June 26: UPSIDE DOWN (Acts 17)

(OK, so it's been a bit on these...)

"These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also..." (Acts 17:6).

Nobody says that anymore. Not "nobody," I guess, but certainly not many people would say that about most of us followers of Christ. Most of us live in a very "right-side up" kind of world. With the same right-side up as our neighbor who doesn't know Jesus; in the same right-side up car and toy; pursuing the same right-side up American dream; trusting in our same right-side up selves; with the same right-side up views on finances, leisure, freedom, control, and life.

We don't turn the world upside down anymore. We don't take opportunities that are right in front of us all the time, to march into peoples' everyday temples and proclaim the truth and mystery surrounding "the alter of an unknown God" that all people seek, though most settle for all kinds of idols.

We don't know the truth and study the Scriptures well: we've lost our urgency. We are worried about being mocked as "babblers": we're concerned with image/self-preservation. We miss out on opportunities to point a situation toward the spiritual: we don't look at life that way. And, beyond it all, we only desire the same proverbial "gold or silver or stone" that everyone around us does.

But the truth remains: "The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead" (v.30-31).

Sounds kinda ominous, no? But it's real, and on that day - whenever it may come - all that will matter is "the God who made the world and everything in it... the Lord of heaven and earth."

Maybe I need to get back into the business of turning the world upside down.

** HA. **

http://spaghettipie.wordpress.com/2008/06/25/superspy-space-agents/

** Washing My Hands **

I’m in Houston this weekend, and get a little opportunity for late night reflection after a Starbucks discussion with a student-friend who’s ministering to students down here this summer. As we talked, this verse came up, one that pops into my head more and more regularly the longer I get to do ministry:

“Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all of you, for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.” – Acts 20:26

After spending some lengthy time with the Ephesian church, after planting them, struggling with them, writing to them, visiting them, teaching them, and encouraging them, Paul’s near-final words to them are that he has done everything in his power to point them to God, lead them to truth, and center them on the gospel of Christ. He is innocent; no one can bring a charge against him that he could have done more; that he could have done better; that his work was insufficient. Paul accomplished as much as he could, and now, as he moves on, he can wash his hands of them, knowing that he did his darn best during the time he was with them.

This verse has haunted me this summer. As I look toward the first year of our ministry where we’ll be graduating four-year students (meaning, for the first time, we’ll have a great chunk of folks who were with us from their freshman thru senior years), I wonder, “have I done everything I can? Have we equipped them to the best of our abilities? Are we innocent of their blood? Have we declared to them all we can?”

To put it another way, John Piper asked this at a youth workers conference: “When your present generation of students leaves your ministry…, will you be able to say what the apostle Paul says in [these verses]?”

OR, have I wasted time with non-essentials? Have I held events that led toward meaninglessness or frivolity, and away from the cross? Have I missed opportunities because I’ve been distracted during conversations? Have we taught, and preached, and led, and studied, and prepared, and equipped our students to the fullest of our abilities?

As RJ and I talked about this tonight, we realized (even in the little time we’ve both been in ministry) that these aren’t questions that get asked much – or at least not enough! In most ministries, it’s easier not to ask it: it’s easier to play games because they’re fun and release energy, which makes parents smile; it’s easier to plan senior trips because the folks don’t have much else to do except drive around slowly in their Cadillacs; it’s easier to host a movie night because it fills time and makes folks laugh; it’s easier to avoid teaching difficult doctrines because people don’t like to think; it’s easier to… ______________.

Fill in the blank with a million things, but most of all it’s easier to lose sight of why we’re in ministry. We can get stuck in a rut; we can become distracted by day-to-day things. Or so-called “emergencies.” Or being trendy. Or thinking we have forever and thus losing our sense of urgency. Or whatever else.

I know I can.

And I know I do.

And I know I have.

And I know that if that’s the case, then my hands are not clean.

And I have not done my best.

And in all I do, whether it's a late-night conversation at Starbucks or planning out our entire year's calendar, I need to scrub up.

** Burrito battles **

OK, so except for the fact that God created tastes, flavors, and the ability to mix these and to enjoy all of life, this is the least-spiritual thought I've ever put on this site...

Which burrito place is better, and why?

1. Chipotle
2. Freebirds
3. Qdoba
4. Other: ____________
   

Just a random thought. Alright, I'm headed to one of these fine establishments for lunch (but not telling which... yet!)... Have a great day!

** Everything Spiritual...**

So this weekend Jess was out of town, and I spent some time (like 2-1/2 hours!) Saturday night laying in our hammock, staring at the stars, listening to music and nature, and thinking. I'd never really done that before... but highly recommend it! One of the overwhelming thoughts that kept recurring in my mind is that, if I 'tune in' to it, everything about the experience could point back to God - which makes sense, given that all of nature is designed to worship and reveal its Creator.

