Away In A Manager

Much earlier this month, I got to meet and hold a baby less than 24 hours old. It was terrifying. He seemed so small and fragile. His loudest cry barely turned a head because his lungs weren’t yet big enough to wail. He was beautiful, don’t get me wrong, but mostly soft and tiny and helpless.

I was incredibly content to look at him. Who knew what would happen if I held him? Suddenly everything in the room and on my person resembled a potentially harmful weapon that could wound this little life in a split second.

This little boy was the son of my coworker Stacy. His name is Zachary and his arrival was much anticipated. Zachary was their first, and Stacy did everything she could to nurture his growth while he slowly developed within her.

She and her husband made every preparation for his entry into the world- touring the hospital, attending childbirth classes, decorating the nursery, looking up baby food recipes, getting his car seat approved, buying onesies, baby blankets, socks and hats. This little man didn’t know how good he had it when he took his first breath out of the womb.

In the midst of Advent season, God had me meet a little boy to help me meditate on the baby boy of the Christmas story. Marveling at little Zachary (and the Christmas card picture still propped up on my kitchen table), I still can’t believe Jesus donned the flesh of a helpless infant. Moreover, he didn’t have the relatively plush life that Zachary does, but rather endured real poverty, rejection, and homelessness as a newborn while embodying joy, hope, love, and peace in their purest forms.

The story of the child in a manager and his life on earth is the ultimate story of humility, for the God of heaven and earth condescended Himself into the form of an infant. The longer I think of the Christ child, the more clearly I see my own pride and sense of entitlement in contrast. Thus, during this Christmas season, I’ve asked Jesus to teach me His humility and am trusting He who began a good work in me will be faithful to complete it.

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself... Philippians 2:5-8

Book Review: The Gift of Being Yourself

Acknowledging from the start that it may seem paradoxical to write a “book promoting self-discovery to people who are seeking to follow a self-sacrificing Christ," David Benner insists that knowing self and knowing God are intimately intertwined.  By knowing our vulnerabilities, our gifts, our pitfalls, and our own personalities, we can better know the God who made us and meet Him as He actively delivers us.   

In The Gift of Being Yourself, Benner doesn’t gloss over the importance of disciplining ourselves to sit at God’s feet so that we might really know Him, not just know about Him.  He encourages readers to meditate on the life of Jesus as described in the Gospels as one way to give shape, color, and flesh to the God we long to know.  He also spurs the reader on to meet God in the events of daily life by taking time to reflect with God on the happenings and subsequent reactions and emotions of the day.

Knowing oneself is clearly described as knowing ourselves in relation to God and also knowing ourselves as we are and as God intends us to be.  Benner affirms that we can’t really know ourselves without knowing simple truths about the way God made us: we are sinners who are deeply loved and we are works in progress with marvelous potential.  As such, we must dig deep to discover the self that is really present, that is the self that we would prefer to ignore.  To truly know oneself, the false selves so quietly crafted must be unmasked, accepted, and then sacrificed to God for transformation.  In this way, Benner hones in on developing an integrity and authenticity to the self that does not naturally exist.  Our natural inclination is to hide and pretend, but to truly experience the “gift of being yourself,” one must first come to terms with the real self that we might not even know until we trod deeper into the journey of self-discovery. This is the redemptive restoration process of the Christian life.

Thoroughly describing both the current situation and the journey ahead, Benner continues by offering practical ideas for how to identify the false self and grow into the true self that is uniquely made and distinctively called by God.  It is evident throughout the book that both the process and outcome of truly knowing self are grounded in the Lord and intended for His glory and our deep joy. 

Benner’s case that the journey of self-discovery and knowing God are co-dependent and inseparable is a believable one.  He supports his arguments with compelling biblical texts along with keen observations of the human psyche and development. I found the premise refreshing, especially as our sinful identity is increasingly emphasized while our dual identity as God’s image bearers is (albeit fractured images) is more and more so ignored.  We are indeed “God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works” (Ephesians 2:10).  Benner captures both identities quite well in this work and inspired me to know my true self in Christ.  

Around 100 pages, this is a simple yet centering read; especially relevant as we quickly arrive at the time of year in which we reflect on who we are and who we are becoming.  Get it!

The REAL Self-Realization

"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you..." Matthew 4:19

The psychology field has a lot to say about self-realization.  It's our ultimate need, says Maslow, the thing after which we strive.

So do many Christians.  It’s a selfish pursuit, say some.  Just one more piece of evidence that collectively and individually, we’re slipping into a state of absolute consumption with self.

While self-realization is an obvious result of a blatantly individualistic culture, I don’t think self-realization and faith are diametrically opposed.  As with many ambitions, the way self-realization is understood and pursued as god in our society is skewed.  The intense focus on finding what makes you happy and discovering who you want to be can be sickening, but the hope of self discovery is not a devilish concept in and of itself. 

I contend that today’s pursuit to realize one’s individual identity, strengths and potential is primarily a distortion of the sanctification process.  We all agree and sense that we are not yet what we were created to be, and so we long to find that person, our true self, that God designed in His own image.  Without a clear understanding of the Gospel, this process is like a pre-teen without a license taking the wheel.  We aren’t supposed to be in the driver’s seat and we don’t really know where we are going or why.  We just want to move, progress, transform, grow, but we don't know where, how, or why.

Without the salvation story, we miss out on the crux of our story, i.e. we are being developed by a Sovereign God into men and women who reflect His character, creativity and beauty.  This is intended to give God His deserved admiration and devotion, not primarily to make us happy.

