Legacy?

When we read of the lives of the extraordinary, we often believe that somehow they knew that their lives would be legendary. We nurture the notion that these people had a sense of destiny. And because they were aware of their manifest destiny, they conducted themselves in a manner befitting a heroine or hero. They were intentional about doing great things and accomplishing great deeds. So, we believe that in order to live a life of consequence we must do likewise.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer was martyred by the Nazis on April 9, 1945. He had been an outspoken critic of Hitler’s Reich. Through long months of confinement in various prisons across Germany, Bonhoeffer did his best to live the life of a follower of Jesus Christ. Through ministry and concern for his fellow prisoners, Dietrich did what he could do given the time and place where he lived. When he died at the end of a hangman’s noose, Bonhoeffer could not have foreseen the import his life and writings would have on future generations. He did not know the depths to which his life would touch the hearts and minds of those followers of Christ who would follow after him. No, Dietrich Bonhoeffer could only live as he chose to live and be the person he was. In the midst of extraordinary circumstances he lived a life of simple faithfulness to his Father.

Our legacy is determined by others. All of this talk of “leaving a legacy” is self-important self-aggrandizement. It is those who follow after us who will determine where we failed and where we succeeded. The best that we can do is to live faithfully in the moment in which we find ourselves. We can do no more than our best.

Post Christian United States

It is obvious that the Christian religion is on the decline in the United States. On April 4th of this year, Newsweek magazine published an article by Jon Meacham entitled “The End of Christian America.” President Obama visiting Turkey this week said "We do not consider ourselves a Christian nation…." The influence of Evangelicals in politics is waning and church attendance continues to decline. We are on the verge of entering – if we have not already entered – a Post-Christian era in the United States. For many, this is more than a little depressing.

The teachings of Jesus were never meant to be the foundation for a religion. In fact, Jesus is one of the most antireligious voices in history. From the beginning, his words were meant to be lived, not simply studied and memorized. The “church” was intended to be a fellowship of strugglers whose intention was to walk as Jesus did – not a place for club members to gather weekly. Religion is humanity’s attempt to redeem itself. Jesus reveals a Heavenly Father who reaches to us.

The call of Jesus in 2009 is the same as it was when he proclaimed it. "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." Decline in a religion does not change our responsibility to our commitment.

Theology by Cliche

I don’t like theology by cliché or bumper sticker belief. It seems too easy – too glib. Because of this I sometimes dismiss phrases without really thinking about their truth. “God helps those who help themselves.” I have heard this many times, but I am more and more convinced that it is true. The Father will not do for us what we can do for ourselves. He is not a genie to be conjured whenever our lives get too hectic. Retracing our steps and looking makes more sense than praying for lost car keys. Engaging those we have hurt will be more productive than praying for forgiveness. Those things we can do we should do. Those things that beyond us…learning to love those who hate us…those things belong in the realm of prayer.

2009 or 1984?

George Orwell, the author of 1984, said, “In a time of universal deceit - telling the truth is a revolutionary act.” Such a universe is hard to imagine until we think about the number of answers we give to please someone for a moment – instead of honoring them with the truth. Such a world would be somewhere where promises are effortlessly broken – promises like “until death do us part” or “I will always….” It would be a place where people would argue that stealing is not theft nor is cheating dishonest. A time of universal deceit is the realm of the sociopath; a universe where lying is not dishonesty, image is reality, gossip is not malicious, sex is casual, cheating is not deceitful, indifference is called boundary, self-centeredness is not selfish, the momentary is dubbed permanent and stealing is not theft. George Orwell said, “In a time of universal deceit - telling the truth is a revolutionary act.” Such a universe is hard to imagine until we open our eyes and realize that following Jesus today - speaking truth, loving mercy, walking in relationship and seeking justice - transforms us into revolutionaries in the eyes of most. Perhaps we are living in an age of universal deceit.