• The grandness of the vast blackness = the bigness and glory of God
• The stars spread across the sky = "the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness could not overcome it" (from the Apostle John)
  
• The couple of shooting stars = the 1-second fleeting nature of this life... but the beauty and impact to be found therein
  
• The wind rustling above my head = the unseen reality of the Spirit and spiritual realm
  
• The rhythmic sway of the hammock = contentment; enjoyment of life
  
• The cool water on which I sipped = refreshment
  
• The wisps of smoke from my cigar = "you are but a mist that appears for a short time and then vanishes" (from James)
  
• Some of my thoughts = the depravity of man; my need for God: "no one is good, no not one" (from the Apostle Paul)
  
• Others of my thoughts = the redemption offered; sanctification
• My thoughts of Jess = gratitude, joy, & love, a reflection of the truth of the gospel
  
• The house across the yard = God's provision
  
• The tiny bugs which joined me occasionally = the intricacy and purposes of creation, even those which are unknown to me!
  
• The sleep that nearly kept me there all night = the rest and security I have in God

Here's what I learned: I don't do a good job at pausing. I don't reflect well. I rarely - if ever find time to "be still and know that I am God." But I woke up Sunday refreshed, excited, and in a couple words, focused and content. The challenge for me personally is (a) to stop more and consider what God has for me, and (b) to look at all of life as I did that night - if God created everything to point reveal Himself and His character, and if I experience thousands of 'things' every single day, and if I realized all these in a 2-1/2 hour hammock stay, than what have I been missing every day?!

** Christians and alcohol? **

On Tina Howard's blog, she recently posed these two questions:

1. What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of a Christian being involved in the alcohol industry?

2. Does it make a difference what part of the industry the Christian is involved in (meaning is there some line when it becomes inappropriate)?

Having had several opportunities to think, talk, and preach on this over the past few months, here are some thoughts - but push back on me if you disagree!

First, one of our premier rights - and responsibilities! - as believers is to display a redeemed view of all the good things God created. Frankly, we don't do that well! But knowing that God is glorified and praised when we enjoy the good things He created, gratefully and appropriately, in our use and interaction with alcohol, we have the opportunity to display to each other and to the world, how we can enjoy God's good creation beyond the "taboo-ness" of it.

God created alcohol; God created tastes, flavors, and all these things to intermix and weave together to point back to God as the creative, beauty, and greatest enjoyment in all of life. The created leads us to worship the creator.

Throughout Christian history, alcohol has played a huge - and vital! - role: it has been central to worship (it is central to communion, before a guy called Welch decided to grape-juice-ize the ordinance in 1869), to community ('cuz unless you're doing the 30-second challenge, you've got not much to do for an hour or so but talk with your friends over a pint), to evangelism (meeting folks where they are - rather than waiting for church skeptics to walk into a church, how 'bout meeting them at the bar?), and to daily life (C.S. Lewis, G.K. Chesterton, and J.R.R. Tolkien - and maybe other author friends who used initials instead of first names - met weekly at a pub to sharpen each other's writing skills. Apparently this was a good move for each!)

All that to say, alcohol is inherently good (don't hate, legalists!), because it was created by God for His purposes. It would be a good thing - for ourselves and for the world (especially for those of us in the Bible belt) if we could recover this view, and interact with alcohol in a healthy, redeemed, and mature manner. And (finally answering Tina's first question), one of the best ways we can do this is to place ourselves in strategic positions to influence those closest to the issue: in this case, that would be those in the alcohol industry.

Sure, there are disadvantages: someone will inevitably buy your product and use it inappropriately. But if they didn't have yours to buy, they'd just as likely buy the next one over on the shelf and do the same thing. That's not an excuse; it's just a reality. Someone will inevitably judge you, misunderstanding what you're doing. And there are probably many others I'm not listing - such is the product of depravity, as most humans do not have that mature, healthy, balanced view of life - much less, of alcohol!

But as far as advantages, (1) you have the opportunity to create taste, flavor, and art as you mix God-created ingredients as a reflection of Him and an enjoyment of life; (2) you have the opportunity to interact with those at the hearts of the industry: bar owners, distribution managers and drivers, CEO's of companies and so-forth. You get to talk with them, influence them, and even share your view and beliefs of what you do. When Paul went to any given city, he would immediately go to the religious and government centers, focusing on city leaders. Why? Because they would influence the city. You have the same opportunity as you influence leaders of the industry! (3) You get to create a good product, "working as if unto the Lord, not man," which as you express your purpose, will again point people to God, in worship, community, and enjoyment.

I know this is becoming far too long (sorry!), but to answer Tina's second question, no, I don't think there's any line: if you're a farmer, God has placed you on your farm to impact your family, employees, vendors, fertilizer and feed salesman, and so on. If you're a Wal-Mart checker, it's your co-checkers, your bosses, your customers if the opportunity arises, etc. I think that whatever part of the industry you're involved in, you have great, unique opportunities to impact the lives of individuals who nobody else might: if you're a distributor, you get to talk with tons of store owners/sales persons! If you're a bar owner, bartender, or waitress, you get to interact with customers every single day! And on and on and on.

So, last thought: no matter if you're producing beer, wine, liquor, tomatoes, written articles, lumber, air conditioner repair, or TPS reports, do it to the glory of God, creating the best possible product to reflect and worship God, and do it to display a redeemed view of life to folks God places around you, whomever it may be, and in whatever industry it is!