The Dream Has Been Realized

I'm going to deviate from deep theological thought for this entry. Under the circumstances of today, I think the applications to Christianity speak for themselves. This morning, my mind instantly thought of Galatians 3:26-29, which I would encourage you to read, and I think you'll see how the peices come together.

Needless to say, today we are witnessing a very pivotal moment in American history. The events of today will soon be logged in the files of our memories as a "do you remember when..." moment that grandchildren will ask us about. This is one of those defining moments that continues to carve the United States into the country it is growing to become. After all, we are relatively young in terms of the rest of the world. We are still growing into the clothes that were carefully picked out for us over 200 years ago. When many said, "Those pants are too long! Look at that shirt! It's way too big! Those shoes will never stay on!", brave people with incredible vision simple smiled and replied, "Oh, we'll grow into 'em! Just wait!"

With the inauguration of Barack Obama as our 44th President of the United States, I have to admit that the pants are starting to fit much better. The shirt is starting to feel a little more comfortable, and the shoes are not slipping off so easily. Our country is growing. Our country is developing. Our country is becoming what it was intended to be. Unfortunately, many disagree. Many see this day as a failure in American politics and culture. Many see this inauguration day as the beginning of a downward slide into socialism and national weakness. I don't know about all that, but I'm choosing to have a different take on today's events. Basically, I'm choosing to look at this for what it means to me, rather than what it means to our country, because it transcends politics.

Despite my political views, I am choosing to rejoice in this day. Despite who I may have wanted to become the 44th President, I am choosing to enjoy the fact that we have done pretty well as a growing country. I'm looking back and reflecting on a country that has made some big mistakes in the past and has come a long way in a very short period of time. Within many of our lifetimes, the thought of this nation electing a black president was remote, or a dream at best. And just celebrating the birthday of Martin Luther King, it caused me to reflect on what his dream really was.

Many people are saying that today the dream has finally been realized, but I have to disagree. I disagree because I do not think this is what Martin Luther King Jr. had in mind when he shared his dream with this country. You see, I believe that the dream was already realized before anyone even knew who Barack Obama was. I believe that the dream has been realized in much smaller things that we take for granted. For me, the dream has been realized in the fact that my two sons see no difference in other children, regardless of color of their skin. I see the dream as being realized in sitting next to a black man on Metro rail and talking about our shared faith in Christ. I see the dream being realized by my son telling me how angry racism makes him.

Barack Obama's election as President of the United States does not make the dream realized. He is President because the dream has been realized. I imagine what Martin Luther King Jr.'s reaction would be to today's inauguration. I imagine that he might disagree with some of Obama's policy, and I'm sure that Obama might disagree with him on a few points as well. But something rises above policy and politics. We just witnessed a black family move into the White House! Just a short 50 years ago that was an outlandish thought! Regardless of political views, that should make all of us very proud to be American. This is an amazing step for Americans, and whether you lean to the left or right, you can still celebrate the huge cultural shift that has just occurred. Quite simply, you should be excited in the fact that we are finally growing into our clothes.

Flux (Part I)

"Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you." (1 Peter 4:12) Then why are we always so surprised? Why do we think some something is wrong with us? Why do we think our trials mean that we've done something wrong in our lives?

Life is interesting. Since the creation of time, humans have pondered their existence. Our journey through this world consists of changes in perspective that cause us both unexplainable joy and unbearable pain, but rarely does there seem to be any middle ground. Basically, it seems that life is a series of peaks and valleys, with the ascensions and descensions occurring rapidly as we frantically try and make it to the next season of life. In our pain, we cry out to God and beg Him to accelerate our time in the valley, and when we arrive at the peak of the mountain top, we always seem to find some reason to discount God's favor. And what happens? We miss out on two very vital points in life where God teaches us the most.

C.S. Lewis wrote that "God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our conscience, but shouts in our pains". Is this why we seem to learn the most as we walk through trials? When you think about it, pain, emotional, physical or spiritual, is the one element of life that demands our full attention. It doesn't matter what's occurring around us; when we are in deep pain, it seems to be the only focus of our existence. It's as if nothing can penetrate the barrier of pain, as we sit isolated from relief. I wonder if this is what Lewis meant? In these times, is God lifting His voice to the limit of human perception? Is His voice the only thing that cuts through the solitude of pain? If we are honest, we know that God is allowing us to feel pain in order to teach us something that has been drowned out by the other senses of our lives. Joy, peace, happiness, love, passion, excitement; they all can hinder us from hearing from God. Pain cancels out the noise and exposes our soul bare. But we avoid it. We pray for God to alleviate it. And in the process, we fail to learn what God intends us to learn.

The Real Thing

The Real thing! We all remember that familiar marketing slogan from back in the 60s and 70s. Other favorites were “Coke Adds Life” and “Can’t Beat the Real Thing”. Let's face it. Coca-Cola has always distinguished itself as being the best of the best. And to a certain extent, it is! Think about it. No other soft drink company has been able to achieve the status of excellence that Coca-Cola has. Sure, there are other good colas, many of which I like better than Coke. But the point is, Coke was able to make its product “appear” as the benchmark for all other drinks. Pretty amazing when you think about it! But what's the essence of what they are trying to get across? Coke is the only soda that will make you really happy! All the others are imitators, impostors and fakes! Is that true? Of course not! But Coke has made America believe that it is the real thing!

