In the critically acclaimed 1976 film, Network, a failing newscaster shots to the top of the rating by declaring, "I'm mad as hell, and I'm not going to take this anymore." He taps into and fuels arising national frustration with the state of things, but he has no answers, only aimless frustration. The result is that his frustration is open to be aimed by others, and he is easily exploited by others.
It has been a rough summer in the news, and it's not over. But sadly, this is not new news. In a world of sin and rebellion against God, chaos, pain, and injustice is the rule. The real news is that God continues to heal, to bring freedom, and to meet real needs. Our perspective will determine how we respond to the crisis around us.
If God forms our perspective then three things need to be held onto:
1) The world is in a mess because of sin.
2) God is at work to bring healing and life.
3) He's recruited us to help him.
4) We're not in this alone.
This last point, that we're not in it alone, needs to be unpacked. This does not only mean that God is with us individually, but that God is with us collectively. "Just me and Jesus," is not a formula for success. We are not only baptized into Christ, we are also baptized into the body of Christ. God ministers to us through each other. We cut ourselves off from the body, and we cut ourselves off from the resources God has given us.
If we try to take on the problems of life on our own or just as a family, then we will suffer needlessly. There is a great deal of talk about the family being the basic building block of society, but I don't read that in Scripture. The body of Christ, locally gathered, is meant to be that basic building block. Only on that scale are our needs and the needs of others met.
But I think we have to go a step farther. Only through the body of Christ will the world's ills be cared for. We have become too dependent on others solving our problems. This is especially true of our expectation that government will show us the way forward. That is our job. We need to meet together and creatively seek God to see how we would lead us forward to meet the crisis around us.
That world has changed in some significant ways. For decades and decades the population of the United States has consumed about 80% of the resources extracted from the earth. Now that other, large nations are developing a middle class, those resources will need to be shared. If we don't share them, then we will find ourselves in opposition to God (James 5:1-6). Compared to most of the world, we are the rich.
But we do not need to indulge in American bashing. We have our faults that need to be dealt with, but we have been a generous people. We have cared for those beyond our borders as well as those in need close to home. We have room to grow, but that is true for every people and nation on the earth.
The issue today is that there are new challenges in this changing world, and someone has to seek new and creative ways forward. In the past those changes did not come first from governments and think tanks. They came from Christians working together to meet the needs God directed them towards. As those solutions offers by God began to gain traction then governments and think tanks took notice.
It is a matter of perspective. Who do we trust to bring us answers? God or governments? I will put my hope in Christ, but that means that Christians must come together to seek God, to share council with each other, and to creatively serve the needs around us. God has a positive way forward for us, but we need to be listening. We don't need the world's permission to do what's right. Nations will rise and fall, but God will be with us till the end. We can choose to hide from the adventure and follow the world into the abyss, or we can faithfully follow God and lead the world.
Monday, August 8, 2011
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Hope That Kills
How can one of the most hopeful nations on earth also be one of the most disillusioned and cynical? Hope is a dangerous thing no matter how you look at it. False hope kills dreams, while investing hope in something solid kills disillusionment, cynicism, and fear.
The world loves blind leaps of faith. Go with your gut, just do it, make the leap, and follow your heart are cultural bylines. Infatuation takes the place of romance in most of our fiction. Infatuation are those feelings we have for someone we don't really know yet while romance is a slower, committed exploration of another person. It only grows based on an investment of time, honesty, shared experience, shared sacrifice, and loving service.
The entertainment industry thrives on easy hope. In most films people go from losers to heroes, loveless to fulfilled, and poor to rich in two hours based on infatuation and leaps of faith. But you only need to look at Hollywood headlines to realize that these false hopes don't even work for those who espouse them. False hope leaves people bitter, disillusioned, cynical, and—sadly—loveless, but the problem isn't hope. We need hope. Without it, what's the point? We all need something to live for.
I believe that the opposite of infatuation is romance. Infatuation are feelings based on ignorance while romance is an investment that leads to greater understanding and knowledge. Romance can apply to anything: a mate, a career, a hobby, family, and learning. It definitely applies to the Christian faith.
