"Will you play Barbies with me daddy?"
Since I know that question definitely has a shelf life, I say yes to my five and a half year old daughter. I suppose it won't be long until I hear "Can I have $30 to go to the movies and borrow the car tonight daddy?"
I don't know how to play Barbies that well. Well, maybe I do. I just don't like it that well. What bugs me is that I know the stories of Barbie better than I know the stories of the Baptized.
I know how to be self-centered, obsessed with how I look and what other people think about me. I know how to put other people down and categorize people according to their socio-economic status. I know how to get a temporary high by buying more stuff that I will forget about in the next couple of days. And I know how to feign "niceness"in order to get what I want. See, I know how to play Barbies . . . and I don't like it so well.
Since last Sunday my daughter really got into helping set up and participate in a baptism renewal service with our church, I thought, "why not let's re-narrate Barbie?" What would a conversation among Baptized Barbies look like? I have to admit it felt awkward and weird as I began to speak as if Barbie were baptized.
When one Barbie asked the other, "Why aren't you wearing a dress?" (with the same tone of voice that you would ask someone, "Why are you such a loser?"). The Barbie replied with something lame sounding like, "I put on Christ and He is all I need to wear." (Told you I wasn't very good at this).
Then one of the Barbies died and that was interesting. Instead of pulling out prince charming to come give her a kiss in order to bring her back to life, one of the Barbies suggested we give thanks for her life and remember that she is with Jesus since she too had been baptized and belongs to Jesus. The Barbies then sat around a table of food and talked about how they missed their friend and told funny stories they remembered about her.
Maybe, with more practice, I'll get better at playing Baptized Barbies.
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Thursday, May 15, 2008
The Church We Are
I started reading a disturbing book this week. It's called "UnChristian: What a New Generation Really Thinks About Christianity." It's disturbing, but good. Sort of like going to counseling or listening to the Old Testament Prophets. It could be the kind of information that leads to a transformation within the church.
The authors researched the opinions of 16 to 29 year olds who are not Christians. What they found was that nearly two out of every five [people in this group] claim to have a bad impression of present-day Christianity. Beyond this, one-third of [this group] said that Christianity represents a negative image with which they would not want to be associated.
What surprised me was that the bad impressions and negative images that this group holds had come from personal experience with the church [Christians] rather than just outside observation. The vast majority of this group went to church in high school and have heard the message of Christ. The reason they hold negative, even hostile, impressions of the church [Christians] is not because of any specific theological perspective. Their negative reactions come from what they have received from Christians.
As one person put it: "Most people I meet assume that Christian means very conservative, entrenched in their thinking, antigay, antichoice, angry, violent, illogical, empire builders; they want to convert everyone, and they generally cannot live peacefully with anyone who doesn't believe what they believe."
The survey found that the majority of 16 to 29 year olds perceive the church to be:
Anti-homosexual (91 percent)
Judgmental (87 percent)
Hypocritical (85 percent)
Too involved in politics (75 percent)
Out of touch with reality (72 percent)
Old Fashioned (78 percent)
Insensitive to others (70 percent)
Boring (68 percent)
Not accepting of other faiths (64 percent)
Confusing (61 percent)
What challenges me is not a desire to be "hipper or cooler" church to turn around these negative impressions of 16 to 29 year olds. I see this as a challenge for the church to embody Jesus more faithfully.
Here is a story to illustrate. It is an adaptation of a story from Sam Wells book "God's Companions."
There was a rural community that for years housed more cows and acreage than people. About 6 years ago this community began to see new development. Since then 10,000 new homes have been built which include people who are diverse culturally, spiritually and economically. As with any change, this one brought some hostility and mistrust over numerous issues. Neighbors, children and adults, bullied one another. Those with administrative or political power used it in ways that spread mistrust.
A new church which began around the beginning of this development had recently completed its first building and invited the community (particularly a number of prominent local people) to join together in an act of worship to mark this significant moment in the church's life.
Adults and children sat together. The service began with an opportunity for people to acknowledge mistakes and frustrations, and ended with a washing of feet for renewed service. Before the Scripture reading a candle was passed around every member of the congregation and each had an opportunity to say a sentence on the theme "what I have discovered in the last six years."
One person on the fringe of the church who had experienced a good deal of conflict said, "I have discovered that the things we have in common are much greater than the things that divide us." Another person, one of the most controversial and outspoken leaders in the neighborhood, looked around a the way adults and children listened to one another and the space that was given to people's imaginations, and said to everyone's amazement, "I have discovered that this church is the soul of this community."