Trust

Trust is the foundation of a relationship. We cannot have a relationship with Jesus if we are prone to second-guessing his character or his motives. The same is true with our friendships. Once the foundation of trust is fractured or eroded, it is difficult in the extreme to return the relationship to a sure footing. (Difficult, but not impossible.) The real problem with trust is that few of us trust anyone. We are careful to limit our exposure to others. After all, if we are not vulnerable, then our trust cannot be betrayed. By living in a constant state of motion, we never stay still long enough to establish a relationship that would ever require any trust. This unwillingness to trust is true with Jesus as well. We are willing to trust him with the nonessentials...finding a parking space, finding our lost keys, making sure we get enough "stuff", but we are unwilling to really trust him by loving those who hate us or any number of the other "hard" things he asks of us. By avoiding a deepening relationship with him, we can avoid the rootedness that drawing close to him would cause. But, it is in trust that relationships flourish. Trust is the foundation of genuine relationship.

Throwing Out the Worms

Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, “A proper sermon should be like holding out to a child a shining red apple and asking: ‘Wouldn’t you like it?’” When people look at our lives – specifically our lives as we follow Jesus – do they see something they would want? Do we allow the forgiveness, love, grace, truth and peace of Jesus to overwhelm us? Are we shining apples – or are there a few worms we need to evict?

"I'm Choking to Death."

“I’m choking to death.” Gladys’s voice came lilting down the rest home hallway as carefree as a spring morning. The contradiction between what she was saying and how she was saying it was colossal – which is why I remember it 30 years later. What Gladys really wanted was someone to pay her attention. The little girl was still alive inside her now old body saying “Look at me! Watch what I can do!” Over and over, as I mopped the hallways outside her room, I could hear her pleading for someone to focus on her and her alone. And over and over I would chuckle to myself and continue making dirty swirls on the floor.

Paul writes in Philippians 2:4, “Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” Good luck with living that in this world. Not only is it our nature to be focused on ourselves, but our culture applauds self-obsession. I’ve asked myself when was the last time I really got involved in helping someone else. Not the cursory “I’ll pray for you.” or the obligatory “How are you?” When was the last time I invested myself in someone else – where I put in time, energy and focus? When was the last time I took someone else’s success as seriously as my own? Should I tell you that I haven’t liked the answers to my questions?

Such giving – such investment in someone else’s life will only occur when we believe that we have enough, that we have nothing else to prove, that another’s life is worth as much as ours. This kind of belief is not from within ourselves. It cannot be motivated by guilt or fear; instead it must be empowered by the Father’s love and acceptance radiating through our lives to the lives of others. “We love because he first loved us.” (I John 4:19). So often I have been unwilling – unable – to undertake for someone else because I was busy making self-centered swirls on a dirty floor. I was trying to clean up my own life or at least make it sparkle more than other’s lives. I was trying to do something that could only be done for me.

“I’m choking to death.”

“You’re being silly - what are you doing in there? Let me put this mop back in the bucket so we can visit for a while.”

Five Observations

Yesterday I shared with you that I have been asking myself the question “If true belief had nothing to do with words and was only demonstrated by actions, what things do you really believed based on how you live?” I spent some time looking at the way I live, what I do and where I invest my time. Here, briefly, are five observations:

1. I spend a lot of time thinking about myself – what I want, what I need, where I want to go, etc. This kind of self-absorption isn’t good.

2. My prayer life is becoming more natural. Casual conversation with the Father throughout the day is more and more the norm.

3. I was encouraged to see that I do take friendship seriously. I have a long way to grow to be the kind of friend my friends deserve, but I was pleased to see that relationships are a vital part of my life.

4. Things are too important to me. If Jesus asked me to give up everything, it bothers me that it would be an incredible struggle. I understand stewardship, etc., but really living as though everything I own is the Father’s is something different. Even with some of the recent struggles, I have a hard time reconciling all that I have with the number of people who have much, much less.

5. I want to keep doing this. I am convinced that words are meaningless if they are not backed by action. Belief is lived, not just stated.

How did it go for you?

Significance

Achievement is not the same as significance. We can fall prey to the idea that if we do something monumental we will then feel as though we matter. The success we desire is usually something of which other people will take note. Others will admire our riches, our intelligence or our creativity and then we will be important. The truth, however, is that no amount of success, fame, wealth or achievement will provide enough substance to make our lives valuable. True significance – true meaning and worth – are found in loving others unconditionally and being loved by others completely. For then, with this authentic meaning as a foundation, our achievements can be motivated by our freedom and not our compulsion. Certificates will burn, trophies will rust, empires will crumble, reputations will fade, but love remains eternal.

(Photo courtesy of Steve Weldon, World-Famous Mountaineer)