summer is coming

As the summer draws near I am anticipating a few things...
- a sprinkler soaked back yard. The boys have been asking since that one sunny day back in February.
- a wonderfully earned farmer's tan.
- lots more trash to pick up
- the smell of the grill permanently coating my back yard, and maybe my skin...
- camping; maybe

But of the things anticipated every summer, there is one that i wished would never come. Summer violence.

We've been talking about it since Spring Break. The anticipation of bored, out of school, outside youth...and by youth I mean ages 10-25...with nothing better to do that mess around and care deeply about things that don't really matter. Which inevitably leads to someone pushing someone, which turns into fists raised and sometimes someone reaches the level of needing to 'prove' something and out comes the heat (gun).
We've already heard of rallys and demonstrations being planned to stand for peace and stop the violence; we are probably going to be a part of one in New Columbia ourselves.
But here's the thing...and I'm thinking out loud here, which I'm not a huge fan of; I mean seriously, I have such a hard time knowing if I'm supposed to engage or just keep my mouth shut. Please feel free to engage...anyway, here's the thing....

I wonder how effective those events actually are? Hear me out....

1) They aren't enough.
They are a great rallying point for the community, a place we can gather together and say we don't want anymore young men dying. But if all we do is rally and yell for a few hours and the go back home to life as usual, what have we done? It's like speaking for justice on Facebook and Twitter, and if after you hit send, your life doesn't change, what have you really done? Getting together at the beginning of the summer of after someone is shot is just not enough...
2. They aren't there.
Who comes to these events? Gang Members? Doubtful, cops are usually there. Drug Dealers? See above. Of those in attendence, I'm willing to wager that 99% of those there are not directly involved in any kind of gang-related violence. So, who's minds are we changing? Anyone's? Or are we really just preaching to the choir? Again, we need encouraged to continue to stand for peace, we need those rallying moments, but if those in attendance are not committing violent acts...has the event actually decreased the likelihood of violence?

Alright, on to my proposal...what if 'peace', these specific expressions of 'peace' aren't actually the anti-thesis to the expressions of violence? what if its play? what if the thing that is the anti-thesis of violence is peace being expressed through play? and play that not only is safe for those who don't commit violence but actually include and invite those who are committing those acts of violence to lay down their guns and join in on the fun. this is how we see change, this is how things begin to become transofrmed...when we find ways to stand with, and invite them into relationships that disarm those things that divide or incite anger or hatred.
those are my thoughts, stay tuned for more on this, but until then i'd love some feedback, some engaging, whats your thoughts?

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the words of my mouth

"...and the tongue is a fire..." - james 3.6

we know this.  don't we?  we know our tongues, our mouths, the words that come from our mouth...that come from our heart and mind are ridiculously powerful.  we've all seen after-school specials, sitcoms, and shows like Glee that take a moment and get serious so they can teach us about bullying, and the power words can have to break people's spirits.  in seminary i learned a bit about Wittgenstein and his 'language games'.  the things that come out of peoples' mouths can illuminate who they really are, especially in moments of crisis.  the words we say are packed with power.  they can build up, encourage, strengthen, affirm, restore...they can destroy, break down, crack, hurt, harm...

in reading the first part of this section of James...verses 1-5...i'm struck with not how words can harm, hurt or encourage those outside of us, but how those words, how those things we say can harm, hurt, or encourage ourselves.  things that we say, either out loud, or in the confines of our own minds can shape the way we think, the way we act, the way we relate to others, the way we relate to Christ.

i'm not a big 'just think positive' person...not all that sure the 'name it and claim it' message has any standing in the scriptures...but i wonder how much our thoughts and words really can affect ourselves.  the words we speak out loud, or in our thoughts, can really affect our actions.  if the things we say to ourselves, or about ourselves convince ourselves we aren't lovable or good enough...we'll begin to with hold our true selves from others and thus prevent ourselves from ever experiencing true community.  if the words we speak or think create a sense that we are destined to failure...the idea of stepping out on faith becomes far too risky and prevent ourselves from ever experiencing a deep relationship with Christ.  if the words we speak or think tell us we are the problem in all our relationships...well, we won't have any to screw up, cause we won't enter into any.

most who know me, know i spend most moments that i am alone with an overactive, over analytical mind.  while it does have its positive side, it seems as if the negative side of all that prevails more often than not.  i'm going to make a concerted effort over the next few days to ensure that the 'positive' side spends more time 'naming and claiming' only the promises found in scripture...

James is a beast at reminding us that God should be at work within those who follow Jesus, transforming us more and more into his likeness, into true disciples of Jesus.  so, this is my prayer, that the Lord would transform my tongue, completely...not just the words spoken out loud but words spoken within...

...so also, the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things...(ja3.5)
...may the words of my mouth, and the meditations of my heart be pleasing to You oh Lord (ps19.14)

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did it again...

man, i'll tell ya what, here's another week where I'm trying to prepare a message calling people towards the God who made and saved them, preparing a message to encourage and exhort and God takes time to use that message and life situations to challenge my resolve to be found in Christ and in the truth of the message to be preached. I'll post later this weekend on the content of the message, but I am so truly amazed at how God is not satisfied with purely fancy words and right thought or right belief, but in a life that is lived that brings glory to the name of Christ, in a life that is lived transformed and renewed.

i'll be back with message notes for those interested, but for now, say a prayer that i can place myself under the Truth and not create my own truth.

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grace and transformation..

so my dad's comment on a couple posts ago got me thinking...the life of a disciple is a life that is transformed and is being transformed by grace.  We as the church, as Christ's bride, we are as much in need of grace today as we were in the moment we realized that is what saves us...

...i started to put a question in the comments and decided to make a new post instead.  I was talkin with a brother yesterday about our desire to love on people and show them grace, the same kind of grace we were shown...but at the same time had a desire to call people towards 

transformation or holiness if you will...and while we didn't settle on any kind of answer, it's something i'm continuing to attempt to balance with my neighbors and friends...can you share a story of how you've extended grace and encouraged transformation with the same person?  

i think of my neighbor and how we've tried so hard to extend grace and love to him.  he's made bad decisions, and he'll say that, and he continues to make ones he wishes he didn't.  we are at this point where i am giving him more of a call to be transformed by God's grace, rather than just receive it like a back rub or get out of jail free card.  we've encouraged him to join our male DCAF on wednesdays where we encourage one another and while he hasn't come yet; he says he's getting it, and that he understands his life needs to be different...whether he can free himself to be transformed, rather than attempt to transform himself is still unfolding...but that's my story that comes to mind...

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