The Rest of Sunday

Out On A Limb

noreply@blogger.com (scott moore) — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 12:44:00 +0000

As fallen people, we tend to live a large portion of our lives "out on a limb." We hang there, clinging to the only thing that keeps us from falling into the abyss we fear most - death. It's the limb of our desired identities. It is the person we must be in order to stay alive, and not die, in this fallen world.

And so we hold on so tightly, straining to be what we desperately believe we must be; defending and climbing away from any indictment or circumstance that makes us what we must not be.

The limb looks like a sentence.

"I must be ________ in order not to die." OR "If I am ________ I will die."

Most men fill in the blanks this way: I must be strong, dependable, trustworthy, handsome, a leader in my home, church, or job, as well as a provider for my family. I must not be weak, puny, perverted, ugly, small, or insufficient. If I am not the former, or, if I am the latter, I will die. People will laugh at me, detest me, cast me into the dungeon of social shame, and reject me forever.

Most women (I tend to think) fill them in this way: I must be beautiful, desirable, and sexy. I need to be a good, loving, and caring mother, wife, and friend. I must be a good home-maker and parent, keeping things in order. My children must behave well. I must not be ugly, gross, or lazy. I must have things in control in my relationships, home, and family. If I am not the former, and if I am the latter, I will die. My social life will spiral out of control, people will think bad thoughts about me, and I will be rejected forever.

Navigating the limb is tough. It is exhausting, constantly strategic, and filled with anxiety, fear, and unrest. One wrong move, slip of concentration, or even a small nap and down we go. Unbearable shame, scorn, chaos, rejection, and ridicule are soon to follow.

Therefore, other people are dangerous. If they were to reveal one of our inadequacies, that'd be like pealing a finger away from the limb. If they find us out, we'd surely fall. They may even be so clumsy as to cast their burdens upon us. We'd become heavier. Our limb would flex. Our grip would surely fail. So we become angry, anxious, and judgmental. By becoming safer from others, we become unsafe to others.

Not only is this life dangerous, it is completely unnecessary.

Because we are so focused on ourselves (the person we must or must not be) we fail to realize the safe foundation just below our feet. His name is Christ Jesus the Lord. When we let go of the limb, when we "lose our lives", we can live in the safe pasture of our Good Shepherd. There we can run because we are ransomed. We can hear criticism because he has been crucified (Gal 2:20).

Letting go means coming to terms with, and confessing the truth about, ourselves. When indictments about our looks, character, and/or abilities come, we can resist the temptation to cling to the limb of our own over-desired identities. By the power of the Spirit, we can humbly consider the possibility of truth in their words.

Most of the time people are right about us, regardless of their motives or reasons for confronting us. If they call us a jerk, we can say, "You know what, you're right. I am a jerk. I'm sorry." "If they say we are irresponsible or inadequate, we can say, "You are right, I am those things. Can you help me?"

What if they are wrong about us? This just means they aren't seeing us clearly. They need help - Gospel help. Rather then worrying about ourselves and our identity, we are free to love even those who [wrongly] accuse us.

This is letting go of the limb.

The Good News of the Gospel is that "letting go" is completely safe if our foundation is Christ. Because he died, we won't die. He is just below our feet. It makes no sense holding on. We must daily fall upon the One who is perfect in character and ability, who is completely sufficient, responsible, and good. He is sufficient for us. As we rest in him, his identity is freely ours by God's wonderful grace.

Why We Need the 'Hood

noreply@blogger.com (scott moore) — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 15:36:00 +0000

In my latest article for the Reformed African American Network (RAAN), I talk about some of the main reasons why we need the 'hood. Here is a blurb:

We are also there because we need what the ‘hood has to offer. There are jewels, if you will, in marginalized communities that are missing from the Church’s crown. Without these jewels, the Church sparkles less.

You can read the rest of the article here. I hope it blesses you...

The Strangest Thing Happened Today

noreply@blogger.com (scott moore) — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 14:57:00 +0000

I think it is important to know that the Lord is always near us, with us, and even in us. He is always present, in a deep and significant way; even when we do absolutely nothing to draw near to him; even when we actively run away.

We are the children of a strange God who doesn't count our sins against us. He doesn't wait for us to draw near to him in order to draw near to us. He isn't hindered by our irresponsibility, nor is he resisted by our seemingly random situations.

Typically, I begin my day in the Word. Sitting in a quiet place under the Scriptures helps me to approach my crazy days. It is primarily during these times that I gain a sense of direction, become satisfied in God, and find motivation to love others.

Today was atypical. I forewent the Scriptures and began work around the house. The strangest thing happened. As I was washing dishes at the sink, before I thought of the Lord or meditated on his Word, I felt an overwhelming sense of his presence. I felt his love for me.

It was profound and preceded any action of my own towards God. He came to me. Without invitation, he entered my heart's door. He invaded my space. He loved me.

This may be a foundational truth of Christianity - that the Lord reaches us before we reach for him. But I often forget the practical aspects of this truth for my life. It was refreshing and praise-inspiring to know that he is faithful and pleasantly-impatient. Yes, he is patient in that he doesn't immediately punish, but he is impatient in that he doesn't wait on our actions to actively love us.

Today, it was so good to know that my Father in heaven loves me. It was good to feel his mercy and care. And it was humbling to since his pursuit of me, especially when I did not pursue him first.

Moralizing is a Dirty Word

noreply@blogger.com (scott moore) — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 12:43:00 +0000

Here is a great quote from Plantinga's Not the Way It's Supposed to Be: A Breviary of Sin:

Nowadays, "moralizing" is a dirty word in public education, and the consensus on what constitutes good and evil has contracted: for a regnant educational elite, moral tolerance is now the only good, and moral intolerance the only evil. In the kingdom of the elite, classroom wars between good and evil think down to angry border skirmishes between the politically correct and the politically challenged. The politically challenged are, of course, those doofuses who still use short words whe they talk - words like good, bad, right, and wrong. The politically correct, on the other hand, prefer more leisurely and ironic expressions. To be sure, the politically correct (e.g., those who describe the lazy person as "motivationally dispossessed" and prostitutes as "sex care providers") are still willing to make moral judgments - but only of those who make moral judgments. They say things like this: "It is always wrong to make moral judgments."

Some Dangers of Personal Bible Study

noreply@blogger.com (scott moore) — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 13:24:00 +0000

Spending time each day in and under God's Word is extremely important. I am an advocate for developing the habit of regular, personal bible study and prayer. It directs us as we begin our day, it fills us to love others, and it helps us to focus our lives upon bringing glory to God in all things.

