Mudshot Eyes

Do you ever have trouble asking for help?  I assume that it probably has something to do with my strong sense of independence, but that’s always been a struggle for me.  Independence is great when you are talking about freedom from an oppressive regime that taxed us out the wazoo 200 years ago, but when it comes to how I live my life as a Christ-follower, it’s value is limited.

Krista and I were talking to a close friend last night who shared that he also has a difficult time asking others to help him.  As we narrowed down the reasons, it came to pride and the desire not to let others see our weaknesses or our needs.

The problem with that perspective is that our sense of need is the defining characteristic in a Christian’s life.  No one becomes a follower of Christ without first recognizing that they need Him.  And once someone starts the journey with Christ, the degree to which they are aware of their need is the degree to which they will follow Him.

A “pull-up-your-bootstraps-and-do-it-yourself” approach only leads to emptiness and a longing for personal recognition (which can never be enough).

When we realize the limits of the resources within ourselves and the vastness of the resources that God offers us through relationship with Him, the pressure is suddenly off as we no longer have to defend ourselves and our abilities.  Instead, we come clean about how needy we are and discover that God has invited us to come to Him with our asking, seeking, and knocking.*

Jesus illustrates God’s joy in giving good things to his sons and daughters in Matthew 7:11:

“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!”

Perhaps this Independence Day could also be a day to recognize the value of a life lived in dependence on an enormously capable and loving God.

*Matthew 7:7

(Thanks to Reddish for the “in dependence” idea.)

This article is from guest blogger Brian Alex, a close friend of mine. He and his family are missionaries, currently in Estonia (web site).  Enjoy!

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I recently asked a friend of mine what they have been reading lately, hoping to whet my appetite for some good material. Their response left me dumbfounded for moment:

“The Bible is all I need, since hearing too much from others only tends to leave me more confused than when I limit my influence to only the Bible.”

I doubt that I will ever share my argument with them, but it is a proverbial burr under my theological saddle. I think there is something missing in the life of a believer who closes their ears to every other sound but their reading of the Bible.

To read the New Testament is to find a collection of eye-witness accounts and special revelation propagated to the masses mainly through messengers carrying letters to be read aloud. But it didn’t stop there. The letters were then considered at-large by communal groups of Christ-followers. Thus, it stands to reason that we too must take the point of view that God will choose to reveal Himself to us via that same circuit. Namely,

1. The Scriptures
2. Personal Revelation
3. Communal Interpretation

To refrain from the necessary involvement of a community would subject the learner to a limited view of Christ, life and the world that he or she lives in. By excluding the communal checks-and-balances they would be in danger of erring from the very Scriptures that he or she may claim have exclusive authority in their lives.

Rather, we can stand with confidence knowing that God has led us into select communal-social constructs that will help us tend towards truth. Surrounding ourselves with a community of imperfect Bible-interpreting believers will challenge and refine our own conceptions, keeping us from blatant deceptions.

God has placed us in covenental community in order to see the Bible clearly and to know in Whom we have believed. In essence, if we are to hear God’s voice, we must involve those who have labored in the Word before us and with us, as they lend us their spiritual heritage.

The Bible isn’t all we need, simply because the Bible is not just about words. It is about real people and real lives, learning to live out the truth… together.

“Jesus?” he whispered as his voice choked. “I feel so lost.”
 A hand reached out and squeezed his, and didn’t let go. “I know, Mack. But it’s not true. I am with you and I am not lost.”

William P. Young’s book, The Shack is ultimately about the main character, Mack, discovering that he can find his way only through interaction and friendship with God. In light of all the theological content of the book, this is important because all theology should be all about the potential for relationship with God. Theology is a question of whether or not we can find any meaning or direction for life in a God who is above, beyond, and around all things.

Since The Shack dives into some significant theological themes, it is important to ask whether or not the theological content of the book is trustworthy and faithful to the message of the Bible. Before going into some examples, I’ll say up front that I believe that most of the theology of the book is well in line with a reasonable interpretation of the Scriptures, even if it is presented in an unconventional way. In fact, this unconventional approach is what piqued my interest.

I will miss some important moments and ideas in the book, but stay with me as I review the five themes which stood out to me the most.

