to live simply...or what?

Just had a conversation the other day with a guy who said his father, as the result of spiritual compunction over the evils of society, sold everything he had and moved to a spot of land where he could build his own residence (no really build his own not just "have" it built) and did so.  It was 2 or 3 years before the family had electricity.  The friend with whom I was talking reminisced of the care of his neighbors, the warmth of community and fun he had growing up in that environment.

Apparently, several families eventually did this and were very happy and fulfilled to be living simply and living in community on this plot of land.  While I look at the mental picture of this situation, I am struck both with the evident simplicity of that life, and the hurdle of getting there.  I don't just mean the incredible difficulty of the task of achieving closure of all of the open areas of my life, but also of managing to tease apart my rich life and divide up the wants, wishes, desires, and needs of living at this speed, and filter them into those needs I would have living there in that place.  For instance, if I am hungry now, I whip out my plastic (Debit, not Credit, thank you, Dave Ramsey) and buy a fairly healthy sandwich at Jason's Deli.  Then, I would have to either grow or barter for flour of some sort, meat of some sort, legumes and or vegetables of some sort.  Would I dig a water well, or live on someone's farm on the edge of the city to get water and sewer service? ... Hmm, ... push a pin right there for a moment...

Now, more recently even, I had a conversation with a fellow believer who attends a sister congregation in the area. We were talking of how our fellowship (and all religious bodies of people, as far as I can tell) tends to hone in on one or two really important issues that we seem not to budge on, regardless of what else occurs.  Then we are willing to compromise on so many other things that seem to have weight assigned to them in the Word.  We will sacrifice our children to this world by subjecting them to the wide-screen baby sitter and teachers at school we have no real relationship with,  We allow them to play with kids who (due to no fault of their own, at this point) exhibit behaviors so immoral that cable TV wouldn't show them without a disclaimer. Then, we condemn (or at least alienate) some "other" for not being baptized in the way we understand to be most correct... and feel righteously bold that we had enough guts to stand up for the TRUTH.  [Lord, forgive me, please]

Suddenly, adopting a gracious yet, severely reserved life abounds in attraction to me...I don't know about you...

 

God Bless

More thoughts on manhood

After a discussion with a mentor earlier today (which was after a men's prayer lunch), my thoughts have yet, again, turned toward manhood and how this "state of existence" relates to our eternal pursuits.  As posted before, a close group of fellows have hashed out (that is, an attempt has been made to hash out) just what being a Christian man should hinge on. 

The comment to me after the lunch had to do with how much emphasis we do or don't put on the "masculine" and "warrior" aspects of manhood in Christ and how do you balance emphasizing masculinity and the servant heart of Christ. 

A friend and brother replied to my last post on manhood with a definition that means quite a bit to him, personally.  The definition goes like this (it is from Tender Warrior, I believe).  A Real Man is one who

-rejects passivity

-accepts responsibility

-leads courageously, and

-expects the greater reward

 

As far as definitions go, that is a good one, I think.  But, how do you flesh that out like Jesus did?

I now have just read an article in Discipleship Journal about "taking holiness to work".  It shed some light on this subject for me.  The author in this article wrote that we should be"more anxious to give others their rights than to insist upon our own,... prefer infinitely to be the victims of injustice than to be unjust ourselves" and, "...a holy person would a thousand times rather suffer wrong than do wrong.  He watches carefully lest others be the losers through his fault.  He never takes advantage of the ignorance of another."

That may not speak to others the way it spoke to me.  But, somehow, THAT, to me, is the kind of thing that defines biblical masculinity.  The somewhat confusing thing is that it also describes biblical femininity, because it describes biblical Christianity.  Maybe the question isn't what is man-like or woman-like, but what is Christ-like.  Because what is Christ-like defies division between gender, or else, Christ died for men only...? 

 

That's all for now...sometimes the best answer..is more questions...

men and such

what is a man?  no, not that.  i mean, what IS a man?  of what does he consist?  as one one author puts it, when God made a man, what did he mean?  Its not a simple question for me to answer, though it would deceptively seem so. 

i've been part of a "men's group" as part of the body in which I worship.  we have spent hours talking about that question and have at times adopted various (and sometimes conflicting) views of what the answer(s) is(are).  yet as recently as yesterday, we exchaged emails relating to this very question.

see, practically, we have answered that question in this way.  "A man is one who leads a men's group"  all the while claiming to aspire to drawing closer to God and one another in the search for a masculine experience of integrity and authenticity.  We have even titled our men's retreats "Real Men of God" and titled prayer sessions "Real Men of Prayer"  we have attended conferences with great speakers telling us to get real, be men, stand up, press on.  Yet, when we get close to that, we veer off in some tangential path that ends up being our "solution" for other men.  Oh, don't get me wrong, we love our brothers in humility and with grace, it's just that we are just as scared as they to be "real".  The standing up, pressing on, ..., seems easier to do because that is the part of this the American culture may have right. 

See, it's the "real" part that none of us have mastered.  It's the real part, however, that we must advance in before we can be released by God to Stand Up, Press On, ...

Being released by God to move on is a concept I'm afraid I don't have much experience in.  I guess my religious heritage just didn't emphasize the fact that God seeks to have a relationship with us that would dictate his caring much about what we did, as long as it wasn't immoral.  And so my experience is that I progress through life half-cocked, doing a pretty good job at what seems the logical thing to do, and am frustrated that life isn't flowing smoothly. 

This frustration then, produces anger at God or someone else, since "hey, I'm not doing immoral things and I am still not "getting anywhere!"  I may struggle with the frustration a while, but I am bound to run out of energy trying to maintain this inner battle, work hard at my mediocre life, and still retain my moral integrity.  Something always breaks. 

Maybe it breaks by my seeking newness in a new career path, or finding material possessions to occupy my troubled mind with, or taking up a new hobby, or compromising my moral integrity in some way when the above acceptable escapes don't give the peace I depend on them for.

During this whole process, I really believe my Father is calling to me quietly, "Sit Down, stop your movement, be my child in my arms where you ARE real, and I'll show you how to LIVE in that reality".  Whew!! That requires a real paradigm shift...to think God cares not only what bad things I don't do, but about what the activities and involvements are that suit me best individually...even typing about it gives me chill bumps..

Maybe later I'll type on my thoughts about simplification of life (that may be sometime in 2009, when I take time out of my hectic schedule of half-cocked busyness and type some more).

After Dry Bones...way after

After Dry Bones...I am still here. I am realizing everyday that it takes constant death and renewal to proceed in the spiritual (dual-natured) world in which I live.

I have never understood this world. I don't understand the people (including myself) though I love them (yes, including myself). I have learned that a bit of insanity comes when you choose to live counter to the present culture (or at least the way I have tried to live counter to this culture). Even those on your side seldom are able to really relate to you. Is it that we don't really try, or is it an inherent problem within a dual-lived life where flesh is in constant battle with spirit?

I believe in the future redemption of all this, I am just constantly frustrated with the present state. I often wonder what the redeemed state will hold for me. Have I been responsible enough with what I have been entrusted to have much there? The good Lord knows I have given up that which was very dear to me, in the hopes of pleasing him, but maybe it didn't please him. I am so thankful the Lord has all of this in his hands and loves me in spite of my confusion.

I struggle with the direction I am headed whatever that is. I have longed to be a family man my whole life, and now that the blessing is here in full force, I don't think I am very good at it... what's with that? It is just testament that this world is broken and that most of what we count on in this world is a mirage of satisfaction. ...come redemption... come....

Thanks for reading... if you have actually read...

After Dry Bones...

After Dry Bones...hey I guess no one has found me since march, oh well. I am still alive.