When faith is an infatuation it has more to do with feelings and little to do with knowledge. It is a faith that focuses on the experience and whims of the moment, and sadly, it doesn't deliver. Some eventually walk away in disillusionment. Others keep running after an emotional high while never gaining any depth. It all becomes Precious Moment statuettes and velvet Jesus paintings without the cross.
Faith should be a romance. True lovers invest everything to draw closer to each other. They take the time to get to know each other. Their emotional, financial, physical, and mental resources are focused to strengthen their romance. Without the investment, the hope of romance dies. The same is true of faith. It is participating in the divine romance. Faith begins in love, "This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." (1 John 4:10)
Jesus promises a great deal. He gives us something, someone, to hope in. But that hope requires an investment. To be sure, Jesus' offer of life is a gift,something that we can't buy. We must surrender and accept the gift of discipleship. But if we want a hope that doesn't disillusion, then we must throw off infatuation and enter into a romance with God. We read Scripture not merely as medicine, but as a love letter written to us and for us, going back to it again and again. We pray and worship because it brings us closer to our most faithful lover. We serve alongside God because we want to share life with him and invest in what he loves. We study because a lover wants to know his or her beloved more each day. All that leads to a solid hope that will not fail.
Infatuation faith will not move a dishrag, but the faith of a lover will move mountains. False hope kills, but true hope gives life and never disappoints.
The world loves blind leaps of faith. Go with your gut, just do it, make the leap, and follow your heart are cultural bylines. Infatuation takes the place of romance in most of our fiction. Infatuation are those feelings we have for someone we don't really know yet while romance is a slower, committed exploration of another person. It only grows based on an investment of time, honesty, shared experience, shared sacrifice, and loving service.
The entertainment industry thrives on easy hope. In most films people go from losers to heroes, loveless to fulfilled, and poor to rich in two hours based on infatuation and leaps of faith. But you only need to look at Hollywood headlines to realize that these false hopes don't even work for those who espouse them. False hope leaves people bitter, disillusioned, cynical, and—sadly—loveless, but the problem isn't hope. We need hope. Without it, what's the point? We all need something to live for.
I believe that the opposite of infatuation is romance. Infatuation are feelings based on ignorance while romance is an investment that leads to greater understanding and knowledge. Romance can apply to anything: a mate, a career, a hobby, family, and learning. It definitely applies to the Christian faith.
When faith is an infatuation it has more to do with feelings and little to do with knowledge. It is a faith that focuses on the experience and whims of the moment, and sadly, it doesn't deliver. Some eventually walk away in disillusionment. Others keep running after an emotional high while never gaining any depth. It all becomes Precious Moment statuettes and velvet Jesus paintings without the cross.
Faith should be a romance. True lovers invest everything to draw closer to each other. They take the time to get to know each other. Their emotional, financial, physical, and mental resources are focused to strengthen their romance. Without the investment, the hope of romance dies. The same is true of faith. It is participating in the divine romance. Faith begins in love, "This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." (1 John 4:10)
Jesus promises a great deal. He gives us something, someone, to hope in. But that hope requires an investment. To be sure, Jesus' offer of life is a gift,something that we can't buy. We must surrender and accept the gift of discipleship. But if we want a hope that doesn't disillusion, then we must throw off infatuation and enter into a romance with God. We read Scripture not merely as medicine, but as a love letter written to us and for us, going back to it again and again. We pray and worship because it brings us closer to our most faithful lover. We serve alongside God because we want to share life with him and invest in what he loves. We study because a lover wants to know his or her beloved more each day. All that leads to a solid hope that will not fail.
Infatuation faith will not move a dishrag, but the faith of a lover will move mountains. False hope kills, but true hope gives life and never disappoints.
Monday, August 1, 2011
The Dangerous Myth of a Christian Nation Part III
The idea of a Christian nation is dangerous to our youth because it gives the illusion that they are growing up in an environment that is naturally friendly to the gospel. It gives an feeling of false security.