The Trinity

“We are not three gods, and we are not talking about one god with three attitudes, like a man who is a husband, father, and worker. I am one God and I am three persons, and each of the three is fully and entirely the one” (p. 101).

The triune nature of God is a prominent theme throughout the story. Mack has interaction with each person of the Trinity, and is often presented with a plural pronoun when you would expect a singular one, and vice versa. When any member of the Trinity is speaking, they often say “we”, harkening back to the Old Testament, where the word for God, elohim, appears 2326 times. Elohim is a plural Hebrew word, a fact that is lost in the English translation, and it is significant that in a large number of times where the OT writers were referring to God, they were using a plural word.

The balance is provided by the fact that the oneness of God is also emphasized. At one point in the story, Mack is talking to Jesus, and he asks, “What about the others?”

“I’m here, I’m always here” was Jesus’ reply.

After reading the conversations about the Trinity, I began to wonder if the author would begin to err on the side of trying too hard to explain the character of God. However, at just the right time, Papa acknowledges the limits of our understanding:

“That you can’t grasp the wonder of my nature is rather a good thing. Who wants to worship a God who can be fully comprehended, eh? Not much mystery in that” (p. 101). 

Is God a Male?

“For me to appear to you as a woman and suggest that you call me Papa is simply to mix metaphors, to help you keep from falling so easily back into your religious conditioning.” (p. 93)

One of the difficult parts of the book for some readers is the appearance of God the Father as an oversized black woman. Isn’t God presented as a Father figure in the Bible?

The Bible is full of father-language for God, and according to Papa’s character, this is for good reason:

“…we knew once the Creation was Broken, true fathering would be much more lacking than mothering. Don’t misunderstand me, both are needed––but an emphasis on fathering is necessary because of the enormity of its absence” (p. 94)

I don’t think there is reason to be offended by the Papa character in the story. Though God never appears as a woman in the Bible, God in his essence isn’t a male or a female. Those are human categories that only applied to God when Jesus entered our existence as a man.

“Free” Will

“Does freedom mean that you are allowed to do whatever you want to do?” (p. 95)

Another important idea in the story is whether or not we are morally free. The dialogue between Mack and Papa contains a lot of powerful stuff about what kind of freedom we can experience as we allow God to work in our lives. God renders powerless the things which actually limit our freedom, such as our genetic heritage, our DNA, the subtle social influences, marketing, or propaganda. “Inside that confluence of multifaceted inhibitors, what is freedom really?” Papa asks.

Only in Christ the Truth can we know what it feels like to be gradually free from all these limiting influences.

Did God Limit Himself?

“…we became fully human. We also chose to embrace all the limitations that this entailed. Even though we have always been present in this created universe, we now became flesh and blood. It would be like this bird, whose nature it is to fly, choosing only to walk and remain grounded. He doesn’t stop being the bird, but it does alter his experience of life significantly.” (p. 99)

The discussions between Mack and God are full of helpful guidance in thinking about what it meant for God to become flesh and blood and walk on this earth. At no point does he attempt to completely explain it, but illustrations like the one above helped me grasp the coming of Jesus more fully.

The Problem of Evil

“This world is not a playground where I keep all my children free from evil. Evil is the chaos of this age that you brought to me, but it will not have the final say. Now it touches everyone that I love, those who follow me and those who don’t” (p. 190).

The central event in the book is a tragedy in Mack’s life which becomes a hinge for his entire life from that point forward. It also drove much of the discussion that he had with God, as Mack was baffled as to why God would not protect his family from experiencing the horrific effects of someone else’s wrongdoing.

This question captured me the most, as it is one I have struggled with a lot. I recently asked a co-worker the classic question, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” Almost without hesitation, I was given what sounded like a well-rehearsed answer. I was half kidding when I asked it, and didn’t have time at work to delve into such a murky existential question, but I marveled at how flippantly he was able to dismiss such a difficult question.

The dialogue in The Shack makes no such mistake, taking the issue very seriously. Ultimately Mack is led back to the question of love, when Papa says, “If I take away the consequences of people’s choices, I destroy the possibility of love.”

Final Thoughts

My only critical comment of the book is that I wish Young could have somehow presented the otherness of God a little more clearly. I love how he presents God in this story, but if this is God, then I want to be a little more baffled by his greatness. What makes the Gospel so astounding is the fact that this God whose existence can never be tamed or completely explained has chosen to love us and relate to us.

