A Christmas Story

Thanksgiving is now completed for another year and stores have brought their many Christmas decorations out of storage and into public view. Especially in a down economy, business owners are hoping that the Christmas spirit will catch on earlier than usual and therefore provide for an extended shopping season. Of course, in all economic times, Americans have shown their willingness to spend a great deal of money to buy gifts for their families and perhaps even themselves. If a family is unable to purchase gifts, churches and private charities step in to correct the bad situation and give (at least) the children good Christmas memories with special presents. The idea seems to be that everyone should have something to on Christmas Day.

Certainly Christmas is a special day for children. They have been mostly good all year, they have told Santa what they would like to receive, and for months they have been counting down the days until they will be able to get out of bed and unwrap that much-anticipated reward for their patience and behavior. When that moment finally arrives, there is such a rush of excitement that fills the room. All the waiting has paid off and now that doll or bicycle can be used till their hearts are content. The old toys from last December seem to have very antiquated purposes. They just do not seem as special as the new, pristine toys. The new toys represent new opportunities for fun. They introduce new tests. They are much better than their predecessors for a number of reasons.

From those early childhood memories of Christmas morning, people grow into adulthood with a sense that new is better. Something that is old and worn should be replaced with something that is young and intact. Cell phone companies understand this and therefore spend valuable resources marketing their latest models that everyone knows should replace their current mobile devices. All they must say is, “This phone is new” and people automatically understand “This phone is better.”

God has given His creation the opportunity to trade in the old for the new. Paul explains in his letter to the Romans:
“What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you now know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ have been baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin…So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus” (Romans 6:1-11 ESV, emphasis added)
Baptism is in some ways like Christmas morning. It is the moment at which we exchange our old, sinful selves for new creations which have been given to us by the grace of God. Sin no longer controls us, instead God’s love controls us. We have a new way of seeing the world. We have new challenges to meet and new opportunities that are presented to us. But unlike those gifts that are irrelevant by the time Christmas comes the next year, our new lives does not lose their meaning and significance. Like Jesus, we can claim that death no longer has control over us. He conquered death so that our new spiritual bodies will not fade or have their luster diminished.

At Least They Were Trying, Right?

During the time of Jesus, Palestine was an interesting place. Several centuries earlier, Alexander the Great had conquered that land (and many other territories) spreading Greek culture from the eastern Mediterranean across the Middle East and eventually to India. Not only did this ensure that the Greek language was common to the majority of the world, but it also meant that the Greek culture began to replace existing cultures and influence existing religious systems. Alexander founded Greek-style cities complete with theaters, public baths, and gymnasiums. He encouraged the introduction of Greek customs and pushed his Greek soldiers to marry local women. Because the Jews did not resist him, Alexander allowed them a great deal of independence, even permitting continued worship at the temple in Jerusalem. Still, there was an enormous amount of Greek influence on the Jewish people and their society. After several subsequent leaders and a rebellion in which the Jews briefly gained independence, two main sects emerged. One supported the Greek influence and the change it brought. The other resisted the change and sought to preserve strict Jewish traditions. The former group eventually became the Sadducees and the latter became the Pharisees of Jesus’ time. (Mark Strauss, Four Portraits One Jesus).

In the New Testament, Pharisees are rarely shown in a positive light. Jesus is constantly challenging them for their hypocrisy and arrogance. Indeed they saw themselves as more pious than others and essentially worked to “build a fence” around the Law of Moses. In other words, they labored diligently to make sure that nobody came close to violating the Law by discussing and debating and prescribing everyday conduct. For example, knot-tying was unlawful on the Sabbath, however knots that could be untied with one hand were permissible. A person could tie a bucket over a well on the Sabbath, but only with a belt and not with a rope. Far from being ungodly, they sought to be the godliest people around by carefully considering God’s Law and making sure that there was not even a question as to whether or not it had been violated.