Regardless of the culture we live in human nature as well as spiritual agents are always at work to inhibit or twist the truth of God. This will be the natural state if things until Jesus returns. The idea of a Christian nation builds a sense of false security. The battle starts in our hearts and then is joined by our culture and by spiritual forces. In Christ, we find that his strength is greater than forces amassed against us, but only if we are constantly aware of the danger and constantly dependent on Christ. The idea of a Christian nation implies that our culture and it's principles are redeemed and always working for us. God warns us that will not be the case until he returns.
The idea of a Christian nation also contains the idea that our culture will train our children in righteousness even if we don't. I am amazed at how many Christians promote common sense, cultural or worldly wisdom, rather than searching out God's wisdom. It is not the job of our culture or of our schools or of our government to teach the truth of God. That is the role of the community of Christ.
Just because someone grows up in America does not make them a disciple of Jesus. The same is true of growing up in the church. Our youth will not learn the truth by just hanging around us. They will only learn the truth if we take the time to teach it carefully and often. Paul shares the Biblical mandate to pass on what we have learned in Christ: "And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others." (2 Tim 2:2)
Our youth spend most of five days a week in school, as many as 21 hours a week watching TV and playing video games, a couple hours a day texting and interacting on social media networks, but few churches offer thoughtful, systematic Christian education for even an hour or two a week, but more to the point, there are too many parents who see such education as an optional extra to be despised of if it becomes inconvenient. There is a value clash here. Youth need to work hard at education that will get them ahead in the world, but God's truth is an optional extra. What message do we think that sends to our youth?
Youth groups are a good, but most are evangelistic in nature. That's a good thing, but it's no substitute for good theological education.
It may be true that not every parent cares enough about their children's faith to help them attend educational opportunities, but our ministries should not be aimed at the lowest common denominator. A one size fits all ministry often sinks to the lowest expectation. The opportunity should be there if only for a few. They will eventually inspire others as others see the fruit worked out in their lives.
Each generation must be reached anew with the gospel. We must always remember that the gospel is always one generation from being lost to any people group. I hope our communities, our schools, our entertainment, and our government will reflect the values of Christ, but that will only happen if we are the ones who assume the burden of teaching the truth.
We need to be careful to train the next generation. My biggest fear from the fraudulent idea of a Christian nation is that it really means we are letting our nation train our youth.
Regardless of the culture we live in human nature as well as spiritual agents are always at work to inhibit or twist the truth of God. This will be the natural state if things until Jesus returns. The idea of a Christian nation builds a sense of false security. The battle starts in our hearts and then is joined by our culture and by spiritual forces. In Christ, we find that his strength is greater than forces amassed against us, but only if we are constantly aware of the danger and constantly dependent on Christ. The idea of a Christian nation implies that our culture and it's principles are redeemed and always working for us. God warns us that will not be the case until he returns.
The idea of a Christian nation also contains the idea that our culture will train our children in righteousness even if we don't. I am amazed at how many Christians promote common sense, cultural or worldly wisdom, rather than searching out God's wisdom. It is not the job of our culture or of our schools or of our government to teach the truth of God. That is the role of the community of Christ.
Just because someone grows up in America does not make them a disciple of Jesus. The same is true of growing up in the church. Our youth will not learn the truth by just hanging around us. They will only learn the truth if we take the time to teach it carefully and often. Paul shares the Biblical mandate to pass on what we have learned in Christ: "And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others." (2 Tim 2:2)
Our youth spend most of five days a week in school, as many as 21 hours a week watching TV and playing video games, a couple hours a day texting and interacting on social media networks, but few churches offer thoughtful, systematic Christian education for even an hour or two a week, but more to the point, there are too many parents who see such education as an optional extra to be despised of if it becomes inconvenient. There is a value clash here. Youth need to work hard at education that will get them ahead in the world, but God's truth is an optional extra. What message do we think that sends to our youth?
Youth groups are a good, but most are evangelistic in nature. That's a good thing, but it's no substitute for good theological education.