There are times when we must confess that we are who we are perceived to be. But we also must confess that there is a larger story which has a greater claim upon us than our own failures. It is to that larger story that we must look and seek to embody. It is the larger story of Jesus' death and resurrection - the soul of the church.
The authors researched the opinions of 16 to 29 year olds who are not Christians. What they found was that nearly two out of every five [people in this group] claim to have a bad impression of present-day Christianity. Beyond this, one-third of [this group] said that Christianity represents a negative image with which they would not want to be associated.
What surprised me was that the bad impressions and negative images that this group holds had come from personal experience with the church [Christians] rather than just outside observation. The vast majority of this group went to church in high school and have heard the message of Christ. The reason they hold negative, even hostile, impressions of the church [Christians] is not because of any specific theological perspective. Their negative reactions come from what they have received from Christians.
As one person put it: "Most people I meet assume that Christian means very conservative, entrenched in their thinking, antigay, antichoice, angry, violent, illogical, empire builders; they want to convert everyone, and they generally cannot live peacefully with anyone who doesn't believe what they believe."
The survey found that the majority of 16 to 29 year olds perceive the church to be:
Anti-homosexual (91 percent)
Judgmental (87 percent)
Hypocritical (85 percent)
Too involved in politics (75 percent)
Out of touch with reality (72 percent)
Old Fashioned (78 percent)
Insensitive to others (70 percent)
Boring (68 percent)
Not accepting of other faiths (64 percent)
Confusing (61 percent)
What challenges me is not a desire to be "hipper or cooler" church to turn around these negative impressions of 16 to 29 year olds. I see this as a challenge for the church to embody Jesus more faithfully.
Here is a story to illustrate. It is an adaptation of a story from Sam Wells book "God's Companions."
There was a rural community that for years housed more cows and acreage than people. About 6 years ago this community began to see new development. Since then 10,000 new homes have been built which include people who are diverse culturally, spiritually and economically. As with any change, this one brought some hostility and mistrust over numerous issues. Neighbors, children and adults, bullied one another. Those with administrative or political power used it in ways that spread mistrust.
A new church which began around the beginning of this development had recently completed its first building and invited the community (particularly a number of prominent local people) to join together in an act of worship to mark this significant moment in the church's life.
Adults and children sat together. The service began with an opportunity for people to acknowledge mistakes and frustrations, and ended with a washing of feet for renewed service. Before the Scripture reading a candle was passed around every member of the congregation and each had an opportunity to say a sentence on the theme "what I have discovered in the last six years."
One person on the fringe of the church who had experienced a good deal of conflict said, "I have discovered that the things we have in common are much greater than the things that divide us." Another person, one of the most controversial and outspoken leaders in the neighborhood, looked around a the way adults and children listened to one another and the space that was given to people's imaginations, and said to everyone's amazement, "I have discovered that this church is the soul of this community."
There are times when we must confess that we are who we are perceived to be. But we also must confess that there is a larger story which has a greater claim upon us than our own failures. It is to that larger story that we must look and seek to embody. It is the larger story of Jesus' death and resurrection - the soul of the church.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
What Kind of Church?
Over the last four weeks our church has been reading from the Gospel of John. The first week we read from John 10 which includes a strange mixture of metaphors in which Jesus says, "I am the gate" as well as "I am the shepherd." There are certainly many layers of meaning here, but we focused on the way in which these metaphors work together to point the church toward a very "relational God." Because I have a rather simple mind, I decided that the point our church needed to remember from these passages is this: "Stay close to Jesus." Follow him. Go through him. Stay close to him. That's the kind of church we are called to be.
The second week we read from John 14 - A favorite at funerals and arguments with non-Christians. Ironically, the context of the passage includes neither of those occasions. The context of this passage is a small band of Jesus followers who are out numbered by fellow Jews who think the Jesus followers are nuts, Romans who could care less and Jesus who had just announced he was leaving them soon. "What are we supposed to do now?" was the question on these disciples mind. Had they given themselves to the wrong Messiah? To which Jesus answers, "No you've followed the right Messiah." [my paraphrase]. "I am the way, and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." "You can trust me even when it appears that evil and death are having their way . . . they are not!" [my paraphrase again.] So, we too are called to place our trust in Jesus THE WAY, even when it looks as if evil and death are having their way. That's the kind of church we are called to be.