There are, however, some dangers I have seen and experienced when we, as a culture, overemphasize personal bible study. Yes, I think we can idolize bible study, making it into something it was never meant to be. Humans are very good at twisting good things in order to bring ourselves glory.

Here are a few dangers I believe we should be aware of as we seek to develop this very important practice:

First, personal Bible study will not make us righteous. I have heard, seen, and even felt it a hundred times. We base our righteousness on our relationship with our Bible. Bible study will not make us righteous, nor will our failure to study it condemn us. If something comes up (like a child waking, a friend calling, or a person knocking) that makes personal study impossible, it's okay. The Lord loves you and is with you in Christ. Remember, the Scriptures lead us to the One who makes us righteous. His grace, not our study of it, is all we need to make us righteous in Christ.

Second, personal Bible study should not cause us to undermine or neglect other ways to know and understand the Word of God. It can be and has been argued that public worship is to be preferred before private. The good news coming out of the heart and mouth of a good friend and/or preacher, felt by their relational embrace, is a significant and sufficient way to know the Scriptures. People who are thoughtful and intentional on sharing the truth in love have a way of speaking the oracles of God (1Pet 4:11) in ways that are both memorable and meaningful. If we are diligent in personal study, but less-so in public worship, we should be alarmed.

Third, we should not burden the consciences of others to spend time in personal Bible study every day. While we should certainly recommend it for the good of ourselves and others, I struggle to see the mandate (as it is commonly practiced in our day) in Scripture. Not all people are able to spend time in Bible study for long periods of time on a regular basis. I am thinking of fathers who have to work two (or three) jobs to make ends meet. I am thinking of mothers who have the constant burden to care for the home, often without much sleep.

It is a gracious blessing when we are afforded the time and desire to spend time studying the Bible. We have to understand that the Lord blesses us that we may bless others (Gen 12:3). We have to realize that we ourselves may be the means by which people around us know and understand the Word of God. Learning God's Word should always launch us into loving people with God's Word.

Fourth, individual Bible study should not cause us to neglect the riches of communal study. We are not infallible and are often limited within the confines of our own intellect. Joining with others to study, discuss, contemplate, and pray through Scripture is so rich and fulfilling that it can hardly be compared to any other practice in the Christian life. If you don't know what I'm talking about, you may have an unhealthy relationship with your Bible.

Fifth, personal Bible study should not make us unteachable. This falls right in line with the previous point. We should be so secure in Christ that we are willing to hear about our own failures and inadequacies. We should be willing to hear from others the treasures we left untouched. And when someone tells us something about a particular passage, we should refrain from the insecure and often prideful comment, "Yeah, I knew that..." We don't have to say something back. We can just thankfully receive the Word without adding our own commentary.

Sixth, personal Bible study is not the chief goal we look for in the lives of those we disciple. Just because a person studies the Bible, and knows it really well, doesn't mean that person is a Christian. More than the fruit of study, we are looking for the fruit of the Spirit. More than truth, we are looking for the truth shared in love. More than a head informed, we are looking for a heart inflamed. We are looking for more than what a person can accomplish by their own study. We are looking for a work of God.

Finally, personal Bible study is not a full representation of the Christian life. I wish following Christ was always like my times of personal Bible study - quiet room, coffee, comfortable chair, and content that reminds me of a Father's love for me. Knowing the Father's love, however, is the substance we need when we launch into a world where people don't love us.

The Christian life is not a quiet, convenient ivory tower. It is a war - a battle ground where we are constantly fighting for our lives and the lives of others. Wounded people need us to carry them out of enemy territory. The enemy hates us and is relentless in his pursuit to have us undone, defamed, and disqualified. The Christian should not expect a life of quiet times, but one where the megaphone of sin, fallenness, and struggling constantly reminds us we are sojourners in this land.

Again, I am not saying that personal Bible study is a bad thing. It is a very good thing. But only when we keep it in its place to remind, inform, and encourage us, in the midst of our chaotic world, of the peaceful, quiet, and calm rest of Christ our Redeemer.

Rest: Being Okay With Not Being In Control

noreply@blogger.com (scott moore) — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 12:16:00 +0000

Being out of control, being at the complete mercy of another person, or being totally helpless in a particular situation, throws many of us into panic mode. The thought of being out of control makes us feel unsafe, insecure, and very uncomfortable. These feelings are felt down deep. And when they are felt, we become fearful, anxious, on guard, and bound to a life of unrest.

Many of us have very good reasons for feeling this way. We have fallen victim to others or have experienced tragic circumstances. We have gone through tragedy, and to go through the pain again would be unbearable. The uncontrollable world produces uncontrollable pain that we often have to just deal with. Time is the ever-slow healer. Sleep seems to be the only medication.

The external world is overwhelming. The possibilities of what could happen are overbearing. There are many people in this world who haven't rested in a long while. There are many people who are very tired - tired of keeping themselves safe, protected, and guarded.

The reality of our weakness makes us restless.

We are very poor refuges for ourselves and must apprehensively guard our post with insufficient artillery. We are just not strong or smart enough. So we resort to gorilla warfare, hiding in the shadows of our protective lies, and, when we must, we ambush with manipulative deception and survival-like force. We do whatever it takes to make the external world safe from maverick circumstances and/or people.

It's not that we want to harm anyone, we just don't want to be harmed [again]. If we relate, we do so reservedly. If we laugh, we do so cautiously. If we sleep we do so with one eye open. Again, many of us have not rested in some time.

But what if there was one person who was completely safe? What if this man was a perfect father, who treated all like a fragile, needy, and weak son or daughter? What if he was powerful enough to make every molecule, personal or non personal, safe? What if he actually controlled all things?

What if you were at peace with this man, and he was completely at peace with you? What if he loved you and was totally happy with you? What if the words used to describe him were fortress, refuge, Lord, or even warrior? What if you could hide safely in him? What if he was committed (and able) to defeat all of his (and your) enemies?

What if he was completely truthful and never lied? What if you never had to wonder what he was thinking (about you)? What if he said that you need not fear ever again? What if he said he would be with you and would care for you forever? What if he was committed to telling you and showing you the way to go...always?

This man does exist. He is alive. And his name is Jesus Christ. All who are in him by faith, because of his wonderful grace, can rest. We can love without worry. We can hurt with hope. We can repent without rejection. We can exist outside of the darkness of our own dungeon as we relish life in the Son. We can rest in our weakness, knowing and trusting in his strength to protect, guard, secure and love us well. He is the Lord.

May he give you rest today. May he give us all peace as we navigate this troubled world.

The Hardest Thing In The World To Do

noreply@blogger.com (scott moore) — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 17:02:00 +0000

The hardest thing in the world to do, for every person in the world, is not achieving some physical feat, reaching some monetary worth, or climbing from the dumps to a particular social or political status.