It may be true that not every parent cares enough about their children's faith to help them attend educational opportunities, but our ministries should not be aimed at the lowest common denominator. A one size fits all ministry often sinks to the lowest expectation. The opportunity should be there if only for a few. They will eventually inspire others as others see the fruit worked out in their lives.
Each generation must be reached anew with the gospel. We must always remember that the gospel is always one generation from being lost to any people group. I hope our communities, our schools, our entertainment, and our government will reflect the values of Christ, but that will only happen if we are the ones who assume the burden of teaching the truth.
We need to be careful to train the next generation. My biggest fear from the fraudulent idea of a Christian nation is that it really means we are letting our nation train our youth.
Saturday, July 30, 2011
The Dangerous Myth of a Christian Nation Part II
Polls show that as many as 80% of Americans consider themselves Christian. How is this possible when church attendance is shrinking, Biblical illiteracy is at an all-time high, and the moral climate in the U.S. has slid as much as it has? The primary reason is that the definition of what it means to be a Christian becomes distorted when we mix it with nationalism. Unfortunately, Christians are largely to blame for fueling this distortion.
For far too many, the picture they hold of Christianity is equated with American middle-class values. It makes sense. If America is a Christian nation, then the actions of its people must reflect the call of Christ. And that's the reason believers should never refer to any nation as Christian.
The confusion is compounded when Christians identify any political party as being expressly Christian. There may be Christians within that party, and you may like and support what that party stands for, but it is a fallible, human institution and it’s leadership and values may change at any moment. Jesus was careful not to identify himself with any political agencies. God never gives us a model for a perfect political organization. Therefore, we move beyond the teachings of Scripture when we advertise a political party as God's perfect choice, and we confuse a needy world.
This doesn't mean that we cannot be politically active. Our society needs our influence. But we identify with Jesus and his church (an imperfect human institution that points to Jesus, not itself, as the answer while actively serving Christ by serving the world).
The Bible works against the idea of a Christian nation. That idea was abandoned through the work of the cross. Now there is God's Kingdom made up of those who believe and follow Christ. We are now salt and light for the nations, cities, and communities we live in.
When we declare America as a Christian nation, we too closely identify ourselves with the world and it's standards, and we begin to lose our saltiness. When we speak of Christian nations, we are allowing the nation to flavor us, and we are no longer flavoring the nation. That is why the majority of Americans can call themselves Christians while living for the world.
The answer is to see our communities as mission fields. We need to acknowledge that a nation changes when the hearts of it's people change. We should be involved in politics, but it should never be our focus. Reach enough people and politics will take care of itself. In a democracy, our politicians reflect the people who vote. That's a hard pill to swallow because we would like to think they are nothing like us, but remember we put them in place. Jesus never said the Kingdom would come through impersonal politics. There is no buffer. The Kingdom of God comes because we risk with our neighbor. We love. We serve. We share the gospel. Jesus gave us no other way.
The concept of a Christian nation not only confuses people, it also creates an excuse for us to keep our hands clean from the hard but, rewarding and life-giving, work of the gospel. The concept of a Christian nation is both unbiblical and a cop out.
I'll visit this topic one more time on Monday to confided who this effects our youth.
For far too many, the picture they hold of Christianity is equated with American middle-class values. It makes sense. If America is a Christian nation, then the actions of its people must reflect the call of Christ. And that's the reason believers should never refer to any nation as Christian.
The confusion is compounded when Christians identify any political party as being expressly Christian. There may be Christians within that party, and you may like and support what that party stands for, but it is a fallible, human institution and it’s leadership and values may change at any moment. Jesus was careful not to identify himself with any political agencies. God never gives us a model for a perfect political organization. Therefore, we move beyond the teachings of Scripture when we advertise a political party as God's perfect choice, and we confuse a needy world.
This doesn't mean that we cannot be politically active. Our society needs our influence. But we identify with Jesus and his church (an imperfect human institution that points to Jesus, not itself, as the answer while actively serving Christ by serving the world).
The Bible works against the idea of a Christian nation. That idea was abandoned through the work of the cross. Now there is God's Kingdom made up of those who believe and follow Christ. We are now salt and light for the nations, cities, and communities we live in.
