Becoming Ethiopian

My companion and I greeted our countrymen cordially, but we were secretly laughing inside, "Look at those funny Americans!" After a couple weeks of serving alongside our Ethiopian brothers and sisters, we'd almost forgotten that we were Americans too, after all. Other white people were startling now, and it felt out of place to greet someone with a mere handshake and refrain from speaking what Amharic we knew. Who were these people who didn't know how to eat injera, or even ask a child his age? An extra dose of humility was in order -- not everyone has had the lifelong advantages in culture training that I have enjoyed. All the same, I found it difficult to understand how anyone could come to serve in another country and not dive headfirst into understanding and adopting the local culture in every way possible.

One of my favorite chapters of Scripture is Acts 17, in which Paul encounters three different groups of people on his mission to preach the Gospel, strategically adjusting his approach to fit each audience. For the skeptical Thessalonians, he had many arguments to share, making connections for them between the Scriptures they knew and Jesus as the Christ. For the open-minded Bereans, he had only to guide them in the right direction, and they were equipped to seek out the truth for themselves. And for the Athenians, he took time to get acquainted with their culture, so different from his own, and presented a powerful object lesson based entirely on ideas they understood. Wherever he was, Paul habitually made whatever lifestyle changes were necessary in order to most effectively impact the hearts of his hearers.

I believe everyone should have a cross-cultural experience at least once in their lives. But it won't do you or those around you any good if you spend it keeping a safe bubble around you and compiling a list of reasons your own culture is better. Every culture is flawed, including yours. Set aside all expectations and lose yourself in the life of other people (even in your own culture, for that matter) so you can love them to the fullest and grow yourself in the process. Make it your goal to live as Jesus would live if He were Oregonian, or Texan, or Ethiopian, or Indian, or Welsh, or Mexican, or Chinese...

...I have become all things to all men,

that I might by all means save some.

1 Corinthians 9:22

On Training

Training. It's what people do in boot camp, or preparing for the Olympics. It's for racehorses and police dogs. It's intense and focused, and it turns an ordinary being into something with tremendous skill and potential. It defines the ones being trained and sets them apart for a goal. It's consuming, and there are no shortcuts. It's usually not very fun, but successful training brings glory at the end.

As every Navy SEAL knows, you will never rise to the occasion when a crisis arises -- you will sink to the level of your training. Those who appear to take up the challenge without batting an eye are those who have conditioned themselves in advance to be ready for such a situation. It is easy to imagine that we can all become heroes if the opportunity presents itself, but if you are not faithful in the stressful every day situations, you will not suddenly discover your fortitude when you face an exceptional one. Heroes are made one day of training at a time.

Training hurts. It feels pointless when the goal is far away or seemingly non-existent. It can take decades to build the abilities that may only find their fulfillment -- or failure -- in one brief moment of time. But training builds character, shaping us into stronger people who can face even the every day situations with more confidence and success. We must train, and we must do it now, or the moments may pass us by. As believers, we must train to be like Christ. We have the Holy Spirit as our Coach, our Helper, but without daily discipline in the exercises He gives, we will never have the strength that is our potential. It's worth the work!

For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant,

but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness

to those who have been trained by it.

Hebrews 12:11

Immortal

I am immortal
An undying soul
At exile in a dying world
And through that portal
They call death
I will find yet more life
I am immortal
And no strife
Can steal my breath
'Tis mere transportal
Out of the dying world
To find the greater goal
For I am immortal.

~Written January 11, 2014

When the perishable puts on the imperishable,

and the mortal puts on immortality,

then shall come to pass the saying that is written:

"Death is swallowed up in victory."

1 Corinthians 15:54

Why I Don't Go to Church

There are a lot of great reasons to turn up at church week after week. And as often as I can, I do. But I don't go to church for some of the common reasons that many people foster the habit. I have my own reasons...

1. I don't go to church because that's how I was raised.
Some of my earliest memories are of church -- the big, bustling kind where little kids go to coloring class while the parents sit in a dim auditorium full of hundreds of dressed-up people. For a while, church was strangers' houses where the kids played outside while the parents discussed topics way over children's little heads. Or a white building with a room of chairs where the kids sat quietly and didn't take communion while the parents did. Or a home-away-from-home where the kids learned to have fun together and serve (often at the same time), while the parents were nearby serving and having fun in their own way. Yes, church is how I was raised. But that's not why I still go. There are no parents waking me up on Sunday morning and mandating my attendance now. No, the choice is all mine, and I choose, of my own free will, to leave my comfy house, spare a few hours of my precious weekend, and go to church because I have learned to value it for myself.