The hardest thing in the world to do is not to overcome addiction to alcohol or pornography. It is not to clean one's self up after living a dirty life. Changing one's life is difficult, it is not the most difficult.

The hardest thing in the world to do is to love another - purely, freely, and independently of the chance of their beneficial reciprocal actions.

Deeply sown into the fabric of our fallenness is the need for our actions towards others to be advantageous to us. On the flip side of that fallen coin is the necessity that our actions towards others must not be disadvantageous to us.

It doesn't matter what the other gains if we do not ultimately gain, or, if we ultimately lose. So we develop the most surreptitious stiff-arms to keep those who needs us from dragging us down.

And this is why Christianity is so hard. This is why Christ is so often hated. He demands the hardest action in the world. When we bring to him our resume of "good" actions toward others he gives us the truth we hate to hear - that we were not loving at all, but selfish throughout.

We loved only those who allowed us to remain in control of our lives. All the while we neglected the sojourner, the fatherless, the oppressed, the prisoner, and the poor. Those who impose, overly-need, and often take advantage of us. Those who may put our lives in danger of not being the greatest thing in the world.

The crown jewel of the Christ's crown, however, is his love for his enemies; his ability and strength to faithfully love people who do not love him back. He is odd because he touches lepers, and communes with sinners. He takes time for the blind, the bleeding, and the unclean. He freely gives to those who cannot give back. He died for those who actively sought to take his life.

And he expects us to carry on that Spirit-led and empowered tradition.

We have to know this about our call. Otherwise, we remain indistinguishable from the rest of those who love only the ones who love us in return.

Christ knows that doing the impossible - doing the hardest thing in the world - will get the world's attention. It will draw all men unto him. It will make self-seekers angry, it will weed out the lukewarm, and it will call sinners to repentance.

And there are a lot of sinners out there. Sinners that will come running into our churches, homes, and lives when we show them the scandalous love of Christ.

Allow me to add a quick, yet dangerous note. If you agree with what has been said, it is not enough. The feeling that accompanies knowing and agreeing with the truths of Christianity is nice, but that feeling soon fades when Christ providentially orders our life and calls this knowledge into action.

I would not be surprised if you received a phone call soon after reading this post - from your spouse, child, or parishioner. And I would not be surprised if the person on the other end of that call was needy, negative, or even degrading to you.

As the good feeling fades and the anger tempts you to rage, cling to Christ by faith. Beg for the Spirit's power to love. And hope in the reward that he has promised for doing the hardest thing in the world - for loving those who are not loving you back.

Is It Okay To Be So Busy All Of The Time?

noreply@blogger.com (scott moore) — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 12:41:00 +0000

Let's face it, life is busy. Real busy. Many of us are juggling work, school, marriage, children, church, and other important activities. We wake up early and go to bed late. And we find little time during the day to rest - or, to be free from countless demands of the day. We expect that life should be more restful, and at the end of every day we struggle with whether or not it is okay to be so tired.

We ask ourselves hundreds of questions: What can we cut out? What are we doing wrong? Why are others so demanding? What are we going to do!?

I think a lot of our stress comes from an unbiblical expectation that we should not be a busy people. In other words, it is helpful to know that it is okay to be really tired at the end of the day. Knowing this, I believe, will bring more rest to our hearts even though we tirelessly race with our hands.

Here are a few thoughts concerning this matter that I hope will be helpful.

Christ was extremely busy. One survey of the gospels shows us that Christ was extremely busy. He was constantly being pulled by the masses. He spent many days without eating. He had to wake up before daylight to pray and spend time with his Father. There were even times when his busyness made him late for vital appointments. People died because he got caught up helping someone else (Luke 8). He even fell asleep in a boat during a life-threatening storm.

Though Christ was busy outwardly, he was restful inwardly. As Christians, we should be Christ-like.

Christ was busy doing his Father's work. It is not okay to be busy doing something other than the Father's work. The Scriptures actually call this laziness (Prov 18:9). If you are busy doing things for selfish gain, with a self-glorifying goal, and by a wrong standard, then your fatigue is heavier with condemnation. We must daily repent for such actions as we work toward godliness, out of a heart of love, and with an aim to bring God glory. This we can only do by the Spirit who gives us great rest, even while we are extremely tired.

Take advantage of the gift of God-given rest. Christians should sleep. Yes, that's right. Get some sleep every night. Also, rest for one full day per week. The Fourth Commandment is a gift that we frequently disregard. Many of us would feel less condemnation if we were celebrating the Sabbath with a good nap, with good people, and with worshipful rest. If you feel stress on that day, spend some time repenting of a desire to be unbound by time. Then spend some time actively trusting in the God-man Jesus Christ who cares for you and who is in control. He allows us to rest. He will take care of tomorrow.

Your tireless work is not in vain. Be tired storing up treasures in heaven. Again, if you are storing up treasures on earth, you can expect your fatigue to be mixed with the condemnation of the law (which we cannot bear). But if you fall flat on the floor at the end of the day in utter exhaustion, all because of your tireless Kingdom work, you can be inwardly restful knowing that, in just a short time, you will experience unending rest in heaven. And that rest will be with others who are there because of your work. Jesus was serious when he spoke about such treasures. We should think about this often.

If you die early because of your hard work for the Kingdom, it will all be worth it. It's okay to tirelessly work so that others can eternally rest.

This is ultimately what makes busyness so sweet. Christ, and his everlasting rest, is what makes being so tired okay. It is because of his work that we can rest before the Father. We no longer work for acceptance. And it is because of our hope of heaven that we tirelessly spend our lives loving others (Col 1:1-5). Remember, the treasures are real.

Christian, it is okay to be busy.

Cleaning Our House Will Not Cleanse Our Hearts

noreply@blogger.com (scott moore) — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 12:27:00 +0000

Chaos in the outside world - from the inconvenient actions of others, to the constant random acts of children - makes me anxious, tired, and sometimes fearful. As the day wears on, and my inner tank draws closer to "E", visions and [over]desires of rest pervade my life. The bed, the pillow, and the long sigh at the end of the day give me a delightful taste of what shalom will one day be.

There are times, however, when I want that taste of rest too badly. In an effort to drag the end of the day closer, I forcefully manipulate my outside world into my own version of what peace should look like. I hastily toss my children into the bed, giving little attention to their small, though often significant, desires. I leave important home-tasks undone. I neglect prayer and intimate conversation with my wife.

I come home and immediately clean. No talking...just cleaning. Order. Now. People can wait.

My over-desire for rest, peace, and order compels me into forcing the door of my day shut. If someone puts their foot in that door, well, that's their fault.

