Reflection: Daily Life

Thomas Merton was a famous writer and Trappist monk in Kentucky.  His faith journey was a long one to becoming a Catholic, much like many of our faith journey's are long towards becoming Christians.  There is a lot to learn from this monk, who writes in a beautiful and artistic style through narrative, auto-biography mixed with theological "gems" so to speak.  

As Thomas Merton is speaking about his life in his autobiography The Seven Storey Mountain, he describes a small family in the mountains of France with whom he spent time.  He paints their portrait like this:  "And they were saints in that most effective and telling way: sanctified by leading ordinary lives in a  completely supernatural manner, sanctified by obscurity, by usual skills, by common tasks, by routine, but skills, tasks, and routine which received a supernatural form from grace within, and from the habitual union of their souls with God in deep faith and charity."

We have been exploring a certain slice of theological pie recently on this blog...that is how we handle power, how it relates to politics and how it shows itself in our own lives.  It is good to come up for fresh air and realize that the most important place to find God is in our daily lives; the place where God is transforming us and where we are witnessing to Jesus is as we go about our daily chores, routines, 9-5 jobs, and in dealing with family. 

Theology is important as it can help us to explore important issues in our everyday lives.  But even more important it to show the love of God in our lives by first spending time with God (every day - it takes time to be saturated in the love of God!), then doing the simple things that are right in front of us to do and to do them unto God.  Finally, we love others through all these simple things.  Living out discipleship is not about waiting for an epic conversion, or a mysterious calling to come, or about getting hit with a lightening to get us moving.  Living out discipleship happens in the very ordinary things and choices we make in everyday life - so don't wait.  Just start.

Quote is from: Merton, Thomas.  The Seven Storey Mountain. 50th anniversary edition. USA: Harcourt Brace Inc, 1948. 62. 

Reflection: On Power, Position, and Politics Part 4

"How do we handle power in our everyday lives?" We use power in our everyday lives in the loving service of others, just like Jesus Christ did.  Always, with all things, loving service.  This means that we do not coerce but invite, we do not dominate but offer, we do not manipulate but simply love others without seeking to gain or expecting them to do anything in return. We may even get hurt in return.  

This does not mean that we, as those who serve, look to be walked all over by other people.  We can still in loving ways explain and tell why we would not do x while choosing to serve by doing y instead.  By doing so, we are saying that we are not willing for others to coerce us into serving in ways that we do not feel called by God to serve.  However, our refusal to do something is not a power play over the other person.  It is simply denying them power over us.  

What I beseech us to do is to "submit to one another out of reverence for Christ" (Eph 5:21).  We may choose to allow others to influence us through teaching or preaching; at the same time the person who we give power to should then be willing to and actively be submitting that power back to us in reverence to Christ.  Power should never remain in the hands of one person or group of people before being placed back in the hands of those who allowed others to have power in the first place.  This also means that as servants of Jesus we should never be making "power plays" to seize power in any context, even if we think we know what is "best" to do in certain situations.  It is always "power under not power over."  (There may be some exceptions - such as a fireman commanding how to act in a fire, or a police officer telling people to stay down in the midst of gunfire.  This needs to be thought through, just remember we are always loving as children of God). 

For example, I am a pastor who has "authority" and "power" in the church where I work for by nature of the position.  Yet, I must continually work to use that power in service of others, listening to the wisdom of others, and seeking to empower those I serve in return for them allowing me to have authority over them in some way.  It can never be a "my way or the highway" scenario - it's always "Jesus' way."  The one or ones in power seek to give up their power to the powerless through service.

Another place where this may play out is in a marriage.  Both the husband and wife seek to serve and empower the other in mutual submission - the man does not have the "final say" or hold the power, but neither does the wife because they agree to submit and to work things out together.  Ultimately this ends with power flowing back to God, seeking God's will together in life.

At this time, we may be thinking something like this: "Ok, so I sort of understand what you mean by power and submitting and basically I understand I need to serve others.  But, how does this play out when I am a supervisor at my secular job?  Can I vote for leaders?  How does this play out at the national level when the U.S. has lots of power?  How do we respond to tyrants?"  We'll work through these questions in the coming weeks in parts 5, 6 and 7 (possibly more). 

Reflection: On Power, Position, and Politics Part 3

Greg Boyd, in his book The Myth of the Christian Nation, describes a particular concept for how Jesus uses power and therefore how the church should use power.  Boyd suggests that there are two general concepts of power available- the nations and Jesus/church.  The nations, i.e. the world, uses a concept of power that he describes as a "power over."  This "power over" seeks to dominate and control others, forcefully bending other people's will to their purposes.  This can be seen in most nations around the world and sadly, many churches.