2. I don't go to church because of the music.
I have very wide musical tastes, and to be honest, Christian Contemporary doesn't typically top the list. I've seen a wide range of worship styles, from a capella hymns, to praise choruses with one guitar, to small ensembles, to full rock bands. I've liked some from each category, and resisted the urge to cover my ears at others. My favorite worship times have almost never been in church. Rarely do I feel a swell of inspiring emotion when I stand behind a pew with a hymnbook or behind a mic with an iPad. Not very many church worship teams are perfect, but...no, I actually can't think of any. But whether I take a fancy to the songs and song leaders or not, I know there's truth worth singing about, and God likes to hear my voice as well as everyone else's. So I go to church and employ my vocal cords behind a pew or a mic just the same, because after all, worship isn't about the music.

3. I don't go to church because of the pastor.
I've never quite fallen asleep in a sermon, but I've sure come close. That's what comes of staying up too late on Saturday night. But then again, I've heard some pretty dull sermons. Pastors come in all shapes and sizes, and no wonder, when their congregations are always sizing them up and shoving them into a mold. There's the slow and methodical cross-referencer, the stand-up comedian moralist, the hellfire and brimstone pulpit-pounder, the Greek and Hebrew scholar, the acronym-happy outliner, the guilt-tripper, and the feel-gooder. Most of them are pretty imperfect humans, a lot like me...wait a second, make that all of them. If I've ever heard a perfect sermon, I can't remember it. In fact, I can't even remember a lot of the one I heard a few hours ago. But I know it was based on the Word of God, and it made me think about a thing or two I'd never thought about, at least for a long time. So I go to church because God gave my pastor a job to do, and he can't do it if I don't show up.

4. I don't go to church because of the people and programs.
People have a way of making church so complicated. I've already discussed the ones who sing too loud or preach too quiet, and then there's a bunch of annoying weirdos who sit in the wrong places, or talk too much, or won't talk to you at all, or have strong false opinions, or don't include you in their little friend circle (I've got my own little friend circle, but still). It's just exhausting. And then they want to stick you in this small group or that, as if sparing time for church once a week isn't enough. Then they're always asking for volunteers to help with this project and that, or money for this fundraiser and that... I only have 168 hours a week, and just forty of them to earn a paycheck with, at that -- seriously. But I go to church and talk to a few of the people I do like and sometimes sign up to do something, because I've got some spiritual gifts worth using. And those people are my brothers and sisters in Christ, after all.

And let us consider one another

in order to stir up love and good works,

not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together,

as is the manner of some,

but exhorting one another,

and so much the more

as you see the Day approaching.

Hebrews 10:24-25

Building a Life

Every one of us is a work in progress, and one of the greatest factors in the building of our lives is the influence of other people upon us. It takes a village to raise a child, they say, and from childhood onward, our lives will be touched by hundreds, perhaps thousands of people -- and in turn, our own lives will impact just as many in one way or another.

Some people lay the foundation of our lives. These are usually family -- parents, grandparents, siblings, perhaps aunts, uncles, and cousins, or even our earliest teachers. From before we could remember, these people taught us who we were, what life was about, what the world was like, and what we could count on and believe. Those foundations, once set, are extremely difficult to shake by any developments that may come later. If they are firm and correct, the life to be built upon them will be sound, but if faulty, much reworking will be needed if that life is not to end up in shambles.

Other people establish the structure of our lives. Peers, teachers, mentors, and friends all contribute to the shaping of who we will be. They help us build walls -- walls that determine the boundaries of our horizons, walls that separate one area of our lives from another, walls that decide how we will appear to others from the outside. These walls may be carefully built as wise safeguards against the cruel forces of the world, forming a welcoming space for guests, or they may become strongholds, impenetrable to anything that would dare to enter. The walls in our lives may either give us freedom or form our prison.

Meanwhile, still others develop the substance in our lives. Such people may not always seem as closely connected with us, and may not even be people we know personally -- role models, leaders, or even authors. But perhaps without realizing it, these are the people who fill in the gaps between the walls, giving us the insulation that secures our identity, the plumbing that channels our thoughts, the wiring that turns on our light bulbs and makes us tick. This is our source of potential for animation and productivity, but also for annoying little problems that may develop into destructive disasters.

Finally, some people bring decoration into our lives. Steadfast friends, a spouse, and children become fixtures that serve to embellish our existence. They add color, character and comfort to what is already established. They can help us appreciate and enjoy what has been accomplished, even while attending to upkeep, cleaning and tidying, or perhaps even occasional remodeling. Decorations maximize potential -- or obliterate it. The fixtures in our lives can bring glory and delight to the humblest domain, or else become dusty, disheveled blights on the most majestic mansion.

We can all recognize the building of others into our lives. While we may be eternally grateful for some of our shaping, other poor craftsmanship may take years to reconstruct. And we too have a part to play in the building of others around us, whether we offer foundation, structure, substance, or decoration. Whatever your role, do you build others up?

Therefore encourage one another

and build each other up,

just as in fact you are doing.

1 Thessalonians 5:11

And Earth and Heaven Be One

This is my Father's world

The battle is not done

Jesus who died shall be satisfied

And earth and heaven be one

~M. D. Babcock

As we go about our earthly lives, Heaven usually seems far away, if it enters our minds at all. It is an otherworldly place of angelic delights, an ethereal someday hope, a last resort. But for the believer, it should rather be an immanent reality, our true homeland. The King of Heaven dwells with us, and we live by His laws as His ambassadors in a rebel country. Do we long for the day when the conquered territory of Earth is at last brought under Heaven's rule for good?

