Category: random thoughts

Posted on

to be thankful

as we come to the close of a day where we ostensibly set aside time in order to reflect on the myriad of things we have to be thankful for, it seems fitting to, along with other bloggers all across america, take a moment to enumerate a few things for which i am thankful.

the difficult part in making a list like this is not coming up with a list of things that you can be thankful for, but really in figuring out where to start. despite what we learn on hgtv and tlc, we are all blessed in thousands of ways, living in luxury unimaginable to kings of 500 years ago. we so often take for granted the small conveniences of life – climate control, hot showers, the ability to turn a light on in the dark, water you can drink out of the tap – only dreams to the richest of people not so long ago. we’ve become numb to the lies of our culture, a continual barrage of media telling us our lives aren’t complete.

in contrast to that message is reality.

tonight i go to sleep after eating two fantastic meals, with more left-over food in my refrigerator than i can possibly eat in the next 4 days. 814,600,000 people will go to bed undernourished.

i can read and write, something 18% of the world cannot do.

though outdated now, the computer i am typing on cost 1,500 dollars, 25% higher than the world’s estimated median income. my ipod cost 1o% more than the 271 dollar per-capita income in kenya.

when i graduate with my ph.d., i will be more educated than 99% of the world – in fact more educated than 99% of america. by contrast 41,000,000 people in america over the age of 18 don’t have a high school degree. 944,000 have no formal education.

i could go on all night with numbers and statistics. statistics lie, but the stories behind them are real. each one of those numbers represents countless mothers, fathers, children who will go to bed tonight in need – some without the basic necessities of life.

but perhaps most of all, i am thankful for something i do not have – despair. while thousands of people lie awake tonight questioning the purpose of their lives, or sit at a bar stool waiting for the next round, or sleep fearful of the future, i go to sleep tonight hopeful – hopeful that tomorrow will be a better day, that together we will craft a better world, one day at a time.

Posted on

those are somebody’s kids too…

i watched a west wing episode last night that had a rather poignant moment. i promise this blog isn’t turning into something political, but i wanted to share it. the discussion is taking place concerning sending troops to prevent genocide in a small african country.

c.j.
Stand by while atrocities are taking place, and you’re an accomplice.

toby
I’m not indifferent to that, but knuckleheaded self-destruction is never going to burn itself out. You really want to send your kids across the street into the fire?

c.j.
Want to? No. Should I? Yes!

toby
Why? And don’t give me a lefty answer.

c.j.
A lefty answer is all I’ve got.

toby
Why are you sending your kids across the street?

c.j.
Because those are somebody’s kids too.

Posted on

equality

Africa makes a mockery of what we say, at least what I say, about equality and questions our pieties and our commitments because there’s no way to look at what’s happening over there and it’s effect on all of us and conclude that we actually consider Africans as our equals before God. There is no chance.

…

This is the straight truth, the righteous truth. It’s not a theory, it’s a fact. The fact is that this generation–yours, my generation–that can look at the poverty, we’re the first generation that can look at poverty and disease, look across the ocean to Africa and say with a straight face, we can be the first to end this sort of stupid extreme poverty, where in the world of plenty, a child can die for lack of food in it’s belly.

…

It’s a fact. So why aren’t we pumping our fists in the air and cheering about it? Well probably because when we admit we can do something about it, we’ve got to do something about it.

-Bono, May 17, 2004

Posted on

from many, one.

There are many phrases that are popular today as we try to integrate God into our American culture. Often we are quick to point to the phrase “In God We Trust”, feeling that it is one of the core principles our nation was founded on, though the phrase was not adopted until 1956. We speak of “God Bless America”, and have songs like “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” which speak of the judgment and wrath of God burned into our minds.

Many times these phrases express our desired national sentiment or Christian representation of “God’s Country” rather than actual biblical significance. One phrase, however, captures a biblical truth that we as a church have all too often forgotten – e pluribus unum – from many, one.