The third week we read more of John 14 when Jesus tells his followers that he would not leave them orphaned. Jesus promised that even though he wouldn't be with them physically, they would experience his presence and power through the Holy Spirit when they put "love in action." Further, they would be capable of this "love in action" because of the Holy Spirit as well. Jesus presence is both the foundation and the result of the church's obedience to put love in action. So, I suppose this passage is calling us to be the kind of church that "makes God's love real" - putting love in action. [By the way, much easier to write about than do because it requires such surrender and vulnerability to God's Spirit.] Nonetheless, it is the kind of church we are called to be.
And on the fourth week we read John 17. Here Jesus stops talking to his disciples and starts talking to God on their behalf. That's a good thing as the church needs all the prayer it can get! The neat thing about this passage is that it moves away from "stuff the church is supposed to do" and focuses on "stuff that Jesus does for the church." What does Jesus do? He prays a prayer entrusting the church to God. That's the kind of church we are called to be, "entrusted to God." Like a group of whitewater river rafters who entrust themselves to the River, the church has been entrusted to God by Jesus. While we don't always work together well, take the right fork, or even stay in the boat, we ought to acknowledge that this still doesn't change the fact that we are still in the River - entrusted to God. And it is God's "current" - the Holy Spirit, that leads us most powerfully toward God's [and our] destination - the redemption of the world.
To conclude this "Sermon series synopsis"I want to share a neat quote from a new book by Daniel de Roulet, "Finding Your Plot in a Plotless World." I found that the quote captures the essence of this series.
"What I would like church to be like is a meeting place of authenticity, in which everyone, believer and nonbeliever alike, is acknowledged to be human and flawed and in need of a God who can do something about it—and we love one another with no strings attached."
The second week we read from John 14 - A favorite at funerals and arguments with non-Christians. Ironically, the context of the passage includes neither of those occasions. The context of this passage is a small band of Jesus followers who are out numbered by fellow Jews who think the Jesus followers are nuts, Romans who could care less and Jesus who had just announced he was leaving them soon. "What are we supposed to do now?" was the question on these disciples mind. Had they given themselves to the wrong Messiah? To which Jesus answers, "No you've followed the right Messiah." [my paraphrase]. "I am the way, and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." "You can trust me even when it appears that evil and death are having their way . . . they are not!" [my paraphrase again.] So, we too are called to place our trust in Jesus THE WAY, even when it looks as if evil and death are having their way. That's the kind of church we are called to be.
The third week we read more of John 14 when Jesus tells his followers that he would not leave them orphaned. Jesus promised that even though he wouldn't be with them physically, they would experience his presence and power through the Holy Spirit when they put "love in action." Further, they would be capable of this "love in action" because of the Holy Spirit as well. Jesus presence is both the foundation and the result of the church's obedience to put love in action. So, I suppose this passage is calling us to be the kind of church that "makes God's love real" - putting love in action. [By the way, much easier to write about than do because it requires such surrender and vulnerability to God's Spirit.] Nonetheless, it is the kind of church we are called to be.
And on the fourth week we read John 17. Here Jesus stops talking to his disciples and starts talking to God on their behalf. That's a good thing as the church needs all the prayer it can get! The neat thing about this passage is that it moves away from "stuff the church is supposed to do" and focuses on "stuff that Jesus does for the church." What does Jesus do? He prays a prayer entrusting the church to God. That's the kind of church we are called to be, "entrusted to God." Like a group of whitewater river rafters who entrust themselves to the River, the church has been entrusted to God by Jesus. While we don't always work together well, take the right fork, or even stay in the boat, we ought to acknowledge that this still doesn't change the fact that we are still in the River - entrusted to God. And it is God's "current" - the Holy Spirit, that leads us most powerfully toward God's [and our] destination - the redemption of the world.
To conclude this "Sermon series synopsis"I want to share a neat quote from a new book by Daniel de Roulet, "Finding Your Plot in a Plotless World." I found that the quote captures the essence of this series.
"What I would like church to be like is a meeting place of authenticity, in which everyone, believer and nonbeliever alike, is acknowledged to be human and flawed and in need of a God who can do something about it—and we love one another with no strings attached."
Monday, April 7, 2008
Bullies Beware!