But our citizenship is in Heaven.

And we eagerly await a Savior

from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Philippians 3:20

Led By Prayer

Prayer is and always has been the greatest weakness of my spiritual life. It's easy to think all the right things about prayer and believe in the importance of it, but quite another thing to actually do it! My words may never be what I imagine they should be, but I earnestly want prayer to lead in my life, not constantly bring up the rear. These are a few things I aim to not just think about, but do:

1. Pray now.
When I hear of a prayer need, I must stop and pray about it immediately. Otherwise, the request will fall down the list of priorities until there's a good chance I will never pray specifically for it at all. Even if it's only once, only a few inadequate phrases, prayer will have actually been accomplished.

2. Pray together.
For a relationship to survive and thrive, the people in it must faithfully pray for each other. Prayer for each other separately has its vital place, but prayer together is all the more effective. It strengthens focus and fosters intention, and builds deeper bonds with one another than anything else can.

3. Pray first, work later.
Perhaps the hardest one of all -- I tend to make my plans, work hard, and then maybe remember to pray for God to bless my efforts after the fact. Instead, I must bring the work to God first, ask for His plans, and carry them out as His and not my own. How much more blessed my work would be!

What do you need to do to live a life led by prayer?

2017: The Year of Commitment

As I reflect on 2017, I think I could best sum it up in the word commitment. Over the recent months, long-term commitments in my life, like living in the same house, working at the same job, going to the same church, and keeping up with the same friends have become increasingly valuable to me. I've realized more and more how vital commitment is in so many aspects of life, especially in the midst of a generation of non-committal drifters.

To our individualistic society, commitment is a thing to be avoided as long as possible. It stifles our freedom and ruins our fun -- we need to keep our options open, be careful not to get too tied down. Something better might come along, you never know, and it would be a shame if you had to pass it up because you were already stuck with something else. Even advertisements win our business with enticing claims of "no commitments!" Commitment is a nice sentiment for marriage, but most would prefer to keep it there...and not take it too seriously even then. Many people are forever in search of something better so they can move on from whatever they already have in a quest for novelty.

But we don't need a new place, position, or person in order to find novelty and excitement -- there is plenty to be found within our commitments. Commitment is not to be feared as a boring cage to keep us from enjoyment, but welcomed for the security and freedom it brings. Jesus asked for commitment from His followers, not to restrict them, but to open to them a new, abundant life. He showed us what commitment looks like by becoming one of us and giving Himself for our sake so that we could have an eternal relationship with Him. Our earthly commitments matter to Him as well -- should we not give them our all?

Including God

Christians have an understandable, but dangerous, tendency to live in two worlds: the secular and the sacred, the "spiritual" and the "ordinary." Some places, people, things and activities are "Christian" and some are not, and really spiritual people are the ones who have more of their lives invested in these things instead of those. Missionaries, pastors, and people who only listen to K-LOVE are model Christians, and the rest of us -- well, we just haven't got to that level yet. It's subtle, but true; we have a Christian class system based our ideas of spiritual prowess. But what if spiritual status is not measured by the kind of job you have, the hobbies you enjoy, or the music you listen to?

Of course spiritual disciplines are essential, but the real test of a spiritual life is whether you go about your ordinary human day hand in hand with God, or leave Him sitting in the corner after you finish your morning Bible reading. Many Christians, even those most highly respected in the church, are so busy doing things for God that they forget to do things with Him. Such "Christian" activities may in fact be far more spiritually empty than the mundane, everyday moments. What God wants most from us is not a list of spiritual accomplishments as long as a Pharisee's robe, but a life that simply delights to include Him in every aspect, however small.

Anything, even the most admirable ministry, if not done from a heart of love for God and aim for His glory is worthless, even sinful (see Romans 14:23). Likewise, even the most "ordinary" and "secular" activities may be acts of worship if He is acknowledged in them. If you cannot possibly include God in what you do, you should not be doing it at all. Anything else should be done from a heart of thankful worship, with open eyes to God's hand and character, for including Him in all is where a full spiritual life is truly found.

Therefore, whether you eat or drink,

or whatever you do,

do all to the glory of God.

1 Corinthians 10:31

Reformation Day

I like centennials. There's something special and worth celebrating about them, especially since they only happen once every hundred years. Today marks five hundred years -- half a millennium -- since Martin Luther nailed his legendary ninety-five theses to the church door, and the world has never been the same since. Did Luther have any idea his iconic act would start a movement that would impact millions, perhaps billions, and be remembered the world over in history to come? His boldness remains a challenge to us today, not only to strive for theological purity, but to stand alone against the tide. If you want to change your world, you must dare to be different, you must dare to make your voice heard . . . even if it will get you a Diet of Worms. History will thank you!