Tag: community

Posted in Spoken Word

New Years

Posted on by Wick


Just as Cinderella escaping the ball,
we all respond to the call of midnight
As next year comes into sight,
we chill the drinks and prepare to chill together
Sheltering from the weather,
whether our burdens are heavy or light as a feather,
finding shelter, both from outside and the storms in our lives,
The ones that beat us down throughout this year.

We’ll gather near the people we enjoy,
employing tactics that make everything seem light.
“The future is bright!” We will say with smiles,
and miles of streamers burst at 12 o’ clock

Then like rocks we’ll collapse into beds
we’ve made the year before.
Waves of time crashing on the shore,
we fall asleep realizing they call out for something more.
Inspirational memes with quotes that seem as thin
as ice in Florida,
As if someone has wiped the scales from your eyes,
you realize:

The skies are beautiful,
but don’t determine if today will be good or not
The plot is not written in stone, not even etched in concrete
And your feet are still incredibly useful for deciding where to go
But you have to do more than know.
Have to do more than show enthusiasm or desire.
You might have to put yourself out on a wire.
The entire year ahead can be influenced by a single decision
A moment where you choose to ignite the change, it feels strange,
Because our world encourages so much feeling,
to see the ceiling and realize your wings are meant for more.
Meant to soar, and explore the unknown heights, beyond childish kites,
Or exercise the powerful control of someone
who chooses not to fly at the moment.
Because you know how needed you are along the ground.
As you have found,
that wings grow stronger when restrained to serve others.
Like sisters and brothers, recognizing we’re not meant for competition,
This mission is not impossible, when our strength is found in numbers,
Coming together with old and newcomers
To this stage called life,
and right in the middle of what you thought was simply going to be –
Can be directly influenced by something you choose to do,
choose to believe, choose to wait,
choose to say no to fate, choose not to berate, choose to hope,
choose to live, choose to forgive, choose life,
choose to fight for what’s right, choose to welcome,
choose to breathe slow, and know –
there are more seeds to sow.

And as you plow each row, preparing what will come,
you’ve grown less numb
To feeling more alive.
Waking those in comas around you, you point out the seeds in their hand,
and together stand in the face of unknown tomorrows,
and breathe.

Tomorrow may be
joy or pain, sunshine or rain,
but both have ways of serving the seed.
Serving what will grow.
As we flow into the new year,
the words you’ve heard start demanding:

What are you planting?

Posted in Different Moments, Different Thoughts, Uncategorized

A Tiger Tale…

Posted on by Wick

(A story I wrote for our church’s monthly newsletter – edited by the famous Michigan journalism hall-of-famer, Jim McFarlin!)

College is often a time where young people spread their wings and try new things. Sometimes that comes in the form of choosing from a list presented to you. But if you haven’t learned this yet about your pastor, it’s good to know: sometimes he looks beyond the list.

So of course, in my earliest days on campus at Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, Ill., I looked for ways to enjoy all college life had to offer. Anything seemed possible. I couldn’t help notice that our athletic teams, the Tigers, didn’t have any sort of mascot. That seemed odd to me, so I asked around without much luck.

I went to visit the athletic director, asking for a moment of his time. I remember his response clearly to this day, as it seemed too good to be true:

“Well, we haven’t had a mascot in person since the ’70s,” he said. “I’ve thought about it, but have been waiting for the right person. Maybe you’re it.”

He pulled out a catalogue of “Tiger” options for mascot costumes. He asked me which one I preferred. This was unbelievable –– I’d help resurrect my school mascot, and get to choose the costume as well?

But sure enough, that season I dressed as “Toby the Tiger” for most of the home football and basketball games. Initially they had me attend cheerleading practices until they realized I had zero gymnastics ability or desire. So I had a great time coming up with silly things to do during games, to entertain the crowd and get fans excited for our teams. I posed for pictures with kids and fans of all ages, adding to the experience as much as possible.

For me, the most memorable game that year was our homecoming basketball contest. Dressed as “Toby” I went out to greet our opponents as they warmed up. One player was seated, and as I shook his hand I gently kicked his warm-up uniform away from his chair. I scooped it up swiftly as I walked away and gave it to a friend. Then at halftime I dragged my friend onto the court, dressed in our opponent’s uniform, and pretended to wrestle and beat on him.

The crowd loved it!

Our opponents did not.

I still remember being called into the locker room, after taking “Toby” off, to apologize to the team I’d made fun of. As I walked away, the athletic director whispered, “You probably shouldn’t do that again. But the crowd loved it, so…good job.”

“Toby” was hot in the early football season, so I’d take breaks in a shaded pressbox area to drink ice water. But for the most part I loved every moment of the. Everyone smiled and cheered when I entered the arena. The straps on my tiger head kept it centered, so my face actually had a lot of room to breathe. The only hard part was keeping my “paws” on when I jumped or ran…or when kids would play with my tail.

