and feel better. It was encouraging. In fact, as I look at it now, the whole weekend was encouraging because even though I was an absolute butt, God surrounded me with gracious people and opportunities and kept me sane and reminded me who is in control (it's God by the way, not me)
A side note, on Friday, I went out to Sany beach for some late morning Bodysurfing and showed up and it was HUGE, I'm talking the biggest I have ever been in the water for. These big ones that were breaking outside had about 15 foot faces and the ones inside were atleast 12 foot faces (double-overhead) and barelling so big and fast you could fit a car in there. And to top all this awesomeness off, it was sooooooo clean and rideable and fast. I wish there were pictures of it I could direct you to on the web, but I have not yet found any. Anyway, God really blessed me with that experience (yes, I pulled the "G-Card") because I guess only two hours before I got there, my friend said it was so unrideable, he didn't even get in (and this friend is crazy and will try to ride anything), and then the leader/parent went by later that afternoon and said it was still clean, but significantly smaller, so yea, I was blessed to have such awesome conditions and rides. well, that's all for this random post.
Anyway, needless to say, I tried spending alot of time in the water and trying to get my heart right (it's funny how you can't necessarily will that to happen). But on Sunday it was great because I triumphed over my car and got everything running well, and was met here at the church by one of our Jr high leaders and parents (and just an awesome guy) and we went out to the Sandy beach and met another guy there and did some bodysurfing. The next day I ran into the parent/leader at sandy beach again and we talked about how we both experienced a salty weekend and how we really used Sunday's session to clear our heads, start fresh and feel better. It was encouraging. In fact, as I look at it now, the whole weekend was encouraging because even though I was an absolute butt, God surrounded me with gracious people and opportunities and kept me sane and reminded me who is in control (it's God by the way, not me)
A side note, on Friday, I went out to Sany beach for some late morning Bodysurfing and showed up and it was HUGE, I'm talking the biggest I have ever been in the water for. These big ones that were breaking outside had about 15 foot faces and the ones inside were atleast 12 foot faces (double-overhead) and barelling so big and fast you could fit a car in there. And to top all this awesomeness off, it was sooooooo clean and rideable and fast. I wish there were pictures of it I could direct you to on the web, but I have not yet found any. Anyway, God really blessed me with that experience (yes, I pulled the "G-Card") because I guess only two hours before I got there, my friend said it was so unrideable, he didn't even get in (and this friend is crazy and will try to ride anything), and then the leader/parent went by later that afternoon and said it was still clean, but significantly smaller, so yea, I was blessed to have such awesome conditions and rides. well, that's all for this random post.
Friday, January 4, 2008
Refresh
The new year is always a great time for me. Beside the fact that it takes me longer to switch the date over when I sign on papers, checks and things that, the start of a new year gives me a chance to take stock of my life. There are the obvious vocational refreshers that happen at the new year; reviews, goals and reports, but I really enjoy seeing where I am and where I have b een and where I am going in my personal and spiritual life during this time. Our lives were created cyclically; we have a diurnal cycle (day and night), we have rough monthly lunar cycles, and we have yearly cycles, originally based upon our planet's rotation around the sun and including seasonal changes.
Call me pagan, but I love how before Pope Gregory, the New Year celebrations occurred in April, aligning with Spring's advent. This happened because everyone associated Spring with new beginnings and therefore the new year. This now happens for us in the dead (figuratively and literally) of winter. Even though our New Year's lacks the amazing visual metaphor of spring, it is great to look at our life and figure out the bad things that need to die, and the new good things that need to come alive.
Looking at my life over 2007 it literally has been a year of change for me. I moved to the Island of Oahu in Hawaii and started a new job as a Youth ministry intern working equally with my wife, with whom I shared an office and a two bedroom cottage. We went through the transitions of first-year marriage and were blessed to have everything come to a head quickly and then get resolved pretty quickly. Try staying mad at someone you share a bed with, share an office with, and share responsibility with; the problems don't go away with distance because there is no distance. Like I said, that made for some more difficult moments, but the outcome is that our marriage rocks; we have worked out so much in such a short period of time that we enjoy each other alot more.
Just about when we were feeling comfortable doing the apprentice thing, our leadership decided that we want to expand our church's role and maximize our leadership. That involved our Youth Ministry Pastor moving into other areas, and Anni and I filling that void in Youth Ministry. We were promoted to Student Ministry Directors in December and now enjoy the challenges of leading two ministries instead of just one.
