WWJD?

I am convinced that I have the most awesome little brother anyone could ever have. He's great, and more. Somehow he's gotten into wearing wrist-bands... these range from plain rubber bands (of different colors, of course), the ever-popular "LIVESTRONG" bracelet, and even a ONE CLEMSON/ R U ORANGE bracelet. This current fad reminded me of one that was incredibly popular when I was his age -- "WWJD?"

It was everywhere. Bracelets. Keychains. Bible covers. There's even a "WWJD?" bible, not to mention a handful of songs to go with it. Countless sermons and messages were preached on the topic; retreats and camps used it as their theme. It was literally everywhere, and it made us ask that question to ourselves. We wanted to be reminded of it constantly as to stay out of trouble and "do the right thing". WWJD? eventually grew to be a very profitable industry within itself.

Now that I look back, I begin to question this idea, though. "What would Jesus do?" Well, I know what he's done, sure. There's a book (actually a collection of many books) that tells us a lot about what Jesus did. That we know. But do we really know what Jesus would do if he were in our shoes today? Jesus' mother, his brothers, even the disciples couldn't predict what Jesus would do... they couldn't have answered this question. In fact, they often got in his way by trying to answer the question.

So if not WWJD, then what? Here's the bigger question -- how did Jesus know what to do? He studied the scriptures... to the extent he could recite them as to know clearly what to do. He prayed to God, his father, for guidance... taking a lot of time in the process. He allowed the spirit to lead him. I think, moreover, the real question is What Did Jesus Do?, and let that guide our decisions. Do we study scripture to know what God would have us do? Do we pray for guidance and to be led by the spirit?

Sometimes we won't be led to do the same things that "have always been done." Jesus says very clearly, "And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of tradition?" When we really ask, "What did Jesus do?" and follow what he did, we will be led in the most radical of ways... ways that we could never predict.

I don't think we'll ever know exactly what Jesus would do if he was in the world today -- we can guess, but somehow I think we'd come up short. What we do know is how he made his own decisions, and that is the example he laid down for us.

WDJD? Follow, study, and pray. I doubt I'll start a new trend by this, but I do think I'll find more answers. Maybe you will too.

Trying and stumbling to be more like Jesus,
chris

Matthew 15: 1-9

A Morning to Remember

Several years ago I read the novel A Night to Remember by Walter Lord. The book compiles the stories of the night of April 14, 1912, that continued through the early morning of April 15th. This was the night that the R.M.S. Titanic hit an iceberg and later sunk beneath the chilled waters of the North Atlantic the following morning, along with nearly 1500 people. Back in 1865, also on the night of April 14th, a lone gunman in a theater shot our President, who died in the early morning hours of April 15th. I find it coincidental that our taxes are also due on April 15th... a day of two horrific tragedies remembered.

Today, April 20, is also one of these days. For one, it is my little cousin's fourth birthday (he's very proud of today), but that is more personal than not (and more rejoiceful than tragic). I particularly remember the morning of April 20th six years ago, where two young men raged an assault on a school in Littleton, Colorado, killing many students and teachers alike. I remember watching scenes of this unfold on television, then later reading in tears the stories of Cassie Bernall and the lesser publicized Rachel Joy Scott, both of whom have become martyrs of their generation. Recalling the stories from that morning even today bring tears, but it leaves me with a challenge to reach out to this generation that I am also a part of.

Today, in this year, is also rather symbolic. This is the first morning of the papacy of Benedict XVI. While a lot is left to be seen in what this pope does, I think his first act tells us a great deal: his choice of the name Benedict. The first Benedict was a man who began the monastery (hence why many are referred to as Benedictine Monks). He encouraged life-long study of the Word and a life-long pursuit of that intimate relationship with God.

As I reflected on all of this earlier today, I began thinking more of an even older story. A story of a greater man that each of these people I speak of were seeking to be more like. He said to us, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets."

Benedict had it right with the first one. More than that, He was one of the first popes to reach out beyond Europe as a pope. This story of Columbine is an ever-more-recent reminder of the need to reach out, as Jesus tells us in the second great commandment... to reach out in love.

We often are quick to reference the "Great Commission" and John 3:16, but few are quick to seek these two commandments Jesus gives to us. Today is a day that I will take to remember these four verses and how I might seek to apply them to my life -- and be in constant reminder of them.

What if the entire world loved God with all of their being and then sought to love everyone else as Jesus loved and loves us? What a wonderful day that would be... now that would be a morning to remember.