Middle School (Junior High when I went through) was the most abusive 3 years of my life. Comparatively speaking my experience pales when you consider the kind of literal torture some kids around the world grow up around. Nonetheless, I was a skinny kid whose ears stuck out and washed his hair every other day (still am except for the hair!). And I was an easy target for bigger kids to pick on and laugh at.
The middle school boys in my church remind me of those times, and make me aware that it isn't just the skinny kids who get bullied. It's every kid. For that matter, every kid becomes the bully at some point too. The tortured become the torturers in an effort to survive, preserve power or something like that. Maybe it's our culture's story of "survival of the fittest." I don't know.
What I do know is that it hurts particularly to see Christians bullying other Christians. I've struggled to know what to do about this. I've appealed to "love one another." "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." "Forgive them for they know not what they do." "Run away." "Consider the consequences." "Stand up for each other." I may have been more successful convincing a rattle snake not to bite.
The most promising story I have heard in a long time came from a 3rd grade boy named Roy who was in class one day as the teacher asked kids to pair up with another student for reading. The class quickly paired up until there was one kid left. This was the kid who was known for not only hurting other kids, but physically lashing out at the teacher at times. As this boy began to realize no one was picking him to be his reading partner he began to get irritated and loud. Then Roy stood up and said, "I'll be your partner."
What gave Roy the capacity to utter those four words?
I still need to get Roy's answer. But here's my observation. Maybe Roy has learned to take for granted that he is a part of the Body of Christ, and that is just the kind of obvious thing that Christ's Body would say. Roy knows that he is part of the Body of Christ through his participation in Christ's Body, the church, and through participating in the Body of Christ during the Lord's Supper.
He's able to say, "I'll be your partner" to a bully because he knows that through sharing the bread and cup at the Lord's table, God has already made him partners with Jesus and all those whom Jesus loves. He might just as easily have said, "I'm already your partner."
I don't think we can learn that kind of stuff apart from the worship habits of the church. Mainly because our culture's habits teach us that it's "Every person for themselves, unless they've been nice to you and you're feeling particularly generous that day." As we practice the grace of the Lord's Supper, so we develop the capacity to deal with the bully as Christ's Body - be they in us or in another.
So to make a long story short, my middle school boys and I are going to be breaking bread and sharing the cup a lot more on Sunday nights. Bullies beware!
The middle school boys in my church remind me of those times, and make me aware that it isn't just the skinny kids who get bullied. It's every kid. For that matter, every kid becomes the bully at some point too. The tortured become the torturers in an effort to survive, preserve power or something like that. Maybe it's our culture's story of "survival of the fittest." I don't know.
What I do know is that it hurts particularly to see Christians bullying other Christians. I've struggled to know what to do about this. I've appealed to "love one another." "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." "Forgive them for they know not what they do." "Run away." "Consider the consequences." "Stand up for each other." I may have been more successful convincing a rattle snake not to bite.
The most promising story I have heard in a long time came from a 3rd grade boy named Roy who was in class one day as the teacher asked kids to pair up with another student for reading. The class quickly paired up until there was one kid left. This was the kid who was known for not only hurting other kids, but physically lashing out at the teacher at times. As this boy began to realize no one was picking him to be his reading partner he began to get irritated and loud. Then Roy stood up and said, "I'll be your partner."
What gave Roy the capacity to utter those four words?
I still need to get Roy's answer. But here's my observation. Maybe Roy has learned to take for granted that he is a part of the Body of Christ, and that is just the kind of obvious thing that Christ's Body would say. Roy knows that he is part of the Body of Christ through his participation in Christ's Body, the church, and through participating in the Body of Christ during the Lord's Supper.
He's able to say, "I'll be your partner" to a bully because he knows that through sharing the bread and cup at the Lord's table, God has already made him partners with Jesus and all those whom Jesus loves. He might just as easily have said, "I'm already your partner."
I don't think we can learn that kind of stuff apart from the worship habits of the church. Mainly because our culture's habits teach us that it's "Every person for themselves, unless they've been nice to you and you're feeling particularly generous that day." As we practice the grace of the Lord's Supper, so we develop the capacity to deal with the bully as Christ's Body - be they in us or in another.
So to make a long story short, my middle school boys and I are going to be breaking bread and sharing the cup a lot more on Sunday nights. Bullies beware!
Friday, March 28, 2008
The Most Powerful Thing in the World
What is the most powerful thing in the world?
