7.18.2020 - week 63
on love’s flexibility
“therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother.”romans 13:14
“let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. “romans 15:2
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my actual true feelings mid-july 2020
COVID-19 - it kinda feels like we are over-reacting (after under-reacting) to the virus, that the re-shut downs are unnecessary. i say this because of flat death rates, even as cases shoot up even with flat-ish % of tests positive. i don’t totally believe in the efficacy of the masks, my intuition is that they don’t make much difference.
BLACK LIVES MATTER - it grieves my heart to see some of the enthusiasm for an increase in systemic justice being deflated by arguments over the (obviously anti-christian) views of the BLM movement, especially when it comes from people who seem to use it as a ‘get out of jail free’ card to allow them to opt out of needed work.
CHURCH RE-OPENING – i think churches should re-open for the folks who want to be there, while also providing the best possible online experience for those that aren’t comfortable with that yet.
my behaviors mid-july 2020
COVID-19 – i wear the mask everywhere i am supposed to, with no complaining or fuss. i regularly pray for the mayor/governor/school board of my area that god would give them wisdom. i try to legitimize my friends with live-in elderly parents or weak immune systems, who have to fear the virus in a way i don’t. in conversation, i try to validate all viewpoints given that we truthfully don’t really know what will happen next.
BLACK LIVES MATTER – i say the statement wherever appropriate, because it stands on its own two feet. i will also work to help the church take the mantle of justice back from the secular world. i will try to patiently explain the nuance for anyone who asks or wants to know, without assuming anyone who is hung up on the movement’s beliefs is an inherent racist.
CHURCH RE-OPENING – where i work we are staying closed for the foreseeable future, and i fully support the leader’s decisions. they have prayed and sought counsel, bringing the best thinking they can to it. my friends who are opening, i am rooting on and hoping they are blessed.
love often means not needing to be right. or to be vociferously certain. how we say is often more important than what we say. we must be kind and long-suffering. by all means, if you are a reporter or epidemiologist or leading your own church or running for political office, do your job and advocate for your views as loudly as you can. but if you (like most of us) aren’t in the position of power or decision, the way we handle disagreement often outweighs our viewpoint. if your instinct after reading one of my views above was to reply with a video I just have to watch, i encourage you to read romans 14-15 and ponder the message your binary certainty is sending.
KG Korner
(a few wise words from lady kristen macdonald)
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30
I found myself and my four kids at a jewelry store last week. I have a bracelet that Luke got me awhile back and during quarantine the clasp broke. I’ve been waiting to see when the store opens so that it can be fixed. Before we got to the store I gave the kids ‘the speech’ : Boys, this is a really nice store. I NEED you guys to be well behaved and not cause chaos. Please, I beg you - be good and maybe, just maybe I will get you a treat afterward.
Because of social distancing we had to wait outside the store and these boys of mine couldn’t keep their hands off each other! I disciplined them and the man letting people in the store with a perfectly pressed suit told me it was my turn. As I walked through the store I felt like all ‘the perfectly dressed, beautifully manicured workers’ eyes were on me and my crew. Did we look out of place in our t-shirts and shorts? YES. Were my kids being kids? YES.
But as I walked in I felt like what it feels like when you walk into church and you're struggling. Everyone’s experience is different depending on the season in their life: It could be your first time walking in a church ever and you want to do whatever the church people do but you don’t have the first clue what that is- you know life isn’t working and you think maybe you will find the answer here. It could be that you got yourself all dressed nice for church (be it in the building or watching online) and at the first note of music or word from the pastor, a well of tears starts that just won’t stop. If you haven’t felt it at church you have most likely felt it somewhere else - if only you could : look, dress, or talk the part. Maybe you do look the part but there’s sin lurking in parts of your life you know you need to confess.
Deception is one of the main strategies of the enemy. He loves to fool us into thinking we need to pretty ourselves up for Jesus. We begin to think that if we accept him at his word and ‘come’ our ‘hot mess-ness’ (like me walking into a jewelry store with 4 hooligans) will scare Jesus off! Let me remind you of what I needed to remember this week, Jesus isn’t that way at all. In Matthew 11, Jesus says come - he offers an invitation. There’s not a bunch of stipulations with the invitation. He sees our weakness, knows we have limits, and confirms that we need rest. And he is offering that to our weary hearts when we come.
If you feel weary of all that’s up in the air right now, and your heart is struggling, join me. Sometimes our head knowledge of this invitation has to engage with our heart. Raise your hand with me and say yes, I’m needy and weary and I need what only Jesus can offer. His offer stands and is good as gold.
cup of leadership
“zeal without knowledge is not good,
and whoever makes haste with his feet misses his way.”proverbs 19:2
when you speak loudly or act aggressively with only cursory knowledge, you cause real problems. often when we allow a bit of knowledge to form strident opinions, we damage people around us. when we let our enthusiasm run ahead of our understanding, we make unwise choices. just because you found a video or article that says it, doesn’t mean it’s completely accurate.
intense passion without deep understanding can lead to ruin.
book review
one of my favorite books is out in an updated edition. in a manner different than i have ever seen before, kim scott evaluates ways in which her book has been received or understood different than her intention and tries to adjust the content accordingly. this level of personal responsibility and willingness to grow is at the heart of her business philosophy. to be radically candid, is to be forthright and honest, while also being kind. it manifests in consistent uncomfortable conversation. i have practiced and taught these concepts, i genuinely believe they will help your workplace thrive. in addition, the bonus chapter on annual performance reviews had some astonishingly practical helps to maximize their effectiveness.
super christian guy
content this week
my new message ‘stop mean christians pt.3’ is available on youtube + podcast … it’s definitely a challenging message, but one i believe you will be blessed by it.
pieces of good news I saw this week
1. my dear friend bryan loritts made a biblical case for reparations. while i understand the visceral reaction many people may have to various versions of ‘how’ that might be done, pastor loritts is thinking simply of the ‘should’ … a worthwhile read to consider.
2. our 11 yr old carter watched hume lake’s digital summer camp this week and really enjoyed it. if you are looking for some spiritual content for your teenager this summer, might be a great place to go -