As our example, I will pick on the United States since that is the location where I live and the place where I seek to critique with a prophet's eye.  We in the U.S. have a very strong and subtle way of coercing other nations and our own people to obey, to give to us what we want as a nation, and to maintain "Pax Americana," the peace of America.  It is probably best summed up by President Roosevelt who, when speaking about foreign policy, says "It is best to speak softly and carry a big stick." 

We have held this statement as our way of life in the United States.  We are the nation that spends the most on our military, has one of the largest and definitely the most technologically advanced military, and the largest nuclear arsenal in the world.  The U.S. holds a definite "power over" the world, even as we struggle economically.  Now, I know we are asking:  "isn't this the way to keep peace?  Is this not how we protect our rights, our security, our "freedom?"  Isn't this how we help protect the "innocent" world-wide?"  The problem lies in the means which do not justify the ends - at least, not for the church who are the living disciples and ambassadors of Jesus Christ.

Boyd then describes the contrasting "power under" that Jesus brings.  Jesus, King of the Universe, rightful ruler of this world, who can call legions of angels to his bidding in a moment, seeks to serve the world he enters.  He heals the sick with a touch (even lepers), forgives the prostitutes, eats with sinners and tax-collectors, and enters Jerusalem on a donkey. Jesus radically describes a different way of life, a "Kingdom of God" that is entering the world through his very life.  Jesus then gets violently taken by the religious and political authorities of the day, is crucified, and buried.  Three days later he again subverts the entire structure and power dynamic (the world's power is "obey me or die") through the in-breaking of the Kingdom of God ("I invite you to obey, and you will find freedom and everlasting life" says Jesus). 

Jesus' power is one that does not seek to dominate but to influence.  It does not seek to be served but to serve.  Jesus "law" is always an invitation to participate and is not a "big stick" (obviously I believe "fire and brimstone preaching" has been co-opted into becoming a worldly power play instead of the invitation Jesus gives).  Jesus power is based upon a love relationship that crosses all boundaries, nations, classes, sexes, etc.  Those in relationship with Jesus and with each other are the church - those who live in the nations but are not of them; who critique the nations and live out the kingdom of God; who use "power under," never the forceful coercion of the world.

In part 4, we will finally tackle "How do we handle power in our everyday lives?"

Here is Greg Boyd's book from which the concepts of "power over" and "power under," as well as other ideas, come from.

Boyd, Greg. The Myth of a Christian Nation: How the Quest for Political Power is Destroying the Church. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2005.

Reflection: On Power, Position, and Politics Part 2

The question that currently haunts me is: "How do we handle power in our everyday lives, in politics, and in our occupations/positions?  Is it right to assume mantles of power and how do we go about living like Jesus who gave up all power?  What is the role of the church in handling power, critiquing power, and being involved with the nations?"

Perhaps we should back up a beat.  What is power?  According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, two of the basic definitions of power are:  (1) the "ability to act or produce an effect" or  (2) "possession of control, authority, or influence over others."  We are going to discuss mainly the second definition, with the understanding that the point of control/authority/influence is to get people to do something, i.e. produce an effect.

If power is authority, influence, or control over others,  is there a way to avoid "power?"  We are continually influenced, even in subtle ways, by other people, things, circumstances,  and authorities that are all around us all the time.  Sometimes, the power exerted over us we cannot even recognize.  Other times we can.  For example, consider a person and alcohol.  The person is either influenced/controlled by the alcohol (alcohol has the power) or controls themselves and the alcohol by monitoring how much they drink (person has the power).  Or consider a friendship .  Many times both people influence and have authority in the other person lives; normally both people then possess power in that relationship.  Unhealthy relationships are those where one person has all the power and dominates the other.   The key is a proper balance of power, not a domination or control "over" but an "invitation to."

I think this helps as we look at how Jesus uses and holds power.  We will look at a traditional Anabaptist passage, John 13:1-17.  Jesus, being the Son of God, "knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself.  Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him."  Jesus did not give up his power in that moment - Jesus held all of the power (i.e. authority over, influence over his disciples and the world, all control, for all things were given into his hands). 

