compassion thinks

If there's a difference between the occasional act of charity and the lifestyle of compassion, how does the compassionate person think?

1. Compassion thinks long-term vs. quick fix.  Quick fixes usually don't.  Band-aid solutions are typically engaged in an effort to justify oneself; they don't spring from a deep value for all people. 
2. Compassion thinks today vs. someday.  Those who postpone serving others usually end up doing so indefinitely.  There's never quite enough.
3. Compassion thinks people vs. price.  Multiple factors affect every purchase decision.  Compassion views the purchase's impact on people as the real cost.
4. Compassion thinks deeply.  It does the research. It finds the creative solution.

Think deeply about long-term solutions that begin today and value people.  Got it?  (Now stop thinking and act).  

lent:water #1 uncomfortable

One week into Lent ’10 and I’m feeling it.  As I have a couple times in the past, I’m observing Lent by fasting all liquids except water.  While this specific fast has consistently served as an effective, constant reminder of my primary need for Jesus, I don’t remember it being this uncomfortable.

I’ve realized, this past week, how often I drink and how comforting drinking is for me.  I typically drink 2 – 4 cups of tea and 2 – 3 glasses of juice every day.  And I enjoy an occasional non-fat, decaf mocha.

I’m feeling uncomfortable, which is an uncommon feeling for me.

compassion values

What’s the difference between an occasional act of charity and a lifestyle of compassion?

I think it comes down to one core conviction which has it's roots in the first five words of the Bible: In the beginning God created…  And a few sentences later (v. 27): God created people in His image.  

Thousands of years later Jesus puts this core conviction into practice by affirming that all of scripture boils down to loving God and people.  He then stresses that "people" actually means all people by telling a confrontational story about a man who is beaten and left to die but rescued by an unlikely hero.  A compassionate man.  A man who values all people as created in God’s image.  

There's the guy who chips-in for the occasional charity golf game.  And then there's the guy whose whole life is characterized by compassion.  

One guy is looking for justification.  The other values all people as created in the image of God.  

family

Took some family shots today.  Time to send out our Christmas  New Year  Valentine's Day Letter.

built to sing

Singing together. 

A bit weird, isn’t it?  We almost never do it anymore: kids’ birthday parties, at a good concert, karaoke maybe.  In normal life it just doesn’t happen.

Except at church.  It happens every week at church. 

Why?  Why do we sing?

1.   We sing for God.  Scripture instructs us to sing (see Psalms),  Jesus says if we don’t inanimate objects will (see triumphal entry), and singing is perpetually happening around Christ’s throne (see Rev. 5).  God will be worshipped.  We sing for him.

2.   We sing for others.  Singing as part of a group is incredibly unifying.  When you’re lonely, when you’re weak, when you’re confused – hearing the truth sung by others around you says, “You’re not alone” like nothing else.  Paul and Silas in jail… Dr. Martin Luther King and others marching arm-in-arm… their courage sustained through singing.

3.   We sing for ourselves.  Beliefs become fortified through profession.  Truths access the soul as they’re declared.  What we say affects us. 

In worship we respond to Truth, we declare Truth, and we are transformed by Truth.   We are built to sing.

flying squirrel

There are always more games to be discovered when there's a baby in the house!  This is a new one we're laughing about.  We're calling it "flying squirrel."

 

we have no choir here

One-third of our community’s weekly worship time is committed to preaching.  That’s a lot.  And if we understand its purpose, it can make a significant impact.

Four thoughts about preaching at Emmaus:

1.   1. It’s not the most important thing.  (It’s just one of many tools to be used in working toward the most important thing: the maturity of the church.  Eph. 4:11-13)

2.    2. But it’s really important.  (Because it’s God’s Word for us.)

3.    3. It’s designed to disturb.  (It should provoke, stir things up, make you think, leave you with more questions than answers.  See the parables of Jesus.)

4.    4. And it’s designed to direct.  (It’s supposed to point you in the right direction.  It’s not supposed to answer all your questions. But it is supposed to clarify things.  Again, see Jesus’ parables.)

Bottom line: The answer to the question, “How was the sermon?” should have more to do with what the hearer does with the sermon than whether or not he “likes” it.

