Teaching a Man to Fish

On Friday mornings in the cafe in the bookstore my wife and i used to manage, we did what we called "Nooma n' Coffee". We would show a Rob Bell Nooma dvd while people were eating breakfast or having their morning cuppa-joe. It was great (when people showed up for it!) and great discussions afterwards.

One Friday we watched the one called "RICH". Rob starts out talking about how wealthy Americans are compared to most of the world. How an organization stated that $20 billion could feed the world and how that is the same amount Americans spend every year on ice cream.

I had a friend who preached a sermon one time using Krispy Kreme Doughnuts...quite a tasty sermon! Anyway, he had volunteers from the congregation come up and stand in groups. Each group was given a tray with doughnuts on it. There was a group with 2 people who had 14 doughnuts, a group of 16 with 1 1/2 doughnuts, a group of 6 that had 8 doughnuts, etc. Each group represented a nation or people group and what they consumed, food-wise. The group of 2 was the US...the group of 16 was Africa.

I shared this with the woman who had come in for the Nooma that morning. She was a great customer and wonderful person...very sweet and funny. I could tell that she didn't care much for the message in the video. She started out talking about how the poor people in the world had "brought it upon themselves". She stated how we should "teach them how to fish rather than give them a fish". In response I said, "How about we give them a fish WHILE we teach them to fish?"

She continued to try to support her view...did I mention that she is very wealthy? She pointed out that she didn't like organizations...she didn't trust them. She also felt that giving an extra big tip to her hairdresser was a Christlike thing to do, which I didn't dispute. But, her hairdresser HAS a means of support, as opposed to the truly poor.
I pointed out to her that, what if...what if God had looked down after the Fall and said, "Hey, they brought that (sin and it's effects) upon themselves. Let's show them how to be saved, but let's not actually save them." She remained silent.

I understand that some people just don't get it. I also understand that some people will NEVER get it. Those people are one of those that Jesus will say "Depart from me...I never knew you."
I have nothing more to say except...

Think about it.

DANCING ON THE FEET OF GOD

If you are the Daddy of a little girl or if you are the little girl of a Daddy, then you probably have experienced the joy dancing with each other in a unique way.

My girls are now 17 and 9 years old, so we don’t do this much anymore, and I must say I miss it, but when they were smaller we would have music playing and we would dance. Sometimes just a silly jig, sometimes mimicking square dancing, but the most fun was when they would place their little feet on top of mine while holding onto my hands. We would then waltz around the room like the finest of ballroom dancers. Not that I am an experienced dancer...by no stretch of the imagination could I be called even an amateur, but, we had fun none the less. The fun for them was to move about the room without exerting any force; Daddy moved them around, Daddy lifted their feet, Daddy made the moves, Daddy’s strength was what enabled them to dance.

When we said “Yes” to God, having accepted His Son, Jesus, as our Savior, we became His children. We start our prayers, just as Jesus taught His disciples, with “Our Father”.

If we have been honest with ourselves, we have understood that we are helpless in our sin condition. We can do nothing to make it better...of ourselves.

You see, God has a dance that He is quite fond of; it’s called righteousness. It is a way to live, a way to be, a way to exist. It is also a way beyond our grasp as sinful humans. Through no fault of their own, when my daughters were little, they didn’t know the dance steps. In order to dance the dance they had to rely on Daddy. And guess what? Daddy didn’t mind. Daddy didn’t get mad and say, “Because you don’t know how to dance our relationship is over!”  No, Daddy took his little girl by the hands and said, “Stand on Daddy’s feet, sweetheart, and Daddy will make you dance!”

God is not mad at us, not even people who have no relationship with Him. But, He cannot deny Who He is and what His standard is, His Dance. This Dance must be danced by everyone who would see Him. Enter the Lord of the Dance, Jesus. Jesus showed how the Dance was done. He knew/knows the steps because He is the choreographer as well as the composer of the music that goes with the Dance. He is also the dance teacher, but better yet...He is our Daddy.

He says to us, “Stand on Daddy’s feet, sweetheart, and Daddy will make you dance!”

Think about it.

Listening to God

For the past few weeks I've been asking God the same question -

             "What do you want me to do for You?"

I teach from time to time in a class that is really a great bunch of people. Very diverse folks...people way on the left and people way on the right and people who either are truly moderate, or just aren't sure, which is OK, too.