Yet Jesus does not exercise that power in order to dominate, in order to control - in fact Jesus does not look to force submission in any way.  Instead, he models the use of power by becoming a servant and washing other people's feet.  The power that Jesus has is shared with his disciples and invites them to respond .  Peter in fact, responds rashly out of his own sense of power and authority, seeking to dominate Jesus: "You will never wash my feet."  Peter, seeing in Jesus all authority, attempts to force Jesus to assume the mantle of authority - not the man who serves but the man who is served. 

Jesus then, deflecting this offer of power to him, invites a response, not seeking to dominate, but to show and lead the way ahead: "Unless I wash you, you have no share with me."  Jesus uses power in order to serve, and seeks to influence others to do the same.  In this way, Jesus transforms the world. 

In the next part, we'll look at Greg Boyd's concept of "Power Over" and "Power Under" and how this relates to nations and the church.

Reflection: On Power, Position, and Politics Part 1

This past weekend I was listening to a lecture entitled "Revelation and Christian Hope: Political Implications of the Revelation of John" by N.T. Wright, a famous New Testament scholar and retired Bishop of Durham in England (lecture given at Duke Divinity School, 2010 - it can be found by link at the bottom of this post or on podcast).  N.T. Wright is one of my favorite scholars - wise, insightful, thorough, Jesus following, and challenging. 

In the lecture given, N.T. Wright describes how the restoral of the earth will come when Jerusalem (a city) comes down to earth from heaven as part of the Christian hope.  He says (around minute 42) "the Creator God wants humans to run his world, to build and flourish, to run them humanely. "  However, he says, this is abused from the beginning of time onwards.  Israel is then to live the God given critique of the abuse of power as a restoral of the right use of power (even though Israel fails too, so the prophets give self-critiques).  Wright continues saying, "Not because power is bad, but because power is abused.  As with gardens and cities so with power.  The nostalgic or romantic longing for a world without power is a desire to return to the nursery."  He goes on to list Joseph and Daniel as examples of wise human beings bring society into order which I hear him insisting is a needed function of Christians. The church bears witness to what proper use of power is for, not for condemnation but for restoration and reconciliation.  The early Christians were asking not how people got into power, but what are you going to do with power now that you are there?

N.T. Wright's lecture is challenging for me.  As a summary, I hear him saying that the church is to bear witness about how Jesus conquers the world through his death and resurrection and overthrows evil to establish the Kingdom of God here on earth.  Upon a second listening to parts of his lecture, what I struggle with is not the theology.  I think he's right.  What I struggle with is, "in what ways are we to bear witness as the church to the earthly powers concerning Jesus reign, to reconciliation, and to restoration?"  Do we do this through our occupation?  Do we avoid political power in position?  What is the power dynamic of the Kingdom of God? 

These are relevant and important questions to ask as people of the United States, "What is my role in critiquing the powers that be in this world through my life?"  In further reflections, we'll tackle these issues, bringing in other scholars to assist and lay out the practical question that N.T. Wright brings up in his lecture.  The responder to the lecture also heads in this direction, if you want to listen in.

The full lecture can be found here:

http://divinity.duke.edu/news-media/news/2010-10-26-nt-wright-revelation

Aftertaste: Light, Love, and Martin Luther King Jr.

Today is Martin Luther King Jr. day - a day to remember and contemplate this saintly figure who took the words of Jesus quite seriously in leading the civil rights movement.  

Here is one of his quotes (taken from brainyquotes.com) from one of his speeches for us to contemplate in response to the sermon yesterday on being the light of the world:

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.  Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.  - Martin Luther King Jr. 

May this be our prayer, that we love like Christ so we are seen like light in this world. 

Foretaste: Salvation and Good Works

This coming week we will be hearing about salt, light, the law and the prophets (Matthew 5:13-20).   For most of the sermon we will be looking into good works, or the call to action which we receive from Jesus Christ.  While there are many important conversations to have around "good works," we also need to sit with and hear the claim that has often been made since the period of the Reformation: "we are saved by grace through faith" and (some folks will add) therefore anything I do is really OK because I am not saved by good works, but by grace.  Right?

Wrong, at least in part.  SAVED PEOPLE DO GOOD.  Let's hear what Paul says fully in Ephesians 2:8-10: "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God - not the result of works, so that no one may boast.  For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life" (NRSV).

Let me summarize this: We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ - since we are saved, we are made new, and in being made new we are created for good deeds.  It is imperative that we understand that salvation is a gift, but our response and our life is then Jesus'.  Once our lives are Jesus' we do good things as a way of being obedient in following Jesus. 

