No Help From a Fish

If you want a definition of water, do not ask a fish. This odd sounding but often repeated adage is backed by a healthy dose of truth. A fish would be unable to comprehend something as simple as water because the water is its entire world. The water is all it knows. Despite being surrounded by water its whole life, it never is able to gain a proper perspective on the most essential component of its existence. At times, people are no better than fish at understanding even the most basic parts of our lives especially from the perspective of others. I was given the opportunity to come out of the water by previewing a film that will be released on January 22, 2010 entitled To Save a Life.

The movie follows the life a popular high school basketball player, Jake Taylor, who is faced with immense tragedy when his childhood friend commits suicide. He is approached by the youth pastor of a local church and eventually decides to attend a Sunday morning service. The next day at school Jake is talking with one of the girls who is a regular at the church and she proceeds to invite him to “youth group” on Tuesday night. Jake does not understand because he has already been to church. With a look of both confusion and astonishment, he simply asks, “You go to church two times a week?” For the audience of youth workers, this was a very humorous moment. The entire theater erupted with laughter and understandably so. We all have built our lives around going to church two times a week. For someone to be confused by such a simple concept, to us, is laughable. However, I imagine that when the film is released, there will be many people who witness this scene and are just as confused as Jake. They too will want an answer to the question he asked because they do not understand what to us is almost second nature.

More than anything, this film helps Christians see themselves through the eyes of a non-believer. Paul encourages the Christian “not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned” (Romans 12:3). At times, we struggle to do this because, like the fish, we are unable to remove ourselves from comfortable surroundings and ways of thinking. We cannot see our lives the way that others do. If we are not careful, God’s people can become so closed off that we miss opportunities to positively influence those around us because we just do not make the effort to see the world from their perspective.

There are many people hurting on this planet. They may feel isolated. They may be dealing with loss. They may be searching for answers. While we cannot explain everything that happens, we put our trust in the One who can. It is our responsibility to teach others to do the same. We will not be able to teach them until we understand them, and we will not understand them if we do not make a conscious effort to learn. Let us try every day to step outside of our comfort zones and reach out to people whom we might not notice otherwise. Let us fulfill Jesus’ call to go into a hurting world with the Gospel that God is good and able to make sense out of life’s many troubles.

A Strange Group of People

From the time I was born, there has seldom been a Sunday during which my family and I did not attend at least one worship service at a local church whether we were at home or on vacation. I remember often singing about the wee little man named Zacchaeus during Sunday school and then sneaking back into the classroom to play with the funny looking flannel board characters which in all likelihood boar absolutely no resemblance to the people they were intended to represent. I sometimes would “play church” at home using Pop-tarts and Juicy-Juice as the communion meal. Every now and then I would “baptize” my little brother over and over again in the pool even though he had no desire to be immersed (probably because he never got more than three seconds to breath in between dunks). I am not sure when, but at some point I realized that Christians can be weird. We can decide to focus on odd things that have no real bearing on what it means to be a true follower or Jesus.

Matthew Paul Turner had a few similar experiences as a child. In his book, Churched: One Kid’s Journey Toward God Despite a Holy Mess, he recounts one encounter with an all too sure Bible class teacher:
“One Sunday, Mrs. Snover handed each of us a black-and-white picture of Jesus grinning from ear to ear and holding two fish and five loaves of bread. She had just finished telling us how Jesus performed a miracle and fed five thousand hungry male followers. I’d heard that story many times before, but when Mrs. Snover pulled out a loaf of Wonder Bread and a couple of cans of Bumble Bee tuna to help us visualize the miracle, it opened my eyes to a new facet of that biblical story. Sometimes Jesus smelled like cat food.

As soon as Mrs. Snover handed me the coloring picture, I immediately jumped up and ran to grab the Kelly-green and tangerine-orange crayons out of the coloring box. I began filling in Jesus’s robe with my favorite shade of green.

‘Matthew.’ Mrs. Snover darted around the table to where I was sitting, ‘What are you doing?’

‘I’m coloring Jesus.’

She didn’t say anything at first; she just stood, rooted, and stared over my shoulder like a very disappointed nun. ‘Uh, no, no, no. Jesus’s robe was not green Matthew; it was white…Jesus didn’t dress in those kinds of colors. He just wore a plain white robe.’

