What does it look like, in our day to day, to walk humbly with God? Isn't this more than simply acknowledging that God knows best and actually living according to that belief?
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
What's Your Response?
Recently, a documentary film titled Call + Response was released that addresses the injustice of the slave trade at work in the U.S. and around the world today. I have plugged the film on my blog as well as helped to form an official Austin response to the film (and the issue) called What's Your Response?
Yesterday, I was wearing my What's Your Response? t-shirt and Harry asked me what it meant. Without getting into all the sordid details of slavery (Harry is 4) I explained that there were adults and kids in the world that people locked up and hurt and weren't nice to. I said that we should be praying for them and doing whatever we could to help them. That is our response.
Harry blew me away when he said, "My response is I can be nice to kids and to my friends and share toys with them and not hit them."
Too often, we look at the injustice in the world and, overcome by the magnitude of it, do nothing. While I believe we can and should effect change on a massive and global scale, it is essential to remember that justice begins by sharing what we have and by not hurting other people. This is something we can all do. Even my 4 year old son.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Donald Miller on Fear
Last year I vowed I wouldn't make decisions out of fear. And because of that I've had one of the greatest years of my life. I went to Uganda and got to meet with the man who helped write their constitution. I wrapped up an evangelism project I believe will introduce more than a million people to the gospel. I rode my bike across America. All of this stuff took some degree of risk. But when calculating those risks, I realized the only reason not to try was fear. What if I was wrong, what if I couldn't make it, what if the project didn't work? But none of my heroes are controlled by fear. The commandment most often repeated in scripture, in fact, is "do not fear." Fear is often something unrighteous trying to keep you from doing something good. They will never write stories about people controlled by fear.
From Donald Miller
When we've never met people, we are easily manipulated into demonizing them. We are easily made to fear.
Friday, November 7, 2008
A King and A Kingdom and 44
Looking back on my last two posts, I see a potential irony. My allegiance to God followed by 44 things on the President-elect.
So, I won't set a number on it, but here's a few things about my King:
He was born in a manger
Strangers came to worship him
Kings tried to kill him
The world ignored him
He was raised by a carpenter
Rabbis were amazed by him
His mother treasured him
The world ignored him
He was proclaimed by prophets
He was baptized by John
His Father was pleased
He went into the desert
He was tempted by Satan
He began His mission
He preached good news
He drove out demons
He healed the sick
The people could no longer ignore Him
The people rejected Him
The people followed Him
He called disciples
He healed lepers
He healed the paralyzed
The religious questioned Him
The sinners followed Him
He broke the law
He fulfilled the law
He blessed the poor
He blessed the hungry
He blessed the mournful
He blessed the hated
He preached judgment on the rich
He preached judgment on the well fed
He preached judgment on the well regarded
He preached love for enemies
He called for fruitful life
He said we must build a foundation on His teaching
He honored the faith of outsiders
He was honored by outsiders
He preached in parables
He rebuked His family
He calmed the storm
He sent out the twelve
He fed the five thousand
He drew followers to the mountaintop
He drew followers back down the mountain
He said the greatest must be like a little child
He said the greatest must be a servant
He said the cost of discipleship was everything we have and are
He corrected Martha
He honored Mary
He loved them both
He taught us to pray
He preached woes to the religious and self-righteous
He preached warnings and encouragements
He told us not to be anxious
He told us to be alert
He brought us together
He divided us
He said, "repent or perish"
He said, "enter through the narrow door"
He said, "how often I have longed to gather you together, as a hen gathers her chicks, but you would not allow it"
He ate with Pharisees
He ate with sinners
He warned us to count the cost
He told us to hear
He rejoiced in finding what was lost
He rejoiced in the dead being alive again
He called the rich man simply "the rich man"
He gave the poor man a name
He preached on sin and faith and duty
He preached the coming of the Kingdom of God
He preached justice
He preached mercy
He preached love of children
He said, "You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give it to the poor."
He predicted His death
He healed the blind
He went home with Zacchaeus and brought salvation to his house
He rode on a donkey
He was worshipped by the people
He said the temple was a den of thieves
His authority was questioned
His loyalties were questioned
His theology was questioned
He said that in this world we would have trouble
He said that He had overcome the world
He was betrayed by Judas
He was disowned by Peter
He washed both their feet
He said, "take and eat, this is my body"
He said, "take and drink, this is the new covenant in my blood"
He prayed, "may this cup pass"
He prayed, "Thy will be done"
He was arrested
He was mocked
He was crucified
He was dead
He was buried
He was raised again
He appeared to His disciples
He ascended into heaven
He sent His Spirit
He created a community
He saved the world
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