When we declare America as a Christian nation, we too closely identify ourselves with the world and it's standards, and we begin to lose our saltiness. When we speak of Christian nations, we are allowing the nation to flavor us, and we are no longer flavoring the nation. That is why the majority of Americans can call themselves Christians while living for the world.
The answer is to see our communities as mission fields. We need to acknowledge that a nation changes when the hearts of it's people change. We should be involved in politics, but it should never be our focus. Reach enough people and politics will take care of itself. In a democracy, our politicians reflect the people who vote. That's a hard pill to swallow because we would like to think they are nothing like us, but remember we put them in place. Jesus never said the Kingdom would come through impersonal politics. There is no buffer. The Kingdom of God comes because we risk with our neighbor. We love. We serve. We share the gospel. Jesus gave us no other way.
The concept of a Christian nation not only confuses people, it also creates an excuse for us to keep our hands clean from the hard but, rewarding and life-giving, work of the gospel. The concept of a Christian nation is both unbiblical and a cop out.
I'll visit this topic one more time on Monday to confided who this effects our youth.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
The Dangerous Myth of a Christian Nation
The Kingdom of God does not look like any other kingdom or nation. It does not have physical borders and can be found on no map. Ephesians 2:11-22 demonstrates that national and racial prejudice are barriers to God's intentions for us. Jesus steps in and unites us by his Spirit, erasing these false boundaries. In Christ we become part of a new country/kingdom that is made up of those who have given themselves to be disciples of Jesus.
Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, "The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, nor will people say, `Here it is,' or `There it is,' because the kingdom of God is in your midst." (Luke 17:20-21)
The Kingdom of God was never meant to identified with a human-inspired, physical nation state. When we do, we open ourselves up to error, arrogance, and idolatry.
Error is inevitable when God's Kingdom is confused with human governance and a specific culture. We begin to think that American ethics equals God's ethics, that the way things are done in America naturally reflects God's desires because we are a Christian nation. In some cases our founding fathers are given the status as prophets.
While the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States of America were influenced by Scriptural ideas, they were not divinely inspired, nor were their authors prophets. We should reflect on the nature of faith of these writers. Thomas Jefferson rewrote the Bible to reflect his beliefs. The Jeffersonian Bible or "The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth" was Jefferson's attempt to purge the Bible of any supernatural references concerning Jesus. He believed Jesus was a good teacher, but denied his spiritual nature. Jesus' morals were to be followed, but he was not to be acknowledged as God, Lord, or Savior. That legacy is still strong in American culture.
The idea of America as a Christian nation leads to arrogance. Are we open to the teaching, rebukes, and corrections from Christians of other nations, or do we believe we are the one light of the world? It is our nature to be somewhat blind to the faults of our culture. Outsiders sometimes see what we do not see. Are we willing to hear prophetic words from beyond our national boarder even though they originate from within God's Kingdom?
Perhaps the biggest danger is idolatry. "My country right or wrong" is always an affront to God. We are called to help our neighbor and our nation prosper, but we are also to call it to justice and righteousness. We are to serve our nation, but we must always make sure that we don't mingle patriotism and faith. We cannot serve two masters.
Perhaps the most vivid example are the pictures of Jesus draped in a flag. A mantle is a symbol of authority. We speak symbolically of placing the mantle of Christ's authority on our shoulders, but it is idolatrous to think that Jesus would place the mantle of America's authority upon his shoulders. This, along with red, white and blue Christmas trees, thoughts of America as the New Jerusalem, and our political leaders as (past or present) prophets all mix up our national history with God's story in such a way as to invite idolatry.
We are first citizens of the Kingdom of God. Christ has allegiance before any flag. I will love and serve the people of this nation because God commands me to. I will participate in this nation because it's my obligation as a citizen. But the Kingdom of God comes first, and whenever cultural wisdom, common sense (worldly wisdom), or the actions of this nation violate the righteousness and justice of God, I will side with God's Kingdom. Not through violence or revolution, but through the love, service, and truth that Jesus has called me to express.
"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." (Matthew 6:33)
In the next blog, I will continue this theme with one more danger: the Loss of the Next Generation for Christ.
Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, "The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, nor will people say, `Here it is,' or `There it is,' because the kingdom of God is in your midst." (Luke 17:20-21)
The Kingdom of God was never meant to identified with a human-inspired, physical nation state. When we do, we open ourselves up to error, arrogance, and idolatry.
Error is inevitable when God's Kingdom is confused with human governance and a specific culture. We begin to think that American ethics equals God's ethics, that the way things are done in America naturally reflects God's desires because we are a Christian nation. In some cases our founding fathers are given the status as prophets.
While the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States of America were influenced by Scriptural ideas, they were not divinely inspired, nor were their authors prophets. We should reflect on the nature of faith of these writers. Thomas Jefferson rewrote the Bible to reflect his beliefs. The Jeffersonian Bible or "The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth" was Jefferson's attempt to purge the Bible of any supernatural references concerning Jesus. He believed Jesus was a good teacher, but denied his spiritual nature. Jesus' morals were to be followed, but he was not to be acknowledged as God, Lord, or Savior. That legacy is still strong in American culture.
The idea of America as a Christian nation leads to arrogance. Are we open to the teaching, rebukes, and corrections from Christians of other nations, or do we believe we are the one light of the world? It is our nature to be somewhat blind to the faults of our culture. Outsiders sometimes see what we do not see. Are we willing to hear prophetic words from beyond our national boarder even though they originate from within God's Kingdom?
Perhaps the biggest danger is idolatry. "My country right or wrong" is always an affront to God. We are called to help our neighbor and our nation prosper, but we are also to call it to justice and righteousness. We are to serve our nation, but we must always make sure that we don't mingle patriotism and faith. We cannot serve two masters.
Perhaps the most vivid example are the pictures of Jesus draped in a flag. A mantle is a symbol of authority. We speak symbolically of placing the mantle of Christ's authority on our shoulders, but it is idolatrous to think that Jesus would place the mantle of America's authority upon his shoulders. This, along with red, white and blue Christmas trees, thoughts of America as the New Jerusalem, and our political leaders as (past or present) prophets all mix up our national history with God's story in such a way as to invite idolatry.
We are first citizens of the Kingdom of God. Christ has allegiance before any flag. I will love and serve the people of this nation because God commands me to. I will participate in this nation because it's my obligation as a citizen. But the Kingdom of God comes first, and whenever cultural wisdom, common sense (worldly wisdom), or the actions of this nation violate the righteousness and justice of God, I will side with God's Kingdom. Not through violence or revolution, but through the love, service, and truth that Jesus has called me to express.
"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." (Matthew 6:33)
In the next blog, I will continue this theme with one more danger: the Loss of the Next Generation for Christ.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Social?
Trends and technology can change our perception. We have to be alert to these possible changes so we can make conscious choices about them. One current change is in the definition of social. Seattle pastor, Bill Berger, pointed me toward an interesting article ( http://on.msnbc.com/ ). Sales and marketing database NetProspex has just released its list of the most and least social cities in the U.S. Seattle topped the list while Anchorage, AK was at the bottom. What was fascinating about the list was how they determined the ranking.
The ranking was solely based on how many employees were using Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
When we measure how social a community is, we are measuring human interaction. In the past this interaction had to do with connecting personally and physically (as in being in the same room, on the same street, within yelling distance). The phone allowed social contact over distance but was usually seen as a secondary choice over close interaction. Even more distant was television. Although some people may believe they are socially involved with the Housewives of Orange County when they tune in each week, most of us understand it's a weak substitute for human interaction.
This is not a diatribe against Facebook and Twitter. I make a great deal of use of each, but their use does not necessarily make me social. I love the fact that I have some contact with people I am separated from by great distance and by years, but if given a chance, I would trade a tweet for a visit in a moment. I also know that I have to guard myself from allowing computer contact to substitute for close, personal contact.
