Filed under: Journal, simplicity | Tags: Christianity, Consumerism, spirituality
I was wondering if anyone was asking themselves why a blog meant for spirituality would concern itself so much with the subject of consumerism. After some thought and discussion with a few friends, the reason seems obvious.
There is a massive void when it comes to the meeting of spiritual needs in the people of our society. Most feel worthless, lack purpose, cultivate shame, and experience little if any authentic love in their lives. I believe that this is a spiritual problem because the work of God in a person is the foundation for finding real worth, purpose, grace, and love. When this Presence is absent, a person will try anything to fill the void. Until the Spirit brings healing to people, one by one, we will suffer from rampant consumerism.
We all know that the first step in kicking an addiction is acknowledging the problem. I think each of us can pick our consumeristic poison. Whether it is buying clothes, cars, music, home decor, gasoline, magazines, macs, or lawn supplies. For me, REI tends to be my biggest trap. In buying outdoor equipment I fool myself into thinking I’ll get outside more (something that actually does feed me spiritually). Just recently I even bought a brand new $300 tent that has already sat in my basement for over a month… without being used. What’s your product/drug of choice?
Consuming is an intoxicating way of life for me and most of us in the US. We’ve been using since birth and totally blind to the destructive habit that threatens to poison us from the inside out. We are spiritually strangling ourselves and physically holding the world around us hostage with our greed and selfishness (have you heard that world hunger could end with the amount of money that people in the US spend on ice cream in one year?).
In conclusion, I am feeling the need to give some deep spiritual answer, possibly with some biblical text or theological argument. In reality however I think that this issue is way too complex for a simple nugget of encouragement. Today, fighting consumerism in The United States of America simply begins with me; acknowledging my addiction and changing my habits, realizing my needs and inviting the Spirit to bring wholeness.
Filed under: Christianity, Journal, Uncategorized | Tags: Henri J. M. Nouwen, househusband, spiritual disciplines, spiritual formation
Today I’m finding myself rather unemployed. I resigned from a youth pastor position at Church of the Open Door so that I could stay home with my six month old daughter and also pursue further training in spiritual direction. I gave 4 months of notice for my resignation so now that my first day at home is finally here, it feels rather unsettling. This househusband mindset is a bit of an adjustment for me….
I feel so capitalistically unproductive. And what of my budding career as a mega church youth pastor???
I’ve been telling myself that a new life is starting. Today I begin new disciplines of servanthood and contemplation. Washing diapers, dishes, and laundry are no longer just the simple tasks of the household for me. It is the new work of my hands for the benefit of our tiny intentional community and my own spiritual formation. I fully expect the washing to be an inner and outer work. Ever so slowly, even monotonously, I hope to work into my character the ways and attitudes of Jesus Christ. A friend shared this quote from Henry Nouwen recently:
I feel a burning desire to preach the Gospel, but I know in my heart that now is the time to pray, to read, to meditate, to be quiet, and to wait…. It makes no sense to preach the Gospel when I have allowed no time for my own conversion. I feel a tension within me. I have only a limited number of years left for active ministry. Why not use them well? Yet one word spoken with a pure heart is worth thousands spoken in a state of spiritual turmoil. Time given to inner renewal is never wasted. God is not in a hurry.
So today I’m letting go of personal success and narcissistic productivity. Sounds very noble and maybe idealistic, but I’m actually excited for this new season of life.
This year I’m going to pay close attention to celebrating Advent. I think that Advent could be a powerful tool to remind us of the real Christmas Message- Peace. Love. Joy. Messiah.
Ahhhhh, ‘peace’. As any good Evangelical, I know that ‘peace’ means calm, tranquil, quiet. Imagine the lake like glass up North. Or the loons calling at daybreak. How about a long walk in the woods just before sunset. Yes, the little baby Jesus came so that we could softly sing our Christmas Carols and watch the fireplace glow.