Not only that, but these good deeds, this living out of the Kingdom of Heaven is in fact "prepared beforehand to be our way of life."  It is not just a onetime occurrence, a two time occurrence.  It is literally who we are, our "way of life."  We must regain the clarion call to obedience to Jesus ("good works") while holding onto the saving grace that we receive through faith. 

The way of life doing good deeds begins with submitting ourselves to Jesus, even if it means picking up the cross to follow him through counter-cultural practices, giving up vain things we think are important and that occupy our time, and through the muck of being labeled misleading names because we follow Jesus in a real way. 

"You are the salt of the earth...the light of the world...let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven."

The Darkwash Letters (In the manner of C.S. Lewis' The Screwtape Letters)

*See previous post (1/9/2014) for explanation of these types of blog posts, if needed*

Dear Featherfear,

            You wrote in your lousy hand that you had only managed to get your charge to watch TV an hour every few days.  You imbecile!  The key is to lead him into the extreme!  If he watches in moderation, you are allowing him to indulge in a pleasure of rest, instead of the engorgement that is required to ruin the pleasure and for you to dominate his future.  I'll need a report of what he is watching immediately, as well as how much progress you are making in leading him into obsessive TV watching.

            See, our Under-Development Department has, since the dawn of time, taken the idea of pleasure and twisted it in order to destroy what the Enemy has given these hairless monkeys with that horrific smile on His face.  Indeed, we simply rotate what we give an extreme-overabundance of or an extreme scarcity of, shifting cultural standards so that there is never "just enough" but always too much or too little.  In the United States, we have taken what was a (oh what's the word they use...gift? - but that's utter nonsense, everything costs something!) and implemented instead the idea that it is their right to have an extreme over-abundance of whatever they desire!  Greed was ever our tool and plan with this nation, and look how far we have come! 

            We started with what the Enemy provided them with: food.  Indeed, we have cultivated this to the point where nearly two-thirds of the population lack the brain filter and will-power to know when to stop eating!  All it takes is a friendly relative, or a good-intentioned fellow to offer, "Here, have a bit more, I'll be insulted if you don't take some more, no, really, what am I to do with all the leftovers!"  We have kept from them at all cost the idea of giving some to a neighbor in reasonable amounts, or taking some to those in need, but instead preached to them en masse the biblical notion of manna "take enough for today and leave none for tomorrow."  Nevermind the fact that this was meant to give those desert-dwellers "just enough;" we have instilled in them the notion that it is their duty to eat themselves to death in order to leave "none for tomorrow."

            At the present time, people eat their way into heart-attacks, diabetes, and cancer all because we give them too much of what most of the world never has enough of: food!  You see Featherfear, the extreme is what counts when you tempt - always bring them into the extreme.  This same extreme must be instilled in them for everything they do, especially TV watching.  Slowly take them from a half hour a day to an hour a day, then to two hours a day, then to three hours a day.  Create in your charge the sense that "just one more show" will not affect the outcome of the day - work with another tempter to have a friend suggest several shows with the comment "You HAVE to see this show!" Eventually, instead of watching "just enough" to relax with a pleasure that could be gained from a single show, bring them to the extreme where your charge only watches TV for pleasure.  This will simultaneously make the TV their crutch activity for "pleasure" while destroying any sense of what other activities might be done for "pleasure." 

            What sort of friends is your charge hanging around and what do they do?  Any chance you can get him eating in front of the TV?  Combining the two is such a delight,

                                                                                                            Your Affectionate Lowerior,

Darkwash

Aftertaste: Beatitudes, Grace, and Discipleship

This past week we heard a sermon on the beatitudes presented in Matthew 5:1-12.  I had a deep feeling and sense of weightiness after the sermon that perhaps I was setting people up for failure, that perhaps I did not emphasize enough the transformation element that is a core element of Christian discipleship.  The tension between transformation and obedience is a difficult one to balance properly.  I think Paul works out this tension concerning following Jesus throughout Romans as he works out the tension between receiving grace in Jesus (Romans 5:6, 8, 11; 12-21) and living out our faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 6:2-4, 11, 12, 20; Romans 7:14-26; Romans 8:1-11). 

There is a lot of heavy lifting theology happening in many of these verses, but the summary of these chapters can be summed up (perhaps poorly) in the following statement: it is through the grace of God in Jesus Christ through his death and resurrection that we are made right with and before God, forgiven of our sins; yet this grace cannot be abused, so we set our minds upon Jesus and act like him, knowing that we will mess up and make mistakes, yet strive ahead. 