I am learning that when I try to force peace outside, those are the times when there is little-to-no peace inside. By calming the storms around me, I somehow think that I can calm the storms inside of me. For some reason I think that ordering my home will order my heart.

As we survey the world that Christ entered into, we should see that it was far from peaceful, orderly, or restful. He rarely rested (physically). He had to wake up early to find time to pray. The masses where always following him. The Pharisees were always hating him. His disciples were always distrusting him. And the poor were always asking things from him. His life was anything but restful. It was chaotic.

But even during the storms of the outside world, his heart was calm. The peace he brought to others was an overflow of the peace he received from his Father. Because he was restful inside, he could minister to the unrestful world outside. Because of his dependence upon the immutable Father, he was liberated to bring peace to the chaotic world around him.

That's why we can call him gentle, compassionate, and loving.

And this is how we ought to be. By the Spirit of Christ, we should bring peace to others - not forcefully, but gently, patiently, and faithfully. We ought not be influenced into unrest by the world around us. He is our shield, our arc of safety, our refuge, our strength, our rock. Rather than forcefully grabbing the world around us, we ought to faithfully cling to the Prince of Peace.

Anxiety and unrest during chaotic times are the symptoms that we need Jesus. Our frustrations and short-fused reactions toward others (like our children) is indicative that our faith is small. Frantically cleaning will not bring about inner cleansing. I think we all need to hear that cleaning the house will not clean our hearts.

It has really helped me to stop and consider my own heart - especially during times of great unrest. The gospel is really good news. I need it daily. I need to hear that Christ cleanses me, loves me, and is with me. I need to hear that he is unshaken. I need to hear that he is restful, strong, and blessed.

He really does bring freedom. The inner rest he gives, liberates us to advance his Kingdom in the most unrestful places. He gives a calm in our hearts that is meant to calm the restless hearts of others.

White Church Planter, Black Neighborhood - Article for RAAN

noreply@blogger.com (scott moore) — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 12:54:00 +0000

I am honored to contribute another article to the Reformed African American Network. Over the past year, I have been asked many questions about how a white guy can plant a church in a black neighborhood. In this post, I share a few lessons I have learned in my short tenure in Trinity Gardens.

The Good News: We Cannot Do Anything We Set Our Minds To

noreply@blogger.com (scott moore) — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 13:18:00 +0000

Christianity is the only religion or way of life that obligates and calls people to do the impossible. It is the antithesis of the cultural message most children and adults hear, that "you can do anything you put your mind to if you just believe in yourself."

When thinking of what "the impossible" might be, many think of very difficult feats like earning a college degree, playing professional ball, or building a large sum of wealth. Some may think of overcoming impossible obstacles such as a severe illness, disability or socioeconomic condition.

But that's not what Christ has in mind when he calls us to do the impossible. If it is, then Christianity is no different from any other world belief system. As a matter of fact, humans have historically accomplished and overcome great feats without believing, trusting, and following Christ.

Many impoverished kids have made it to the league. Many people with disabilities have overcome impossible odds. Many low have become high. Many poor have become rich. Many sick have become well. And most of the stories exclude faith in Christ. The moral of most of them is, if you believe in yourself, you can do anything.

And then Christ steps on the scene and calls us to love.

Just when we say, "That's all? I can do that." he calls us to love our enemies - to love those who actively and aggressively hate us, those who do not reciprocate our good will.

Christ calls us to the impossible task of liberating others from meeting certain beneficiary qualifications in order to be loved by us. As a matter of fact, as the love of others recedes, his call for us to love them increasingly resounds.

If we can somehow accomplish obedience to this command, blessings will overflow. But if we cannot obey, we stand empty, in need of his merciful kindness, and reminded that we are weak and unable to do this one small, yet impossible task.

A man may reach the peak of Mount Everest, but he cannot overcome the monumental reluctance of his own heart.

A woman may give direction and leadership to a large corporation, but she cannot direct and lead her own desires.

The devastating truth that we cannot do the impossible if we believe in ourselves has lead millions into the relentless pursuit of a thousand seemingly significant, possible tasks. When Christ calls us to love our nasty neighbor, we run away dismayed, franticly searching for [other] teachers who can give us commandments we can accomplish. We will go to anyone and ask...

Who exactly is my neighbor? Do I give them money? How much do I give? What if they misuse what I give them?

What strategy can I employ to provide water for the entire continent of Africa? How do I start a ministry that does what other ministries are already doing? What can I do right now to change the world?

What possible thing can I do today that will look like I accomplished the impossible tomorrow? How can I soothe my guilty conscience? How can I remove the stain of my own sin?

How do I do these things while appeasing my wife who is starting to hate my efforts to change the world?

How can I make my marriage argument free and do this ministry at the same time? How can I assure my wife that I love her while working too much saving the world? How can I love her without knowing her? How can I care for her when I don't know how?

How can I refrain from going to bed angry tonight? How can I love her well when I really don't want to?

And after we have read the books, asked the teachers, gone to countless seminars and conferences, our own inabilities continue to stare us (and others) glaringly in the face. We have succeeded at reaching the nations, but have failed miserably to love our neighbor. This is the desperate condition only Christianity can heal. This is greatest human weakness that only Christ is strong enough to change.

The good news is that he does. He loves those who do not reciprocate. He loves sinners who come to the end of themselves - who forsake their own efforts and rely fully upon his grace to work in them what they cannot work within themselves. He is strong to love the unlovable that they might become both lovable and loving to others.

It Makes No Sense Whatsoever to Confess Sins

noreply@blogger.com (scott moore) — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 16:40:00 +0000

If the threat of punishment looms around every corner, ready to execute after every morally wrong move or motive, then it makes no sense whatsoever to confess sins. If eternal damnation lurks to condemn us perfectly for our culpable imperfections, then it makes all the sense in the world to hide, blame, and defend ourselves.

We should be tireless in our efforts to divert the critical eye away from our shortcomings, while drawing the celebratory attention of others toward our accomplishments. We should be openly critical of others, and overly zealous to proclaim our achievements to the world.

This is human survival.

Death that feels like emptiness, being rejected and unaccepted by other significant beings. Death that feels like hopelessness, having someone else in control of our destiny after we have squandered it away. And death that feels like darkness, having no good, comforting, or safe authority to speak over and direct us.

The threat of this death keeps us bound. The bible uses words like "dominion" and "slavery" to describe that which controls our lives. Diversion is our feeble attempt to delay the death we know we deserve. Because we know it is rightly approaching, anxiety and fear become close [unwanted] relatives.

If we are found guilty, then we are dead. And so we become enslaved to the sins stated above - lying, blame-shifting, and hiding.

