We Need You

What are we doing? I mean, what are we REALLY doing to impact the world around us? Chances are, unless we live in a cave of apathy and indifference (as many do), we are making a difference. But what kind of difference are we making? Is it an intentional difference? Do we have a presence about us that is measurable by our absence? For good, or ill?

Life matters. People matter. Your neighbors, friends, coworkers, and enemies. Those you like and dislike. Those with whom you do and do not agree. 

The truth is, we need you.

The world needs the selfish, entitled, pansy, lazy, overly sensitive, easily offended wonderful, productive, engaging, understanding, and actually tolerant and compassionate you that is far too easily hidden, marginalized, and/or forgotten. 

Step up. Do something. C'mon already! We need you! What will you do that world needs? Let us know below.

September 18 - Prophecy: Silver

Promise: Zechariah 11:12-13Fulfillment: Matthew 26:14-15

Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?” And they paid him thirty pieces of silver. (Matthew 26:14, 15 ESV)

Prophecy can be a tricky thing. Some people start to get really weird and strange when they talk about it. But the cool thing that Biblical prophecy does over and over again through both the Old and New Testament, is confirm that Jesus was exactly who he claimed to be.

Sometime around 500 B.C. the Old Testament prophet Zechariah foretold that the one who betrayed the Messiah would be paid thirty pieces of silver for handing him over to the authorities. Zechariah wrote about things that he could not have possibly understood or imagined without divine inspiration. It was more than an educated guess. It was foreknowledge granted by the Holy Spirit.

Jesus' disciple Judas was the guy who handled the money for the ministry. He mist have been in love with money in order to betray Jesus like he did. Thirty pieces of silver was the price he got for betraying Jesus. But Jesus paid far more than that for you and I.

If there is one thing that I can take away from this story beyond the confirmation that prophecy brings—it is that you and I have value to God. Yes, Jesus was betrayed for what seems like a paltry amount of money. But that isn't the point. The point is that through his cheap betrayal, he was willing to sacrifice something of an incalculable value for a people that he believed was worth it.

God thinks you were worth it. That's pretty cool. To Him you are far more important than some silver. You are even more important to Him than His own life.

April 22 - Treasure

Read: Matthew 6:19-21

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:21 ESV)

Just the idea of treasure is pretty cool. It makes me think of rare valuables of unimaginable worth. Sparkly shiny things tucked away in secret chests hidden away behind maps, traps, and adventure. It also elicits visions of priceless artifacts put on display in public places by people who wish to share their treasure with the world. Treasure is awesome. Jesus' concept of treasure painted an even better word picture. He defined treasure as something of value. Treasure as he taught it, was something of extreme importance. Treasure was and is whatever you put your heart into.

What you value matters. What you value shapes your hobbies, decisions, and ethics. What you value is your treasure, and your treasure is your values. How important you deem something to be gauges your willingness to invest in it. It determines your perception of its worth. Something perceived to be of high value is handled with care and respect. Something considered frivolous or unworthy is disregarded, neglected, or abused.

We make decisions about our treasure every day. Sometimes we share it. Often we hoard. Sometimes we decide people are treasured, and other times we see them as having no value at all. My prayer is that Jesus would help me daily to value things as he does. I want my heart to be where his is. I want my treasure to be the same. I have such a long way to go to get there.

Merica's gods: Mirrors, Models, and Muscles

I've spent the last several months thinking about the utter waste in our nation. We waste resources, education, and effort on a wealth of idolatrous pursuits that are at the epicenter of American culture. It makes me sad. It is deeply sinful. And one of the saddest parts about it is that the American church has done or is doing very little to call it's people to repentance. Shame on us. We love pretty people. We love strong people. We love people who are strong while they are pretty even more; and we love people who can make us feel strong or pretty most of all. The catch in this whole distorted thought process is that we have no idea what either or strong or pretty really are outside of our disastrously unhealthy presuppositions about physical appearance.

Guys often think we know what pretty is. We usually attribute it to a visually pleasing female image, after all, God did wire us that way, but that is really only one aspect of beauty...one that has been disfigured, embellished, and warped beyond recognition. This image most of us hold to about the nature of beauty is actually a sacred cow. It is an idol that our nation sacrifices billions of dollars to every year.

Sure, there is something aesthetically pleasing about attractive people, but that is only one aspect of a person's being. When it comes to strength and beauty we so often miss the mark by determining a person's worth based on their physical image. Another major pitfall here is how we measure our own worth based on these fickle indicators.

Anytime a person's image governs our reception of them, or our actions or attitudes toward them, we have made image an idol. Jesus plainly stated in scripture that how we treat other people is a direct indicator of how we treat Him.

Heaven help us to see people for who they are, to love them without condition, and to put to death the vulgar quest for the perfect image so many have become so consumed with.

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More posts in this series:

Etiquette, Etican, Etican't

Football, Athletes, and Idolatry

Mirrors, Models, and Muscles

Education

Sex

Culture Wars

Religious Tradition and Dissidence

Intolerance

Greed & Consumerism