The Sky’s the Limit

I have often heard it said that there are some hills that are worth dying on.  I understand what is meant by this phrase, but it got me to thinking about a few questions…  How useful is it, though, if we are all martyrs on separate hills?  What does that say of the body of Christ, the community of believers?  Is it maybe the dying itself that unifies us?  Are the differences in passion and conviction simply signs of our personal, unique journeys?

Community.  It is one of those terms that creates an immediate desire for it but at the same time seems almost too abstract to ever come close to attaining.  Can community be when we gather together in love and instead of pointing out that we are at times dying on different hills rather focusing on the fact that we are all dying to Christ?  I’d like to think so.  May our strength and unity be found in our giving up our lives to the One who created us, the One who lived and died for us, the One who continues to teach and sustain us.

We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves.  Let each of use please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.  For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.”  For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.  May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.
Romans 15:1-7 

So let us each die on our hills; living out our different passions, callings, and lives.  May the world around us be changed for the better by our faithful, obedient abandon.  Yet we must also remember our unity remains in the death of our Lord and our dying to Him.  We are all equal members, heirs, and (perhaps most appropriately, in the spirit of His example) servants to His kingdom, which we are to live out on earth.  As Jesus said…

From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.“
Matthew 4:17 (emphasis added)

Pray then like this:
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.  Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors.  And lead us not into temptation but deliver use from evil.
Matthew 6:9-13 (emphasis added)

There are probably just as many reasons for becoming a vegetarian as there are vegetarians themselves.  Perhaps this is why once someone finds out that you are vegetarian you are immediately questioned as to the reasoning behind your decision.  Not that it’s troublesome, mind you, it just always seems to happen that way.  So, here I will share various reasons to be a vegetarian and how much I think that bears weight on my own decision.

Animal Rights.  This is the first one that comes to mind, usually.  It might even be the most popular.  The animals that are used to make food are often badly mistreated and slaughtered (probably in ways that we really don’t want to know or hear about).  Becoming a vegetarian for this reason is a way of “sticking it to the man” of the companies and businesses that mistreat the animals and refusing to support the way the animals are poorly treated.  I think this is really a pretty good reason, but I must admit it is probably down at fiveish on my list.  (Yes, that’s right, my “Reasons for Being a Vegetarian” list; arranged in order of importance, of course.)

Health Benefits.  This was a main reason I began thinking about becoming vegetarian.  (Health nut, I know.)  There are many not-so-good-for-you things that get pumped into the meat we eventually consume.  Also, some meat just isn’t that great for you anyway.  Your risk of getting certain types of diseases is greatly increased if you eat meat (heart disease being an obvious one).  A diet that is high in fruits and vegetables is just plain good for you.

Environmental Concerns.  A well-known utilitarian ethicist and philosopher, Peter Singer, describes this rather well in his book, Animal Liberation:  ”Those who claim to care about the well-being of human beings and the preservation of our environment should become vegetarians for that reason alone. They would thereby increase the amount of grain available to feed people elsewhere, reduce pollution, save water and energy, and cease contributing to the clearing of forests. When nonvegetarians say that “human problems come first” I cannot help wondering what exactly it is that they are doing for human beings that compels them to continue to support the wasteful, ruthless exploitation of farm animals.”  Now, I’m an admitted tree hugger, so this is a very appealing reason.  I sensed that there could be a connection between the two issues, but I was not even aware of its true existence until later.  I guess this reason may rank slightly above animal rights on my list, but maybe only directly above.

Religion/Convictions.  For some this is an open and shut case.  Buddhists and Hindus are all over being vegetarian, as are many other major religions.  Well, I’m Christian.  I am not commanded to be a vegetarian.  In fact, I’m told that eating meat is acceptable.  But, there are some interesting items in Scripture that are connected with vegetarianism.  That is a whole blog for some other time, but for now if you are curious there is this essay/talk by Matt Krick of Mars Hill church.  He does an excellent job at examining the scriptures that relate to how we should care for the planet (and mentions vegetarianism a few times).  Though my religion does not directly instruct me on if I should be vegetarian or not, it does allow for me to have unique convictions, and that is what I believe this is a case of.  God calls each of His children to follow Him in different ways; I think that vegetarianism or other diet choices can be simply that to some believers.  (P.S.-Many Christian monastic communities [you know, nuns and monks] have a tradition of being vegetarian at least a few days a week if not their entire lives.)

