dalebest

Washing Bin Laden's Feet

2010-03-12T18:56:46-08:00

Look at the picture above. What kinds of feeling does it stir inside you?

Far be it from me to pass judgment on the man seated in the middle. Bin Laden has done a lot of horrible things and I do believe society has an obligation to hold him accountable. But would Jesus wash his feet? I think he would. I believe Jesus would show him a Calvary-like love. Not only do I think he would. But I know he did.

Before you call me a heretic, hear me out.

Last week, I finished listening to the "Cross & the Sword" sermon series Greg Boyd preached at Woodland Hills Church back in 2004. (The sermon series was so controversial, 20% of his congregation packed his bags and left.)

In the sermon series, he makes a marked distinction between the Kingdom of God and the kingdoms of this world. The Kingdom of God, lived out in a genuine way, is filled with service and love for others - a "power-under" philosophy. Jesus modeled this in several ways: enduring the temptation to given all the kingdoms of this world, washing the feet of the ones who would deny and betray Him, giving His life and loving still the one who would end up killing him. The kingdoms of the world, quite the opposite, are filled with a "power-over" philosophy which Evil uses to steal, kill, and destroy that which God made good and beautiful.

Greg also explains that in the history of the world, whenever the Church hijacks a nations, deems it "Christian," and uses civil religion to "power over" people their way of life, well, things aren't so peaceful. (I believe I witnessed a few of these in my old school KJV-only, fundamental, independent Baptist days.)

In the USA, many Christians believe our country and the Kingdom of God go hand in hand - that America is a "Christian nation" ... a theocracy of sorts where civil religion is supposed to permeate every facet of our lives. The pledge under God. His name on our money. Exodus 22 displayed in public. How ironic is it that this kind of civil religion was exactly the same thing pilgrims came to America from Europe to escape ... a culture where "Christians" said "you have to do it this way" or else?

On any weekend close to Independence Day or Memorial Day, it's not uncommon to see churches all over the country esteem and celebrate American patriotism. Several years ago, it's was this kind of celebration where Greg Boyd witnessed a video montage of three crosses overlayed with American fighters jet and the American flag. He recalls vividly how livid he felt to see image of killing machines intertwined with symbols of peace and sacrifice.

Now I love the USA. The freedoms afforded to me came with many braves soldiers who paid the ultimate price. I try to live my life not taking that for granted. As noble as military service is made out to be, when Jesus tells me to love my enemy to the point of laying down my life for them, I have to take that seriously.

The next questions beg to be asked:

If the Scriptures say our fight isn't against flesh and blood, what constitutes our "Christian nation" killing for the sake of an earthly freedom that was never promised to us by God?
And if you were a Christian living in any other country besides the US, would God favor your country above any other the way the American Christian culture largely thinks God favors America?

I propose an alternative way to live. One that Jesus proposed.

Let's embrace the words of Jesus for all He intended them to be. Let's follow Jesus' actions even when you don't think it's the logical or "right" way.

Jesus showed Calvary-love to me giving His life. He did the same for you. And George W. Bush. And Barack Obama. And Osama Bin Laden. And Indianapolis Colts fans. And everyone else. I'm glad it's not up to me do decide what happens to them when they leave this life.

One thing that is up to me is the kind of love I show to them ... the kind that powers under, and serves, and washes the feet of the kinds of people the kingdoms of the world call unlovable and evil.

(The painting above was done by Lars Justinen of Justinen Creative Group for Heavenly Sanctuary. I think it's beautiful.)

For further reading, read Myth of a Christian Nation by Greg Boyd or Jesus For President by Shane Claiborne.

Taking Risks

2010-02-04T20:40:56-08:00

(ht: don miller)

Bob's Surgery ... Please Pray

2010-01-31T20:53:34-08:00

Tomorrow, my dad-in-law, Bob, is having surgery on his carotid artery. The surgery is called a carotid endarterectomy ... which means the surgeon will slice it open and take some gunk out. This is all done to prevent a stroke in the future since the carotid artery is the main pipeline that sends blood to the brain.