Relationships are inconvenient. They mean that I have to go out of my way to look up people. I have to change my schedule to accommodate others. I have to clean up after throwing a party or hosting a gathering. Acquaintances are just a little annoying, friendships are disruptive, and marriage...? Well, the word exponential comes to mind. But the joys, the benefits, and the riches of life together grow with the bother.
I've been to Anchorage, AK. I was born in Alaska - and I find it hard to see it as an antisocial city. Those long winter days with little sunlight demand interaction. Otherwise cabin fever sets in (It explains all the bowling alleys).
In the end, your social life is not measured by how many friends you have on Facebook. It's measured by whether or not you bend your life to get to know the people who live around you. The lost and the lonely don't post their need on Twitter. They may not even have an account. They are connected with, loved, and healed in person.
Keep connect and in touch on the Web. I think it's a great gift. But it's far too clean and filtered to deal with our deepest social needs. The most social city is the one where it's citizens are the most hospitable. Where they inconvenience themselves for the sake of fellowship. Where they aren't too busy to stop and talk face to face, or share a Pepsi (I am not compensated for product placement), and where they choose to party together. I'll keep up with Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, but I hope I never use them to define my social life.
The ranking was solely based on how many employees were using Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
When we measure how social a community is, we are measuring human interaction. In the past this interaction had to do with connecting personally and physically (as in being in the same room, on the same street, within yelling distance). The phone allowed social contact over distance but was usually seen as a secondary choice over close interaction. Even more distant was television. Although some people may believe they are socially involved with the Housewives of Orange County when they tune in each week, most of us understand it's a weak substitute for human interaction.
This is not a diatribe against Facebook and Twitter. I make a great deal of use of each, but their use does not necessarily make me social. I love the fact that I have some contact with people I am separated from by great distance and by years, but if given a chance, I would trade a tweet for a visit in a moment. I also know that I have to guard myself from allowing computer contact to substitute for close, personal contact.
Relationships are inconvenient. They mean that I have to go out of my way to look up people. I have to change my schedule to accommodate others. I have to clean up after throwing a party or hosting a gathering. Acquaintances are just a little annoying, friendships are disruptive, and marriage...? Well, the word exponential comes to mind. But the joys, the benefits, and the riches of life together grow with the bother.
I've been to Anchorage, AK. I was born in Alaska - and I find it hard to see it as an antisocial city. Those long winter days with little sunlight demand interaction. Otherwise cabin fever sets in (It explains all the bowling alleys).
In the end, your social life is not measured by how many friends you have on Facebook. It's measured by whether or not you bend your life to get to know the people who live around you. The lost and the lonely don't post their need on Twitter. They may not even have an account. They are connected with, loved, and healed in person.
Keep connect and in touch on the Web. I think it's a great gift. But it's far too clean and filtered to deal with our deepest social needs. The most social city is the one where it's citizens are the most hospitable. Where they inconvenience themselves for the sake of fellowship. Where they aren't too busy to stop and talk face to face, or share a Pepsi (I am not compensated for product placement), and where they choose to party together. I'll keep up with Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, but I hope I never use them to define my social life.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Abandoning Our Love Affair with Boxes
It's understandable that we want to understand ourselves, but there is a difference between understanding who we are at the moment and using personality tests as if they are horoscopes that predict our future. I have heard many of my colleagues tell me they are a Sanguine or a Melancholy as though that explains their lives to date and defines their calling for tomorrow. We now label generations with a set of characteristics to both tell us who we are and who we will become.
American culture has long encouraged us "to find ourselves" as though we were born with a set on inflexible skills and interests that have to be discovered in order for us to find ourselves. We look for boxes to fit ourselves into. Interestingly, God's focus is on growth rather than discovery. Jesus came to bring us freedom from who we "are" while living a sinful life so that we can become someone we never dreamed of being through life with his Spirit.
Paul tells us that the Christian life entails taking off the old man and putting on the new man (Eph 4:22-24). An assessment can give me insight on how I act and function in different situations right now. I think that's helpful. But as soon as I begin to use those assessment labels to describe myself generally, I'm in trouble. I have become a new creation in Christ, and, if I am following Christ in obedience, I'm being constantly transformed. Those labels can make me believe that I am fated to remain as I am forever. At that point, they might as well be zodiac symbols, but as a Christian I believe in growth rather than fate.
