What are you performing for? Schools base a lot of emphasis on test performance. Work demands you jump through hoops and continue to take on more so that you can get ahead. Relationships gear toward the mindset of "what have you done for me lately?" Who are you becoming? How are you going to get there? The mentality that says prove to me that you are worth it.
A lot of times that is what we make God out to be like as well. We ask "Are you following the rules? Are you doing the things we think you should be doing? Are you becoming who God wants you to be? We make our pursuit of Jesus one more thing based on our performance. Here is the reality... God is not in love with who I am becoming, but rather in love with who I am right now*. Let that soak in. It isn't based on me in anyway. It is based on who God is. His character... His love... His grace... His acceptance of me in my current messed up state.
We want to prove that we can do it, so we perform like we are suppose to. We gut it out. We push ourselves to the next level. We try to manage it. We try to control everything. We forget how messed up we were when we surrendered our lives to God. We are now trying to prove that we are worth it. He doesn't want our performance. He wants us. Lean into who He is. His character... His love... His grace... His mercy. We don't earn any of those with our performance. Forget who you are trying to become and realize who God is now.
* - Thanks to Lane for this awesome quote and sorry if I didn't get it exactly right. It is one of those mind blowing comments that will continue to stretch how I see God. Hopefully it continues to make me realize how much I need to press into God and his character and not rely on myself. I will continue to get it wrong no matter how hard I try, but God still loves me in this moment and not for where I am heading. How refreshing is that?
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Monday, April 25, 2011
What do you do with the radical?
Seems Rob Bell's latest book is a little controversial. I am in the process of reading it right now so I will hold off on giving my opinion about it, but the way people have responded to it has gotten me thinking.
Upfront, so that you know where I am coming from, I like the way Rob Bell writes. He asks lots of questions and doesn't feel it necessary to answer all of those questions for us. He looks at things from a different perspective a lot of the time and challenges us to think about it. I appreciate that whether I agree with his opinion or not. He takes what we have always heard and does a pretty good job of turning that upside down.
A couple of reasons I like that style. First, that comes naturally for me. I like to challenge things "just because that is the way we have always done it". Why are we doing it that way? Is there a better way? Have we gotten it wrong? What if I am missing the point and need to change how I see it? Those questions are where I start. Another reason is because when I read scriptures, I see Jesus doing the same thing. He says things like "You have heard it said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." (Matt. 5:43) This is what you have always believed, now turn that upside down. See Jesus often challenged what the "religious" taught. He would challenge them to see the bigger picture or tell them they had it wrong.
That is thing that has me curious by the harsh responses to Bell's new book. Is this how people responded to Martin Luther's radical ideas back in the day? Is this how the Pharisees responded to Jesus' new interpretations of what they had always heard? Now I am not saying that Rob Bell has it right. I don't know. What I am saying is their room for us to be challenged? Could what we have always heard be wrong? Could we grow beyond what we currently know? Do you have it all figured out? If someone disagrees with you, are they going to hell? (Depending on how you see hell apparently.) Accept the questions. Dig into the scriptures and see what you think it has to say. Don't take someone else's word. Don't just fall back to what you have always heard either. Questioning isn't bad. (I sure hope it isn't anyway.) Blindly accepting things just because that is what you are comfortable with or you have always done it that way or grown up knowing, that is when it gets dangerous. I can disagree with someone who challenges my way of thinking and still respect them. I have a harder time respecting someone isn't willing to be challenged.
What do you do with the radical? How do you respond to someone who challenges your way of thinking? Probably says more about your heart than it does about whatever topic you are talking about. Remember, for those of you who are my friends, questions are good. When I ask that second question with 6 sub-parts, I am helping you grow, not being annoying.
Upfront, so that you know where I am coming from, I like the way Rob Bell writes. He asks lots of questions and doesn't feel it necessary to answer all of those questions for us. He looks at things from a different perspective a lot of the time and challenges us to think about it. I appreciate that whether I agree with his opinion or not. He takes what we have always heard and does a pretty good job of turning that upside down.
A couple of reasons I like that style. First, that comes naturally for me. I like to challenge things "just because that is the way we have always done it". Why are we doing it that way? Is there a better way? Have we gotten it wrong? What if I am missing the point and need to change how I see it? Those questions are where I start. Another reason is because when I read scriptures, I see Jesus doing the same thing. He says things like "You have heard it said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." (Matt. 5:43) This is what you have always believed, now turn that upside down. See Jesus often challenged what the "religious" taught. He would challenge them to see the bigger picture or tell them they had it wrong.
