Then I met friends weren't on the same evangelical Christian path as I was. Not only did they garden, recycle and help out community organizations - they didn't use styrofoam, conserved water, gave to many organizations (not just the church). For my part, I didn't know people really recycled. Well, except for those hippies in Seattle. Yes, I'm serious. And, we'd spend our money eating out way too often and bring home the leftovers in styrofoam containers. (I now deplore styrofoam containers - not only for their lifespan, but dog gone it that terrible sound is like fingernails on a chalkboard.) Okay - I could go on and on, but let's just say I was CLUELESS. I was comfortable going to church and figuring out how I was going to heaven (and, for that matter if heaven was going to just be singing all day!) It's what we did. We celebrated our home we'd soon have - and sit -- and for those who liked to read, study while we sat.
Then came the 21st century and year 2000. Evangelical Christian Americans -- our household included -- became more vested in politics - thanks to the advent of the 24-hour news channel and FOX News that catered more to our leaning - and a presidential debacle that had us eager for a change. Around the same time The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren came out and suddenly churches were talking about how to live in their community. Ministry within the community became something that churches began talking about. Was it really a new concept? It was for our household. Churches weren't only concerned about going to heaven, now the conversation was shifting towards how can we serve our community and how can we band together to save the nation which was on a slippery slope.. heading to "H E double hockey sticks in a handbag."
This quote from Gary Haugen President of The International Justice Mission hits home:
Haugen came of age at a time when the small group of Christians speaking most loudly for Jesus were not, in his view, representative of the wider Christian community. He told me, “Evangelicals come from a tradition that says, ‘Don’t be involved in politics. Try to go to Heaven.’ But then we entered a phase where the religious right said, ‘It’s our duty as Christians to be involved in politics, and here’s what Christians should be politically involved in fighting: abortion, gay rights, Communism.’ Now, today’s Christians are saying, ‘Whoa, who says?’ and ‘Surely there is more.’ ” At his Willow Creek lecture in August, Haugen never mentioned James Dobson, Pat Robertson, or other leaders of the religious right by name, but he called on the crowd to join with him in leading “our faith community out of a prison of triviality and fear.” He continued, “May this be the generation of Christian leaders that resets the bar of excellence.”*
I hope I'm being moved in the direction of resetting the bar of excellence. Changing what matters.
God Is Love (I John 4)7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.
My love for God and His love for me compels me to figure it out and "love one another". To me that's "love everyone". To love - verb - I must know more. To know more I must dig deeper than I'm taught in church. I must really appreciate how blessed I am and how needy others are.
I must understand that there are others who give up a life of relative wealth and figure out how they can live differently (Interrupted - Jen Hatmaker; or, Kisses from Katie - Katie Davis).
I must learn that I can do with less (7; An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess).
I must learn that God values woman of character, who courageous seek Him -- beauty doesn't matter (Esther - Beth Moore). I must learn that riches don't matter to God - showing mercy to the poor matter. (James - Beth Moore).
I must see others living recklessly sharing the love of Christ (Blood Brothers documentary).
I must hear the stories of boys forced to harvest cacoa so I can eat my cheap chocolate, or of woman sold into slavery or brutally raped (Half the Sky - Kristof/WuDunn)
I must continue to want to learn more - be made raw with grief for others. Ache as His heart aches. http://www.thelocusteffect.com/ (going to read: The Locus Effect - Gary Haugen)
I cannot be brainwashed by anyone if I seek knowledge. I must continue to learn, and share, and change my buying and accumulating habits, and speak up for those who can't.... and then.... change will come and I'll become part of the next generation of Christians who reset the bar of excellence... who truly love the least of these.
Lord, let it be.
* http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2009/01/19/090119fa_fact_power
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