Each of us comes to Christ from a different path, with different stories, different experiences. We have different talents, different desires, and different preferences. But amazingly Christ has brought us all together in His Kingdom to form one unified body under his leadership, the body of Christ.

And in the body of Christ we become one – old and young, rich and poor, successful and not, those who struggle daily with sin and those who seem to have everything right – all of us come equal and needy to the broken body of Christ.

And in the moment when we reach to his body and take his flesh and drink his blood, may we be reminded that none of us is any better than another. May we be mindful that we have no right to look down on anyone else, nor should we feel less worthy than anyone. May we respect the paths and stories of all those who have come to Christ – seeking to love each other. And may we remember that our true identity is in Christ, and that out of many, we become one.

Posted on

why they hate us

at the university of texas at austin’s resurrection week this year, there were several large boards where people could write anything they wanted in response to a few questions on display for all to see. one of the boards had the question “Why do you hate Christians?” the answers were open, honest, and all too often true. here are a few i wrote down:

i hate when they think they have the right to judge.

they are very judgmental and unloving.

they go against what Jesus teaches.

they try to legislate morality.

they don’t want to show weakness.

they act perfect and self-righteous.

they lack the ability to be real.

they bomb abortion clinics

they are intolerant.

they control the politics of the country.

they would go to a gay man’s funeral and spew hate.

in a day and age where our Christian sub-culture seems to be more interested in sounding religious than being Godly, i am reminded of the words of God in hosea – “I want you to be merciful; i don’t want your sacrifices. i want you to know God; that’s more important than burnt offerings.”

may we be a merciful people.

Posted on

is the world so dark?

is the world so dark?
is there no beauty here we may enjoy?
do we live in a world so twisted and broken
that we are the only light remaining?

no.

for God called his world good.

we do not have the market on goodness cornered.
we do not possess the only earthly ability for good.

let us praise good – all good –
as all good
points to the maker of good –

God.

Posted on

instant winner

from keese, over at the afc blog…

this morning i spent several hours driving to and from this resort trying to claim a prize i had “already won.” it was one of those get a letter in the mail, show up at the right time, listen to their advertising presentation, say no, get your prize things. i knew it was too good to be true and i totally expected to get cheated, but i at least hoped to make it a little further into the game before i lost out. you see, i didn’t meet the qualifications because i don’t earn enough annual income (i guess it takes money to buy lake-side condominiums these days) to be worth their time or something. of course, it clearly stated this is the fine print but unfortunately for me, i never received the letter containting these stipulations. disappointing, but at least lauren and i got to spend some time driving through the texas countryside together.

so all this got me thinking about salvation. odd how seeing God’s creation through a car window will do that. in God’s eyes we’re all “instant winners.” we who call Jesus our Lord and Savior already are gauranteed to receive the promised reward. and the best part is that there’s no fine print that will take it all away from us. sure, a walk with God isn’t always a pleasant stroll, in fact it seems like a marathon at times, but at least our guide has been up-front and honest with us. we won’t arrive at our destination and discover that we’ve been disqualified for the prize. Jesus has said that if we confess Him as both master and friend, He will confess us before His father at the end of our road. and i am very glad it’s all laid out for us all in some very true fine print.

Posted on

judging winners and losers

a winner tries to judge his own acts by their consequences, and other people’s acts by their intentions.

a loser gives himself all the best of it by judging his own acts by his intentions, and the acts of others by their consequences.

-sydney j. harris

Posted on

we come before you a hopeful people

our father,
we come before you
a hopeful people
a faithful people.

we come before you with worries and pain
joy and thanks
we come with a thousand
plans
desires
dreams
lives.

we come in this time asking
to be equal before you
not only in your eyes
but in our hearts

may our grace and mercy to each other
extend as far
as the grace and mercy of Christ.
may our hearts be filled with compassion and justice

may we know and believe
that each person
was created by you
is loved by you
is valued by you.

may our charity flow freely
to your creation.

may we be a blessing to your world –
giving more than we take
recognizing
that you love all you have made.

teach us,
God,
to desire to honor your creation –
all of your creation –
as much as we desire to honor
You.