A friend once characterized my job as “preaching to the choir,” meaning, I guess, that we’re of no consequence. 

Truth is, we’re way more provocative then a choir.  We’re the Church.  And we’re making a difference.  

love the word

What does it take for something to truly change your life?  What takes something from being a New Year’s resolution to a personal revolution?

Lots of things claim to “change your life.”  Few things do. 

There’s a reason the things that change our lives do.  And there’s a reason the things that don’t, don’t. 

It’s love.

The things we love change us. 

The Church spends a lot of time talking about change – a change in thinking and a change in living – a change to a way of being found in the pages of the Bible which we believe is God’s Word. 

At least we say we believe it. 

We don’t often actually believe it.  Truth is, even though we own God’s very words, we rarely read them.  We don’t really know them.  We don’t love them.

David’s 119^th Psalm is a shockingly confrontational testimony of devotion to God’s Word.  Read it with caution.  David’s passion will astound you.

Many of us truly want to be changed by God’s Word.  We want His peace to fill us.  We want His wisdom and strength to characterize our lives.  We want his love to inform us, to affect us.  We want the things that God says to make a practical difference.  

So may we truly love His Word.  May it change our lives. 

i hope you feel full

How do you feel…now that Christmas is over?  You should think about that.

Four thoughts:

There’s a thief.  He comes only to take and never to give.  He’s sneaky.  Most of the time we don’t even realize he's robbing from us.

There’s a good shepherd.  He comes to give full life.  He even gives of himself so that we can fully live.

There’s a beaver.  I often run past a tree he’s killing.  Never seen the beaver.  But I know he’s there.  His destruction never sleeps.  Even when I’m sleeping, he’s busy… destroying.  Like those who, in their greed, teach things that are not true.

There’s a paradox: Some who have everything are actually very empty.  Others who have almost nothing are very full. 

How do you feel?  If you’ve bought-in to the deceptive, destructive cultural message which is only amplified at Christmas, you’re probably surrounded by lots of things.  But I wonder if there’s a haunting sense of emptiness to it all.  If, instead, you’re choosing a better story: one about loving, serving, and giving, then you probably have less stuff, but I bet you feel full.

(John 1:1-4, 3:16, 10:10, 17:13, and 2 Peter 3)

matthias

Holy Spirit, Holy Suffering, part 2

We'd rather not accept it. Something deep inside us resists it. God and pain, together. The Holy Spirit and suffering, at the same time. This is not the message that sells books. It's far too difficult. Far too uncomfortable. It's sobering.

We typically prefer to stay buzzed on cheap, sentimental, spiritual niceties.

But here's the kicker: pain always comes. Suffering happens to everyone.

And so we have a choice: We can accept the radical biblical idea that God meets us in our pain (and experience union with Him, even in our darkest days), or we can avoid pain at all costs (and miss the Power that is perfected in weakness).

Accept it and experience revolution-quality solidarity with others. Reject it and slide quietly into lonely isolation.

With the strength of a whole community, she says she'd go through cancer a third time. Why? "Because God was so near to me in that hospital room."

Holy Spirit, Holy Suffering, part 1

Like the green spot we missed when painting our bedroom baby blue... Like the 3 or 4 rock chips in my windshield... Like the sound of the train rolling though town... There are some things that are always there, so you hardly notice them.

But if you approach the familiar at face value and take it all in with new eyes, suddenly, it’s conspicuous.

Two themes in Acts that have existed quietly in the background of nearly every story but jump off the page if you’re honest: The Holy Spirit and suffering.

God's Spirit is everywhere - interacting with people as the main character of the story.

And everywhere - Christians are suffering.

At the same time.

Holy Spirit and suffering.

I have to re-read whole pages because I'm surprised at how often the two go together. Makes me wonder: are they connected?

This I know: we don't suffer much as a direct result of our faith today. But neither are we especially spiritually empowered.

And I know this: The Holy Spirit draws near in times of suffering. So near, sometimes, that suffering can feel…holy.

Because God is there.

Our Story Changes :: Acts 21

Paul knew it: there was trouble ahead. Everywhere he went he heard God Himself warning him. Trouble’s comin’.

Others sensed it too. Not just a gut feeling; God Himself told them. It’s going to get rough for Paul.