Our answer to this question is telling about the practices that have formed us. Sam Wells, dean of the chapel at Duke, talks about what we have learned to take for granted. Our answer to this question reveals "what we have learned to take for granted."
The fact that I would answer "the US military" or "a nuclear weapon" tells you what I've learned to take for granted. I'll admit that I haven't been up close and personal with either of those two things, but based on the conversation that permeates the news media and civic events that I encounter, that's the answer I'd give.
But of course, there's the small fact that my answer has no basis for truth whatsoever according to Christian theology. A humbling fact given that I am a "professional Christian!" According to what I learn from Christian practice is that "the cross and resurrection of Jesus" is the most powerful thing in the world. As yet, the US military and nuclear weapons have not brought new creation out of death.
John Howard Yoder said The cross and resurrection of Jesus is "The grain of the universe." What he means is that it is the way things are, the truth about the world.
In a discussion on Yoder's book "The Politics of Jesus" that I attended last evening with Sam Wells, dean of the chapel at Duke University, this comment was made.
"The most powerful thing in the world is the cross and resurrection of Jesus. Christians don't mess with weapons, not because they are bad and hurt people, but because they are not powerful enough when we have something as powerful as the cross and resurrection of Jesus."
This Jesus isn't just my pal who talks God into forgiving my sin and letting me sit on clouds forever after I die. This Jesus shows me stuff I didn't know was true before I met him. This Jesus brings new ways of seeing the world. This Jesus brings about a whole new creation. This Jesus shows us what true power really is. This Jesus will get you killed. But is that any match for the power of His cross and resurrection? He lives!
Our answer to this question is telling about the practices that have formed us. Sam Wells, dean of the chapel at Duke, talks about what we have learned to take for granted. Our answer to this question reveals "what we have learned to take for granted."
The fact that I would answer "the US military" or "a nuclear weapon" tells you what I've learned to take for granted. I'll admit that I haven't been up close and personal with either of those two things, but based on the conversation that permeates the news media and civic events that I encounter, that's the answer I'd give.
But of course, there's the small fact that my answer has no basis for truth whatsoever according to Christian theology. A humbling fact given that I am a "professional Christian!" According to what I learn from Christian practice is that "the cross and resurrection of Jesus" is the most powerful thing in the world. As yet, the US military and nuclear weapons have not brought new creation out of death.
John Howard Yoder said The cross and resurrection of Jesus is "The grain of the universe." What he means is that it is the way things are, the truth about the world.
In a discussion on Yoder's book "The Politics of Jesus" that I attended last evening with Sam Wells, dean of the chapel at Duke University, this comment was made.
"The most powerful thing in the world is the cross and resurrection of Jesus. Christians don't mess with weapons, not because they are bad and hurt people, but because they are not powerful enough when we have something as powerful as the cross and resurrection of Jesus."
This Jesus isn't just my pal who talks God into forgiving my sin and letting me sit on clouds forever after I die. This Jesus shows me stuff I didn't know was true before I met him. This Jesus brings new ways of seeing the world. This Jesus brings about a whole new creation. This Jesus shows us what true power really is. This Jesus will get you killed. But is that any match for the power of His cross and resurrection? He lives!
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Growing in Grace
A major part of the Wesleyan heritage (so named for Rev. John Wesley 18th century Anglican priest) of United Methodists is the theme of "gradual growth in holiness." I like to use this language: "We are becoming the people God has created us to be." The theme developed among the early Methodists because of their deep conviction that salvation was more than intellectual ascent to the work that Jesus had completed on behalf of humanity.
For the Methodists, salvation included our acceptance of Jesus' work on our behalf - the pardon of our sin (Justifying grace), and our participation with God in the on going work of restoring the likeness or image of God within us (sanctifying grace). Wesley scholar, Dr. Albert Outler said it nicely, "Wesley's characteristic emphasis was that we are pardoned in order to participate."
While salvation is something for which we are entirely dependent upon God, God's work on our behalf is for the purpose of restoring our capacity to love what God loves. So there is naturally something we do to participate with God in his saving work on our behalf. This is "Growing in Grace."