Wikipedia (and the rest of the world) say that ”Peace is a state of harmony, the absence of hostility. This term is applied to describe a cessation of violent international conflict; in this international context, peace is the opposite of war. Peace can also describe a relationship between any parties characterized by respect, justice, and goodwill.”
Harmony, cessation of violence, justice, and goodwill stand out to me as I reflect on Luke 2:8-15.
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
”Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”
The shepherds to whome the angels appeared were poor, common, marginalized folk- possibly even children. This fascinates me. In our day, wouldn’t you think the angels would appear at the Superbowl, the Whitehouse, or on CNN? Notice that the angels in Luke chapter two didn’t appear to Caesar or King Herod. Caesar always got all the big news, this message was for E-V-E-R-Y-O-N-E.
I think that Peace is part of the Christmas message as one of God’s great dreams for mankind. But if peace is only calm, tranquil, and quiet, then we miss out on the bigger dream. And how would you understand peace differently in another person’s shoes?
Picture an Iraqi family that lives in the heart of Baghdad. Daily life feels hopeless to them as they fear suicide bomb attacks, US troop home raids, or Al Qaeda kidnappings. Survival is a part of every day. Every evening is spent listening and fearing. One night a man of great glory appears. He proclaims, “I have unbelievable news. A savior has been born for you. The violence will end. Harmony will be restored. Justice is coming. The Messiah will show us how to live. Glory to God in the highest, Peace and goodwill to all mankind!”
Picture a family in poverty stricken North Minneapolis. Five children, no health care. Thanksgiving dinner comes out of the microwave. Broken windows outpace the outdated furnace. Drug deals, prostitution, and gang violence hold the neighborhood captive. Survival is a part of every day. Sleep is interrupted by the slightest noise. One night a man of great glory appears. He proclaims, “I have unbelievable news. A savior has been born for you. The violence will end. Harmony will be restored. Justice is coming. The Messiah will show us how to live. Glory to God in the highest, Peace and goodwill to all mankind!”
Could you imagine their newfound feeling of hope when hearing those words?
Then I picture myself. I can hardly relate to the latter stories or the countless peaceless scenarios that we could come up with. My lack of peace is found in small things like getting pissed at a slow driver in front of me, arguing with people who disagree with me, anxiety, or depression. I still need the Peace of Jesus, but in a different way.
But I’m filled with empathy, compassion, and a desire to do something about the lack of Peace around me. I think that working for Peace in myself, in my neighborhood, and in the world around me is the best way to celebrate the Holidays. To me this work is the only good that could possibly come from my white middle-class American privilege. This is the Christmas message that melts away my cynicism and gives me hope for the future.
Peace to you, peace to the Middle East, peace to my Northside neighbors. And may God give us the resolve to join in proclaiming his dream for “peace on earth”.
Rather than voting this year, I’m dreaming about doing something that would inspire REAL change in the world. I haven’t missed an election since turning 18 and I can’t help but feel a sense of hopelessness. I’ve spent energy on campaigns, heated conversations, and most of all mental anguish. All that for nothing, in my opinion. Our country (and our impact on the global community) isn’t getting any better- it’s getting much worse. I’ve let politics (media, government, and candidates) have way to big of a voice in my life. For that I want to repent.
But the day before the election, I have a better idea that is giving me a different kind of hope for what might really change my neighborhood, city, state, country, and eventually the world. It’s crazy really…
Last week two brothers across the street from my house got into a fight. One grabbed a medal baseball bat and gave the other a thorough beating. Only their mom tried to break up the fight and no one called the cops. I saw him the other day, limping down the street, still in obvious pain.
Everyone on our block despises that house. They deal drugs, fight, and boom their stereos.
So part of me is inclined to vote for a democrat. Someone who claims they will fund programs and add cops to bring change in my neighborhood.
But unfortunately, in the end, programs won’t really change anything, I don’t think. And I think those brothers are sort of beyond some cheesy government self help program. More cops will just put them in jail. My hope is not for my neighbors to go to jail, my dream is for them to be transformed. I hope that by some sort of chance in grace they will somehow, in some way, get pulled out of the mass grave that they are living in.