But what if the looming condemnation were to be judicially lifted? What if the death deserved was rightly diverted? What if the cup of God's just wrath was poured out completely upon another, upon someone else? What if our death stung another? What if his life saved sinners like you and me?

Then it would make all the sense in the world to confess and not defend. It would make sense to live honestly without hiding. It would be reasonable to take the blame rather than cast it. It would be natural to draw attention to the strengths of others.

Imagine the marriages! Imagine the relational glory!

Suddenly, our old way of doing things becomes wholly unreasonable. If someone were to confront and expose our sins, we should no longer feel the need to defend and divert. The fear of death has been removed. Life has been promised to repentant sinners.

So we admit our guilt. We show our hand. We expose our faults (saving others the stressful trouble!). And we humbly proclaim that we are the freed men and women of Christ - our substitute. We trust him so much that we are fearless to open our lives up in vulnerability to others. We trust him enough to confess, repent, and believe. We love him enough to love others.

We cling to him so tightly that our confessional actions make no sense whatsoever to a watching world.

How to Make World Changing Resolutions

noreply@blogger.com (scott moore) — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 13:01:00 +0000

I recently wrote an article entitled How to Make World Changing Resolutions. You can read the article in full on the Reformed African American Network (RAAN) website. In the article, I address the reasons why our resolutions don't last, the faulty nature of our resolutions, and things we can do to ensure they last and make a difference in the world. I hope you enjoy! Happy New Year!

Why I Threw the Berenstain Bears in the Garbage

noreply@blogger.com (scott moore) — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 15:12:00 +0000

So I'm reading the Berenstain Bears to my little boy the other day and couldn't make it through the whole book without trowing it in the garbage. Yes, that's right. I threw the Berenstain Bears in the garbage.

The storyline went something like this: Baby bears were watching too much television and eating too much junk food. Mama Bear notices this is becoming a habit for her children. She also notices they are getting a little overweight. So, like a good mother, she turns off the TV and throws away all junk food in the house. She then instructs the children to go outside to play.

So far so good.

Well, Papa Bear comes home and heads straight for the refrigerator. He asks, "Where's my soda?" Mama Bear replies, "It's gone. I threw it away." Then Papa Bear goes over to the cupboard looking for some cookies. He doesn't find any. Mama Bear says, "Yep, threw those away too." Disappointed, PB goes to the television and is quickly told it is not allowed anymore." Even more disappointed, PB bends down to get something off of the floor, and RIP!, his pants tear because, just like the kids, Papa has gained one-too-many pounds.

The moral of the story was decent enough - Resist the temptation to watch television and eat junk food all day. Playing outside is a good alternative.

But there was another message that went something like this - Papa Bear is a goofball and is just another child that Mama Bear has to manage and instruct, because she ultimately has to rule the roost.

This book is just another indication that our culture has no clue about true manhood or masculinity. Examples of manhood range from the Bundy's (when I was growing up) - Al being the lazy, uncaring, father with one hand down his pants and a remote in the other. Then there is Raymond, the clueless and careless man-child who serves more as an object of laughter than a leader. People may love him, but they'd never follow him.

Then there are the athletes - oh, the hailed athletes, who are honored and glorified more for the strength of their bodies than of their character. UFC is on a come-up as well, a man is someone who can beat the crap out of another.

The pendulum swings to the other end of the spectrum as well. When men don't wear pads or boxing gloves, they wear pink sweaters and become another voice on The View concerning decorating or hair styling. Please excuse the expression and receive the point.

From being overly masculine (which is not really masculine at all) to more feminine, manhood is completely distorted in our day. Rarely do we find in the media a faithful husband, who loves, protects, and provides for his family, friends, and enemies. Rarely do we see a man relating in a godly way to women - rather, we get men who act like women or totally take advantage of them.

You have to wonder why athletic masculinity is always accompanied with women in bathing suits (from cheerleaders, to the girls who walk around with a sign that says, "Round 2."). It's an indication that men aren't portrayed at all, but cave-men.

Men are either dominating women, or being dominated by them.

And the worldview is promoted at an early age. Even with the Berenstain Bears.

Why I Dislike the Word "Journey" as a Description of the Christian Life

noreply@blogger.com (scott moore) — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 13:35:00 +0000

This past Saturday, my wife and I were without three of our four children. The in-laws took em. Given this "freedom" I was ready for a nice day of rest. My wife, on the other hand, was ready for something else. While I had sleeping on my mind, she had shopping on hers. Christmas shopping. Dang.

Needless to say, she got her way :) As we were on our way to the first store, I looked over and asked her the very important question, "What's the plan?"

I cannot handle shopping without a plan. I need a goal - an end in sight. Something to keep us focussed and to keep us from wandering around the stores from one sale sign to the next. If I am going to endure shopping, I need to know that it will be over in the future. Shopping for me is a mission.

She was reluctant to give the plan. Why? Because shopping for her (that day) was a journey.

There is a huge difference.

Missions have goals that, once accomplished, the mission is over. Men and women are able to endure all sorts of hardship, suffering (I'm shifting from the shopping analogy at this point), and tribulation, as long as they know these things will end once their goal is reached.

This is why Christian hope is necessary for enduring sacrificial living.

People on a mission have little patience for journeying. It doesn't make sense walking unless we are walking somewhere. Without an end in sight, there is only wandering - sometimes for years...in circles.

As we travel through this world, we always long to know where we are going? If the answer from our leadership is unclear, then they are not really leading. And as followers, we quickly become hopeless grumblers, rather than obedient soldiers.

This is why I have a distaste for the word journey as a description of the Christian life and faith. The only good example of a journeying people in the Scriptures is the children of Israel in the wilderness. They were journeying because they were rebellious, refusing to follow the leadership God provided. They longed for Egypt and had little hope in the Land of Promise.

This is why a lack of Christian hope produces a life of little to no sacrificial endurance.

We must also pay attention to the context and content of Moses' exhortations to the second generation. In an effort to keep them from the patterns of their parents, he kept the goal in front of them - urging them to obediently follow the Lord's commandments as he led them across the Jordan, into the Promised Land.

The crossing of the Jordan and the conquest of the Land was no journey. It was a mission. Joshua was a leader, not a wanderer. He had a clear command, motivation, and goal (Joshua 1). His leadership produced soldiers, who knew and expected the conquest to be tough. But they also knew it'd be worth it because of the end.

Similarly, the Christian life is a mission, lead by Christ's commands, empowered by his Spirit, and motivated by the inheritance he has purchased and promised. We must always be looking and hoping for what is ahead.

When the Christian asks, "Where are we going?" Christ's answer is clear, not ambiguous. The Word of God is a relatively small book with clear instructions, intrinsic power, and hopeful promises.