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Matthew 22: 37-40

You tell them

Casting Crowns is one of my new favorite musical talents. Their songs all point out such good things that we should be thinking about, but often aren't. One of their songs talks about, "If we are the body, why aren't our arms reaching, our hands healing, our words teaching?" Great song.

This weekend I got the opportunity to hear Peter Storey speak. He's currently a professor at Duke Divinity School and the former President of the South African Council of Churches. To give a little background, he was instrumental in the ending of apartheid in South Africa.

During the morning he spoke about the fact that we so often forget what real ministry is. We call a lot of things in our church "ministry", but in actuality, it's just a program. Ministry is, as Casting Crowns puts it, being the body. Reaching out. Healing. Teaching. Going. Showing them there is a way. Being like Jesus.

One question remained in my mind. When we first think about helping the poor or something like that, we first see it as an insurmountable challenge. But, once we do it, a great joy comes over us for having done it. How do we inspire others to do this, to become more Christ-like in their actions?

During the afternoon, we were given the opportunity to ask Peter some questions. When he came to our table, this is the question I asked. "How do you see this so called "insurmountable challenge" and show people the joy that it will bring afterwards?" His answer, "You tell them." He said I already had the answer to my question before I asked it. But, I probably needed to be told anyway.

"You tell them." So simple, yet so rarely done. I've spent the past few weeks speaking to a number of groups about my time in West End, Bahamas. Little did I realize it, but I was telling them. I was telling them how much that one experience changed me and all forty-three others who went. I continue to be changed from that experience and I've been home for three weeks.

My prayer is that we would first seek to become more like Jesus ourselves; second that we tell others that it may look like a huge task to take on at first, but the joy that it brings us is absolutely incredible. Let me tell you this -- if you're one of those out there who feel like being like Jesus is a huge challenge, I won't lie to you. It is. It's radical. It'll ruin your life. But, the joy that it will bring to you will be so great you'll wonder how you could have been living life before. It will put a smile on your face in the midst of the greatest tragedy. It will bring you peace. Not outer peace in the world, but peace deep down within yourself. It's not all about "getting saved" or having Jesus as your "personal savior". It's about being like him in all that you do. We so often look up to role models... famous basketball players, presidents, movie stars, our preachers, older siblings, even our parents... we also often overlook the greatest role model of them all. The one whose story has been published and read more than any other book ever written.

Not only is he just the way to salvation, but he is the way, the truth, and the light for all that we do. In seeking to be like him, we will be saved - just as he was - and one day will sit with him in heaven. I can only imagine...

Mystery?

Normally I don't post this often, but I wanted to say two things that are on my mind after re-reading my last two posts.

First, I refer to a "mystery" in both of these writings and, in fact, the titles are both questions. Some people think that the Bible and having faith affords many of us answers to all of life's questions. While I do believe that many of our questions are able to be answered, I am under full belief that there are many questions that we will never be able to answer, but yet seeking an answer may lead us to more knowledge along the way. There is some level of mystery that believing brings to us. Not every question has an answer, not every answer is alone. Hence why I ask many questions in what I write.

Second, often I tend to ask, "Are we...?" I do this to say in a very subtle way that I am probably asking just as many questions as you are. In what I write, I usually speak of the things I am thinking about most... at the same time, I also try to write in a way that challenges others to consider thoughts and dig deeper into questions. I don't profess to knowing many answers... the truth is I have very few answers to any questions. So, if you actually read what I write here, please don't think that I am some wise fellow professing to have lots of answers... I really don't. I am merely a believer diving deeper into the mystery... there is only one who can actually answer the questions we seek answers to, and He is greater than any of us could ever dream of becomming. Some things will be a mystery for us until we reach heaven... and that's the beauty of it all.

Have you found Nemo?

Tonight I watched one of my favorite movies that I haven't watched in a while with some good friends. Finding Nemo. The adventures of Merlin and Dori trying to find Nemo who's lost in the vast ocean. I've decided too that clown fish are cool and that I want one... I'm just not quite sure about this saltwater aquarium thing.

If you've never seen this movie (which means that you really need to go see it... like right now), it's a story about a single dad clown fish (Merlin) and his son (Nemo). Nemo gets taken by this dentist from Sydney who is scuba diving along the reef and takes Nemo back to his fish tank. Well, Merlin sets out on an adventure to find his son when he runs across Dori (another reef fish with short term memory loss... kinda like Alzheimers). During their adventure they encounter many, many other interesting creatures, from sharks to tuna to rad turtles to jellyfish to pelicans to seagulls (Mine! mine! mine! mine!). They search tirelessly. They become discouraged so many times. They're scared to go beyond the known and into the unknown.