So instead of voting tomorrow, I’m going to bake chocolate chip cookies. I’m going to pull them out of the oven when they are still soft and chewy. I’m going to put them in a tuperware container and march it across the street to the brother who is healing from the brunt of a bat and the brother who is so calloused that his conscience caved in.
I’m sorry, but I feel like voting in hopes of a candidate who will change something doesn’t really do anything. It all seems to be one more thing that waistes money on television adds, polarizes family members, divides congregations, and breeds fear, hatred and anger. Democracy isn’t going to bring the Kingdom of God, but I’m convinced that cookies might spark a change in my neighborhood.
The chewy dough might bring healing to deep bruises. The soft morsels might melt away the callous around the conscience. It could possibly lead to a shared meal and shared lives.
I met Michelle Bachman back when I attended Northwestern College, so I’ve had a bit of an interest in following her campaign. A couple of weeks ago while speaking at Living Word Church, she claimed to be a “fool for Christ” for her decision to run for U. S. Congress. She has spent so much of her political career and campaign dividing and fighting (For the record, I don’t think that Patty Wetterling is any better). In my opinion, Bachman is not a fool for Christ. I think that a “fool for Christ” is someone like Mother Theresa. It is someone who gives up everything to run to Calcutta (the center of suffering). Not someone who gives up everything to run to Washington (the center of corruption).
It would be so foolish to think that chocolate chip cookies could change something, isn’t it? Well, if you think of it, pray that God uses my homemade snacks for his work of redeeming, renewing, and transforming.
After growing up in the suburbs, Jen and I moved into North Minneapolis almost a year ago. It’s amazing how fast your perspective can change. I grew up only being afraid of the city. Most of what I knew of it were from quick trips to a Twins game or seeing the nightly murder report on the evening news. It’s alarming to think of how detatched I was from this part of our community. There could have been a wall between us.
Part of me hesitates to write the following since I hate to reinforce people’s misconceptions, generalizations, and fear of Minneapolis. But nevertheless, the honest truth is that we have a horrific problem and we need everyone’s help.
Last night Jen and I attended a Peace Rally organized by the Peace Foundation (a North Minneapolis group working to end domestic violence in this part of the city). The event was sponsored by Sanctuary Covenant Church, Church of the Open Door, St. Phillip’s and various others.
We began the evening by stretching out our group of 1500 people along 26th Avenue all the way from Lyndale to Penn (26th Ave has a history of terrible violence). It was a great time to meet others in the community, enjoy the weather, and dream of peace on the North side. Next we rallied together under a makeshift bandshell and listen to various speakers, spoken word poetry, and watched a couple of dance groups perform.
The event began to die down and most people (adults especially) had already left, some kids started throwing water bottles into the air above the crowd. From what I saw and heard, one of the volunteer security gaurds tried to stop them and that started a fight that moved like a mob down the block.
As we rallied for peace last night, someone pulled out a gun and shot a teenager in the back (the teen is at North Memorial and is expected to survive). No suspects are in custody, no weapon has been recovered. (Read story)
It was a long walk back to our car last night. Reality set in a bit. That was the closest I have ever been to a violent crime. A teenager (13? 14? 17?) was almost killed. You could feel evil in the air. We have a big problem and a long road ahead. So brace yourself, I’m going to go on a rant…..
I feel like most people play the blame game when we talk about crime in the city. “It’s the church’s problem,” or “the governments problem” or “the police’s problem”. And many people who make these comments are so detached from the problem that they don’t even know what they’re talking about.
I think we need ownership. All of us need to own the problem.
And we need the Kingdom of God. Sometimes this can be a cop out. We say that only God can change things and then we sit and watch for it to happen. I think that adding more cops will push the crime to the suburbs (or overload the overloaded jails). I think that throwing government money at the city will make things look nice but won’t really change anything.