Disclaimer: I understand that there are some temporary situations in the Christian life that may be accurately described as a journey. However, it should not be a description that is allowed to stick around too long. People quickly lose heart.

Disclaimer 2: I am not saying that those who shop are journeyers in the Christian life. I used shopping only as an analogy :) If you know of a way that I can rightly judge all journey-shopping as inappropriate for the Christian life, please tell me! I am looking for any excuse to outlaw the practice.

Encouragement for the Christian: Hope in heaven. Attentively listen to Christ's commands. With the power he provides, make it your mission to love like crazy.

Longing for Egypt Because We Don't Long for Eternity

noreply@blogger.com (scott moore) — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 15:18:00 +0000

I think there is a part in all of us that longs for our own Egypt - the places we once were, the things we once did, and the enjoyments we once had. As we look back, we tend to block the bad and focus only on the good. Nostalgia has a tendency to overshadow previous pains that flowed out of our previous passions. Too often, it is the passions of the past that throw us into wishful thinking for the past, accompanied by discontentment with who we are and what we have, now.

This is all pretty reasonable. As life moves forward, the weight of responsibility grows. The pains of life increase. People around us die, argue, and divorce. Money is made and lost. Children grow up and struggle with life - a progression we attempt to protect with all our might. Some of their struggles are our fault. This we cannot take. Because we are sinners, our failures pile up - some of them have repercussions that will follow and taunt us the rest of our lives.

These shadows eclipse the thousands of mercies and joys we receive every day. Our natural bend, it seems, is to focus on the dark fabric of life, all the while the diamond of redemption shines directly upon our faces. We continually fail to realize that our Lord specializes in bringing treasure out of tribulation and tragedy.

We also fail to realize and recognize that, through this wilderness, a redemptive road winds. And that short road (though it seem long) ends in the Land of Promise. In a very real and practical way, we have no concept or expectation of this Land, nor the promise that secures it for us. Our perception of the promised future has little gravity compared to the greatness (again, in our perception) of our parochial past and present. Therefore, it rarely perceive it as feasible.

How many of us, while in agony or in a time of great temptation, have been truly comforted by the promised inheritance? How many have been prescribed reflection on eternity when seeking godly counsel? And how many of us have been counseled to hope upon heaven, only to toss the person's advice to the side as impersonal, unloving and impractical?

Unfortunately, hope for eternity does little to make us feel better.

Because of the present anxieties of our wilderness, we cannot fathom a future better than what we once had. We are all addicts of Egypt who chase the first high (Exod 16:1-3). Because of this, the Christian experience, in this life, is reduced to inconvenience. We do just enough to ease the discomfort of conscience - the discomfort that usually follows relapse.

But the remedy is so clear. The greatness of the Promised Land should be, and indeed is, enough to keep our eyes focused ahead. It should have enough gravity in our lives to draw us into obedient progress. When we do look back to Egypt, we should always see it through the historical Cross (Gal 6:14). We should always see just how bloody our Egypt was; and how our life there cost Christ his.

And when we look forward, we should be amazed to see a Land where the Lord promises pleasures and joys forever. No sin. No tears. Glorified body. Glorious relationships. Eternal and unselfish enjoyment of all possessions. Laughter that doesn't have to end. Intimacy that throws sex into extinction. Men will work without sweat and stress. Women will be loved without worry of abandonment. Our backs will not ache, nor will our brains forget. We will, Christian, be with our Lord, praising him together, with no less days than when we had first begun. All of this, and more, without end.

Egypt pails in comparison. Egypt is hell in comparison.

This is what makes a tough life now bearable. This is what makes loving difficult people worth it. This is what takes the stoicism out of sacrifice, and adds reward back to responsibility. Without hope for the future, there is no real reason to obey in the present. Without eternity, there is only Egypt.

Christ purchased for us an inheritance we cannot even come close to fully understanding. The Scriptures, however, are full of descriptions; and this life is full of glimpses - wives, children, churches, and good food, to name a few. By grace, I hope we can see that these great things are merely tastes of what's to come. By grace, I pray that we all long for an eternity that puts Egypt to shame. Only then will those who are now in Egypt be enticed to leave, and thus be with us in the Promised Land for eternity!

Thi'sl's New Album - Free From the Trap (Get it!)

noreply@blogger.com (scott moore) — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 12:24:00 +0000

I would highly recommend getting this new album Free From the Trap by Thi'sl. Thi'sl is probably my favorite artist among the current list of Christian rappers. It is well worth the money, as he gives an honest view of what life looks like in distressed communities - all from a Christian perspective. I am thankful that the Lord saved this man. I am thankful that he has called him to this ministry.

Repenting of Our Racism During Obama's Reelection

noreply@blogger.com (scott moore) — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 17:39:00 +0000

We are not that far removed from the civil rights movement. There are millions of people living in America who remember racial segregation, discrimination, and the acceptable injustice of racism. Now that the movement has ended, and holds its section in every elementary history book, we tend to think that racism is less of an issue. We tend to ignore its dangerous existence in our culture today.

We have, in many ways, given the civil rights movement too much credit. While it brought change in our civil laws, it failed to bring change (in every individual instance) to the human heart. In other words, just because the civil rights movement has come, doesn't mean racism has gone. It is alive and well, and to ignore its existence is nothing less than irresponsible.

Just one week ago, the stench of racism seeped out of my own heart. As I walked into the voting booth, I couldn't help noticing my minority status. Out of about a hundred people, I was one out of about ten caucasians. I immediately said to myself, "Obama will win." At that moment, I lumped every non-white individual into a corporate group who, I thought, would vote for Obama merely because he was black. I made an arbitrary, stereotypical, racial judgment. I was, at that time, a practicing racist.

To all of my African American friends, I repent. I am sorry.

My reason for writing, however, goes deeper than this. Should the stereotype (in many cases) be justified, I believe it is a facet of racism that keeps us from understanding the valid reasons people have for voting according to race - whoever the candidate may be, or whatever policies the candidate may hold. To see such a vote as completely unreasonable is indicative of our unwillingness to know and love our neighbor well. After all, making judgments according to race is easier and more convenient than making judgments according to a person's reasons.

I am a middle-class, white male. I have never been stopped by a police officer because I fit a profile. I have never been denied anything (that I know of) strictly because I belong to a particular racial group. I have never had someone I don't know call me a nigger - judging and categorizing me as a stupid, mindless, individual because of the color of my skin. And, I have never had anyone give me proverbial "pat on the head" because I actually could learn enough to graduate high school or even college.