That is thing that has me curious by the harsh responses to Bell's new book. Is this how people responded to Martin Luther's radical ideas back in the day? Is this how the Pharisees responded to Jesus' new interpretations of what they had always heard? Now I am not saying that Rob Bell has it right. I don't know. What I am saying is their room for us to be challenged? Could what we have always heard be wrong? Could we grow beyond what we currently know? Do you have it all figured out? If someone disagrees with you, are they going to hell? (Depending on how you see hell apparently.) Accept the questions. Dig into the scriptures and see what you think it has to say. Don't take someone else's word. Don't just fall back to what you have always heard either. Questioning isn't bad. (I sure hope it isn't anyway.) Blindly accepting things just because that is what you are comfortable with or you have always done it that way or grown up knowing, that is when it gets dangerous. I can disagree with someone who challenges my way of thinking and still respect them. I have a harder time respecting someone isn't willing to be challenged.
What do you do with the radical? How do you respond to someone who challenges your way of thinking? Probably says more about your heart than it does about whatever topic you are talking about. Remember, for those of you who are my friends, questions are good. When I ask that second question with 6 sub-parts, I am helping you grow, not being annoying.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
It is up to you
How do you respond to a challenge? Does it motivate you? Does it cause you to shutdown? Does it make you dig in your heels and refuse to move? Challenges are a given in life, how you respond is up to you.
How do I respond? Well this week I've met several challenges and have probably responded with each of the ways listed above. I've felt pressured by one challenge and it makes me want to dig in my heels and be stubborn. I've wanted to grow in some areas and those have motivated me. I've met a challenge that has been a constant struggle of mine and it makes me want to quit.
People can also be challenging... some in a good way, others not so much. I have one friend who stretches me and challenges me to smash boxes. I have had conversations with another friend that challenges my beliefs and how I perceive those around me. I have people that I am around that are just plain difficult and challenge my patience. Some challenge me to do more. There is no end to the ways we can be challenged by the people in our lives. With all of these, it is again up to us how we respond.
Loving them is a choice. It is the one Jesus challenges us to live out each day. How are you going to respond?
How do I respond? Well this week I've met several challenges and have probably responded with each of the ways listed above. I've felt pressured by one challenge and it makes me want to dig in my heels and be stubborn. I've wanted to grow in some areas and those have motivated me. I've met a challenge that has been a constant struggle of mine and it makes me want to quit.
People can also be challenging... some in a good way, others not so much. I have one friend who stretches me and challenges me to smash boxes. I have had conversations with another friend that challenges my beliefs and how I perceive those around me. I have people that I am around that are just plain difficult and challenge my patience. Some challenge me to do more. There is no end to the ways we can be challenged by the people in our lives. With all of these, it is again up to us how we respond.
Loving them is a choice. It is the one Jesus challenges us to live out each day. How are you going to respond?
Monday, April 18, 2011
How are you going to celebrate April 18th?
Why not April 18th? Isn't it as good as January 1st? Today starts day one. A fresh start. The past is just that... the past. It may shape who I am currently, but it doesn't define who I am becoming. We are like a painting that is never quite done. We can add bold colors with wide brush strokes or add small dots that are hardly noticeable, but we keep adding to the picture. Each decision I make today adds a little more color, a little more texture, a little more depth.
I gave myself permission to start anew. See I can be my own biggest critic, stumbling block, and the one who holds me back. I like to think that others actions take away some of my choices, and some might, but I still get to choose how I respond... what I learn from it... what perspective I have of the situation... what attitude to have. Today is the chance to start with a clean slate.
What would you do differently if you could? Start today. You may still have consequences from your past choices to deal with, but you control your next step. Will you choose a new direction? We can always adjust to a better path. The next decision you make can determine where you are heading now. A wise decision now can correct the path. It doesn't make everything magically better, but it is one step towards it. One step and possibly a new attitude and perspective.
What will today hold for you? What are you willing to change instead of saying you can't? We can change. I have and will continue to change. Who I am today looks significantly different than who I was 10 years ago. The small choices are the ones that will define the big ones to come.
It is April 18th... time to start your new resolutions with the choices you make today. Change can be exciting. You don't have to wait another 9 months to make the decision to start new. What will look different for you tomorrow?
I gave myself permission to start anew. See I can be my own biggest critic, stumbling block, and the one who holds me back. I like to think that others actions take away some of my choices, and some might, but I still get to choose how I respond... what I learn from it... what perspective I have of the situation... what attitude to have. Today is the chance to start with a clean slate.
What would you do differently if you could? Start today. You may still have consequences from your past choices to deal with, but you control your next step. Will you choose a new direction? We can always adjust to a better path. The next decision you make can determine where you are heading now. A wise decision now can correct the path. It doesn't make everything magically better, but it is one step towards it. One step and possibly a new attitude and perspective.
What will today hold for you? What are you willing to change instead of saying you can't? We can change. I have and will continue to change. Who I am today looks significantly different than who I was 10 years ago. The small choices are the ones that will define the big ones to come.
It is April 18th... time to start your new resolutions with the choices you make today. Change can be exciting. You don't have to wait another 9 months to make the decision to start new. What will look different for you tomorrow?
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