One thing I think I was good at before was being a college guy. everyone knows the type, pretty irresponsible (and I enjoyed that), late for stuff, bad at communicating, just happy doing my own thing. When I got married it was a little weird at first. I knew how to be a college guy, I felt like i was pretty good at that, I had a grasp of LA as my home; but when I got married that stuff was supposed to change. To say the least it doesn't really feel like much changes at first, yea there are the obvious things (sharing a bed and a constant companion) but you don't necessarily feel any different. I feel blessed that in 2007 even though I don't really know what it means to be a husband, at least I feel like one and Annie and I feel like we are a real family. To me this is a giant and monumental thing that when you try to put it into words makes you sound like a second-grader. But the truth of the matter is, when you get married things are different, and it doesn't feel like it at first, but slowly that changes and instead of feeling like we are a couple, I feel like we are a family.
Then comes the bomb. right around the time we celebrated our first anniversary and I turned 24, it hits. Annie is pregnant and our world is about to change 2 years earlier than planned. Like I said, I don't really know what it means to be a husband and I am doing the best I can to live that out, but i had just begun to fee the reality of it. Now I am faced with this fast approaching new reality. A two foot wonder of existence that depends on Annie and I for everything. I think God gave us pregnancy so we could have 9-10 months to mentally prepare for being responsible to make a good person, but right now even that isn't feeling like a ton of time. It's awesome though, and aside from Annie's terrible sickness, I really enjoy this process.
Well, I am running out of time. One of my students is going to the beach and I need to get out there and bodysurf with him, maybe try to bring another student in the process. Yes these are the perils of working with youth in Hawaii. Anyway, this is where I've been and where I am. Stay tuned for where I am going. Until then, peace
Call me pagan, but I love how before Pope Gregory, the New Year celebrations occurred in April, aligning with Spring's advent. This happened because everyone associated Spring with new beginnings and therefore the new year. This now happens for us in the dead (figuratively and literally) of winter. Even though our New Year's lacks the amazing visual metaphor of spring, it is great to look at our life and figure out the bad things that need to die, and the new good things that need to come alive.
Looking at my life over 2007 it literally has been a year of change for me. I moved to the Island of Oahu in Hawaii and started a new job as a Youth ministry intern working equally with my wife, with whom I shared an office and a two bedroom cottage. We went through the transitions of first-year marriage and were blessed to have everything come to a head quickly and then get resolved pretty quickly. Try staying mad at someone you share a bed with, share an office with, and share responsibility with; the problems don't go away with distance because there is no distance. Like I said, that made for some more difficult moments, but the outcome is that our marriage rocks; we have worked out so much in such a short period of time that we enjoy each other alot more.
Just about when we were feeling comfortable doing the apprentice thing, our leadership decided that we want to expand our church's role and maximize our leadership. That involved our Youth Ministry Pastor moving into other areas, and Anni and I filling that void in Youth Ministry. We were promoted to Student Ministry Directors in December and now enjoy the challenges of leading two ministries instead of just one.
One thing I think I was good at before was being a college guy. everyone knows the type, pretty irresponsible (and I enjoyed that), late for stuff, bad at communicating, just happy doing my own thing. When I got married it was a little weird at first. I knew how to be a college guy, I felt like i was pretty good at that, I had a grasp of LA as my home; but when I got married that stuff was supposed to change. To say the least it doesn't really feel like much changes at first, yea there are the obvious things (sharing a bed and a constant companion) but you don't necessarily feel any different. I feel blessed that in 2007 even though I don't really know what it means to be a husband, at least I feel like one and Annie and I feel like we are a real family. To me this is a giant and monumental thing that when you try to put it into words makes you sound like a second-grader. But the truth of the matter is, when you get married things are different, and it doesn't feel like it at first, but slowly that changes and instead of feeling like we are a couple, I feel like we are a family.
Then comes the bomb. right around the time we celebrated our first anniversary and I turned 24, it hits. Annie is pregnant and our world is about to change 2 years earlier than planned. Like I said, I don't really know what it means to be a husband and I am doing the best I can to live that out, but i had just begun to fee the reality of it. Now I am faced with this fast approaching new reality. A two foot wonder of existence that depends on Annie and I for everything. I think God gave us pregnancy so we could have 9-10 months to mentally prepare for being responsible to make a good person, but right now even that isn't feeling like a ton of time. It's awesome though, and aside from Annie's terrible sickness, I really enjoy this process.
Well, I am running out of time. One of my students is going to the beach and I need to get out there and bodysurf with him, maybe try to bring another student in the process. Yes these are the perils of working with youth in Hawaii. Anyway, this is where I've been and where I am. Stay tuned for where I am going. Until then, peace
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