Since I was only a second grader, I wasn’t sure how she knew so much about the dress code of Jesus, but as I got older, I sometimes wondered whether or not she had been around him in one of her other lives, perhaps as one of the demons he cast out.” (pp. 90-91)

Even during his ministry on this earth, Jesus dealt with people who simply did not understand him or his purpose. In Matthew 12, Jesus and his disciples are walking through a grain field on the Sabbath day, and one of those disciples breaks off a piece of wheat because he is hungry. The Pharisees quickly take advantage of the situation, accusing Jesus and his followers of doing what is “unlawful.” Jesus responds by saying that these teachers of the law do not understand the intent of what they were teaching. He uses David and priests of the temple as examples of people who had done much worse things on the Sabbath and were still counted as sinless. Jesus concludes by saying to the Pharisees, “…if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless” (v. 7).

Today, we are bombarded with messages about who Jesus was and what he expects of us. The truth is that he simply wants us to follow him. He simply wants us to be disciples who go out and make other disciples. There is no need to overcomplicate things. Jesus wants disciples who love him, love those around them, and serve the world.

...And I'm An Alcoholic

A guy in his mid-twenties walked out onto the stage wearing jeans and an un-tucked, button-up shirt. Like most of the people who walked onto that stage, he asked the only questions certain to get at least a mildly energetic response from the junior high crowd: “What’s up Impact?! Are you excited to be here tonight?!” Of course, there were many cheers that came pouring fourth from the 1,200 people in the audience, though not as many as when the song leader had asked the same question approximately 45 minutes before. He then stood center stage and introduced himself by saying, “My name is Trevor. I’m a former Lipscomb student. And I am an alcoholic.” The crowd erupted into the loudest chorus of approval it had exhibited all weekend.

I could not help but chuckle a bit inside because here these teenagers were giving a standing ovation to a man who had just confessed one of the more taboo sins in our culture (there is a reason it is called Alcoholic Anonymous ). Obviously, they were not applauding his addiction to hard liquor at a “church camp,” although the thought of that struck me as funny. Instead, they were showing their immense approval for this act of confession, an act which three days of lessons had convinced them was essential for any true disciple of Jesus.

Jeff Walling spoke about Adam and Eve and how they became ashamed after sinning in the garden. He said that the only way to rid oneself of that kind of guilt is to confess, or name it. Walling pointed out that the verb “confess” is similar to the one used when Adam named the animals. To confess something is to name it, and if you name something you assume control over it. Trevor gained control over his problem by calling it what it was, not just in the privacy of his apartment, but in the presence of trusted friends and family members.

God has given us a spiritual family in which we are free to name our shortcomings so that with the help of fellow Christians we can assert control over, as the Hebrews writer called it, the sin which so easily entangles us (Hebrews 12:1). James says to, “confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The intense prayer of the righteous is very powerful” (James 5:16). James seems to indicate that confession is only the beginning.

Naming your sin does no good if there is no prayer and intercession to follow. Often, disciples will get worked into an emotional frenzy, so much so that they let go of all the secrets they possess. As wonderful and liberating as that moment is, we must remember James’ admonition to pray, not just once or twice, but continually. The epistle concludes with these words:
“My brothers, if any among you strays from the truth, and someone turns him back he should know that whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his life from death and cover a multitude of sins.” (James 5:19-20)
Confession is the first step in a new direction, but to “turn” takes many more intentional choices that lead back to what James calls the “truth.”

Family Vacations

There are certain times in life when you are forced, because of shear stupidity or embarrassment, to look at the people around you and ask yourself, “Am I really supposed to be with them?” Very often in my life, these times have occurred during family vacations. The Griswalds had flawless trips when compared to the Grices, especially as we loaded up with two other families every summer to spend one week in Panama City Beach, Florida. There were always mishaps (usually incredibly funny ones), but a particular summer had more than was normal because of a twist that Mother Nature spun our way.

My parents owned two condominiums at Regency Towers and over the course of several years, our family became well acquainted with the family who rented jet skis in front of our complex. They were nice enough to take us out one morning free of charge. The sky was the best shade of blue and the water was as calm as I had ever seen it. We fed dolphins. We jumped each other’s waves. We pestered fishermen. We did all of this before lunch and were very hungry upon our return to land. As we made our way into our third floor condo and began making ham sandwiches, we turned on the television. The regular “Beach TV” programming was not available. Instead, there was a man sitting behind a table talking about evacuations for the approaching hurricane. Only 30 minutes earlier, we had been in the Gulf of Mexico where a category 2 hurricane would later make landfall. After talking with some of the locals, we all agreed that it would be best to stay beachfront and ride out the storm.