I was not raised by a grandmother who was denied simple privileges like a water fountain, toilet, or seat on a bus, all because she was black. My grandfather was not hanged by southern white police officers. Nor did my grandparents ever have to put out a burning cross in their front yard.

I have never had to wonder if justice would be afforded me. I have always trusted my banker, my local police, my governor, and my president. I have never personally wondered if my civil authorities were safe or unsafe to approach when I was in need. I have never had to vitally consider the racial prejudice of those elected to protect me.

When police drive through my neighborhood, I feel safe. I feel no need to run. I have always thought the only reason people do run is because they are guilty. But I have never considered that some run because they don't want to be embarrassed in front of their family and friends; or have their possessions and/or time unjustly confiscated.

There is no one in my immediate lineage who has been forced to live and find solace in a marginalized, impoverished community where everyone is, by circumstance, a racial refugee. I have never been denied viable employment because of my skin tone, and therefore have never been put in a position to find the cheapest property available - cheap only because people like me live there.

Perhaps most significantly, I have never been desperate for a just and authoritative advocate - someone on the outside who could pull me out. Someone who could speak on my behalf and communicate to others that I am also human, valuable, intelligent, and more beautifully complex than the color of my skin.

Because I have never been racially oppressed in these ways, I have never longed for an authoritative advocate who looked like me - whose existence in the outside, authoritative, non-marginalized world, meant that there was a ray of sun shinning through the dark clouds of oppression.

Never having been individually oppressed because of my racial identity, I have never been forced to see my racial community as the only safe community or family. If I were a black man, and had experienced all of the above, I am sure I would see life and politics through very different eyes - eyes that must see color first as a means of survival. And I am sure I would be more inclined to see the possibility and reality of a black president very differently as well.

His presence might very well mean more to me than his policies. And I would probably focus more on his color than his conduct. Right or wrong, I'd probably be conditioned to think this way. Right or wrong, these are reasons - valid reasons - why people may vote through a racial lens.

They are reasons that the white community must understand, as well as embrace as being brought about, at least in part, by our own history of corporate racism. If we fail to understand, repent, and love, we may slip into another cultural setting where a racial movement is mandated.

Propaganda - Free Album You Must Get!

noreply@blogger.com (scott moore) — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 13:03:00 +0000

This amazing album from Propaganda is available for free download here. You really need to get it. I personally like "Precious Puritans" as it is thoughtful and awakens our culture to one of its most dangerous blind spots.

Thanks AV for letting me know about this!!!

I have also added the GOSPEL by Propaganda below. Be blessed!

The Reformed African American Network (Check it Out!!)

noreply@blogger.com (scott moore) — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 12:28:00 +0000

Too often it is said that Christianity is the white man's religion. Those who believe in Christ, they say, are intolerant, dogmatic, blonde-haired, blue-eyed, white guys who live to impose their religious beliefs on the rest of the world. This may be hyperbolic language, but it is not unjustified. I have heard it with my own ears.

Of course, the statement is not completely true. From the beginning, Christianity has been a religion for the nations. And even when it was "just for the Jews", it was really for the world, through the Jews.

But I must confess. While I may reject the indictment that Christianity is the white man's religion, there are significant parts of my life that invite it. I may say that Christianity is for all peoples and has been lived out and promoted by all peoples, but I have not embraced this truth in many significant parts of my Christian education and practice.

I don't believe I am alone. For some time, middle-upper class white evangelicals have believed that they are the only significant, right, articulators of theology - especially Reformed Theology. And like I said before, I don't believe any one of us would say this, but we do believe it.

Take a look at your book shelf or blogroll. What percentage are white (or, Anglo) authors? What percentage are African-American, Mexican, Latin American, African, or Asian? I haven't conducted a survey, but I'd be willing to bet, from the libraries I have seen (even my own!), that the majority of our theological learning comes from the white community.

I don't believe that this is malicious in nature or overtly racial. White authors, because of many factors (good and bad), have probably published and produced more material. But is this a good excuse? Shouldn't we be seeking out different cultural perspectives on theology? Shouldn't we be promoting and subsidizing multicultural theological expressions? Do we not see the cultural one-sidedness of our own theological framework?

Without the significant theological insights from multicultural communities, can we really say we are Reformed? Don't we realize that Reformed Theology is not just written doctrinal truths, but also the existential expressions of those doctrines in every culture and among all people groups under heaven?

If you are looking at your bookshelf and blogroll, and notice an absence of multicultural influence, there is no need to despair. I have good news for you today. I'd like to introduce you to RAAN.

The Reformed African American Network (RAAN) is a great organization that seeks to faithfully share and express Reformed Theology from an African American perspective. It's purpose is to "fuel the modern reformation in the African American community and the multi-ethnic nation beyond."

RAAN is a great resource for all peoples. It allows us to gain tremendous theological insights from the African American perspective. In short, I believe RAAN will add much needed color to our modern Reformed tradition.

Below is a video from the founders of RAAN explaining what the organization is all about. I hope you will make this network a part of your regular theological diet. I pray that it would be a significant means by which the Lord's church "continually reforms."

Mopping Up the Bloody Mess

noreply@blogger.com (scott moore) — Sat, 27 Oct 2012 21:41:00 +0000

Every sin, no matter how small, creates a chasm between us and the other that we are not able to cross. Every transgression makes a mess that we are ill-equipped to clean up. Sin is something so easy to do, but it is impossible to repair. With our actions we fracture other people so badly that even the best of our actions would never restore the relationship to what it once was.

When we sin, we are like a child who just burned down our home - completely guilty and completely helpless. A small action by small fingers, lights a match that burns a big house down.

We don't really believe this though do we? Some sins, like adultery or murder are obviously "that bad." But other sins like lying or lusting are, well, not "that bad." Most of the time we don't notice how bad they are until we are found out by another individual. We see the damage in the tears or expressions of the person against whom we have transgressed.

Because we don't believe the devastating nature of sin, we leave the mess unaddressed - like a husband who expects his wife to be okay after he lets her know he doesn't plan on committing adultery any more; like a wife who simply disciplines herself out of the habit of gossip; and like a college student who reads a book on procrastination in an effort to break the cycle.

We have fooled ourselves into thinking if we stop the behavior the mess will go away. Our right actions will mop the bloody floor. We actually think that we can make the [burned] house come back by saying, "I won't play with fire ever again."

Once more, all of these actions fail to recognize the personal nature of sin - that, though we are in control to commit the sin, we surrender our control (by that very action) to repair it. Once the deed is done, we are completely at the mercy of the other to make things right. Nothing we do will do - no matter how good that doing may be.

Sin makes us, for all practical purposes, dead - and desperate. The life we need must come from the person we have deeply offended. It is their blood on the floor. Our bloody mop has only spread it around. Only their clean mop will do.