And then this prophet named Agabus walks up to Paul and shows him how he’ll be arrested. Just in case Paul needs details.

At this everyone - even Paul’s companions – lose it. “Don’t go!” they say, their eyes big and earnest.

Paul’s response silences them: “Why are you breaking my heart? I’m ready to be bound or to die...”

How do you get to this place? How do you come face-to-face with the fact that you’re going to get hurt but keep moving forward?

You embrace a Bigger Story as your own. You take your personal story with your pain and your death and you surrender it to God’s Story. You let your story become part of that Story.

Because God’s story is about resurrection. And when resurrection meets our life, our story changes.

Resurrection Spirituality :: Acts 18

3 short stories about relationships with Jesus:

1 educated man. He’s studied for years about God and the coming Messiah. He’s passionate, articulate, and good at what he does. As far as that goes. But when an uneducated women who knows more than he hears him, she gracefully explains things more completely.

12 committed disciples. They’ve been solid, go-to guys for years. They work hard. As hard as they can. But then they meet Paul, who introduces them to the Source of strength. And they’re filled.

7 sons of a priest. They’re intrigued by the name “Jesus” which seems to work well for others. They decide to try it. Interested in a casual association, they name-drop and watch what happens. They’re nearly killed. Now intrigue sees more clearly and fears.

When our spirituality is resurrected there is always more: more information to learn, more power to experience, more holiness to revere. Always. More.

Resurrection Religion :: Acts 18

After years of trying to convince his own people that Jesus is the One they’ve been waiting for, and after being repeatedly yelled-at, beat-up, rioted-against, and run out of town, Paul finally snaps.v6

He leaves the synagogue.

And moves next door.v7

And those more captivated by resurrection than religion follow. Even those who have a lot to lose.v8 Because, ultimately, religion cannot bring new life. But resurrection can.

Religion is good when it supports life, when it reminds us of what’s true, when it keeps us focused, when it serves the new life God wants to continually bring.

Religion is bad when it becomes fixed, rigid, thick-walled, defensive, cold-hearted, when it forgets the passion that birthed it in the first place, when it becomes the master of truth instead of its servant.

When religion no longer has room for resurrection, we must lay it down. If there’s no room for life in our religious habits or traditions, we must find a place where the windows are not bolted shut and the light of life shines in.

Religion must always serve Resurrection.

Resurrection Culture :: Acts 17

While chilling in Athens, waiting for his crew, Paul sees some things that disturb him deeply. Some say he was “irked.” These Athens-folk were not a little bit off. This was one messed up culture.

If Paul were a separatist, he may have thrown up his hands and snipped, “Ah, to hell with them.” But Paul was no separatist.

If Paul’s hope was rooted in military might or political power, he might have snapped some inflammatory photos with his phone and thought up some pithy slogans that would fit will on picket signs and make for good rally chants. But Paul’s hope was in something far greater.

Paul was a resurrection preacher. He knew that bad things, sick things, mean things, heck, even dead things could be filled with new life. Things that were really messed up could be restored and made whole again - like they were created by God to be.

So, Paul took all the broken things that irked him so and made him sad and mad and wonder, “What the heck is wrong with these people?” and used these very things to tell them about Jesus.

Not in an “I’ll show you how stupid you are” way. But in a way that was both totally truthful and also, somehow, affirming.

Instead of saying “you’re so bad.” He said, “You know, you’re on to something here…”

And even in this really messed up culture, “a few” believed and decided to follow Paul and, of course, Jesus.

Paul engaged culture with resurrection. We might call this Resurrection Culture.

[ see/hear the whole teaching at www.emmausteachings.org ]

theological musings...

take a back seat to experiencing God's goodness...

more matthias pics

Matthias and Grandma

Matthias in a traditional Nicaraguan baby thing which he peed on (but not before mom snapped this picture)

Matthias and Bita

Matthias' beautiful big sister and aging dad

intrigued

We've had a great week together as a family at home. This time to get to know Matthias, care for Carmen, and love the "big" kids has been so valuable.

pics:

..mid-day nap (making up for the 3 a.m. - 5 a.m. fussies).

..Oates men break it down.

..holding his head up at 3 days, baby.

..post-nursing contentment (life is good)