We need the Kingdom. If our faith doesn’t call us to action, then it’s not faith at all. Even in living on the north side, I can let myself become detached and I am as guilty as anyone else (so moving here isn’t necessarily the answer). But if you watch the news or read this story, and don’t feel the pain of the violence or get angry for justice, then I wonder if you have a pulse. So when I say that we need the Kingdom of God, I’m saying that we need a miracle. And it would be a miracle to me if we all accepted the blame for this problem and then actually did something about it. That’s when God’s Kingdom will come to North Minneapolis; it will be through you and I.
I think there are probably a lot of different and affective ways to bring the Kingdom of God to the city. So how can we own this problem together?
Do you ever feel like a scripture passage is haunting you? That’s how I feel about this “Greatest Commandment” (Mathew 22:34-40) passage posted below. I can’t get past it. I want to bring it up in every conversation. The more I think about it, the more I can’t get it out of my mind.
First of all, it seems like Jesus was being tricked. Jewish leaders were trying to get him to say something that would create division. They were looking for a reason to disagree and debate and set themselves apart from Jesus. I love that Jesus pulls out the love card (how unifying!). You cannot argue with love (even if you want to). Love God and love each other; who can disagree with that? (although, I will admit that a good debate would arise around how we “love”- but that will miss my point).
Second, I think it’s safe to say that Jesus (a rabbi) memorized and was amazingly well educated around what we consider to be the Old Testament. An incredible foundation of knowledge of the “law and the prophets”. And he claims that ALL of this hangs on loving God with everything we are AND loving each other. Jesus made love the new law.
What if all of my philosophy, theology, politics, and actions hung on this law of love? I don’t think that I give this commandment the weight that it should have in my life. I also don’t think that I’ve ever really understood it, maybe that’s why it’s hitting me so hard.
I am not trying to start a discussion with this post. I am wondering if you will let this scripture haunt you for a little while. Will you sit in this with me? I wonder how God could change us.
Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question:
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
Jesus replied: ” ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Mathew 22:34-40 (NIV)
But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together.
Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,
Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
This is the first and great commandment.
And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
Mathew 22:34-40 (KJV)
When the Pharisees heard how he had bested the Sadducees, they gathered their forces for an assault. One of their religion scholars spoke for them, posing a question they hoped would show him up: “Teacher, which command in God’s Law is the most important?”
Jesus said, “”Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence.’ This is the most important, the first on any list. But there is a second to set alongside it: “Love others as well as you love yourself.’ These two commands are pegs; everything in God’s Law and the Prophets hangs from them.”
Mathew 22:34-40 (The Message)
But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”
Mathew 22:34-40 (ESV)
Filed under: Christianity, Journal, Opinion, Peace and Justice, Politic, photography
Two weeks ago, Jen and I joined the march from St. Paul’s Cathedral to the State Capitol to raise awareness for humane immigration reform (that’s where we took these pictures).
Currently, this is a very controversial subject and I wonder how Christians should respond.
I feel personally connected to this issue in some ways since I worked with many illegal immigrants at various restaurants growing up. I met mostly good natured, hard working people- many of whom were sending their paycheck abroad to feed their families back home.
I also have traveled to Central America three times (where many of these immigrants came from) and spent two months in West Africa. It is interesting to know and love people on both sides of the U.S. border. I feel like getting to know people and experiencing (in some small way) the life that they have come from has affected the way in which I respond to them as immigrants.
The reason I mention this is that I feel like when a lot of people discuss this issue, they talk as if we are dealing with cattle. Maybe illegal immigrants don’t have “rights” as Americans now, but make no mistake, we are talking about the beloved people of God (and that view of these people is what should govern our response). It doesn’t matter where they are from, what they have done, or what they might do. As a follower of Jesus, I think that we have a Biblical mandate to treat these people as beloved and act in a way that is best for them.
Leviticus 19:34 should give us some good direction (as quoted by Sojourners): “When foreigners reside among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigners residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt.”
Does this verse demonstrate a principle that we should follow in our response to the illegal immigrants residing among us?
In my opinion, Sojourners summarizes it well: lets choose “compassion over criminalization”. To take action on behalf of our immigrant brothers and sisters, click here.