This invitation to be in relationship and this “possibility of love” in the midst of a broken world make up the central theme of The Shack. The story is a wonderful parable of God’s willingness to embrace us regardless of the risk that we would refuse God’s love. And once we see how absolutely pleasant it is to be in relationship with the God who created us, became one of us, and died for us, then we can let our guard down and fully enjoy dialogue and communion with the Lover of our souls, especially when we are deeply wounded by our own sin and the sin of others.

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Your comments are welcome.

Ah, yes… the Holy Bible. The very mention of it stirs up a wide variety of responses. Some think of archaic language and dust-covered black leather, a book for another time. It’s an irrelevant set of religious writings that have some good advice, but no significant value for today.

Others remember their Sunday School classes from their younger days, growing up in church.  Memories involve the great stories of the Bible such as David versus Goliath, Noah’s Ark, and the life of Jesus.

What rarely comes to mind are the stories of betrayal, sex, violence, and intrigue.  It’s a dynamic book, “inspired by God,” as 2 Timothy says.  The Greek word for inspired is theopneustos, or “God-breathed.” Depending on our view of God’s character, it may be surprising that such scandalous topics are breathed-out from God. Doesn’t God want us to avoid stories that involve sex, drugs, and rock-n-roll? Apparently not.

At no point in the Bible do we ever find that a topic is being avoided. No issue is off-limits. The reason? Nothing is off-limits to a God who refuses to be separated from the real experiences and emotions of life.  Whether it be an addiction, strain in a relationship, or worry over a big decision, God is habitually getting his hands dirty to plant transformation and hope within our mess. The first four books of the New Testament chronicle this very characteristic, seen in the life of Jesus.  Those stories were about real people with complex problems who were touched by a loving, interested Savior.

Now that I think of it that way, it’s nice to know that I could have been a Bible story, too.

“No one else can paint your portrait from an unobstructed view.”
- J.J. Heller, singer and songwriter

You will never come in contact with anyone who will completely accept you and approve of everything you do. This universal truth seems simple enough, but there is an inner drive within each of us to be accepted by other people and to have them approve of our actions.

A few months ago, I was given the opportunity to share with a person I’ll refer to as “Tom.” I have a lot of respect for Tom, so I mentioned an idea that I was thinking of pursuing, which I thought would be well-aligned with my gifts and strengths. I don’t believe that he meant any harm by his response, but he basically said that I shouldn’t expect much to come from it and that I should not quit my day job.

Picture a balloon losing its air through a poorly tied knot; that was me at that moment.

His intent was probably to help me stay grounded in reality, since I tend to be a dreamer, so to some extent I can understand his comments. However, what I had hoped to hear was the applause of approval from him, saying that I should go for it and that I had what it took to do it.

Every one of us has been in a situation where we were disappointed after sharing an idea or a lifestyle choice with someone we respect, and hearing less than the applause we had hoped for. This doesn’t mean that we never seek advice from others, especially those who have had more years of experience, but there is a vast difference between seeking advice, and seeking approval.

The real issue for me regarding my conversation with Tom was not his comments but how much stock I had put in them. I gave them more value than they were worth. Tom does not have all the the information needed to see my life with an “unobstructed view.” Only God can do that, so it is important that I don’t give divine-like significance to anyone else’s opinion, no matter how good of a person they are.

Does this mean that God won’t use others to speak to us about where he is leading us? Certainly not. But it does mean that we need to know the essential difference between the voice of God, who already approves of us in Christ, and the applause of other people, who can mislead even with the best of intentions.

Our pastor preached a message on the first 12 verses of 2 Thessalonians this morning, but I couldn’t get past verse 3.

We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly…

The phrase that keeps jumping out at me is that their faith was “growing abundantly.” Beyond being a nice, Bible-worthy phrase, what did this tell us about these people?

It may mean that they were counting on God for more and more. There was a growing understanding that God was active and responsive to their needs. They were also increasingly aware that God would infuse their lives with purpose and that he would be the author and initiator of all kinds of good when they participate with his purposes.