So, I get an email from a someone who I don't know very well, but consider her a friend nonetheless. I knew her husband before I knew her and his parents are friends who sit in the class that I mentioned. Anyway, she extended an invitation to my family and me to move to Texas and be a part of a core leadership team to plant a church. I was blown away by the invitation, and was also taken aback. Was this God answering my question?

A week or so later I got a phone call from the brother who seems to be the one who spearheads this church planting dynamic. We talked for about 30 minutes or so and had a very good conversation. I told him that I (we) were willing to go wherever God wants us to go, but He would have to make it VERY clear, leaving no questions or doubts about it.

The past 2 years (give or take a couple of months) have been difficult for my family. We have experienced some serious financial difficulties, but thanks to some incredible friends, we stayed solvent. We experienced no loner being a part of a business/ministry that seemed to go in a direction that was not part of the original plan. This was partly my fault and partly our partners. I have had questions for God with no answer. I have been angry with God with no response from Him. This last Friday our washing machine went down for the count, so my wife had to run to a local laundromat to wash some clothes. So I went to the garage to check out the washer...to no avail. So I started on a rant to God..."What are doing to us? What have we done to deserve all this crap that's happened? God, if You don't show up soon, I'm just gonna walk away!" The whole time I was just angry and spoke out of that anger...so it didn't mean much...just the ramblings of an idiot.

Later, after my wife got home and I had calmed down, I received the phone call from the ministry guy I mentioned earlier. Very good, calming conversation. After the call I stepped outside for fresh air. It was nice, but cloudy, so cloudy that even in the dark you could see the clouds...except directly over my head. I looked up and there was a hole in the clouds and centered in the hole was the Big Dipper. I smiled as saw it and heard in my head, "I'm going to pour out a blessing on you." Just like that.

I don't pretend to know what that meant, I'm not even sure what it could mean, but it was real...more real than the lunatic rant I went on only a couple of hours before. He made me aware of His presence and interest in my life and that He has something planned. I write this for those of you who may be in the same situation as I've been in the past couple of years.

He's there...He cares...and He has something for you.

Think about it.

Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Metaxas

I discovered Dietrich Bonhoeffer about 18 years ago as a result of Steven Curtis Chapman's album, "For the Sake of the Call". He mentioned in the liner notes that he had been inspired to write the songs on this project as a result of having read Bonhoeffer's "The Cost of Discipleship". I knew I had to read it, and after having done just that, I became forever a follower/reader of all things Bonhoeffer.

With that being said, when I requested a copy of Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Metaxas, I didn't realize what an incredible reading experience I was about to have. I have read much about Bonhoeffer over the years, as well as most of what he wrote, but I have never read such an interesting, engaging account of his life. I have even read Dietrich Bonhoeffer by Eberhard Bethge, who was one of Bonhoeffer's closest friends as well as member of the family by marriage...but, Metaxas' account is, by far, the best I have ever read.

He shows the history of Germany as a culture; academically, scientifically and theologically. He shows the reader how Germany was ripe for the ascent of a monster like Adolph Hitler as a result of World War I. The German people were disenchanted, disheartened and nationally emasculated by their defeat, so when a man making the promises of a Fatherland restored to it's pre-Kaiser glory came to light, they ravenously accepted him. This was the Germany in which Bonhoeffer came of age, both physically and theologically.

Metaxas brings to light letters, interviews and people in Bonhoeffer's life that I had never seen, or heard of, before. The passion that developed within the heart of the young Lutheran pastor and scholar is almost tangible as you read his efforts to hold the Church accountable in Hitler's Germany. The boldness that developed in his mind and heart only intensified as the times grew more and more difficult for the Church, and for him personally. The prophetic tenor that came from the voice and pen of this young man should never be forgotten, and thanks to Eric Metaxas, the information will always be available for the next generation of the brave and the bold within Christendom to learn from.

I HIGHLY recommend this book for the Bonhoeffer "fan" as well as the 20th Century history student. Metaxas presents the information with vivid detail and puts the necessary spiritual emphasis where needed. Read it, digest it and recommend it...but never give it away. This is a book that should be read and re-read if for no other reason than to remind us that God has always raised up men to speak the truth no matter the consequences.

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