Happy Friday to you! Hope you’ve had a great week and looking forward to a wonderful weekend. Before you head off into your weekend, here are three things that I have been thinking about this week. Hope they are as thought provoking for you as they have been for me.
#1
Suddenly such Christians have gone from portraying themselves as “the sleeping giant” of public life to “the poor little whipping boy” of hostile secular forces arrayed against them.
The Call by Os Guinness
Christians, particularly in the west, must be careful when stating that they are being persecuted. Removing prayer from school is not persecution. Removing the Ten Commandments from courthouses isn’t persecution. Having voices in our culture questioning, belitting, and bashing Christianity is not persecution. Feeling like, and even being, the minority is not persecution.
These are not signs of persecution but rather…
Opportunities to dig deep into our faith about not only what we believe but why we believe it. Too many times we stop at socially developed opinions instead of biblically developed convictions.
Responsibilities to the next generation to maintain a witness that is both truthful and grace-filled. Being willing to disagree without being disagreeable. Being willing to listen more than we talk. Being willing to speak truth in love.
Let’s embrace the opportunities and responsibilities of the “sleeping giant” rather than bemoan the fact that things aren’t like they use to be.
#2
Have you experienced “the discipline of dismay”? Chambers is almost as stern as his master when he writes: “If we have never had the experience of taking our commonplace religious shoes off our commonplace religious feet, and getting rid of all the undue familiarity with which we approach God, it is questionable whether we have ever stood in His presence. The people who are flippant and familiar are those who have never yet been introduced to Jesus Christ.”
The Call by Os Guinness
When is the last time you’ve done something for the first time in terms of your faith journey? When was the last time you stepped out of your comfort zone and approached God like Moses did at the burning bush? Full of fear, wonder, and awe.
I don’t think we need to constantly do something new. Tradition has huge benefits. But we also need to monitor our heart and when our relationship with Christ turns to going through the motions for a significant period of time, it may be time to try something new. Fasting? Pilgrimage to a place like an Abbey/Monastery? Join a Sunday school class? Just some ideas. If you would like other ideas, I’d love to have a conversation!
#3
Tech entrepreneur Bryan Johnson says gray hair is “a visual reminder of deterioration.”
Americans Will Do Anything to Avoid Gray Hair – WSJ
This one hits a little close to home for me. Graying since my 20s. Lost any signs of hair color in my 40s. I’ve never looked at myself and said, “Dude, you are deteriorating!” Hair color(ing) holds no moral implications so go do you. Just don’t be quoted in the Journal as saying I’m deteriorating. I’m heading back to the gym as we speak to prove Mr. Johnson way wrong.
I told you this one hit close to home for me…
todd nelson 