What I've learned about the surgery is that it's common and pretty routine when it comes to cardiovascular surgeries. So I'm confident in Bob's doctors and their ability to perform it.

Linny has been on edge this weekend and it comes from just wanting to be home in Oklahoma to be with her family. And I don't blame her. It's scary to see people you love go through such an uncertain time.

Please pray for Bob tomorrow morning as he goes under the knife. This may be a selfish request, but more than anything else, I don't want my son, Caedmon, to grow older without having at least 1 grandpa around. I was blessed to have 2 grandpas until age 11 and the other until I was 21. So many stories and so much wisdom can be passed to my Caedmon. And Bob is the perfect person to pass it along.

The video below is not for the squeamish. I searched for video of a carotid endarterectomy on YouTube...

N. T. Wright on Hell

2010-01-28T13:11:45-08:00

Years ago, I read Brian McLaren's book "The Last Word and the Word After That." In it, he brings forth a profound discussion that I believe many western Christians forget to engage in.

In a historical sense, where and when did the idea of hell originate? And how has it evolved over time and cultures?

N. T. Wright touches on that historical stream of thought in this video as he talks about his encounter with a Greek Orthodox priest in the Sistine Chapel.

HT: Out of Ur

Carlos Whittaker's EP

2010-01-26T21:16:23-08:00

I'm never one to really hype new music but when I like something, I like telling people about it.

I picked up Carlos Whittaker's EP on iTunes today. It's good. Really good.

His music is born out the community he's built at his blog, Ragamuffin Soul. Carlos isn't the greatest writer and he doesn't have the greatest vocals but what he lacks in those place, he makes up for with authenticity. His music exudes realness and honesty.

Which is hard to find in worship music these days.

Lane Kiffin Billboard in Knoxville

2010-01-24T08:54:47-08:00

When Lane Kiffin announced his exit to USC, I knew there weren't going to be a lot of people that were happy. My high school friend, Kate, brought to my attention a new billboard that was unveiled recently in Knoxville, TN.

Justin Timberlake & Matt Morris on Hope For Haiti Now

2010-01-22T19:21:22-08:00

Justin Timberlake and Matt Morris dueted a phenomenal cover of Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah on Friday night. WOW!!

Linny's Rainbow

2010-01-21T08:07:56-08:00

Tuesday was a hard day. I received some news at work that I wasn't happy about. I can't really talk about it yet publicly. But since then, I've been battling bitterness. It's so hard to choose to be joyful in the midst of a trial but I'm thankful for God's promise that choosing joy will make me a more complete person. (James 1:2-4)

It's also been raining all week. It feels like forever since I've seen sunshine. But every now and then, the sun will peek through and cause what my wife was able to capture.

On Tuesday afternoon, Linny walked out of her office and noticed a FULL rainbow that seemed to stretch from Reedley to Exeter. It actually took two pictures to capture the whole thing and Linny used a some photo editing software to "stitch" them together. It's the first time.

A rainbow is a sign of God's love. And because of Linny's attitude and unwavering support and because of God's promises, this is a week where I've definitely felt His love.

Don't Be Afraid of Death: Another Haitian Survival Story

2010-01-19T10:42:19-08:00

I am constantly astounded at the strength God gives people to sing ... that's right, SING ... in the middle of the worst circumstances. It's like the first few verses of the Book of James pop out of the page.

He Decided He Wanted Me To Survive

2010-01-19T09:27:05-08:00

Dan Woolley works for Compassion International. Last Tuesday, he was in the middle of a trip to Haiti to get video of Compassion's projects in Port-au-Prince. When the earthquake struck, he was in the lobby of the Montana Hotel with a colleague. Safe and sound now at a hospital in Miami, he was pulled from the rubble by a French rescue team late last week.

This morning on NBC's Today Show, he told his story of how God gave him strength during the darkest part of his whole life.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy