Do You?

"His disciples said, "Yes, now you are speaking plainly, not in any figure of speech! Now we know that you know all things, …by this we believe that you came from God.' Jesus answered them, 'Do you now believe? The hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each one to his home, and you will leave me alone.'” (John 16:29-32)

To “believe in Jesus” is no small matter. Real believing is unattached to what is trending, the impulses of a fickle crowd, the vacillating mob, those in servitude to their whims. And believing is not merely to assert what is true. Believing is signing on, representing, a blood oath, betting everything…all in: life, reputation and fortune.

It hazards specificity. That is to say, it is THIS and not THAT…to the exclusion of other options. A line in the sand with no backdoor, planting a flag, staking a claim and burrowing in. It is do or die come heartbreak, hell or high water. It is the thick blood of family, eye of the tiger, and colors that don’t run.

Unbelief is a sinking ship. It’s going down. Cowardice, unbelief, evil… these are temporary things. Disassociate yourself. They have no place at the table. They are not everlasting and the clock is ticking. An ignoble history with no inheritance in the future and no place in the new kingdom. These things were an unfortunate interruption to the flow of light and life. A tumor. A cancer to be cut off. Eventually they will be denied any more space and any more time. Distance yourself. Don’t fly that flag. Drop those colors.

This is no just-in-case item for the “go bag”. The love of the Father for you is tangible, real and not without effect. It should give you pause, for the offer of light and life is consequential. Receive it or do not. Middle ground is quicksand. Not a matter of tricks or taste, or one-among-many choices. It is a matter of clarity: day or night - darkness or light – death or life. This is no invitation to weekend getaways where we all wear the same t-shirt. This is for keeps. No t-shirt, but a covenant ring, because vows are exchanged…for better or for worse. It is family. It is belonging. It is home. It’s forever. It is love.

“Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me. I have said this to you, so that in me you may have peace. In the world you face persecution. But take courage; I have conquered the world!” (John 16:32,33)

I Am Somebody’s

He shamed me in front of 400 other people. Professor and academic dean in the Bible school I was attending, I had been in his office the day before; “Do you get flack from your denomination for attending this school rather than one of theirs?”, he asked. I told him that back in the day it might have been an issue, but no more. “And besides, I’m a nobody in my denomination, so they don’t care where I go to school anyway.” Next day, in an auditorium class of 400 students that I was enrolled in, he tells the class he recently had a student in his office who claimed to be “a nobody”. “That”, he declares, “was a display of false humility!”

It was hurtful. I felt misinterpreted and betrayed, but I checked my heart as best I could and came away concluding I had spoken from the heart. I am a nobody and I’m good with that. “Not many wise, mighty, or noble are called” (See: 1 Cor.1:26-31).

Heaven handpicks underdogs, no-names, lost causes and losers. In the biblical narratives babies are promised to barren women, offspring to old men, a destiny to folks from the wrong family, a fresh start for backsliders... It is not about human acumen. It’s about our God who can…through those who cant. No need to chant, “I am somebody”. Only remember God chooses the nobody. Jesus loves the nobody. Jesus who, “knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet …“ (John 13:3-5)

You could read of the life of King David in order to discover leadership traits, or the story of Jacob for success principles, but I hope you don’t. That’s not the point of these and other biblical narratives (and probably not good exegesis either, even if it does sell books.) When you read the biblical narratives as they are you come away concluding, for example, God can take the last in line, the baby in the family, and make him king. He can make a second-place, lying, deceiving cheat like Jacob the father of the patriarchs. With the least likely and the last he can be and do wonderful things.

That’s the salvation story…and that’s our bible. Not success principles and leadership traits, but this God who works through nobodies. In your nobody-ness you can be secure in this: you are somebody enough for God through Jesus.

There is only one hero in our bible and he’s not wearing a cape. He’s wrapped in a servant’s towel - the One who made us and washes us - the Somebody we find our identity in. St. Paul claims to be a big sinner, but authors much of the N.T. The twelve apostles were unlikely candidates with which to inaugurate the kingdom of God, but that may just be the point.