With precious little time before the hurricane was forecast to make landfall, our group rushed to the only store that was still open: Seven-Eleven. There was no discussion of what supplies should be purchased or who should find what. No, instead 15 people from Jasper, AL began collecting items that we individually thought would help us during this potential natural disaster. Had Jeff Foxworthy seen what we brought to the checkout line, we would now be a well-known part of his stand-up act. Some of the items included a Snickers bar, a pack of Skittles, a 1 liter Mountain Dew, earphones, and swimming goggles. The cashier told my mother, “Y’all are so lucky because we have one pack of batteries left,” to which my mom replied, “Do you think we’ll need those?” (she purchased the batteries only to find out later that we had no flashlight).

In all seriousness, I love my family very much, but sometimes I cannot help laughing at the things we do. No family is perfect. No parents can always keep from embarrassing their children. No children can always keep from embarrassing their parents. No grandparents can always keep from spoiling their grandchildren. We push each other’s buttons so much at times that we just want to keep our distance. However, we are still family. We still love each other unconditionally. That is the way a family works.

In his gospel, John writes that Jesus “came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:11-13). All of us who have been born of God share the same lineage. We belong to the same family, God’s family. Like our biological families, the family of God is full of imperfect people whose actions often require us to extend a little extra grace. However, because we have not been born of blood, flesh or the will of man, we are counted as perfect beings who have been fully redeemed. The family of God is both imperfect and perfect at the same time. This extraordinary fellowship is possible only because of our Father in heaven who sets before us an example of the kind of love that we aught to give each other and who motivates us to share that love with the world.

Truly Awesome

The thought of spending the day in a hospital sounds dreadful to most people. The thought of spending the day in a hospital that treats only children is even worse. Adding the awareness that almost all of the kids are battling cancer is just downright depressing. Nevertheless, this was one of the purposes for which I traveled to Memphis, TN as a sophomore at the University of Alabama. I had been put in charge of initiating an annual fundraiser for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and was attending a workshop to learn how to accomplish this goal. As we walked through the door of the hospital, we were engulfed by the colorful murals painted onto every wall, serenaded by the sound of squeaky tricycle wheels rolling down the corridors, and made to laugh at the purposefully humorous ways several of the kids had chosen to cover their bald heads. Depression was simply not allowed.

St. Jude is miraculous place. Patients, doctors, and researchers come from all over the world to either receive treatment or work in an hopeful and effective environment. Since 1962, their cure rate for Hodgkin lymphoma has gone from 50% to 90% and their cure rate for Non-Hodgkin lymphoma has gone from 7% to 80%. This means that St. Jude is close to realizing the dream of its founder, Danny Thomas, who said that, “no child should die in the dawn of life.” At St. Jude, patients are treated both physically and emotionally and their families are very well taken care of also.

What amazed me the most was not the cure rates or the eternal optimism of the staff, but rather the fact that absolutely no family ever sees a bill. It costs over $1million to simply open the doors of St. Jude each day and all of that money comes from private and corporate donors. Only through the generosity of concerned people is this charity hospital able to carry out its life saving mission, and fully comprehending just how generous those donors are fills one with awe. A generous spirit is apparently just as moving today as it was in the days following the death of Jesus.

In Acts 2, we read that “awe came upon every soul” when the early Christians were doing as the apostles instructed. Yes, there were “many wonders and signs” being done through the apostles, but other things were also happening such as fellowship, prayer, and giving. Apparently, these early disciples were “selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.” Part of what caused the people to be amazed was the generosity of the early church. They sold what they owned to ensure that no brother or sister was destitute.

In a similar spirit, our congregation has organized a massive yard sale to raise funds for our upcoming mission trip to Ghana. Just as these first century Christians did, we have brought belongings to sell so that our brothers and sisters overseas will not have to go without food, shelter, or clothing. Let us pray that we can rally together, taking our cue from first century Christians, so that our community might also feel a sense of awe.