But despite the Pharisees diligence, despite their commitment to the God of Israel and His Law, they were not anywhere near the true heart of Yahweh. Jesus points out that they taught it was acceptable for a son to neglect his elderly parents if the money that would have gone to help them was given to the temple or synagogue instead. This teaching was contrary to the will of God, so Jesus says, “…for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God. You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said, ‘This people honors me with their lips but their heart is far from me…’” (Matthew 15:7-8). Later, Jesus calls a group of scribes and Pharisees “whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness.” (Matthew 23:27). We tend to focus on their inner rottenness but we need to understand the outward beauty of the Pharisees. Unlike today, most people in this time revered the group of pious Jews. However, Jesus pointed out over and over that they had missed the point. They had missed the heart of God.

Just like in the first century, it is possible for people who claim to follow God today to perform all the correct outward duties yet still possess a heart that is far from God. It is possible for people to “go to church”, read their Bibles, and even pray without actually being transformed into a new person whose heart beats to the rhythm of God’s. God wants our hearts, not our obligatory actions. To give our hearts away, though, is a scary thing even when the recipient is God. The reason is that God will change our hearts and perhaps cause us to do things that we would otherwise think to be crazy.

Scary Stuff

Earnest Hemingway defined courage as “grace under pressure.” President John Kennedy referred to it as the “most admirable of human virtues.” Songwriter Keni Thomas claims that a hero is “a scared man that don’t walk away.” For some reason, mankind seems to admire those who take on uncommon risk to improve their own condition or the condition of others. From medals to awards to recognition by the highest leaders of government, courageous individuals are put on a pedestal for their bravery. However, as is evident from the above quotes, definitions of courage vary from person to person. What one considers brave another might consider foolish. What one considers foolish another might consider brave. In fact the line between valor and stupidity is often blurred beyond recognition. General Eisenhower seemed to appreciate this concept the evening before the Allied invasion of Europe. He had his resignation letter prepared just in case the offensive did not have a favorable outcome. While the stakes may not be as great, I believe we have much the same difficulty in deciphering what is courageous and what is irrational.

When we read the gospels, we hear our Savior calling for radical action on the part of his followers. Consider these words from the Gospel of Matthew:
“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household. Whoever loves father or mother more that me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” (Matthew 10:34-39)
Does Jesus really expect us to go against our fathers and mothers and sons and daughters? Does he really expect that the people living in our own homes will become our enemies? If so, what does that mean for disciples? Where is the line between Christian living and shear callousness, between courage and foolishness? Of course, we will say that Jesus simply means that he must be more important than anyone or anything else in our lives. True enough.

But the question still lingers in my mind, “Why such strong language?” (or to borrow a phrase from the Joker, “Why so serious?”) Jesus could have just come out and said, “I have to be most important to you,” right? This hyperbolic language almost seems to be too much. Jesus is the Prince of Peace after all, but here he is talking about starting war.

A few verses earlier, Jesus speaks of persecution that will come to his disciples. He tells them to “be wise as serpents and innocent as doves” (v. 16). The then encourages them not to fear (v. 26) and reminds them of their value and God’s promise to sustain His children (v. 31). Perhaps the purpose of this seemingly erratic monologue is to let followers know that it will be worth it, but it will not be easy. That God is in control but that he does not always control every situation. That sometimes people reject God and therefore act violently toward His messengers. We have an idea of Christianity bringing only joys and blessings. Certainly there are those things. But if we want to truly know and understand Jesus, we must also recognize his teachings about sacrifice and suffering. According to Jesus, following him can be a frightening thing. Thankfully, we can overcome that fear because, as he points out, no matter what happens, we are on the winning side.

