A Little More Alive

Last night, I drove down to Orange County with a couple friends from church. We drove down for a surf event after-party... We got onto Pacific Coast Highway at Newport, and drove down the coast to San Juan Capistrano. The air was cool, the tunes were brilliant, and the sun cast its remarkable pre-sunset light... It was beautiful. We saw the ocean, I breathed in, and I felt really alive.
We talked about camping on the beach, about mountain biking, about hiking and having church at the beach... The feeling of aliveness continued as we hung out in a room filled with surfers and musicians.
I miss that side of my life. The outdoorsy, snowboarding-crowd, adventurous side. I love studying and being at Fuller, that is an undeniable side of mine - but can it be possible to bridge these?

At church this morning, we started to dream. What about if we all lived in community, in a big house by the beach? What if we had strangers over for dinner? What if we catered to the community somehow? What if we learned how to surf, and had campfires and worship sessions on the beach? What if? If this were ever to happen, I can't even begin to imagine how thrilled I would be.

I love dreaming. That's where good things start happening.

"But he doesn't have anything on!"

Sometimes I feel like the little kid in The Emperor's New Clothes.
Like everyone is tiptoeing around the truth.
Or finding clever terms to explain away things that strike me as being just plain stupid.







Maybe I'm just really insensitive.

Romans 14:1-4

Welcome with open arms fellow believers who don't see things the way you do.
Like those who mix faith and politics, those who support the war, those who close themselves off in their suburban ghettos, those who don't think critically, those who use isolated Scripture passages to support their opinions.

And don't jump all over them every time they do or say something you don't agree with - don't get all self-righteous and prideful and sit in the back of the church pointing out how consumeristic worship has become, or how you would never preach such a shallow sermon, or how you are so glad you are not like all these other Christians who clap and sing and smile for Jesus, while they seem to ignore that following Him is hard as hell sometimes. - even when it seems that they are strong on opinions but weak in the faith department.

Remember, they have their own history to deal with.
They may lack love, lack community, experience rejection, wonder at their purpose, have deep issues, be unable to communicate, live in fear, struggle for approval. Kind of like you...

Treat them gently.
Like God has treated you. Like God treats you every single minute of every single day.

For instance, a person who has been around for a while might well be convinced that he can eat anything on the table, while another, with a different background, might assume all Christians should be vegeterians and eat accordingly.
Some may think alcohol is from Satan. Some may think the Beatles are from Satan. Some may think dancing is from Satan. And some may think this culture is evil, too evil for redemption, so they chose to keep it at arm's length.

But since both are guests at Christ's table, wouldn't it be terribly rude if they fell to criticising what the other ate or didn't eat? God, after all, invited them both to the table.
Do you have any business crossing people off the guest list or interfering with God's welcome? If there are corrections to be made or manners to be learned, God can handle it without your help.

I am so sorry. Teach me to speak truth with grace, and keep me from grace-defying judgement.