And that is why the gospel is so good. Christ, in his great mercy, mops up our mess. He repairs the breech and crosses the chasm. His cleanness takes away our dirtiness. His death brings us life. He personally restores things beyond what they once were. He makes us new.

Changing behavior will never work. Only honest repentance and full reliance upon the person and work of Christ can cure the curse of sin. This is why a change in countenance tends to bring about forgiveness more than change in behavior. This is why we can be both sinner and saint. Humble repentance and faith is the way of life. Christ is the good news we all must hear, love, and proclaim.

One of the Best Albums I Own

noreply@blogger.com (scott moore) — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 13:19:00 +0000

Please allow me to recommend to you one of the best albums I own. For years it has played in the background of my studies and prayers. And, it was created by one of my dearest friends.

You can now get Still Waters by Jeremy Mayfield on Amazon. It is nothing more than Jeremy at the piano; but nothing less than magnificent. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Coffee is Making My Stomach Upset

noreply@blogger.com (scott moore) — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 02:13:00 +0000

It's been a few weeks since I have posted anything. I simply haven't had the time, the topic, or motivation to do so. Writing consistently, I am finding, is not something "scramblers" do well; and that is exactly what I am these days - a scrambler.

I have a to-do list a mile long that grows more than shrinks. I put off the tasks I dread most. And those tasks linger in the back of my conscience (as well as bug me in the little red circle on my iPhone!), reminding me that, not only am I a scrambler, I am a procrastinator.

I am also becoming more aware of the fact that there is no neutral existence. If we are not living, we are dying. If I am not getting stronger, I am getting weaker. If it is not being cleaned, it is getting dirty. If I am not trusting in Christ, I am trusting in myself - or something else which usually lingers in the shadow of self.

I feel like the guy who spins a dozen plates at once (or more!) for half-time entertainment. Only I am not so good at keeping all of my plates spinning. I knock some down with my scrambling. I allow others to wobble because of neglect. And I simply forget others.

Plus, I have a sinus infection.

Not only am I scattered outside, but I feel scattered inside. This makes life less than exciting. Hope is now just a religious word. Right now I feel like I am everywhere.

My life is a mess.

Often I feel alone.

But there is something that continues to nag me. A soft but strong warmth that lingers all-the-while. It is personal. Constant. Beckoning me to conversation, it seems, with the air. Invisible, but visible enough to be uncomfortable with using anything other than the word "he" to describe it. So, I will use "he".

He patiently forces me to surrender my timeline, and, to reject every pragmatic method for rest. I am losing my confidence in everything to do that which only he can do. I hate waiting, but it is all I have now.

Coffee is making my stomach upset.

There are no updates.

People aren't answering.

I can barely muster up the desire to read or write.

And so, I am here. Face to face with a God who is spirit and has not a body like men. I don't think it'll work, but I am going to spend time in prayer with this Lord. I am going to take him at his word that he will answer me. I am fully expecting to wait for his response, while at the same time trust he is here with me.

I am reminded of Eugene Peterson's words: "A sense of hurry in pastoral work disqualifies one for the work of conversation and prayer that develops relationships that meet personal needs. There are heavy demands put upon pastoral work, true; there is difficult work to be engaged in, yes. But the pastor must not be "busy." Busyness is an illness of spirit, a rush from one thing to another because there is no ballast of vocational integrity and no confidence in the primacy of grace."

Please pray with me that I will once again - day to day - find my ballast and confidence in the primacy of God's glorious grace.

Free Kindle Book - Honest to God by Joshua Weidmann

noreply@blogger.com (scott moore) — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 12:43:00 +0000

While I have not read this book, it does seem to discuss something that is very important to me - honesty and transparency. I am becoming more convinced that these important aspects of the Christian life are the missing key postures in modern Christianity. Transparency is often the difference between hypocrisy and humility. Honesty is what keeps us from being more than image bearers. It affirms what the world already knows about us - that we are not the Image Himself.

I am looking forward to reading this book. Even more, it's free! Enjoy.

You can get Honest to God by Joshua Weidmann here.

The Strange Man Who Sat Next to Me This Morning

noreply@blogger.com (scott moore) — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 13:24:00 +0000

I sat down at Starbucks this morning at 5:30. There was no other person around. It didn't take long, however, for the "serge" to happen. People, like me, needed their fix. They needed the bean juice to get their day comfortable and controllable - like yesterday.

As the people came pouring in, I had to put my headphones in my ears to concentrate. Voices, laughs, phone calls, and other types of communication rang throughout the store. It was loud. People were being people, communal, and relational. At times, I just sat and watched.

It was interesting to see how normal this was for everyone. They were all dressed for work. Some had sleep in their eyes. Some, their hair still wet. But this is normal for the morning - normal for people in the morning. The day needs starting. Coffee please.

Something was abnormal though. And he sat right next to me.

He was not normal. He was, in every sense of the word, strange. There were many chairs in the store. He chose the one across from me (its a big table with many chairs). He sat, with his hot tea, and watched.

He wore all black. His hair was wet, but it didn't look like "shower-wet." It looked more like "rain-wet." Only it hasn't rained in Minneapolis in weeks. Like I said, he was strange.

His glasses were thicker than normal. It looked as if he fixed them on the end of his nose; only, it was probably because they ran down their anyway. Why fight the inevitable?

His teeth were also strange. I never saw them, but only the way they made his mouth bulge.

He was truly unlike the other hundred people (or so) who walked in this store. Not only did he look different, he didn't communicate. He talked to no one but himself - at least for a moment. The movement of his mouth was enough to make me look up from my book.

His presence made me feel uneasy. I immediately looked at all of my possessions - my watch, my pens, my coffee cup, and my books. I made sure they were not in his space. I made room for him. But my motive was not so noble.

As I read about pastoring, I was convicted that this man sat next to me while I was completely uncommunicable. I had headphones in (is it ok to end that sentence with a preposition?). I was looking down, reading. I was less than inviting. So I took my headphones out in an effort to be more accessible.

Thirty minutes later, no words from this man. No words from me to this man. As he rose from his seat, I noticed his hand was deformed; curved under as if he was pointing toward his own elbow. And he walked with a noticeable limp. He was also noticeably alone.

This was probably common for him. He was probably used to talking to no one.

I wonder why he came to starbucks to sit so long. Why did he look so intently at others? Why did he come to a place where hundreds of people walked in and out, talking, drinking...relating?

Why did he sit across from me?

Why didn't I say anything to him?

I had just read about Christ touching a leper. But I didn't communicate anything at all to the obvious outcast who sat across from me.

By grace, never again.