As my sophomore year approached I’d gotten involved traveling with a couple of different bands. I was invited to Mascot Tryouts, but politely declined. As much fun as it was, I needed a paid gig and enjoyed singing more than stunts. But it was a wonderful way to spend my freshman year, and the mascot became a big thing as years went by. They still have tryouts, and in Olivet’s promo materials and social media you will often see “Toby the Tiger” among the crowd. I helped revive a tradition!

It was also a great reminder to us of what can happen when we look “beyond the list.” Sometimes we can imagine a particular list of how we can reveal the love of Jesus. If we don’t see those opportunities, we wait patiently for one to arrive. But what if we invited the Holy Spirit to stir our imaginations in new ways this week?

Luke 18:27 reminds us, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” Salvation itself wasn’t something we could have imagined. How might you join His Love revealed in a way you hadn’t even thought of previously? In what ways might you “resurrect” hope for someone who may not even be looking for it today?

May God use each of us as we cheer on and serve His Beloved, our neighbors…

Posted in Different Scriptures, Uncategorized

I hope I irritate you.

Posted on by Wick

Recently I was able to preach on the word “covenant”, specifically connected to how the author of Hebrews addresses God transforming everything in Jesus Christ. As we begin a new year, it’s a time when most of us examine our lives, and re-affirm those things that matter deeply to us. Many who want to live in response to the Love of God revealed in Jesus use these early days in the year as a natural time to renew our commitments, especially in response to the covenant Love God offers to us. I was encouraged once again by God’s desire that we would be able to “know Him” in ways we couldn’t previously. (Hebrews 8:11)

In following the threads woven by the author of Hebrews, there was one text that stood out to me in a new way this time. In Hebrews 10:24 we’re encouraged, “And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds,” I’ve read this before, and haven’t spent much time considering it because the meaning seems pretty obvious. But just beneath the surface, there’s an invitation to pause and consider the author’s choice of words.

Most of our best translations easily help us understand by saying something like “spur one another on”, “provoke each other”, or even “stimulate each other”. Some others say things like “motivate one another” or “encourage one another” toward Love. If the author had just wanted us to be “encouraging one another” to be more loving, he could have easily used words similar to the ones he uses in Hebrews 10:25 or 13:19. But here in 10:24 he purposefully uses a particular action (to irritate sharply/provoke) as a noun (something to be considered). The noun itself is only seen one other time in this form, over in Acts 15:39 to describe the “sharp disagreement” between Paul & Barnabas that caused them to part ways. The verb form is found in Acts 17:16 (the spirit of Paul was being provoked by the idols he saw in Athens) and 1 Corinthians 13:5 (Love is not easily provoked). This is an irritating provocation that we are unable to ignore.

In this play of words, we’re invited by the author to consider how we can be the kind of active presence in our world that provokes/stirs up/compels Love (agape) and good deeds. Much attention is given in our era to how businesses or even influencers can post content that “gets a response”. It also makes sense that we would desire responses that are measurable/quantifiable. But are we being purposeful as to the kind of responses we are attempting to draw out from those around us, or those who consume what we’re sharing? As enjoyable as it might be to complain about something we have the right to complain about – is it provoking others toward Love? As desirable/easy as it may be to comment or share or join in a conversation with others – is our involvement giving others permission to continue in a direction other than Love?

Into all of this, what would it look like for us to be those who “provoke/irritate/disturb” one another toward Love? There may be as many responses as there are people – which is why we need so many beautifully different and complex members/parts of one Body in Christ. But as the author urges, we get a sense that this isn’t something that will happen accidentally or inadvertently. This is something we must be purposeful about.

Several years ago, I was serving on a mission trip to Joplin, Missouri. We had a great time, and I believe we were a small part of blessing the community as they recovered from seriously damaging tornados. We cleared debris, demolished unsafe homes, and prayed together over the area. When we came home, and the dust settled, I realized I’d brought home a souvenir from all our work outdoors – scabies. I’ll let you google how horrible these little bugs can be on your own (it’s disgusting), but I’ll sum it up by saying: It was an itch I could not leave unscratched. Those little bugs burrow and irritate in ways I’d never experienced before. I have pretty strong will-power when it comes to mosquitos, but the irritation level of these things had me near tears, desperate for relief.

This is what came to mind as I prayed over Hebrews 10:24. How irritating are we being in the direction of Love? Does our presence, and do our words have such an impact on those around us, others cannot help but respond in a Loving way?

Special Note: This does not mean we go around like flower children, always smiling and handing out dandelions (although I love smiles and dandelions). Sometimes to Love someone (in the way of Christ, who is the living revealing of Love) means to invite uncomfortable examine in the gracious presence of the Holy Spirit that provokes actual Love, instead of the fluffy stuff our world sometimes misinterprets as Love.

So there you go. Where/how can you be more irritating this week? Would you pause for a moment even now, inviting the Holy Spirit to think with you over the past 24 hours – and how you may have provoked others in thought or emotion?