It is with fear and trembling that we work out our salvation, that we seek to follow Jesus.  We are to be "transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God - what is good and acceptable and perfect" (Romans 12:2).  Paul does not lay out every situation about how we are to act, but gives us characteristics that our actions should line up with: "Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection...Do not overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good" (Romans 12:9-21). 

We see throughout these Roman passages that Paul's audience is struggling with the tension between God's grace about sin and our responsibility to act in the new life Jesus provides for us - Kingdom of Heaven life.  This is the tension that we experience when we come before the beatitudes and see a description of those who are fully living out the Kingdom of God and think to ourselves, "How do I get there?!"  Perhaps we see in the 'marks of a Christian' Paul's reflection on Jesus' teaching of the beatitudes, and more broadly the entire sermon on the mount: "Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them"  is, perhaps, how we can live out "Blessed are the peacemakers" (Romans 12:14 (also 12:17-21); Mt 5: 9). Taking on the burdens of another (rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep) is perhaps how we can live out "Blessed are those who mourn" (Romans 12:14; Matthew 5:4). 

Ultimately, Paul reflects on this as the way for transformation: "Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires." Yet Paul immediately elaborates on how we should not judge one another (Romans 13:14-14:12). This is our ultimate task, our struggle, abiding in the tension that exists between God's grace and our part in following Jesus; the tension between being transformed by Jesus and obeying right now. Our key task to fulfilling the beatitudes is ultimately prayer - to be and dwell with Jesus in order to become more like him.

The Darkwash Letters (In the manner of C.S. Lewis' The Screwtape Letters)

*See previous post (1/9/2014) for explanation of these types of blog posts, if needed*

Dear Featherfear,

            You wrote in your previous letter that you were seeking advice on what the Lowerarchy's policies were regarding this new age of electronics.  My my, Featherfear, being sent back to the field really reveals your ignorance doesn't it?  How does it feel to once more know that all the pressure is on you to perform, that one mistake will mean you will be devoured as quickly as the people whom we tempt and conquer?  Have you tasted your first lick of fear being in the field once again?

            Depressingly, the age into which you tempt is one of the easiest in which to seduce people into your arms.  Like all things, electronics are neither good nor bad and can be used by the Enemy just as effectively as by us.  However, we have seen our greatest triumphs in that deplorable United States through the use of entertainment than ever before!

            It has been the policy of the Lowerarchy to keep our sheep in front of the TV as much as possible.  In fact, make them spend all their days in front of it, flipping from one channel to another while not enjoying a moment, watching countless re-runs of shows they have already seen, ingraining in them the most absurd concepts of life as possible.  Yes, the TV is the most brilliant (I use this term loosely of course) invention (and again, used loosely - nothing is ever really invented) ever made by these people!  Properly handled, it can become the best anesthesia to quietly and gently lead your food down into the buffet-line of our Father's house. 

            TV deadens their ability to think clearly, occupies much of their time with a fruitless and decaying parade of unrealistic nonsense, of giving them such a taste for the unreal that the unreal begins to become real!  Reality TV shows were some of the best efforts of our Under-Development Department.  Reality indeed!  If they ever got a taste of the real reality which we dine in, or of that fake Enemy which causes us to tremble and grovel, they would never again watch Reality TV!  And yet, even in the newness of this electronic age, we have flocks of people steadily moving towards our buffet line by nothing more than preventing them from doing anything with their minds or bodies besides sit in front of the TV!

            This whole game really depends on keeping your charge fixated on the idea that they have "their time" at the end of the work day, that in fact there is "nothing else to do" with their time and "no other good way to rest" besides turning on the TV.  The Enemy will propose a counter-task of course.  You can tell because they will start to look at things around them in a foggy sort of haze indicating their dull brains are trying to assess what else could or should actually get done.  Their gaze may cross the stack of books sitting not six inches from their hand, to the stack of bills on the table, to the garbage that needs to be taken out, to the window where they can still see that wretched ball of fire planted in the sky. 

            The trick is to always bring it back to the TV.  Take note over what their gaze lingers on- if it is their books, place into their minds that the lighting isn't too good right now, best save that for another day.  If their gaze lingers on the stack of bills or garbage, instill in them the thought of "this wretched stuff is taking up my time! Best do it quickly and get back to the chair where I can relax." That way, even if they do what is "productive" by their standards, we can cultivate a beautiful since of resentment towards "productivity," thereby creating the pattern of doing chores as fast as possible in order to get back to "relaxing." 

