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I wrote a blog last
week spilling my guts out, telling the blogosphere that I’m no longer going to
preach, teach, nor write about those things that I’m not doing myself. I’m standing by that. So please don’t misinterpret this as me
getting on a pedestal and plunging my finger into the sternum of the Church;
this is also me standing in front of a mirror and giving myself some
encouragement for the week.
A few days ago I was sitting inside my friend’s house in
Cincinnati reading through Galatians. It’s
an amazing letter in the New Testament and the only reason I decided to read it
again was because another friend told me how eye-opening it had been for her just
days before. Frankly, I’ve been having a
hard time getting into Scripture the last week or more because its luminous
tended to fade for awhile. However, I
humbly have to admit that it’s not the Scripture’s fault, but merely my
own. Thank God I’ve snapped out of it.
In Galatians 5.6 Paul says, “For in Christ Jesus neither
circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value.
The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.”
I think we have a serious image problem in America. I’ll be the first to admit that I almost unhesitantly
jumped back on the ‘image train’ when I got back home. The very first thing I did when I walked in
the front door was head to the bathroom where I showered and shaved, and less
than a week later I had my hair cut and styled just the way I wanted. And no more than a week after that I
essentially had a new wardrobe. I not
only felt like a different man, but I looked like a different man than the one
that was birthed out of a year of travel.
I looked like an American – which I suppose is fine because I am an American. But I re-embraced values of things our
society deems important that really aren’t.
What makes more of a difference: that I have outstanding
integrity and unshakeable moral character, or that I look good in my
three-piece suit? That I can lead my
family with solid principles, or attract the nearest single woman?
I think the answer’s obvious.
I’m just saying that I think we, as a Church, have maybe put
too much stock in the way that we look.
No, I’m not placing my own judgments of myself onto the Church, but I am
saying that I might be seeing evidence of this.
Where do we balance blending in with society and standing out? How do we become a Church that relates to the
society it’s in, but also remain set apart as a redemptive fellowship?
Perhaps it really does begin in our personal lives. If we want to infect the entire Body, we need
to be sure to be infected ourselves. How
can there be outstanding Kingdom-oriented principles established in the Church
if members of the Body aren’t willing to embrace and implement those values? It just can’t happen.
What Paul was essentially saying to the Church in Galatia
was that it doesn’t matter what you do to your body – the way that you look on
the outside has nothing to do with it; what really counts is that you
love. Can I love a man completely while dressed in rags? Of course I can. Circumcision of the flesh doesn’t make a
difference in anything. Moses even cried
out to Israel to circumcise their hearts (Deut. 10.16) and to be stiff-necked
no longer. Immediately afterwards he
tells them about loving and obeying the Lord.
I know that loving seems like a real sissy thing – but I
promise you it’s not. It’s very manly
and unfortunately not enough men in the world do it, especially in
America. I think we’re too worried about
the way we look, that we’re willing to sacrifice our hearts for our flesh; our
character for our image.
Clearly you can tell that I’m wrestling with image.
So what’s it going to be, Church? Is the fiber of our being threaded with love
or shallow superficiality?
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I think I’m going to touch on the theme of love a few days this
week. Stay tuned.