Radical Generosity

In Mark 10, we find the story of a wealthy young man who comes to Jesus asking what he must do to inherit eternal life. The young man explains that he has kept the commandments from his youth, but Jesus knows there is one thing with which he needs to part. Jesus tells him, “sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come follow me” (v. 21). This seems like an incredibly difficult task in American society today. Certainly there are so many things (not bad things, just things) that we buy to enjoy and make ourselves more productive. Success is seen as gaining more things not losing them. That is way a BBC article this week caught my eye. Here’s an excerpt:
“Thirty-eight US billionaires have pledged at least 50% of their wealth to charity through a campaign started by investor Warren Buffet and Microsoft founder Bill Gates.
They include New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, CNN founder Ted Turner and entertainment executive Barry Diller.
The campaign was started in June to convince US billionaires to give away at least half of their fortunes either during their lifetimes or after their deaths.
‘We've really just started but already we've had a terrific response,’ Mr Buffett said in a statement.
He added: ‘The Giving Pledge is about asking wealthy families to have important conversations about their wealth and how it will be used.’
Those who pledge their money to "philanthropic causes and charitable organisations" must publicly state their intention through a letter of explanation.
Other billionaires who have pledged large sums of their money include film producer George Lucas, philanthropist David Rockefeller and oil investor T Boone Pickens.
‘I am dedicating the majority of my wealth to improving education. It is the key to the survival of the human race,’ Mr Lucas wrote in his Giving Pledge letter.
‘I've long stated that I enjoy making money, and I enjoy giving it away’
said T Boone Pickens, Oil investor.
The organisation says many of the donors have committed to donating sums far greater than the 50% minimum level.
‘While the Giving Pledge is specifically focused on billionaires, the idea takes its inspiration from efforts in the past and at present that encourage and recognize givers of all financial means and backgrounds,’ says Givingpledge.org.
Mr Buffet along with Mr Gates and his wife, Melinda, held numerous dinners with US billionaires in the past year to promote the campaign and urge America's financial elite to pledge.
‘I've long stated that I enjoy making money, and I enjoy giving it away. I like making money more, but giving it away is a close second,’ Mr Pickens wrote in a letter on Givingpledge.org.
Mr Buffet, the chief executive of the investment firm Berkshire Hathaway, pledged 99% of his money to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and family charities in 2006.
Forbes Magazine estimated Mr Buffet's wealth at $47bn (£29bn) in March.
Bill Gates, who Forbes rates as the world's second wealthiest person, has also given away more than $28bn to his foundation.
There are 403 billionaires living in the US, according to Forbes.”- British Broadcasting Company, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-10870361

While these billionaires (not all Christians, by the way) may not be giving away their entire fortunes, they are giving away more than most. Granted, they will still have more left over than many of us will ever posses, but the point is that they are taking a radical step to help others. Jesus calls for radical discipleship. He desires followers who will forsake everything (possessions, fame, fun, status) for Him. In light of the radical generosity of these wealthy families, I invite you to ask yourself, “What radical thing have I done lately?”