            Finally, the last save attempt is always to mention how nice it would be to save such a delightful activity for tomorrow, when they're more relaxed to enjoy it.  Nevermind the fact that tomorrow will have the same struggles and stress as today, nevermind the fact that tomorrow is never quite reachable.  Nevermind the fact that saving something productive for tomorrow still means that little will be accomplished today.  Keep them in the endless rotation of this thinking as they lean on TV to occupy their time more and more and your charge will never reach the Enemy's shore,

                        Your Affectionate Lowerior,

Darkwash

Introducing Three New Types of Posts

Greetings fellow sojourners!  Today I will be introducing three new types of blog posts in order to provide some variance for my own thoughts and for you, the lovely readers!  These three types of posts will have distinct titles: Foretaste, Aftertaste, and the Darkwash Letters.

Foretaste - Quite often reflections and tangent thoughts arise while I am praying and writing sermons for the coming week.  These posts will be those reflections and thoughts that have to do with the coming sermon that week.  Perhaps they will be included in the sermon, perhaps not.  Consider these posts to be like an appetizer to the main meal that is the coming sermon.

Aftertaste - Ever have that taste of food linger in your mouth?  I know you have - that garlic stains one's breath for the next two days, am I right?  Much like the aftertaste in food, these posts will be reflections on the previous sermon.  Perhaps they will dive into unexplored territory, deeper practical implications of the text, or perhaps they will review something that I forgot (*GASP* - Yup I forget things mid-sermon and skip them) to include in the main sermon, but still wish to share.

The Darkwash Letters - One of the great devotional classics of our age is C.S. Lewis' The Screwtape Letters, being written between 1942 - 1961 when it was finally published as a whole book.  This book flips the world on its head by taking on the perspective of a demon (technically a more experienced tempter) writing to a "in the field" demon (someone who has just begun their tempting journey).  The senior demon gives practical advice on how to tempt people away from Jesus and into hell - and in the process reveals subtle and ordinary parts of our lives to actually be temptations that hinder, if not down-right stop, our journeys towards Christ.  In a powerful way, they speak directly to our lives to help shape our Christian walks by stopping what we are currently doing, by resisting temptation, and pursuing Jesus. 

The Darkwash Letters is my attempt to recapture this powerful devotional but write them to speak to our post-modern situation. Lewis does not address the ultra-sexualized, consumerist, entertainment saturated, rich U.S. American culture and society today. Therefore, "in the manner of" The Screwtape Letters I will be taking up this task, writing from my own personal experiences about temptations that hinder the Christian journey. These may or may not resonate with your experiences, and may or may not be how demons actually tempt us. These reflections will be from a "senior demon" to a "minor demon tempter" on how best to hinder our Christian walks - so do the opposite of what is in the letters.

Struggling with Scripture: Luke 7:46

"Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I tell you?"  This question haunts me pretty much every day of my life.  I feel like a Pharisee, begging to have the question answered: "How do I do what you want me to do?  Give me specifics, give me examples, tell me, show me, teach me.  Create in me a clean heart O God, and make it steadfast within me!"  I then turn back to Scripture, and read about characteristics we are to clothe ourselves with (Col 3:12-17).  I look back to Jesus to see how these practically play out and I see Jesus healing the sick and feeding the hungry.  I look around me and think, "where are the hungry?" thinking that I can help in this way...but don't even do that well.

In our society we have everything systematized for efficiency: doctor's take care of the sick; food pantries feed the hungry and clothe the naked; I donate what I can when I can, but it doesn't feel the same, it doesn't feel like enough.

Part of the issue may be that I always think in terms of the grand, of the adventure.  I find myself wishing to change people's lives, to take part in some epic tale that looks and feels like something special.  And instead there is little thanks for what is given, little change in the people served, little adventure (actually most times it is not intellectually stimulating - at all), it is very simply ordinary.

I have thought for a while and continue to think that the "glorification" element within my desire to follow Jesus must be removed in its entirety.  Doing what the Lord Jesus asks us to do is a very ordinary process that starts each and every morning; it plays out in the ordinariness of everyday life; it looks like helping our neighbor, praying for our enemies, working hard, being generous, loving each and every person we pass and talk too.  Ultimately, following God is expressed in the courage to love people in the ordinary, small acts of everyday life - not the courage to go on a huge adventure that ends in throwing a ring into Mt. Doom (Lord of the Rings reference!). 

"Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I tell you?"  There is no excuse Lord - I simply wanted a big calling, an adventure, and didn't see that it was today you wanted me to do some small deed that would have helped another.  I looked for the big act of service, assisting another in a huge way, and ended up missing a lifetime of small deeds and loving service I could have done today.