Living Intentionally.  Of course, I have saved the strangest, most important (to me) reason for last.  I see being vegetarian as a way for me to be more aware of not only what I am consuming, but also the somewhat uncomfortable realities of the world.  Every time I eat and deny myself certain things I am reminded of those who have no choice in what they eat or how they have no choice in the fact that they do not eat at all.  It’s a reminder that brings me a bit closer (even if just in thought) to the large majority of the world which is less “well-off” than me.  The only thing I can liken it to is a fast that is a permanent part of one’s lifestyle.  This is not a guilt thing, it is just one small way that I can perhaps become less concerned about my own desires and focus a bit more on those in need.

For those of you who are keeping track, or are perhaps just curious, I’ve included my list of reasons below, in order of importance.  (The list itself was made in a tongue-in-cheek tone, but it does truly reflect what I think and believe.)

1. Living Intentionally
2. Religion/Convictions
3. Health Benefits
4. Environmental Concerns
5. Animal Rights

Simply stated, Jesus for President is all about “provoking the Christian political imagination.”  Such a phrase strikes fire or fear into even the most apathetic of believing hearts.  Juxtaposing the concepts of Christianity and politics is a very ancient, complex and difficult task, yet that is exactly the aim of authors Shane Claiborne and Chris Haw. 

To say that Jesus for President is a thought-provoking read is far too gentle a description.  The terms perspective-shattering and concept-restructuring seem far more appropriate.  Even a few times as I was reading the words “provocative” and “extreme” flashed across my mind.  As with any book based on the Christian faith, there are sentences and passages that plainly serve to reaffirm the reader’s beliefs; however, even these parts of the text have unique historical and cultural insights.  The book includes fresh takes on familiar stories of the Israelites and Jesus that shed light on overt political themes found in the Scriptures. 

The concept of “politics” is taken in a different sense than it is so often utilized in our bipartisan, American culture.  We often associate politics with governmental parties, candidate nominations, speeches, interest groups, or perhaps even belief systems.  The authors confess in the introduction: “So while we will insist that the Christian faith be political, we also want to redefine what political means or looks like.  We hope to redefine it simply as how we relate to the world.”

Finding and fleshing out what the Bible has to say about how the body of Christ (the Church) is to relate to the world is the main theme beautifully conveyed in Jesus for President.  The book is divided up into four sections. The first is titled “Before There Were Kings and Presidents” and examines the beginnings of humankind and the nation of Israel.  Despite God’s evident favor and guidance, the Israelites insisted that they desired an earthly king to rule over them.  This section shows that struggle and the sad consequences that came from their dangerous desires. 

“A New Kind of Commander-in-Chief” is the title of the second section that closely looks at the teachings and life of Jesus Christ.  By sharing contextual and meaningful details, Claiborne and Haw illustrate exactly how political Jesus was asking his followers to be, or rather (much more importantly), how he was asking his followers to be political.  Examining Jesus’ relationship and reaction to the powerful Roman Empire provides a great glimpse at how strikingly different he was building the kingdom of God.

The third section, “When the Empire Got Baptized” delves into the shaky, unholy wedding of religion and government, the Empire and the Kingdom of God.  The authors take the reader on a historical journey: starting way back with the early Church, Constantine and the beginning of Christendom all the way up to the present day and the connection between the American church and the American state.  Here is where the most challenging ideas emerge (just in case the reader was not hit hard enough with the earth-moving words of Jesus) in the book.  Some reasoning or theology within this section may seem like a stretch to certain readers, but at the very least the concepts presented are well worth thoughtful consideration.

“A Peculiar Party” is the final section of the book.  Here are the stories of people who have lived out and are living the Christian political imagination.  Out-of-the-box thinking and unorthodox action are shown to be necessary in order for the body of Christ to maintain dissimilarity to the world and Empire.  This section of the book follows this line of thinking: the stranger the call for peace the greater likelihood it will be heard.

Jesus for President is a book that will surely challenge every reader to examine how Jesus calls for his followers to be political, or rather how to live out life.  It imparts both deep, theological reasoning and viable steps for the Church to live out its politics in the face of the Empire.

-Preface-

It was May of 2007. Knowing that our lives were drastically changing and dealing with the conflicting emotions of excitement and loss, I felt pressed to write. In a spare moment one evening, I wrote this short story. It was the state of my heart and mind then, and it continues to be such.