I’m thinking through whether or not my faith has had this kind of steady increase lately. If God leads us to take a huge step in a different direction than we are currently headed, would I be ready? Fortunately, God typically asks us to count on him for one step at a time. So a journey of faith consists of many smaller faith-acts along the way.

In that case, could it be that God sometimes keeps the final destination unclear so that our faith can grow with each step?

Sounds like something God would do.

Readers of this blog are going to have to find their history fix elsewhere. Though I enjoy reading about history, I have discovered that writing about it succinctly is like trying to describe occupants of a moving train while I’m still in the station. So I’m bailing on my attempt to write about four key historical figures in church history. I’m sure none of us will loose any sleep.

Why did I bring this up in the first place? My original motivation for writing about church history was twofold.

First of all, without an understanding of our history, we forfeit lifetimes of experience that could guide us today. Where would we be without the grueling theological discussions that took place at the Council of Nicea in 325 AD? While Christianity was rapidly expanding only a couple hundred years after Jesus’ death and resurrection, there was a controversy stirring regarding the question of whether or not Jesus was divine. Around 300 bishops from every part of Christendom gathered for a discussion that would provide important theological direction for all believers.

Of course, we continue to discuss and interpret Scripture, but we have the benefit of some important and difficult theological discussions that have already taken place. If you ever doubt that events like the Council of Nicea had implications for all future followers of Christ, then read through the Nicene Creed and consider the fact that most evangelical church congregations today would say it matches what they believe.

Second, the road the church is on now was paved by those who have gone before us. This unfortunately includes the errors and misjudgments of the Church, but also those who have listened to the voice of God’s leadership and have exemplified what it means to follow Christ.

For example, in 1865, William and Catherine Booth started a ministry called The Christian Revival Society in the East End of London. They served the neediest members of society, including alcoholics, criminals and prostitutes. Booth was often derided for his ministry of soup kitchens and Bible teaching, but he was determined that God had given him a vision to feed bread to the poor if he was ever to feed them the gospel.

Booth’s ministry, The Salvation Army, is currently one of the world’s largest providers of social aid. They spent around $2.6 billion in 2004 helping more than 32 million people in the US alone. They operate community centers, provide disaster relief, and work in refugee camps, especially among displaced people in Africa.

Booth followed Christ toward the poor by showing then telling them the gospel. He is one of the many who paved the way for our growing emphasis in the church on a whole-person gospel.

In some way, the members of every generation of Christ-followers are pioneers. Since God is always doing something new, we are pioneers with God.

However, it’s important to realize that we are linked with every previous generation of pioneering believers. We have their achievements, their mistakes, and their words to guide us, to inspire us, to awaken us. We stand on their shoulders and would do well to be aware and thankful for their Christ-centered labor. But above all, we share with them a universal need that can only be satisfied by God’s mercy and grace.

“As I ‘roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart,’ all my lack was laid before you.”
- Augustine, from The Confessions of Augustine

When I think of the great saints of early church history, I rarely imagine a person who was perplexed with the meaning of life. The tendency is to assume that the great saints throughout time were spouting brilliant answers from the time they were kids. The life of Saint Augustine clashes with that stereotype.

Augustine committed his life to Christ after a long road of searching. Through the teachings of the Bishop of Milan, Ambrose, Augustine began to appreciate and understand Christianity, which led to his dramatic conversion in 386.

Before reaching this pivotal moment in his life, Augustine spent his younger years on sensual pleasures, while also developing a thirst for wisdom and truth. He dove into philosophy and an intense study of rhetoric, which sharpened his reasoning abilities. The one problem that continually disturbed him is also one that has plagued me ever since I began to think for myself: the problem of moral evil. Why would a good God allow evil into the good world he created?

Augustine’s willingness to dive head first into this difficult question has always inspired me to never turn from the things I can’t completely explain or understand. Along with the courage that I discovered through Augustine’s journey, I have also found faith. Consider these two passages from Confessions:

For if [God made me], how is it I will to do evil and bypass the good, and so earn punishment for myself? Who gave me this will? Who planted this seed of bitterness in me when all I am is what God made me, and he is Sweetness itself?