A Trip to the Capitol

Montgomery is my second-favorite city in the entire state of Alabama. Gulf Shores is first only because it has a beach, albeit an oily one now. Montgomery, however, is incredibly historical. So many significant events have occurred there; as a result almost every city block has a story to tell. A person can go to the capitol steps and stand on a star marking the exact location where Jefferson Davis took the oath of office as president of the Confederate State of America. From there one might be able to throw a rock that would land at the door of the church where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. labored for equal rights. Just down Dexter Avenue, there is a well-known hot dog restaurant where Franklin Roosevelt once dined. Further down the street is the Alabama judicial building where Roy Moore displayed his monument featuring the 10 Commandments, daring a federal judge to remove it. Marchers from Selma walked down this road when they petitioned their government in 1965. Of course, there are many significant occurrences in the capital city in modern times. Just last year, Senator Charles Bishop feebly punch another aged Senator on the floor of that chamber. I have traveled to Montgomery on many occasion, usually for something having to do with state politics. I have worked in the state house, and been up to the Capital City Club overlooking the city. Last week, however, I visited parts of Montgomery that I barely knew existed.
Only a mile or so away from the capitol complex there are numerous government-run housing projects. The people there are in many ways just like those of us who attend Central, however there are some very real differences. Our first task was to conduct a reading camp in one of these communities. The children were very loud and difficult to control. It seemed that we simply could not get them quiet enough to begin reading. Later, we learned that for those children, quietness is a sign of danger. On a normal day, children are out playing, adults are sitting on porches, and there is no fear in the teens walking down the street. However, on a “quiet” day, everyone stays inside as much as possible because they sense some sort of risk on the other side of their front doors. Consequently, the children at the reading camp did not like silence. If there was silence, as is usually required for reading, they would attempt to break it.
Our second task was to go to another neighborhood and play outdoors with the children. We did this in the early afternoon because “a different crowd” comes out around 3:30pm. With footballs, soccer balls, Frisbees, and jump ropes, we arrived at Smiley Court. The children were very happy to see us. They met the van with great smiles and exclamations of excitement. Of course, their parents were sitting on the porch watching to make sure they stayed out of the road and did not get into trouble. This provided the adults an opportunity to study and pray with mothers and grandmothers who to my surprise valued a couple of guys coming with Bibles to their doorstep.
Later in the week, at a different housing community, the teens spread out, knocking on doors. Typically I do not see “door knocking” as productive because people are generally unreceptive. This place was different. Several people invited our teens in to pray and even share a verse or two. They were eager to hear encouraging scripture and have another person petition God on their behalf. As one of our teens remarked, “I’ve never been to the projects armed only with a Bible.” Certainly, this got all of us out of our comfort zones. Not only were we in a stranger neighborhood, but we were doing things that we normally do not do. We were asking complete strangers if they wanted prayer.
Through all of the interesting and perhaps exciting experiences, I found myself thinking of mission work overseas. While there are vast cultural differences, all people seem to have a craving for God’s healing power. The way we approach people, whether in Africa or Athens, need not be too dissimilar because the need is the same worldwide. The main difference I would point out is that unlike “middle America” there are families on this planet who desperately need salvation of one sort or another. They have no choice but to appeal to a higher power for their physical and spiritual sustenance. It is our job to take the Gospel to them, to show them the compassion of Christ in the 21st century. To do that, however, we may need to examine ourselves and learn what it really means to be completely dependent upon God

What's Your Story?

The following comes from our summer intern, Chris Humphries:

What is your story? All of us have one, and they are all completely different. Every single day, our stories are being written, word-by-word, and chapter-by-chapter. Everything we do has an effect on how are story will be written for the moment we are in. The decisions we make and paths we choose to take are all factors into our stories, and factors into who we are and who we are making ourselves to be.
In his book A Million Miles in a Thousand Years, Donald Miller examines story. He is asked by a movie producer to turn a previous book, Blue Like Jazz, into a movie. In order to do this, Don has to “edit” his life for the big screen. Essentially, he has to eliminate the boring and mundane, and spice it up a bit, emphasizing on the good parts and making up better parts to compromise for the rest. He uses a story about a man going to buy a Volvo to illustrate the worthlessness of a boring story:
“The character’s ambition defines what the movie’s about, so if the character wants a Volvo the movie’s going to be about a guy who gets a Volvo or struggles to get a Volvo. And then if I watched a movie about a guy who got a Volvo I probably wouldn’t be very moved at the end of it. And so why should I expect if I’m going to spend the next five years saving up for a Volvo and get the Volvo that I would have any greater experience in my actual life?”
Miller uses the story to prove that in order for our lives to have meaning, we have to have desires, ambitions, and even conflict. True, there will be times when we want new cars; some of us may even want a Volvo. But, besides our material needs, our lives have to be going somewhere, and our stories have to be moving, instead of stuck in a writer’s block.
This is where our walk with Christ comes in. God let Jesus die so that our sins would be forgiven, and so that we would be in heaven with Him one day. He paid our debts because He loves us more than anyone ever could. There are a few ways we can let the story of our salvation in Jesus Christ affect our lives. We can choose to acknowledge that our sins have been forgiven, but not really let it affect how we live. It is so easy to forget the power of God and let that get lost in the process that being a Christian can become sometimes. Another way is that we can try to pay God back for His sacrifice, try to “leave a tip” for the tab He picked up for us. God does not need or want this from us. He wants us to live in the third way, which is to worship. He wants us to live our lives in devotion to Him, and live our lives in a way that doesn’t live to pay God back, but to simply worship and glorify him in every way.
We can find meaning in this story; it can give us something to live for. Cyprian Norwid, a Polish poet, once said, “You have to have something to live on, something to live for, and something to die for. Lack of one of these is drama, but lack of two is tragedy.” Without something to live for, we have nothing to die for. On Sunday, Bro. Perkins and Bro. Malone both asked us the question of what we would die for. What, for the sake of the body, is so big and so important that we would give it up, or lay down our lives? This is both the conflict and meaning in our stories. Christianity can be something that we use to fulfill ourselves, or it can be something that shakes us from our very core, and makes us question both the world and our lives so that we may be able to know the truth. In your story, what is your conflict, and what is your meaning? Are you living a story that is based around your desire to worship and obey God, or are you living a story that worships you and what you want to do? Jesus died for our sins so that His story may be our story and so that one day, we will understand the sacrifice and be with him, forever.