Who are we becoming in Christ? That should be our first question. How can we cooperate with the Holy Spirit in our growth?: should be our second. Scripture guides us through the answer to both these questions.
There are at least two ways to see life. In one, life is like a road that has already been laid down. There is one perfect course for each of us. One job, one perfect mate out there, one set of personality traits, etc. If we can discover it, then we might be okay. The problem is that one step off that road messes up everything. The other view is that life is dynamic. We are born into situations that we couldn't choose, but what we do with life, how we respond, and who we become is a cooperative work that we are deeply involved in.
Our choices are limited without Christ, but with him many new possibilities open up. Fate loses it's place as a meaningful explanation for life. Instead, the Spirit comes alongside us and offers us a new creative collaboration.
In 1992, Neil Howe and William Strauss wrote Generations. It was the first book to describe the different generations of American history and how they impact each other. Much of our current labeling of different generations is based on their work. I highly recommend their work. They didn't write their book as a straight jacket for the future. It was their hope that an understanding of how each generation influences the next would lead us to break the cycle rather than reinforce it, but we seem to enjoy pigeonholing more than growth. Jesus is about breaking the cycle, about new birth, about growth.
We should understand the impact that our past and our environment has on our future, but we shouldn't be slaves to those forces. Your life is a road, but it hasn't been built yet. It's still being built. If you build it with God's Spirit, then you will find he has the power to create in you a life that leaves the labels behind while you continue to grow. In Christ, you don't find yourself. You become yourself.
American culture has long encouraged us "to find ourselves" as though we were born with a set on inflexible skills and interests that have to be discovered in order for us to find ourselves. We look for boxes to fit ourselves into. Interestingly, God's focus is on growth rather than discovery. Jesus came to bring us freedom from who we "are" while living a sinful life so that we can become someone we never dreamed of being through life with his Spirit.
Paul tells us that the Christian life entails taking off the old man and putting on the new man (Eph 4:22-24). An assessment can give me insight on how I act and function in different situations right now. I think that's helpful. But as soon as I begin to use those assessment labels to describe myself generally, I'm in trouble. I have become a new creation in Christ, and, if I am following Christ in obedience, I'm being constantly transformed. Those labels can make me believe that I am fated to remain as I am forever. At that point, they might as well be zodiac symbols, but as a Christian I believe in growth rather than fate.
Who are we becoming in Christ? That should be our first question. How can we cooperate with the Holy Spirit in our growth?: should be our second. Scripture guides us through the answer to both these questions.
There are at least two ways to see life. In one, life is like a road that has already been laid down. There is one perfect course for each of us. One job, one perfect mate out there, one set of personality traits, etc. If we can discover it, then we might be okay. The problem is that one step off that road messes up everything. The other view is that life is dynamic. We are born into situations that we couldn't choose, but what we do with life, how we respond, and who we become is a cooperative work that we are deeply involved in.
Our choices are limited without Christ, but with him many new possibilities open up. Fate loses it's place as a meaningful explanation for life. Instead, the Spirit comes alongside us and offers us a new creative collaboration.
In 1992, Neil Howe and William Strauss wrote Generations. It was the first book to describe the different generations of American history and how they impact each other. Much of our current labeling of different generations is based on their work. I highly recommend their work. They didn't write their book as a straight jacket for the future. It was their hope that an understanding of how each generation influences the next would lead us to break the cycle rather than reinforce it, but we seem to enjoy pigeonholing more than growth. Jesus is about breaking the cycle, about new birth, about growth.
We should understand the impact that our past and our environment has on our future, but we shouldn't be slaves to those forces. Your life is a road, but it hasn't been built yet. It's still being built. If you build it with God's Spirit, then you will find he has the power to create in you a life that leaves the labels behind while you continue to grow. In Christ, you don't find yourself. You become yourself.
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