_________________________________________________________________

She lay awake knowing that it was the last night all of them would be sleeping in the same suite. Tears almost came, but she was not that sad. It was more of a slight ache. “Growing pains” her foot; it was not just that. She was never going to be in the same place again with her friends like this. Sighing and turning over once more did nothing to stop the ache or help her get to sleep any faster.

She wondered to herself how they ever got to be as close as they had become. Yet she did not stop there, she then wondered how far apart their lives would take them and how intimate they would be in the years following. Confessing that she was nowhere near omnipotent, she gave it up and went on to other thoughts.

In the end, she decided to focus on the moments they had shared together, the good times. Those brought her to a swift, happy sleep.

§

Days and even weeks passed, and all four of them went their separate ways, intent on strikingly different summers and futures. They were so very different but somehow they shared so much, even down to the tone of laughter from time to time.

Abigail went back home to work at the pool and take a summer course at the nearby community college. Stephanie went home for a short time and promptly left the country to be a missionary for six months halfway around the world. Charlotte and Kara stayed put in town and moved into their new house. Charlotte started her internship, her job and got engaged in rapid succession. Kara settled into their new abode and waited for her summer classes to start.

As for their futures, Charlotte would marry John (the ring made that official), and Stephanie would surely marry Chad. Charlotte intended to write for a magazine of some sort and hopefully someday get her own book published. Stephanie planned on teaching ESL and ministering in some capacity either in the States or overseas. Abigail wanted to teach abroad for a bit and then return to teach math in the States. Kara did not have the foggiest idea as to her future; teaching, writing, traveling, she remained open to it all.

All four of them were entering into adulthood, independence and the dreams that they had first imagined as small girls. Their whole lives were ahead of them, or at least that is what they had been told by those who evidently had their lives behind them or were somewhere in the middle.

So their lives thus far served as a type of introduction in the story that continued only in the future. Being only as far as the introduction is both a scary and hopeful place to be. One is unsure as to the contents of the pages that follow, yet crosses one’s fingers for the best, since the title, table of contents and preface seemed to lean towards the bright side of things.

Yet past this introduction, what good would it do to share the intricate details of their lives? With their intentions being as they are, they remain utterly aware that their lives will unfold differently than they expect. Since, after all, life is already much different than what they had first thought. God is in control, and to them nothing else is of much consequence. Life is to be lived and cherished. If one particular circumstance is so extraordinary that it must be retold, then it is perhaps shared with the world through the art of writing.

Maybe that will come later, but for now we revel in the introduction. We turn to the next page and make a firm crease so it stays down, and then we do as the characters of the story are doing: we live.

As I trudged across the bitter cold campus today, while getting hit with miniature ice pellets, I made a serious attempt to see beauty in what was around me.  Mostly I just wanted to walk in the silence, take in the moment, and be open to whatever God wanted to show me.  Right as I started along the crosswalk I heard thunder and I could not help but stop and breathe a little slower.  If I had not needed to get to class I might have just stood there in the falling ice listening to the melodious noise coming from the sky.  All I could think of was the beauty of it and how it reminded me so much of God and His attributes.

Snow, ice, sleet coupled with thunder, and later even lightening.  Soft and dangerous.  Chilly and electric.  God is both loving and just.  Merciful and jealous.  This somewhat reminds me of Aslan in the Chronicles of Narnia series, in that he is described as not being safe but being good.  The more I get lost in the pursuit of knowledge of God I cannot help but notice how to my human mind He seems to have contradicting attributes.  If there is any being that can actually have such “contradictions” it is definitely (or is it more correct in this case to say ‘indefinitely’) God.  

Reflecting back on my education, specifically philosophy, I remember how I was told that even God is bound by logic.  This always greatly disturbed me.  If God is indeed bound by logic that just seems to put Him in an itty-bitty, not-so-powerful, non-unique box.  May I never strip God of the mystery, glory, and perfection that He is much more than due.  I do not even want my narrow conceptualization of Him to become an idol in comparison to the Truth that He is.  

We shall never grasp Him, even remotely.  Yet our lives are to be lived in heightened pursuit of knowing, loving, and following Him.  We cannot attain, but we must continue on our journeys to grow.  Why?  A multiplicity of reasons, but perhaps one of the most important is that He deserves such devoted worship of our entire lives and infinitely more.

God’s creativity never ceases to surprise me.

