Flawed

Have you ever been amazed by God's beauty? I am sure you have it is not hard to see. There are those times though when we see it in such grandeur that our breathing is slowed our hearts quicken and our brains strain to accept the wonder of his work. I have witnessed God's work in many forms. I have seen the raw power and heard the magnificent roar of Niagara Falls. I have observed the slow and quiet strength of the Columbia river.  I have been stunned at the solemnity of a sunset. All wondrous. But nothing quite captures me like the mighty Rocky Mountains. Man, those mountains! When I am in the midst of them they have a tremendous effect upon me.  I am humbled. A big feat in itself.  I am humbled by the sheer size and magnitude of these monuments of God's presence. They are huge and inspiring and I am made aware of how small I really am. They do that - make you feel small simply because they are so huge.  So as I stand and stare and try and soak in the awe and get my heart and intellect to sync together I am overwhelmed with emotion. They are perfect and flawless in their glory. A privilege to look upon.  If you have never seen the Rockies in person put it on your bucket list.

Yesterday I would have said that the Rockies would rate as the most beautiful and amazing object of God's creative genius that I had ever witnessed. Many I am sure would agree. Today I would not say that. I would not say that today because of yesterday.

Yesterday started off normal enough. I woke and did the usual things to get ready for the day. My task for the day was to simply drive. That was all just drive. Someone had asked me if I could drive them to a place that was a couple hours away as they had no way to get there and it was very important that they get to this place. I said yes, after all a nice drive is good for me. I love to drive - it calms me and allows me to clear my head. I assumed (you know what can happen when you assume) this would be fairly uneventful. I had no idea that God would open my eyes a little farther so that I could see just a little clearer. He did this in a most unusual way.

This person I was driving came into my life just over a year ago and he has become my friend. I really enjoy his company. He is one of those people that you cannot help but like. He is generous and kind. He smiles most of the time. He is one of those people that makes you feel better just because he is there. So when he asked me to give him a ride it was any easy yes.

Not all would agree with my ascertation. Not all would come to the same conclusion as I have. Why would they not see him the same? My friend is addicted to crack. If you have any understanding of this addiction you will understand why not all see him in a positive light. His issue has become his label and overshadows who he really is. For many unfortunately his addiction is all they see.

Why has this happened? I believe the reason to be simple. We as humans have an adept ability to notice the issues in others (seldom ourselves) . We all do it - we all have picked out the "flaw" in others at times. No matter what it may be - addiction, personal appearance, lineage or economic status. Often it seems like a talent. All due to broken human nature (sin) to be sure. It is entirely unfortunate that this happens, not only to the person whose flaws have been observed but for the one observing. They miss something magnificent.

Yesterday I drove for a couple of hours with a man who many may have written off simply because of one "flaw" he has (Granted it can very destructive but if you spend anytime with someone who suffers from debilitating addiction you will see that most of the destruction occurs to themselves). I have come to know a great deal about this man. He is very talented. He has a vast amount of knowledge about landscaping, farming, construction, the oil industry, and life in general. He can fix much and what he can do with a Bobcat (skid steer) is as amazing as a talented artist with a brush.

 This is where God opened my eyes.

As I have said this man is a great guy and is my friend but I confess that I was not able to see him aside from his addiction. I too had trouble seeing him as God has made him,  as he was intended to be. God please forgive me.

I had thoroughly enjoyed the trip to the treatment centre where he finds himself for the second time. I pray it is the last but no more than he. It was a joy to be in his presence. When I got home and chatted with my wife I played the day over and then it hit me. It hit me like a hammer in the form of a question - "As we look at the grandiose mountains do we ever pick out the "flaws"?  The question floored me and the answer is obvious - no. When we look upon  the handiwork of God in a mountain and see the jagged juts and points, the incongruency of the peaks or random crags and caves do we see the issues, the mistakes, the flaws? Of course not - because there aren't any. Then why do we see them in his crowning achievement? Why do we see them in our friends, families and strangers.  Are they any less wondrous of a creation than the inanimate objects that fuel and inspire our poets and songwriters? I leave that question to you.

I once believed that the Rocky Mountains were the most amazing thing I had ever seen in God's creation. God has shown me through my friend I was wrong. It is not the mountains but something that we are surrounded by all the time. It is and always has been people. People created in the image of God (Gen 1:27).

Thank you Lord for the reminder.

Jesus - Beautifully Relevant.

In the culture of Christian ministry one of the words I believe that has become completely overused and abused is the word "relevant".  One can see this word used in a vast amount of articles, mission/vision statements, and books when addressing the subject of ministry tailored to supposedly the "next" generation, culture, community or group.  So many times the word is used to describe an idea, philosophy, etc. that is completely not relevant at all.  I am on the verge of loathing this word - I know extreme but true.  So I was extremely tainted to the magazine Relevant before I had even read it simply because of the name.  I had a pre-conceived idea that it would be just more white noise about ministry with no relevancy at all.  I hear your thoughts - unfair, judgemental, biased, pig-headed.  I agree - I can be these things.  But again thanks to my wife (she is the wizard behind the curtain to my big bulging head on a screen) I began to read it and I was amazed - it really was RELEVANT! She was right.  It is truly a fantastic magazine that speaks to the current culture and its issues. The articles are thought-provoking and spiritually challenging. There are also great reviews on music, movies and literature.  The  current issue is their 50th and it is well worth the read.