African Widows

There is an orphanage a few miles outside of Nairobi, Kenya that houses around 160 children ages 2 to 16. The facilities are adequate by African standards, but despite recent expansions every child sleeps at least two to a single bed, with some of the smaller children sleeping three to a bed. They each have one, perhaps two changes of clothes aside from their tattered school uniforms. The management has no permanent support from religious or non-governmental organizations and therefore relies completely upon the generosity of concerned missionaries and charity workers to feed and educate these precious young souls.

Don Pittman and I were part of a delegation from the Nairobi Church of Christ- Eastleigh that went to this orphanage last week to deliver maize, rice, beans, and sugar so that the nearly empty food pantry could be re-stocked for at least one more month. We, of course, played the part of typical Americans with our cameras out and smiles on our faces because even after traveling for 24 straight hours we were finally doing what we had come to do: take care of “the least of these” (Matthew 25:40). As residents of the United State, we know that we are blessed almost beyond measure and going to an orphanage such as this one serves as a reminder to us of our great fortune. Giving to these innocent, young victims of disease and violence helps alleviate the guilt that we sometimes feel during visits to third world countries because even though we will go home to king sized beds and more food than we can consume, we have in some small way made the lives of these orphans just a little more bearable.

During this visit, however, I was somewhat surprised to see that the Kenyans who accompanied us were just as excited about helping as we were. This surprised me because I have been to the homes of these Kenyans. They are my friends. I love them very much. However, I understand that they do not have a great many material possessions to claim as their own. They do not enjoy the luxuries that we do in North America. They may live better than the orphans at this children’s home, but by American standards they do not live well. They struggle to put food on the table, pay the rent, and simply survive. Still, they wanted to do their part in helping the “less fortunate.”

One day, Jesus sat opposite the collection point in the temple and observed those who were making their contributions. He saw many people deposit large sums of money, but was particularly impressed by one widow who gave roughly one penny. He contrasted this widow to the others saying, “they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on” (Mark 12:44). Jesus observed something in this woman that I observed in my Kenyan friends: the desire to give one’s all.

As we seek to know God, know each other, and serve the World, we must realize that the last step in our process is one that requires a large commitment but also is one that renders the greatest satisfaction. Whether we give from abundance (as Don and I did) or from poverty (as the Kenyans did) is not the issue. The issue is that giving to others brings about fulfillment in our lives. It gives us purpose. It helps demonstrate the greatest attribute of the God whom we serve. In continuing to discuss discipleship, let us remember that service is at the pinnacle of what we are trying to achieve.

The Vine and the Branches

January has always seemed to be a somewhat trying time in my judgment. The excitement that accompanies the holiday season has diminished (all the gifts are open, many dishes have been cleaned, various relatives have gone home, and every sparkler has faded into the night) and we are forced to go back to our normal routines. Those who make resolutions keep them for a few weeks, and consequently end up with more stress than they would typically have. Slowly, though, February arrives and life normalizes as we get the first glimpses of what the new year might bring.

As I look ahead to 2009, I am so very excited about having two separate opportunities to make the long journey to Africa and visit friends, many of whom I have not seen in quite some time. It is impossible during those trips not to take account of the vast differences in culture and how those differences translate into the church. Some congregations are very similar to congregations in the United States, however some are not. The variations are nothing of profound doctrinal importance, but instead are a simple reflection of diverse societies. Whether the congregations have three songs then a prayer or take a more informal approach to their corporate gatherings is not the issue. While I notice those differences, my attention is drawn to something much more significant: how Christians live each day across the globe.

Jesus never wanted robots who ritualistically obey commandments without understanding or caring why those commandments were given in the first place. He described a much more vibrant, communal relationship between him and those who would call themselves disciples:
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit…Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing…By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.” (Matthew 15:1-8)
The purpose of a disciple of Jesus Christ is to bear fruit through their connection to him.

Each day, men and women awake in cities and villages around the world with this goal in mind. They have glorifying God as their sole purpose, regardless of what activities are planned for the day. They know that they can bear fruit in many ways and therefore put God first whether they are drawing water, attending a board meeting, or sitting in a worship service. That goal is what binds us to them. We are all connected as disciples through Jesus, the vine.

When I am in Kenya or Ghana, I am able to recognize the Christians by the fruit that they bear (see Luke 6:44). What if a disciple from one of those countries came to Athens, AL? Would he or she be able to recognize disciples here? Would he or she notice any fruit laying around? As this year moves forward, let us remember the simple call of discipleship and strive to connect to Jesus, through whom we are able to do all things and without whom we are able to do nothing!