Being that it was a clear, not-so-chilly, early February afternoon I went on a drive around the local park. I was quite aware of my motivation for going: I was looking for something. I was looking for something I knew I could not find there. Glancing at bare trees and a glassy pond littered with goose and duck feathers did next to nothing besides make me wish I had my camera with me. The beauty of nature is merely a creation which points unmistakably to what I was really searching for. Deep down I knew I would probably come away from the park with this conclusion; it was inevitable. But, as with many other things in life, I wanted to take the long way around. No simple, obedient shortcuts for me, of course not. Only by God’s grace am I ever really shown any truth, especially when I approach it with such an unmoving attitude.

There are things in life that people intensely search after only to learn in the end that they are unfindable (at least in that manner). Examples of such things are: peace, love, joy, contentment, purpose, identity, and more. Not matter how well you search for them you will always come up empty-handed. In fact, they usually appear when they are lost or most commonly, given. The truest forms of contentment, love, peace and others can only be found in God who is made accessible by His Son, Jesus Christ. In order for us to know our identity and purpose we must grow in the knowledge of Him, who created us (along with our purposes) in the first place. Experiencing love, peace, and joy will always be the outcome of resting in close communion with God. We cannot find Him (and all of the gifts He holds), rather He finds us.

Any other sensation, no matter how “close” it may come to the authentic thing, is still a fake. Going to the park, traveling abroad, mulling mentally over the dozens of ways life can turn out, and other things may bring you to a place where you think you have found peace, assurance, direction; but don’t be fooled. God orchestrates life in such a way that it cannot be described as anything other than a surprise. If you think you truly know yourself and your direction, think again.

This is what makes the future such a glorious adventure. It is to be thought a mystery, since it is just that.

So I here admit that my searching in anything other than God has been in vain (of course). And my feeble attempts to know my future have proved useless. Yes, I have known this, but this confession will hopefully hold me to my intention to relinquish control of this area of my life once again. May I not think my ways and thoughts above or even remotely close to being equal to His. Thank the Lord that He has been faithful to find me, though I was searching for all the wrong things.

“Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. ‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.’” Isaiah 55:6-9

“…I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you. I said, ‘You are my servant’; I have chosen you and have not rejected you. So do not fear, for I am with you: do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:9-10

Life is not theoretical or hypothetical. It simply is. Perhaps it would be more accurate to consider it paradoxical. Well, whatever it is we need to be sure not only to contemplate our lives but to truly live them.

As a lover of words and ideas I must admit that acting on what I have conceptualized is where I most often fail. I can weave thoughts and beliefs together into unique, eclectic designs, but what purpose do those novel concepts serve if they are never realized? Empty, unused ideas; arranged in such a way to give an air of practicality but still have yet to be tried.

I need to bridge the gaping disconnect between what I say I think/believe and what I actually do. The canyon between the two leaves me being nothing more than a hypocrite (perhaps a well-meaning one, but a hypocrite just the same). As my mind is becoming more like Christ’s, my hands and feet need to follow.

Paul says it best, I believe, in Romans 7:14-25 (shared below). It is a long passage, and can be slightly mind-bending at times, but extremely profound and true.

“We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me, I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do–this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is not longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God–through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.”

I have a confession to make: I have sticky fingers. No, I do not mean that I swipe tic-tacs or CD’s from Wal-Mart or that my roommates have reason to fear that things may go missing out of their respective purses. I am talking about how I give and take control of my life far too often.

Like any other “good” Christian (whatever that means), if asked whether or not I give complete control of my life to God on a daily basis I would hope that I could respond with an adamant “yes.” And most of the time I would. Without even considering if it were the truth or not. For some odd reason I believe that I have done (and do) a marvelous job at letting God do as He wills in my life, even when I do not think about it. This might be a logical conclusion if I spoke with God at length about it every day. But I now admit that I have not been doing just that. Oh, I’ll talk to Him about knowing Him better, His Word, my sin, people and needs that are around me (and more), but I always leave out the control of my life part. I have no good reason for this. Perhaps my excuse could be that God can take control of my life (and even end it) at any point He so desires. Well that is true, but rather silly and leaves no place for me to have an obedient relationship with Him.

So, in light of this revelation I had yesterday I spent a long time finally talking to Him about who had control of my life. And that’s right: all that time I thought I had given it to Him I really hadn’t. I was still grasping at it, manipulating things to work in the easiest, nicest way for yours truly. Well, I’m done with that. Everyday, no, every moment it comes to mind I want to be sure that God is the One who is in control, directing my path. I want to be faithful and obedient to Him, not myself or others.

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you. Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you. Many are the woes of the wicked, but the Lord’s unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in him. Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart!” -Psalm 32:8-11