Just A Vapor

When I was a student at the University of Alabama, I attended the Central Church of Christ in Tuscaloosa. I greatly enjoyed participating in the leadership of their campus ministry and worked closely with the ministers. The pulpit minister had a special place in his heart for the Tide for Christ Student Ministry and therefore made great efforts to interact with its members. However, that interaction often produced more than the college students expected. I clearly remember going into his office one day to ask a question about an upcoming devotional. Forty-five minutes later I left having listened to a survey of the book of Romans and having forgotten my original question. While I learned a great deal, I did not expect to spend my time that afternoon in such a way.

The truth is that I am very thankful for the times when I was able to walk away with more than I had planned. Life constantly presents opportunities to learn and teach, but we often miss them completely because we are so hurried. With an irony reserved for humans, our need to accomplish as much in one day as possible keeps us from experiencing the truly meaningful events that give our lives purpose. As a result of busy schedules we do not dwell when we should and we do not comprehend the reason why pausing is necessary. Our goal is to move on to the next thing on the list as quickly as possible. Of course, we do stop and appreciate the big events, such as funerals and weddings, but when the appropriate amount of time has passed we change demeanors to whatever the next situation requires. We are very human in that way, but if we can become more aware of our circumstance as mortals we might try to fill our hours with quality over quantity.

Mitch Album learned about our circumstance as mortals from his old college professor, Morrie Swartz. After graduation, Mitch lost touch with his favorite professor as his career led him to become a well-known sports writer. One night, he saw Morrie on television with Ted Koppel and learned from Nightline that his “coach” was suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s disease) and would die within a few months. He immediately made plans to meet with him on a Tuesday afternoon and continued meeting with him each week for thirteen weeks. Morrie was aware of his condition and wanted to teach others what he learned during his slow march to the grave. On their seventh Tuesday, Morrie explained aging by saying, “It’s very simple. As you grow, you learn more. If you stayed at twenty-two, you’d always be as ignorant as you were at twenty-two. Aging is not just decay, you know. It’s growth. It’s more than the negative that you’re going to die, it’s also the positive that you understand you’re doing to die, and that you live a better life because of it” (Tuesdays with Morrie, pg. 118). For Morrie death was a motivation to make the most of whatever time God had given him.

James also tried to explain that life is unpredictable and short. He writes, “You do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away” (James 4:14). The writer of Hebrews echoes this sentiment urging believers to “encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called ‘Today’” (Hebrews 3:13). All that we mortals have is the present. The past guides us. The future inspires us. The present is where we connect the two. That connection is crucial because what we do now gives the past meaning and determines the future. In other words, what we do now determines everything. Therefore use now to do what is most important.