This morning, I was reading John 4:1-26, and some cool things jumped out at me. In this chapter, we find a story of Jesus talking with a woman from a place called Samaria. Take a look at a map of Palestine in Jesus’ day. Look at where Galilee is located in relation with Judea. Where is Samaria? If a Jew was traveling from Judea to Galilee, Samaria might be the best half way point where they would stop off a look for a Buc-ees, right? Wrong! Samaria was avoided at all costs! In fact, the Jews would travel east, cross the Jordan, begin traveling North and cross the Jordan again at Galilee, probably just below the Sea of Galilee. That’s what I call taking the scenic route! Well, there was a very good reason for that. The Jews hated the Samaritans. These were people that had intermarried with the Assyrian captors in ancient Israel. Basically, they slept with the enemy! The faith and culture of Israel had been polluted and so they were seen and “half-breeds”. So in John 4:4, why does it say that Jesus “had” to go through Samaria? To get His point across!

Because of their mixed race, the Samaritans shared similar beliefs as the Jews. So the woman starts asking Jesus about where the best place to worship God is. Is it in Samaria or is it in Jerusalem? Jesus basically says, "Neither one!" What He is trying to get across to the woman is that “worship” has nothing to do with where you worship. It has nothing to do with your race, the color of your skin, your sex or the amount of husbands you've had in the past. The focus is who you are worshipping. Jesus is pointing her to Himself! He's saying, "I'm the real thing!" The world us offers water. Yes, it's good water! It's purified, sparkling, spring water with a cool bottle and a fancy label! But it's still water. No matter how good it might taste and how it might appear to quench the thirst, it’s not The Real Thing! Only Christ has the “living water” that will truly quench the thirst and refresh the soul. That’s what Jesus is trying to get across to the woman and to us today. He’s the real thing. The only thing.

None of the Above

Today, the elephant is angry, fat and listless.
Today, the jackass is aimless, selfish and works for no one.
The lesser of two evils?
Is that really "choice"?
One nation under God?
Enter Jesus:
"Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes',
and your 'No,' 'No';
anything beyond this
comes from the evil one."
Now pull the lever.

Listening & Soft Tacos

Several years ago, I was sitting in a crowded Taco Bell, during the lunch time rush, with a pile of soft tacos in front of me. Noting comforts the soul quite like Taco Bell, and I am convinced that the soft taco, with hot sauce, is the closest representation we have of what manna from heaven must have been like. It's an existential experience.

Now where was I? Oh, so I'm opening my first taco, sitting at a table close to the back of the restaurant with at least five other tables between the front door entrance and me. Each table was full of people eating a quick lunch before heading back to work. It was in between bites of my second soft taco that I saw him. He was a young homeless man wearing old jeans and a faded black jacket, but not your typical homeless guy. In fact, I remember him so well because he looked exactly like Jack Black. Somewhere in between homeless, and a drifting musician. His hair was uncut and disheveled and he looked agitated and anxious as he paced outside the front door. He was jittery and confused looking, almost as if he were working up the nerve to come inside. Finally, he stopped, looked up, scratched his head and made his way to the entrance. It was quite obvious that he was searching for people to lend him some spare change, so what did I do? I kept my head down, just in case he decided to approach my table during his quest. Well, not only did he decide to approach me, but ONLY me. It was almost as if he knew who he was looking for, as he deliberately walked passed each table, and headed straight for me. It was intentional. Deliberate. Mechanical.

I sighed and thought to myself, “Why me!?” I was hungry, tired and way too focused on myself to want to care, but I did. He stopped at my table, lowered his head and spoke. “Sir, do you happen to have any spare change?” "Why me?!" I didn't want to care! They're were other people in the restaurant! My soft tacos were getting cold! Well, the moment of truth came and went. I failed. I retreated. I didn't even have to check my pockets. I simply said "no" and turned my eyes back to my lunch. He said thank you, turned straight around and followed his same deliberate bee-line path out of the front door; not stopping to solicit money from anyone else. He was out of my life.

It wasn't until several minutes later that the previous rhetorical question repeated in my mind. “Why me?”, I asked myself, only this time for a different reason. Why did this man walk into a crowded restaurant, pass several tables full of people and walk straight to me? Why did he leave without approaching any other tables? What was the real purpose of this encounter? Whatever the reason, I felt shame, anger and conviction. I dropped what was left of my lunch, left the restaurant, jumped in my car and began my search for this man. I don't know what I would have said to him. I don't know what difference it would have made. But I drove for what seemed like 30 minutes, and was unable to find him. He was gone.

I don’t think that there is any question that God speaks to His people. Sometimes His words are louder than others, and sometimes they come in the form of that still, quiet voice that we often dismiss as coincidence or imagination. C.S. Lewis once said that, “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” I believe that this is why we seem to grow so much out of our struggles. Either way, He speaks to us, and the more that we seek fellowship with Him, the more we will hear and hopefully heed.

The Bible tells us stories of the great prophets that had the privilege of hearing God’s voice in an audible manner. The disciples walked the earth with Christ Himself. But fro us, until we leave this temporary home, we rely on faith, trust and obedience in what He tells us through prayer and communion with Him. “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.” (Romans 10:17) See, I think that if we listen; really listen, His presence in our lives will be more powerful than it was over 2000 years ago when He walked the Earth in the form of a man. That power comes from the Holy Spirit as Christ promised in Luke 24:49, “I am going to send you what my Father has promised;” and again in John 14:16. Basically, Jesus was saying, "Guys, I know it's going to be touch when I'm gone, but you have no idea how much better it's going to be! You have no clue how much closer you will be to me!"

“If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” (Revelation 3:20) Let us listen to that small voice in the back of our minds. In Christ, there is no coincidence: only His Holy Spirit urging us to be His hands and feet until the day that he welcomes us home. In reality, we are all homeless until we leave this world.