How far would you go? To what depths of the unknown would you travel? For an intimate romance with God, how far would you swim? Would you dart through a sea of jellyfish? Would you put up with someone that you had to explain to every 5 minutes what you're doing and who you're looking for? Are you doing all of this now? Have you found Nemo?

This is one of dozens of thoughts I had while watching this movie. It still amazes me how many places you can find God in such ordinary experiences. But I get back to what I was asking... if you were Merlin, how hard would you seek? Would you seek until you found? Our goal is to find more than just Nemo... how much do we desire and long to find it? How far will we go? Are you swimming yet? Dive in... the adventure awaits.

Is life a life to love?

I suffer from a condition typical of many folks my age: compulsory instant messenger away message checking. You're always curious to know what other people are doing. A lot of times, though, I'm checking them to see what kind of funny, thought-inspiring, or quite interesting messages are to be found. In this high-tech world my parents have no hope of understanding, I can gain some of my greatest inspirations during the day from simple things like away messages.

Anyway, as I peruse through them, I often find the statement "and loving life". Obviously, these folks want other people to know that they are enjoying their life to the fullest. Others, on the other hand, post messages that they're not doing so hot. They may be struggling, sick, or just having problems of various types. To focus a bit on these every-joyful people... what is bringing their joy? Why are we loving this life so much?

Here's a thought... I don't have an answer for it, but it is something interesting to think about: If we love this life that we're living so much, are we discrediting the eternal life we will live with God in heaven? Are we supposed to find a lot of joy in this life, or is it okay to not be happy everyday we live on this earth because we know how great the future will be for us?

For those of you who are not happy every day of your life and maybe don't love this life quite as much as some others do, think about this thought some. You might be uplifted to know that one day this not-so-perfect life will one day end, and a truly joyous life awaits you.

Just a thought... I hope it helps you think about this. While I'm not sure there is a full answer to the questions I ask, it is only another part of this mystery we find in following Jesus.

My Heart

As I was driving home tonight, I changed cds and decided it had been a while since I listened to third day, so I put in Come Together. I always listen to Show me Your Glory first, because it's one of my favorite songs. My other favorite song on that cd is My Heart. As I listened to it tonight, though, I kept finding myself replaying the first few lines...

Well, I paint a picture, I think it's easier to live that way.
But my heart is really broken.
I'm not the man you think I am when you see me each day,
torn apart and then left open.
Father, come and fill me up - I can't wait for you to overflow my cup.

Click. "I'm not the man you think I am when you see me each day..." That's EXACTLY how I've felt over the past three months. Every single day is new, different, exciting, turbulent, challenging, long, and most importantly, changing. Every single day of the past three months has left me falling asleep knowing that I am a different person from when I woke up that morning. I'm not quite sure if I could paint just one picture to describe this, but I know that it would include crashing waves amidst a beautiful sunset.

These months have been some of the roughest in a long time. There are challenges I've faced recently that I never knew I would have to face. I've taken leaps of faith over the past few months that the "old me" would never have even approached. This would be the crashing waves part. A lightning storm, a tornado winding across my path of life. Through it all, though, there has been a sense of peace. I am at peace, just like I am when watching the sun set at the end of a day.

While every day may be different, while I may be changing more now than I ever have before in my life, I know that in everything, there is a plan. I am following a path where I know where I am and I know where it ends, but the in-between has been planned with the perfection only God can design. And, because of that, I am confident in it... I am at peace with it.

As I sit here and write this, I'm still listening to third day, extremely confused about a lot of things, knowing that there is a ton of work ahead for me, but in the midst of all of this, without stress. If you pray to Him for guidance, he will provide. If you seek, you will find. Not in your time, but in His. His time is perfect. He is perfect.

He is beautiful, beyond all pictures or stories of ten thousand words can describe. His grace and glory is more than any creation of ours can ever emit. If you truly believe; if you have faith, He will provide... always, now and forever. Our life on this earth is only the beginning... only the beginning of an eternity whose beauty we can only dream of imagining.

Father come and fill me up; I can't wait for you to overflow my cup. My heart makes me wonder how much longer until you come back to take me away. My heart longs for you to fly right through the sky and take me to the place where I won't ever feel my heart break down again.