Category: Different Thoughts

Posted in Different Books, Different Learning, Different Thoughts

the makers.

Posted on by Wick

I remember learning about the concept of “pax” back in college.  The fact that “peace” was not believed to simply be the cessation of violence, but active sharing/pursuit of right relationship.  That has come up again in both my reading and my parenting.

IMGP8574I’m naturally a “lover, not a fighter” (aka – a wuss).  I remember attending one wrestling practice with my big brother back in high school, jus to check things out.  The amount of grunting, sweating, and sizing each other up to see who could best who…for some reason wasn’t appealing to me.  To brag about how much you can lift, curl, crunch, or how many times you can pull yourself up on a bar….yah, I never understood that.  But someday when the zombies attack and I’m eaten first, all the jocks will be able to say “I told you so.”

I generally find myself agreeing with the kinds of things that pacifist Mennonite and Anabaptist writers might say in regard to conflict/war/etc.  But I was reminded recently by Jurgen Moltmann is his book “Ethics of Hope“, there must be something more.  That it’s not simply about allowing swords to do their thing, and retreating into ploughshares; but rather reforging swords into ploughshares.  Moltmann says:

“Nonviolence, like the forgiveness of sins, is only a negation of the negative, out of which nothing positive as yet proceeds.”

Or the more obvious quote:  “We are not told: ‘Blessed are the peaceful’ but ‘blessed are the peacemakers'”

It makes sense.  I don’t want my girls to simply shy away from an inflammatory situation.  Especially in our drama-rich culture that celebrates the ability to reduce your opponent by well-placed physical or emotional blows.  It can be easy for someone who’s been taught humility and gentleness to simply bow out, quietly walk away, and keep to themselves.  Certainly I hope they know when it’s wise to walk away.  But that’s not always the best response.

I want to raise my daughters to be filled with the wisdom, hope, and Love it will take to diffuse a tense moment.  To help bring healing and reconciliation when two of their friends are conflicted.  To mediate arguments, and offer solutions.  To speak up for the voiceless, and reveal the underlying and uniting Truth beneath the facade of drama.  To enter the places where swords are drawn, and bring redemption for the sake of all involved.

Oh snap.   It sounds like I want my daughters to be like Jesus…

 

Posted in Different Moments, Different Thoughts

Always be sexy.

Posted on by Wick

There’s quite a buzz about the video of (Chris) Ashton Kutcher accepting an award recently in front of thousands of teens.  As a youth pastor, and as a parent, it struck a chord in me.  The kind of chord that wants to say a couple things about what has been said. (and viewed several million times by others since then)kutcher

We’ve had statements like this by famous people before throughout the years.  Statements apparently grand and wise because it’s by someone who’s achieved it all, and has some great nugget of wisdom to pass along to those following behind (or beneath) them.  Although I definitely applaud Chris with using an opportunity to point somewhere other than himself, and make teens think…I also want to use this moment to encourage us to go a step further.

Because what he said isn’t enough of a foundation.  it’s not incredibly deep wisdom to live from.  It shouldn’t be passed around to millions and millions of people because of how crazy-different it is than the commonly accepted way we all think.   Unfortunately however, because of the low standards/ethical & moral decay/and brokenness in our world, his simple reminders DO actually stand out in a way that make people want to get those 3 points tattooed on their shoulder (or at least make a killer meme).

Here are my main beefs with his quick statements: (That I realize are unfair, because he just stood up and spoke seemingly “off the cuff”.  But as popular as his words have become already, and the fact that he thought out his main 3 points….I think this is worth saying.)

1. Opportunities look like hard work.   He then goes on to talk about several jobs where he had to work hard and sweat it out.  It’s definitely a great reminder to our young people they are not “too good” to work at dirty jobs.  But it comes with the unspoken tag, “As long as those jobs get better and better, stepping up until ultimately you find yourself here.”  He doesn’t mention working without pay, serving others sacrificially, or working for something larger than your desire to get ahead.

