Simple isn't always simple

Two things. I can handle that. Sounds simple enough.

Love God. Love others.

That is it boiled down. Two things that we are to do. If you love God, it will show in the way you love others. You don't want to love others, then you aren't loving God. Again, it isn't that complicated.

We want it complicated. We want to be able to hide behind the complexity. If we layer enough conditions on there, we can make it sound good without having to really do both of those things. It is easy to love God most of the time. He is perfect. Others - not so much. They annoy us. They let us down. They break our trust. They take and don't give. We want an exception to loving those people. The strange thing is we are those people. I annoy other people. I will let you down. I will be selfish. So of course I want a different set of rules for me. Others need to love, but I want to pick and choose who I will love. Sorry, it doesn't work that way.

So the question is how are you doing in loving others? That is God's scale. It isn't whether we have perfect attendance at church, whether we read the Bible daily, whether we pray for 30 minutes a day (hours if you are a "prayer warrior"), it isn't about any of those things we put on our checklist. God says if you love me I will see it in the way you love others. We don't get to live in isolation. We are suppose to love in the middle of the mess of life. So again, how are you doing in loving others? Feeling brave today, then ask those around you in the messiness of life how you are doing. No excuses or being defensive if they tell you aren't loving them well. Just learn how to love them.

Two things. How hard could it be?

Will you tell me no?

Two questions from Steven Furtick's blog struck me this morning.

• Do you have anyone in your life who won't let you go where you shouldn't go, and do what you shouldn't do?
• Are you surrounded by people who love you enough to stand in your way when you're about to do something stupid?

He was talking about buffer friends. You know, "the ones who talk you down from the ledge, and protect you from your worst enemy - yourself." Sometimes we are reckless. Sometimes we don't see the blind spots. Sometimes we are just plain foolish or unwise. Who is around you that will stop you from going there?

The other side of that is you not only have to have those people in your life, but you also have to be willing to open up to them. You have to let them know you are climbing up on the ledge. You have to talk them about the things you are planning. You have to be honest with them about what is going on in your life. If you don't do that, then what good is it to have them in your life. They can't stand in your way to protect you if they don't know about it. So not only is it important to find these type of friends, but then you have to let them into your life - your thoughts, your actions, your attitude - all of it. Otherwise you will still be jumping in those areas that might not be in your best interest.

So who are those people? Don't have any, then find some. Have some, then let them know how much they mean to you and thank God for them. Seems like the type of community we need to be surrounding ourselves with. Who needs another person around telling you to go for it? I need someone who is willing to tell me no or that something isn't in my best interest. Those seem a lot harder to find.

Out of sync or time for a change?

Out of sync or just a new rhythm? I am not really sure. How do you know the difference? Some things that were consistent now seem sporadic at best. For me, writing is one of those things right now. Part of the flow of my writing is based on the thoughts I have from what I am reading and the conversations that I am having. Those deep, challenging conversations that cover the important have been few and far between recently. I haven't really found a book that has captured my thoughts and expanded my perspective in a new way recently. A new rhythm or just a season?

I like change for the most part (I know. I am strange.), but have a hard time knowing when that change means letting go of something. So I struggle. Do I stop writing? Do I let some friendships drift off? Do I keep serving in the same ways? I like the new that change brings about, but struggle with the loyalty to the old. Have I given up something that I shouldn't or is it time to move on? I want the concrete answers, but at the same time am afraid of what those may mean. So I am left wondering, are things just currently out of sync or is a new rhythm developing?

Can you spot one?

Are you a Christian Atheist? Seems like a contradiction doesn't it? It is, but honestly, that is how we live sometimes. We say we believe in God, but we live like He doesn't exist. I had taken a little break from reading as much recently (actually just switched to more fiction, but you know what I mean), but Craig Groeschel's latest book caught my attention. It is called "The Christian Atheist" (and you thought I came up with the first question all by myself.) Not very far into the book so I can't tell you what it says, but honestly I was drawn to the book because I know I've been that person at times and struggle now with how to love that person.

Let me tell you the stories of two different guys I know. I crossed path with both of these guys at about the same time not that long ago. Both have jacked-up stories in how they arrived at where they are currently (don't we all in some way or another?) They both stated they wanted things to be different than the way they have been in the past. They wanted to pursue Jesus in all that they do. They both still struggle (I live in that tension all of the time and think most of us do) and they both still say they are trying to pursue Jesus, but the difference is when I look at their lives I can see that one of them lives his life trying to live that out and really in the other one I don't see any difference. He still says the right things but I don't see the fruit. See I think we fool ourselves sometimes and think we have people convinced that we are loving like God has called us to, but really, our lives give us away. See our actions show what is in our hearts. I am not saying, we will always get it right, but can't you tell the difference when someone is just talking a good show and when someone is living it out? I don't know what to do with a Christian Atheist. A messed up person trying to move forward... that person I understand and love. A person trying to convince me they have it all together, but not living it... that person I don't really want much to do with. Probably should, but really I don't have much desire to.

So back to the original question. Are you a Christian Atheist? Sounds a little harsh I know, but let's call it what it is. We only get one shot at this thing called life so let's give it all we got. Just believing really isn't enough, if we don't live it.