the great tragedy

the great tragedy is not mainly believers in Jesus continuing to commit acts of sin. the tragedy is that satan uses the guilt of these failures to strip you of every radical dream you ever had, or might have, and in its place give you a happy, safe, secure, american life of superficial pleasures until you die in your lakeside rocking chair, wrinkled and useless, leaving a big fat inheritance to your middle-aged children to confirm them in their worldliness. that’s the main tragedy. - john piper

two basic loves

“there can only be two basic loves,” wrote Augustine, “the love of God unto the forgetfulness of self, or the love of self unto the forgetfulness and denial of God.” the fundamental option arises from the core of our being and incarnates itself in the specific choices of daily existence - either for the shadow self ruled by egocentric desires or for the true self hidden with Christ in God.”

excerpt from Abba’s Child, by Brennan Manning.

strength to serve, not to stunt

// becoming… a servant \\

“those of us who are strong and able in the faith need to step in and lend a hand to those who falter, and not just do what is most convenient for us. strength is for service, not status. each one of us needs to look after the good of the people around us, asking ourselves, “how can i help?” - romans 15:1-2 (the message)

of course paul was writing this to the christians in rome, and the focus was a matter of how people position themselves as it pertains to their faith. but the principle is much broader and covers a lot of ground, even today.

i never cease to be amazed at those who are looking for ways to use their influence, ability or position to get something for themselves or to build their “little kingdom”. that is not a kingdom principle.

we live in a “look out for #1″ and “don’t stop, get it, get it” culture that tells us we should “get ours” at any cost. everybody is trying to be “stuntin’ like they daddy”, but I would ask… “for what!?!?” this hedonistic and self-centered world view is diametrically contrast with how the word tells us we are to live. we are not empowered for the sake of being empowered or being powerful. we are empowered to turn around and empower someone else. we are not given abilities, influence and position (strength) to be able to stand and say “look how strong and influential i am.” rather, those things are given as tools to serve those around you. i pray regularly that i continue to keep a hold on this concept and stay in a place of service, no matter where the Lord takes me in life.

are we asking ourselves how we can use what we have been entrusted with to turn around and serve those around us? so yeah… you have it. but what are you doing with it?

bygones, regrets and forgiveness

// becoming… a better reflection \\

“a friend loves at all times and is born, as is a brother, for adversity” - proverbs 17:17 (amplified version)

i have been thinking lately about my friends. of course the ones that immediately come to mind are those who i am building great new relationships with, am in close relationship with and with whom i am walking through this life, trying to figure it out together. but as of late, i have really had a desire to reach out and reconnect with friends from my past, those who i spent time with throughout earlier seasons of my life but have lost contact with. both myspace and facebook have proven to be excellent tools for this sort of thing.

however, there are a few past friendships that have been on my heart lately that, for one reason or another, took a different turn. this is where my focus seems to be.

there is one situation in particular that is a bit dificult as i recall it now. about 7 years ago a very close friend shared some things with me and to put it mildly, my reaction was not good. in fact, it was very poor. this all happened at a time in my life when i had a lot of religion rooted in my heart. as a result, even though i was a good-natured person, my reaction at the time was nothing close to representing Christ’s heart at all. as i sifted through a bunch of old emails tonight, i came across some of our correspondence from that time and it brought to my mind how that situation was left hanging.

i have had many experiences, relationships and growth opportunities since this occurred. i believe i am a very different person than i was then and were the same scenario to go down today, i would like to believe that i would be able to exercise much more patience, love and kindness than i did back then.

allow me to be transparent here and share with you an excerpt from an email that i sent to this person this evening:

“…I know that the last time we spoke the air was very muddy. I know there were a lot of emotions at play at the time, and I know that I did not handle it well at all. For my contribution to the situation, I truly hope you accept my apology…”

the bible says that a friend loves at all times and it born for adversity. if this is the case, i was anything but a friend in this instance. i would say this is very different from the person i am and friend that i strive to be today. today, i go to great lengths to reach out and be there for my friends, no matter what. as i am in a season of many new relationships and friendships, tonight i am reminded of those that i wasn’t the best at stewarding. many times we see the error of our ways or where we missed the mark and ask God for forgiveness, but don’t always go back to the person we wronged and ask for their forgiveness, especially when years and many miles now separate us. how can we expect God to continue to bless us to move forward when we have left painful landmarks in our wake? and why does it seem easier to forgive rather than ask for forgiveness?

i don’t share all of this with you to pat myself on the back or get a jewel in my crown, but rather to be very honest and say that i, just like most of you reading this, have come a long way and am still pressing toward the mark every single day. part of the whole “becoming…” concept is growing and becoming better in every area of life, and tonight i am seeking to become a better reflection of Christ in my relationships. this is not the easiest blog to write, but i felt like i was supposed to write it. and maybe it’s not just about me. it usually isn’t.