We Are the Way

When tragedy strikes anywhere around the globe, the international community is typically quick to respond with at least some sort of token support. After the Haiti earthquake, regular citizens donated money beyond what their governments had given and musicians came together for a special tribute. The following story was published in Time magazine:
“In recent years, that staple of mid 1980’s---the all-star benefit tune—has become a pop rarity. But now, 25 years after ‘We Are the World’ raised $63 million for African famine relief, a new generation of musicians has rerecorded the anthem, with proceeds going to victims of Haiti’s recent earthquake.
The idea of charity records began with the Beatles. Or, rather, with some Beatles. Following the breakup of the Fab Four, George Harrison helped organize 1971’s Concert for Bangladesh, the first star-studded event of its kind. Proceeds from the concert’s live triple album went to UNICEF. Paul McCartney followed suit with a 1979 collaboration, cheekily dubbed Rockestra, for victims of Pol Pot’s purges in Cambodia. The first certified charity smash didn’t arrive, however, until 1984, when Band Aid—a British and Irish supergroup that included Sting, Bono and George Michael—recorded ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’ to benefit African famine victims. The effort raised some $18 million and was soon copied across the pond by USA for Africa with “We Are the World,” which quickly became the best-selling song of the decade.
After the 1980’s, charity tunes hit mostly false notes (Anyone remember 2008’s ‘Just Stand Up’?) except for Elton John’s 1997 reworking of ‘Candle in the Wind,’ which benefitted Princess Diana’s foundation following her death. The song’s outsize success—it is the best-selling single ever—spawned a wave of imitators too lazy to even think up new lyrics. ‘Do They Know it’s Christmas’ was rerecorded and released in 2004 to benefit Darfur. And the new ‘We Are the World,’ featuring and Auto-Tuned Lil Wayne in place of Bob Dylan, may be raising money atop the iTunes charts, but it does so at the expense of botching a sentimental classic. At least its heart is in the right place.”- Dan Fletcher, Time
With the best of intentions, these artists sought to unify the world by reminding its inhabitants that they are all bound together. When adversity threatens one particular population, it endangers all of humanity.

As Christians, we should not be strangers to the idea of uniting behind common beliefs and purposes, of knowing that our destinies are tied together for better or worse. Just before his death, Jesus called out to the Father by saying, “…I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one” (John 17:11). Jesus’ prayer for his disciples was that they be a single cohesive family.

Of course, Christians do not always get along or treat each other as they should. However, that is the goal that Jesus puts forward. Much like the people involved with creating the song “We Are the World” to remind citizens of every nation that we have more in common than we often think, Christians are called to share a common faith which causes them to act in unison regardless of difficult situations which may arise. Remembering that gives us the power to overcome any differences and thereby fulfill one of Christ’s final wishes.

A Letter From Jail

February was designated “Black History Month” in 1976 and since then the country has made special efforts to remember and celebrate contributions made by African Americans to our common history. However, as is often the case with holidays in the United States, the clichés and platitudes create an obstacle that prevents many people from attaining anything more than a superficial understanding of significant people and speeches. Obviously, Martin Luther King Jr. is one of the first names that comes to mind when discussing black history, but on television his entire life of service is condensed into four words: “I have a dream…” While this particular moment in a message given on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial was certainly historic, it does not show the breadth and depth of Dr. King’s guiding principles, which sustained him through difficult times.

The reverend was imprisoned in the city jail of Birmingham, AL after participating in civil rights demonstrations in 1963. On April 16, he penned an open letter addressed to “My Dear Fellow Clergymen “ in which he sought to answer criticism aimed at his actions as a civil rights leader who had come to Alabama from Georgia. After explaining that his work with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference brought him to the Magic City, he delved into a deeper discussion of injustice and how the Christian should respond to it:
“ Beyond this, I am in Birmingham because injustice is here. Just as the eighth-century prophets left their villages and carried their ‘thus saith the Lord’ far beyond the boundaries of their hometowns; and just as the Apostle Paul left his little village of Tarsus and carried the gospel of Jesus Christ to practically every hamlet and city of the Graeco-Roman world, I too am compelled to carry the gospel of freedom beyond my particular hometown. Like Paul, I must constantly respond to the Macedonian call for aid.
Moreover, I am cognizant of the interrelatedness of all communities and states. I cannot sit idly by in Atlanta and not be concerned about what happens in Birmingham. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly. Never again can we afford to live with the narrow, provincial ‘outside agitator’ idea. Anyone who lives in the United States can never be considered an outsider anywhere in this country.”
According to Martin Luther King Jr. the Christian is called to spread God’s message of reconciliation to all men wherever they live.