2. Always be sexy.  He closes with this line, and it’s memorable.  His point was to “redefine sexy” as being:  Smart, Thoughtful, and Generous.  I’m glad he’s pointing teens to look at something other than physical appearance, but he still uses the same vocabulary.  As much as they cheer in the moment, and might forward the link to others – the very word “sexy” is about being and wanting to be desirable/appealing to others.  The goal then becomes to appear smart.  To act thoughtful.  To seem generous.  But all with the goal of being thought of as “sexy/desirable” by others.  Not because you’re actually compassionate, intelligent, and loving.  My advice?  Don’t worry about redefining “sexy”; just be compassionate, intelligent, and loving.

3. Don’t live life – build one.  His work on a recent movie about Steve Jobs apparently reminded him of this foundational truth.  But it’s about as vague as anything he said.  “Everything around us that we call life, is made up of people who are no smarter than you.”  That could be encouragement, or a slam against the mental capabilities of his entire audience.  It’s true that we’re not required to simply “follow” everyone who came before us.  But to assume everything that exists simply came from other human beings, and there will never be anything better than what the sum of humanity can conjure….is not as hopeful as he made it sound.  Look around at what we’re doing: to our planet, to animals, to each other.  I don’t wanna tell my kids or my teens – “sure you may have limited capabilities, but you can still dig deep & try really hard to make things better than the people who lived before you did.  In fact, you must!”

I’d much rather point them in the direction of a source, and a foundation, much more solid than the words here.  Point them toward a life of serving and sacrifice for the sake of Loving others.  Toward a life of knowing they’re infinitely desired by God already, and living in the peace & confidence that brings.  Toward a life that doesn’t put hope in humanity coming up with better and newer things, but instead joins God’s creative moving in our world to bring about transformations of Love, Grace, Mercy, Healing, Justice, and making all things New.

Posted in Different Thoughts, Uncategorized

If I were a Christian rock star.

Posted on by Wick

There are times when studying for a message that will be praught in the future, a friend of mine will say “Well, that’s only if you think words mean something.”  Sometimes in jest, and sometimes critically asking an important question about the meaning of a text.  Recently I had an experience that really made me want to say something…but I wasn’t the person on stage with a microphone, and I’d probably sound stupid….so I figured this was a better place for me to sound stupid.

We caught a bit of a “Building 429” concert at the local Decatur Celebration, and I recognized a song they were playing as one I must have heard while scanning radio stations recently.  The song is titled “Where I Belong”, and brought up many of the issues I talked about in my recent post about a song I’ve written/recorded.

The lyrics of the chorus being chanted by everyone in crowd go:all-i-know-is-i-m-not-home-yet-this-is-not-where-i-belong
“All I know is I’m not home yet
This is not where I belong
Take this world and give me Jesus
This is not where I belong”

I understand the encouragement these words can bring.  To so many of us living in pain, debt, struggling with a broken world, etc…being reminded that this is not what God intends for us is a great thing.  I’m hoping many of the people in the crowd would recognize, if asked, that God’s desire is not that we would get out of this world…but rather join in carrying His image INto this world.

More like:
“All I know is He’s not done yet
This is not how the world belongs
Lord, Take all I am to give them Jesus
Because this is not how the world belongs”

It’d be easy to hear the song, and figure it doesn’t much matter.  After all, these are just simple side issues.  The main concern is Christ.  That’s true, but did you ever live in a college dorm?  I remember doing some pretty silly things during those years, especially in regard to how we lived in our temporary housing.  I remember duct taping the drains in the shower, and putting a wooden door (lined with trashbags and duct tape) in it’s entry-way so that with all the showers turned on hot – the small “group shower” room turned into a giant hot tub.  There were plenty of things we did, that only happened because we weren’t concerned for what happened to Chapman Hall after we moved out.

But now I live in a house, that we’re continuing to make our home.  It actually turns 100 years old next year.  I’m not OCD about getting nicks and dents in walls….but I would never flood a room just to pretend it’s a hot tub.  🙂  So much of what the follower of Christ is transformed for the sake of – involves living out a transformed God-bearing life into a creation that actually IS intended to be our home.  We believe that God put great care into creating this world, and placing us in it to be His image-bearers.  I love this world.  I’m making myself at home here, and look forward to what it will look like when made new/swallowed up by God’s presence completely.

So when another follower of Jesus looks at me and smiles, shouting “I can’t wait to leave this place!!”….I try to hear them saying “I can’t wait for Jesus to make all things new!”

I know we have the same desire…right?