I've Always felt a kindred spirit with Eeyore. Which... is odd because im not a donkey (although i do identify with democrats most of the time) and I'm not made out of cloth (although i feel fragile a lot)... but I think I feel like him more often than not.
His catch-phrase sinks deep with me- "Thanks for noticing me..."- Often I feel like the odd-man out, the person who's only noticed when they get tripped over or hurt someone else inadvertently.
Recently, though, there's been an interesting shift in my world-view paradigm. I used to think about christianity in reference to summer camps. It sounds weird, but hang on with me- At summer camp they usually have decision nights, where they have everyone close their eyes and bow their heads and say something like:
"... and if you're ready to do that, I'm going to count to three and I want you to stand up..."
And your palms start to sweat,
and the chair is feeling extra comfortable for some reason,
but you feel like you SHOULD stand up...
and the man at the front says "...ONE..."
and you DO feel ready to do what their asking...
but its awkward...
and your stomache is in your shoes...
and the chair sucking you into itself...
and the man at the front says "...TWO..."
and you think:
"ok...
im just gonna do it....
im just gonna stand up....
but, wait....
i dont REALLY have to stand up...
do I?....
but i should stand....
uuhhhhh......"
Your hands are now cradling a pool of sweat in each palm,
and the man at the front says "...three."
the shuffling sounds of feet moving and chairs squeaking fill the room...
and there you are.
They usually have three nights like this-
One night for new dedications, saying for the first time "yes" to the call to follow Christ,
One night for RE-dedications to follow Christ, because this time you really mean it! (or, you really, really mean it, depending on whether its your second, third, eighth re-dedication...)
and then one night to dedicate your life if you feel called into ministry.
And I used to put all christians into these categories- You have your new Christians, beginning their journey. You have your "re-dedication" Christians, who are still struggling with making a clear decision and sticking to it, and then you have these people who are called into ministry- and these were the REAL Christians, the ones who were closest to Christ, selling out their lives to go into ministry for the Kingdom!
And i thought, in the back of my head, that this is what Christianity looked like- you are new, then you re-dedicate until you get it... and when you are ready, you are called into your ministry, and you are given the keys to the Kingdom- you have finally reached the PINNACLE of Following Christ.
And I remember when I first started serving in ministry- I felt like i was "ahead of the game" like I had "gotten it", you know? I finally got into serving in ministry and I was THERE! YES! Sure, its gonna be hard, but i've finally made it! Ive found my ministry! Im serving! IM HERE!
and then.... that part of my life stopped causing me total euphoria, and I started to feel stagnant... and started to ask myself
"well... now what?"
I began talking about this stuff with a friend and counselor, Tim Young, and He said something that changed everything: "Well, Josh... above using us to change lives, Christ came to TRANSFORM our lives. Jesus cares FAR MORE about the relationship with you and the wholeness of your life than the ministry that you can do."
and it hit me...
If we view Christianity is a way thats always how WE can help OTHERS, and how WE can help transform THEIR life, and how WE can work together to help MORE people... suddenly our Christianity is about nothing more than US and THEM, with hardly and mention of God anywhere.
oh sure, we end up placing WWJD bracelets on our wrists, and we have bumper stickers that say "Jesus Loves You!" but all to often we follow that up with "Follow me to Southland Christian Church!" and it becomes about what WE can do for THEM.
But when we start taking the idea of Christianity and make it about you and me, Jesus becomes a by-product of OUR work... but shouldn't our ministry to others be a byproduct of Jesus transformation in our own lives?
The call of Christ is more than just a call to say "YES" to Him, its more than a call to serve in a ministry, its more than a call to get married or a job or go to a certain school- above ALL else, Christ calls us to wholeness.
and this shifted EVERYTHING for me.
Above ANYTHING else... Christ wants to make us whole, complete people.
WOW!
Its been an interesting shift in my mindset recently... and now, the summer camp view of Christianity is gone- and now instead of attempting to convert EVERYONE i see, I'm praying for God to transform MY life, and that out of that transformation that He may use me every day to help people become more fully themselves, continually understanding that they can ONLY become more fully themselves in Christ.