By the Spirit I am a nobody, at one with other nobodies who are at one with the Father and the Son. I’m good with that. 

The Way

You’ve heard the song by Green Day: Boulevard of Broken Dreams. It speaks of a lonely road: “it’s only me…I’m the only one and I walk alone.” It has a detached, lonesome survivor feel with a thousand-yard stare. I like it a little…but it’s not “my” song…it’s not “our” song…not if you’re a believer.

If you have ever read through the Book of Acts, you know that for first century believers the walk of faith is such a human story. It is so real. Not perfect. Stop and go. Hit and miss. Catch as catch can. Try and figure it out as you go. A journey filled with doubts, fears, misgivings and few guarantees…but they were not alone. There were unexpected visitations from angels, visions of Jesus, the constant work of the Spirit and comrades in the faith. If you are walking alone…you’re lost.

But I’ll give you this: lost or not, the road you are on now may very well be a boulevard of broken dreams, but that is the place where Heaven often does its best work, shining through the brokenness. From disappointment comes a fresh word, clear vision, new understanding, a better view of the new thing God is doing.

Jesus can do some pretty amazing things with crushed hopes, disappointments and reclaimed dreams: Shedding old skin so the new can serve its purpose. Rinsing off the sediments of time that gum up our hearts. Supplying blank pages in an ancient book waiting to be written. New verses to an old song. An old map that encourages new discovery. A fresh telling of an old story. So get ready for change – and before you think it’s time.

The ancients referred to the Christian faith as “the way”. It is a walk of faith. It is not a static experience or list of rules (i.e., more than a walk of facts). It is a life journey with all the twists and turns of real life. There will be failure and forgiveness. There will be learning/un-learning/re-learning. And at some point there may be broken dreams…but you DO NOT walk alone.

Do You Need Your Receipt?

“Why does God waste such a gift on someone who doesn’t deserve it?” I was overhearing a conversation. The subject was a particular worship artist generally disliked for their selfishness, laziness, arrogance, deceptive practice and spite. And yet she was endowed with musical talents, a singing voice, leadership traits and other qualities of a creative.

It is a valid question: Why does God give gifts to someone who doesn’t deserve it? But it obviously begs another question, “So who does deserve it?” I know folks who take it upon their selves to act as God’s accountants - penny-pinching bean counters who want to be sure Heaven isn’t being too generous with mercy and gift giving. As if you could take measure of divine goodness - as if there is a limited supply. God’s ration squad, who think that one person getting a gift, without earning it, would leave another without - as if God is finite.

They are the elder brother in the Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15), who can’t seem to freely receive the Father’s love and generosity for themselves, and so get offended seeing it in others. The fatted calf was always theirs: ring, robe, feast and farm… everything the Father had. But being so busy “earning” the Fathers love, they failed to receive it. With scales in hand, noting portions, collecting receipts, earning points, keeping score and holding grudges, their arms were not free to embrace.

Words like, plenty, bounty, abundance, superfluous, and surplus seem foreign and never make it into their theological glossary. Theirs is a vocabulary of lack. Self-styled sentries (who have never entered into rest), who live on a self-imposed stipend and shoestring budget. They only use their imagination to imagine scarcity and have not learned how to receive God’s abundant, undeserved mercies for their selves. Always waiting on God to drop the hammer ‘cause he’s been brooding over the books and has found your overage. He’s honked off and he’s gonna getcha!

We must account for our lives, but we are not left to our own devices…unless we so choose. It’s not self-improvement we need, but Spirit empowerment (i.e., baptisms in love). Rule-keeping is not as important as mercy-giving. God isn’t fair…God is good.

The dignity of humanity is re-formed by the Spirit - moral beauty reaffirmed. Forgiveness is premeditated. Grace was forethought, not a problem solving after thought. It was always plan A…never plan B. You were always loved without promise of reciprocity.

Receive generous love. Give love generously. Leave no paper trail.