These questions are followed by more of the same, where he questions how evil could possibly exist if God is perfectly good and can prevent it. Then, without finding a definite answer that completely satisfied his questioning, he speaks of the role of faith in this philosophical struggle:

Yet in my heart I still clung to faith in Christ our Lord and Savior, as the church trained me to do. I was not clear on many points and was unsound on others, but my mind didn’t entirely let faith go; rather, I kept drinking in more and more day by day.**

This increasing consumption of faith has become my answer to the most vexing theological questions. There are plenty of philosophers who can offer an explanation for the problem of evil that falls just shy of satisfying the difficulty. However, my greatest need is not for explanation, even though there is some benefit to that attempt. My greatest need is to yield: to God’s embrace, to God’s wisdom, and to God’s sufficiency.

**I highly recommend reading Augustine’s Confessions, especially the out-of-print translation by Sherwood E. Writ from which the above quotes came. It’s very readable, and his use of language brings out a very personal feel that was probably obvious to the original readers in Latin. Here’s a link to a used copy I found on at Amazon.

“It’s the most wonderful time of the year…”

In spite of the song sung every Christmas season about how wonderful Christmas is, I have mixed feelings. One one hand, I enjoy the nostalgic feelings that come along with all the decor, the food, and the music. It reminds me of the oblivious days of childhood, when every harsh reality could be easily kept at bay by playing in the dirt and pretending that I was one of the Dukes of Hazzard.

On the other hand, I am quickly annoyed by the forced cheerfulness that is sometimes a part of the holiday season. Earlier this week, I was quizzed as to why I wasn’t in a better mood. “It’s Christmas, after all!” It was topped off with a comment from one co-worker to another that Christmas “is a time when we are supposed to be cheerful.” This comment only further entrenched my Grinch-likeness.

What bothered me about that? Were they right? Should I put aside any feelings of angst, just for the sake of “holiday cheer?”

“Don’t Worry, Be Happy” is the mantra for these happily-going-lucky types, but there’s something there that doesn’t feel much like real life to me. We sometimes carry heavy burdens, regardless of how close we are to Christmas, and those burdens don’t go away just because we try real hard to get in the spirit.

Christmas is about one thing only: becoming receptive to a God who has come to us through the humble, messy trappings of humanity. We can be in an interactive, life-transforming relationship with God precisely because his invitation did not come with a requirement that we “cheer up” before we come to him.

So be a Scrooge at Christmas if that’s all you have to offer, but do so with the knowledge that Jesus welcomes you to friendship with God, whether you are the Grinch, Cousin Eddie, or the Happy Little Elf.

An acquaintance of mine recently made a decision to shift his whole way of looking at Christmas. He decided that it was foolish to spend $500 on trinkets, socks, and CDs as gifts for friends and family who needed no such things. Instead, he is taking the money he would have spent on these gifts and giving to Blood:Water Mission.

For each person on his Christmas list, he is giving a donation to B:WM in their name. He is informing each person–probably with a message in a Christmas card–that their name is on a gift that has been sent to another continent. This gift will help “to build clean wells in Africa, to support medical facilities caring for the sick, to make a lasting impact in the fight against poverty, injustice and oppression in Africa through the linking of needs, talents and continents, of people and resources” (from B:WM’s web site).

Great idea, huh? Apparently not. Some members of his family have, in Grinch-like spirit, expressed their displeasure over his decision. They are upset about being “forced to support an organization they know nothing about.”

This kind of thinking drives me nuts. First, my friend never required anyone else to do the same for him , nor did he say that everyone else is morally required to do this just because he is.

Second, he didn’t choose a controversial political organization to support in this endeavor. B:WM is an organization that is providing clean drinking water for people that are dying because they drink bacteria-laden water EVERY DAY. If we saw the water they were drinking, we wouldn’t even suffer a sip. They also minister to the lepers of our day: AIDS patients.

What could he possibly give that would be more meaningful? He’s not making a statement about who to vote for, how to think, or what to buy. He is helping people who are desperate in their need, and putting his family member’s names on the donation.

In other words, he is toppling the Christmas apple cart and giving fruit to the poor.

For many of us, it’s too late for this year, but I wonder what Christmas would look like if we cut our gift-giving budget in half and gave the other half to an organization that is making a difference in the world in the name of Christ.

If you try it, you may upset some people who enjoy the status quo. Won’t that be fun?

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