So the other day while I am sipping some green tea, I  was riveted to an article written in Relevant by Alyce Gilligan entitled "Loving the Least of These".  The article features James Barnett the twentysomething founder of an organization called Clothe Your Neighbour as Yourself.  After experiencing injustice in Nicaragua he was moved to action. I was inspired by this young man who upon his return began a mission of sacrifice for God's Kingdom.  It was not so much what he began doing, although living out of your van selling t-shirts and using the profits to minister to marginalized people is quite admirable, it was the connection that I could make with his passion.  This young man had an experience with his Creator which moved him to action.  I love action.

What he is doing is not revolutionary or original from a service perspective, as there are many agencies and organizations that minister to the marginalized communities of the world.  What I found so compelling was that I could identify with him as a person and  he was doing something attainable.  He was not some big corporation or organization with its administration and machine-like operational standards.  He was "just a guy" who wanted to  make a difference in the lives of people.  I can relate to that.  But don't get me wrong.  I am not saying that big corporate benevolence and large charities are wrong or bad.  Heavens no!  There has been much ministry accomplished and suffering alleviated because of their ability to mobilize people and resources.  However, it is often difficult to get jazzed up or inspired personally about a brand or logo.  It can be hard to connect and identify with a slogan or ad campaign (This is evident by Coca-Cola's new commercials that try to connect with their customers on a personal level).  While these are great P/R and fundraising machines and have a great ability to inform they can be impersonal and appear removed from the street level.  Having said all that, God uses many mediums to work in his kingdom.

I am not completely sure why, but there is something special  and inspiring about seeing someone, just a regular person, moved to action by their faith and concern for the people around them.  James Barnett, and people like him, show the rest of us that God is still working despite the polls and stats that say the church is in decline.  Stories like this one show us that God and His mission are not confined to bricks and mortar and gatherings on Sundays only. What a big "holy cow" revelation (sarcasm intended). 

In the above mentioned article James Barnett is quoted as saying " I want people... to make a commitment to live differently.  Not just admiring the truth, but following the truth."  (John 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way the truth and the life").

When people follow Jesus where he leads, being relevant will not just be a word in a mission statement or in a conversation at a trendy coffee house - it will be a reality.

"Too Many Mind"

So way back about eight months ago my incredibly intelligent and persistent wife urged me to join a father and son/daughter Shotokan Karate class because my son , like a true boy likes kickin' and stuff.   I was hesitant at first because I imagined getting beaten like a dog in front of him could cause him to think his father less than invincible and I want to keep that illusion going for as long as possible. My sweet spouse continued to gentley encourage me to do this and I took the plunge with the boy and it has worked out really well. As usual she was right again.  I am now an orange belt! Joyfully my belt colour is no longer the same as the traditional colour associated with cowardice (it was yellow - blech!).  I am learning much and trying very hard, it is not easy and I do not think the RCMP will be requiring me to register as a lethal weapon any time soon but in time who knows.

Taking up this activity at my advanced age of 38 has taught me much about focus.  Focus is a key element in becoming a good Karateka.  Of course this new found love of Shotokan Karate has given me a new appreciation for the movie  The Last Samurai  starring Tom Cruise.  It is a great movie about honour and loyalty and Bushido - the way of the warrior. It is a very good movie due to the action sequences but also because it showcases the Samurai and their dedication to who they are and what they do.

In the film Tom Cruise's character, Captain Ulgrin, is taken captive by the rebel Samurai leader Katsumoto. During his captivity he observes this culture and he develops a strong admiration for the samurai, their cause and way of life and actually begins to train as a Samurai Warrior.  In one of the scenes where he is training he is having great difficulty with his opponent until Nobatathe, the son of Katsumoto, says to him during a break "too many mind - mind the people, mind the opponent, mind the sword ".  His english is broken but his words are full of wisdom. Too many mind - means he is thinking about all that is going on  - the distractions and needs to focus. Focus is a vital element in so much that is done in life. Without focus most activities have no quality.  If I ever need surgery I hope the doctor has great focus.

All this has me wondering if this is not one of the greatest issues for the modern follower of Christ and the  Church - too many mind.  There is so much today that competes for our attention and energy.  The distractions are endless. I am easily distracted by shiny things. But perhaps a reason that so many Christian churches are having struggles is because they, like Captain Ulgren have "too many mind". Too mindful about the latest trend, gimmick or system. Too mindful about the church down the street. Too mindful about being cool. Too mindful about changing. Too mindful about not changing. Too mindful about being right. Too many mind =  no focus - no life.

No focus usually means poor effect or  poor results. I think if honesty is employed this is a great descriptor of the current state of the Church in general. The great part though is that when the focus is on Jesus scripture (John 14:6a) assures us that he is the way the truth and the life -  something to keep in mind.