Of Course, Dr. King was writing at a time when injustice was commonplace and people in the United States (and indeed around the globe) were discriminated against because of their skin color. Still, his message speaks to a much more undeniable truth about God and His dealings with mankind. Paul explained this principle to the Corinthians by saying, “All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them and he has committed to us the message of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:18-19). To be reconciled is to be brought together. In his letter from jail, Dr. King touched on the most basic tenant of the Christian faith: we have been reconciled to God and are therefore His ministers of reconciliation. Anywhere there is division and hatred Christians have the responsibility to show God’s love in a way that will bring the warring factions together. This does not only apply to situations in which racism exists. This applies to sinners who need to be reunited with their Creator, to parents who need healing in the relationship with their children, and to enemies who need to rebuild the trust they once had as friends. Simply put, Christians every day are meant to be advocates who bring people together despite what may seem like insurmountable differences.

Oh, The Places You'll Go

During my 25 years of life, I have had several opportunities to travel to distant lands and experience what to me were exotic cultures. From London to Bolgatanga and from Nairobi to Chennai, I have flown many miles across oceans and continents. While on these journeys I have often been in situations that I did not expect and many times did not desire. I once sat on a crocodile in northern Ghana. I was within reaching distance of a fully-grown lion in western Kenya. I stood anxiously at Heathrow airport hoping not to be pulled out of line for screening with their “high tech” machine that sees through clothing. I ate small fish that had been baked on a roof for three days in the slums of Kenya’s capital city. Still, nothing I have done struck me as being as absurd as what I did on the senior high ski retreat at Snowshoe, WV.

As our bus made its way into West Virginia, it was obvious that old man winter had set in for a long stay. The trees and fields were covered with several inches of snow and the flakes continued to float down from the sky as we drove along the interstate highway. Obviously, temperatures were below freezing, however the coldest weather awaited us at the top of the mountain. During the two days of skiing, the thermometer never rose above the single digits and the wind chill factor was well below zero. Of course, at night the temperature dropped off even more and as a group we decided to shed our heavy ski jackets and pants for swim trunks.

Snowshoe has two hot tubs and an indoor/outdoor pool within walking distance of our lodge. After a long day of skiing, a nice sit in warm bubbling water seemed just the cure for sore muscles. As we made our way out the door of the pool house and onto the pool deck, we became painfully aware that this experience would not be like anything we had done before. The “lifeguard” (who was wearing a thick full-length jacket with a ski mask, scarf, and gloves) was busy sprinkling salt to dissolve ice on the walkways around the pool. Running, of course, was against the rules since even the handrails were coated with ice and moving too quickly could result in a very nasty fall. Following a brutal walk in nothing but swimwear with the wind blowing and snow falling, we all felt great relief upon reaching the edge of the hot tub and hopping in quickly. Still, Mother Nature was not finished. As the steam rose and our hair got damp, it began to freeze and then turn white. Some of the guys enjoyed styling their hair in various ways only to submerse their heads and do it again. When he finished spreading the salt, the shivering lifeguard darted inside. I could not help but wonder what he was thinking. Many people who go to Snowshoe do exactly what we did; otherwise the pool would have been closed. Nevertheless, had I been in his position I would have thought anybody swimming in such weather was crazy. For the first 10 minutes or so, I simply sat and laughed at the absurdity of the situation. It was almost surreal and definitely nonsensical.

As a Christian, though, I suppose I should be accustomed to doing what many would consider irrational. There are so many skeptics in the world who have discrediting religion as their sole purpose in life and some make incredibly persuasive arguments. At times, it can be difficult to stand up to these criticisms, much less live a life that shows others a strong and vibrant faith. Paul reminds the church in Rome that “since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse” (Romans 1:20). The world may think it absurd for a group of people to worship a God who supposedly came to earth and lived as a poor man. The world may dismiss stories of giant slayers and floods as fairy-tales. However, the Christian knows that God has revealed Himself in such a way that those who do not believe have no defense because the evidence is clear. As absurd as it may sound, the God who created the universe has communicated His divine plan to us, and therefore we have a responsibility to study and understand not only the plan but also the ways in which God communicates it.