Here are some of the practices that put us in a position where we can receive the Spirit of God and grow in grace. Participating in corporate worship where we sing our faith, confess our sin, hear the word of God proclaimed, offer ourselves to God, give thanks at the Lord's Supper, share the peace and fellowship of Christ and are sent out by God's Spirit to love and serve our neighbor. Communal Support from other sisters and brothers in Christ so that we can remind one another what it that we believe, hold one another accountable to a life of love, build each other up in order to sustain joy in our journey of faith. Study of Scripture in order to recall who God is, who we are and who God calls us to be. Works of Mercy which cover a range of possible contributions to the welfare of others such as clothing and shelter, to health care and education, to basic friendship.
I hope as you read about these practices you will recall how they have been used by God to help you "Grow in Grace." Practice, practice, practice!
For the Methodists, salvation included our acceptance of Jesus' work on our behalf - the pardon of our sin (Justifying grace), and our participation with God in the on going work of restoring the likeness or image of God within us (sanctifying grace). Wesley scholar, Dr. Albert Outler said it nicely, "Wesley's characteristic emphasis was that we are pardoned in order to participate."
While salvation is something for which we are entirely dependent upon God, God's work on our behalf is for the purpose of restoring our capacity to love what God loves. So there is naturally something we do to participate with God in his saving work on our behalf. This is "Growing in Grace."
Here are some of the practices that put us in a position where we can receive the Spirit of God and grow in grace. Participating in corporate worship where we sing our faith, confess our sin, hear the word of God proclaimed, offer ourselves to God, give thanks at the Lord's Supper, share the peace and fellowship of Christ and are sent out by God's Spirit to love and serve our neighbor. Communal Support from other sisters and brothers in Christ so that we can remind one another what it that we believe, hold one another accountable to a life of love, build each other up in order to sustain joy in our journey of faith. Study of Scripture in order to recall who God is, who we are and who God calls us to be. Works of Mercy which cover a range of possible contributions to the welfare of others such as clothing and shelter, to health care and education, to basic friendship.
I hope as you read about these practices you will recall how they have been used by God to help you "Grow in Grace." Practice, practice, practice!
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
A Visual Idea
What is the Sunday School definition of Grace? I've heard "what you say before meals." "A girl's name." And "the unconditional love of God revealed through Jesus Christ." That last one is usually given by the teacher reading from the leader's guide.
Those are all right answers! What impressed me today as I attended worship at the Divinity School Chapel at Duke was how God wants grace to be seen. Grace isn't just an idea or a definition in a Sunday School class. Grace is alive and real and among us in this world. At least that is the great proclamation of Easter.
These days we live in a world of hyper visual stimulation. I'm sure some poor soul has researched the average number of visual images we are bombarded with on a daily basis. Those images tell us about who we are and what is important to us - images like beautiful spring flowers, magnificent architecture, dying loved ones, nameless victims of crime, video games and pornography.
Some of these things cause us to weep or sigh or sing. They stir feelings of peace, anger, numbness, fear, awe or joy. Images are powerful in the feelings they evoke and the stories they tell. And though not always, we have the choice many times about what we look at. What story will we choose to look at?
The church offers an alternative story to the world's consumption and despair. The church offers "Visual Grace." The story of the " bread and the cup"? The story of "empty grave clothes"? The story of "the weeping turned to joy"? Where will we turn our eyes for the grace we need?
"But my eyes are turned toward you, O God, my Lord; in you I seek refuge; do not leave me defenseless." Psalm 141:8
Those are all right answers! What impressed me today as I attended worship at the Divinity School Chapel at Duke was how God wants grace to be seen. Grace isn't just an idea or a definition in a Sunday School class. Grace is alive and real and among us in this world. At least that is the great proclamation of Easter.
These days we live in a world of hyper visual stimulation. I'm sure some poor soul has researched the average number of visual images we are bombarded with on a daily basis. Those images tell us about who we are and what is important to us - images like beautiful spring flowers, magnificent architecture, dying loved ones, nameless victims of crime, video games and pornography.
Some of these things cause us to weep or sigh or sing. They stir feelings of peace, anger, numbness, fear, awe or joy. Images are powerful in the feelings they evoke and the stories they tell. And though not always, we have the choice many times about what we look at. What story will we choose to look at?
The church offers an alternative story to the world's consumption and despair. The church offers "Visual Grace." The story of the " bread and the cup"? The story of "empty grave clothes"? The story of "the weeping turned to joy"? Where will we turn our eyes for the grace we need?
"But my eyes are turned toward you, O God, my Lord; in you I seek refuge; do not leave me defenseless." Psalm 141:8
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