So- I still feel like Eeyore from time to time, but I now know that Gods ultimate purpose in my life is to help bring me to wholeness... and to use me in bringing others to wholeness as well.
His catch-phrase sinks deep with me- "Thanks for noticing me..."- Often I feel like the odd-man out, the person who's only noticed when they get tripped over or hurt someone else inadvertently.
Recently, though, there's been an interesting shift in my world-view paradigm. I used to think about christianity in reference to summer camps. It sounds weird, but hang on with me- At summer camp they usually have decision nights, where they have everyone close their eyes and bow their heads and say something like:
"... and if you're ready to do that, I'm going to count to three and I want you to stand up..."
And your palms start to sweat,
and the chair is feeling extra comfortable for some reason,
but you feel like you SHOULD stand up...
and the man at the front says "...ONE..."
and you DO feel ready to do what their asking...
but its awkward...
and your stomache is in your shoes...
and the chair sucking you into itself...
and the man at the front says "...TWO..."
and you think:
"ok...
im just gonna do it....
im just gonna stand up....
but, wait....
i dont REALLY have to stand up...
do I?....
but i should stand....
uuhhhhh......"
Your hands are now cradling a pool of sweat in each palm,
and the man at the front says "...three."
the shuffling sounds of feet moving and chairs squeaking fill the room...
and there you are.
They usually have three nights like this-
One night for new dedications, saying for the first time "yes" to the call to follow Christ,
One night for RE-dedications to follow Christ, because this time you really mean it! (or, you really, really mean it, depending on whether its your second, third, eighth re-dedication...)
and then one night to dedicate your life if you feel called into ministry.
And I used to put all christians into these categories- You have your new Christians, beginning their journey. You have your "re-dedication" Christians, who are still struggling with making a clear decision and sticking to it, and then you have these people who are called into ministry- and these were the REAL Christians, the ones who were closest to Christ, selling out their lives to go into ministry for the Kingdom!
And i thought, in the back of my head, that this is what Christianity looked like- you are new, then you re-dedicate until you get it... and when you are ready, you are called into your ministry, and you are given the keys to the Kingdom- you have finally reached the PINNACLE of Following Christ.
And I remember when I first started serving in ministry- I felt like i was "ahead of the game" like I had "gotten it", you know? I finally got into serving in ministry and I was THERE! YES! Sure, its gonna be hard, but i've finally made it! Ive found my ministry! Im serving! IM HERE!
and then.... that part of my life stopped causing me total euphoria, and I started to feel stagnant... and started to ask myself
"well... now what?"
I began talking about this stuff with a friend and counselor, Tim Young, and He said something that changed everything: "Well, Josh... above using us to change lives, Christ came to TRANSFORM our lives. Jesus cares FAR MORE about the relationship with you and the wholeness of your life than the ministry that you can do."
and it hit me...
If we view Christianity is a way thats always how WE can help OTHERS, and how WE can help transform THEIR life, and how WE can work together to help MORE people... suddenly our Christianity is about nothing more than US and THEM, with hardly and mention of God anywhere.
oh sure, we end up placing WWJD bracelets on our wrists, and we have bumper stickers that say "Jesus Loves You!" but all to often we follow that up with "Follow me to Southland Christian Church!" and it becomes about what WE can do for THEM.
But when we start taking the idea of Christianity and make it about you and me, Jesus becomes a by-product of OUR work... but shouldn't our ministry to others be a byproduct of Jesus transformation in our own lives?
The call of Christ is more than just a call to say "YES" to Him, its more than a call to serve in a ministry, its more than a call to get married or a job or go to a certain school- above ALL else, Christ calls us to wholeness.
and this shifted EVERYTHING for me.
Above ANYTHING else... Christ wants to make us whole, complete people.
WOW!
Its been an interesting shift in my mindset recently... and now, the summer camp view of Christianity is gone- and now instead of attempting to convert EVERYONE i see, I'm praying for God to transform MY life, and that out of that transformation that He may use me every day to help people become more fully themselves, continually understanding that they can ONLY become more fully themselves in Christ.
So- I still feel like Eeyore from time to time, but I now know that Gods ultimate purpose in my life is to help bring me to wholeness... and to use me in bringing others to wholeness as well.
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