Although many have ignored the operator and the forgotten goal of these self-realization efforts, it is a valuable process.  In the gospels, we see Jesus reeling in His first disciples by promising to make them into something that they would be but were not yet.

Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men.

John Calvin said “without knowledge of self, there is no knowledge of God.”  His proposition is somewhat audacious.  Shouldn’t God be so set apart from us that knowing ourselves would lead us away from His perfection?  By this statement, are we claiming to be like God?  No, experience proves it true: Knowing ourselves, the created, leads us to knowledge of the Creator.  Indeed, a severe reckoning with our self helps us glean something of God’s character.  The sin within repulses us because somehow we have an idea of what perfection is and how we fall short.  We are thus drawn to that perfection.  The semblances of purity we find in our self then reflects God in us and reminds us of Him. 

Scripture shows us that pursuing knowledge of self and knowledge of God are two intertwined adventures meant to be embarked upon within the same journey.  Jesus promises to “make” the disciples should they “come, follow.”  Following leads to knowing and with every step, we know more of ourselves and more of the King we serve.  Jesus is in the business of making, and there is much joy in participating in that process with Him as discover our true selves.

Lessons from Autumn

Something happens in me every autumn- something beautiful and refreshing.  The colors, the relief from heat, and the feeling of a fresh new start all collide to create a sense of awakening.  Years of the rhythm of the school year have created an unmistakable association with this season- the old is gone, the new is come! 

Ironic though that it's the death of foliage that heralds this awakening.  It's not new birth, it's death.  Those striking colors all result from the degeneration of trees and bushes as they prepare for winter hibernation.  Day after day, leaves change color and drop to the ground to be trampled and slowly disentegrate. 

It may sound odd, but God uses trees to teach me.  I'm not an animist, but for four years now, I can pinpoint specific lessons God had for me by drawing my attention to nature, and specifically to trees.  This season is no different.
The Christian life could not be possible without death.  Jesus' sacrificial death and powerful resurrection are the avenue by which we gratefully inherit eternal and abundant life.  God does not waste death; He uses it. 
Likewise, He calls us to death.  We see this most clearly in Matthew 10:38,

"Anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it."

The life God designed for us is found through death- both Jesus' and our own death to the god of self.  Death is not only meaningful and purposeful for the Christian, it is beautiful as God so lovingly reminds us at this time of year.

The Levity Effect

Life has been getting really serious lately.  Jeromy is looking for a job, my employer just went through a round of lay-offs, and a double dip recession is officially upon us.  Socially, I've been spending lots of time with acquaintances and friends alike talking about serious subjects: anxiety, depression, insecurity, and loneliness.  It's not all necessarily bad serious though.  Friends are also having babies, getting married, and landing jobs.

It could be the dark mornings and cold evenings, but whatever the reason, everything and everyone seems so SERIOUS lately. 

So I enjoyed spending the first two hours of my Monday morning in the "corporate world" on this project:

Fondly entitled "P-Section Pumpkin," this entry in our office's annual pumpkin carving contest heralded some much-needed laughter (and won!).  It also led me to look for more opportunities to employ the Levity Effect, as my coworkers call it, at work and home.  In sum, LIGHTEN UP!

So here's to taking ourselves a little less seriously, whether it be by creating borderline graphic pumpkin displays or laughing at the minor freak-out you had yesterday.  God has a sense of humor, so why shouldn't we?

A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. Proverbs 17:22 

The Family of Believers

What does it mean to be a member of the family of believers?  In Christ, we are blood relatives in a new way, now related to each other by Jesus' blood shed for us rather than the colloquial “blood relative” phrase alone. We live this out as the church today through both the miraculous and the mundane, because that’s what families do.

  

This family identity is enjoyed in potlucks, praying for each other, celebrating baptisms, holidays, and weddings together, sharing possessions and meeting practical needs.  This is “doing life together,” as the trendy Christian catch phrase goes, but I contend there is a depth to this identity rarely explored.  Are we acting as family or are we really attending meetings and accomplishing the administrative tasks asked of us?  When it comes to living and loving as family, I think we experience moments of delightful sacrificial family life but honestly, overall, probably only scratch the surface of what God intended with that powerful designation.

 

Caring for seven year-old Shannon last week afforded me a mere peek into the riches of living as a family of believers.  Shannon’s parents delivered a precious baby boy and needed someone to take care of Shannon those first few days that leaving the hospital wasn’t an option.  On respite in Richmond from their work in China, their local family IS the church.  It’s incredibly novel to me, but normal to them.  So we played Old Maid, we sat down at the dinner table together, we read Bible stories, we tucked Shannon into bed and got her ready for school.  For 48 hours, I learned a little more what it means to live as the family of believers, and I think it made God smile a little bit.  It made me smile too :)

Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. 

Galatians 6:10

Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the king.

1 Peter 2:17

In Celebration of Freedom

Why is autumn so intensely beautiful and refreshing?

It might be the fresh start feeling of the “back to school” season or the precision of the drum line at football games. It could also be the first glimpses of vibrantly colored leaves or seasonal pumpkin-flavored delicacies. I think those sounds, sights, smells, and tastes are all part of the allure of autumn, but in my opinion, it is the freedom from oppressive summer heat that causes the season to be welcomed with such open arms. That first chilly morning that resulted in wrapping up in cozy fleece and slipping on soft slippers confirms it.

For me, spring’s offer of freedom from winter’s bitter cold lacks in comparison. Autumn does not offer the plagues of itchy, red eyes and hourly sneezing fits that spring does. With the first buds of spring, freedom from cold is traded for bondage to aggressive allergies. It’s no contest, really. Right now, today, is the best time of year. It’s the sights and sounds, smells and tastes, but it’s also the FREEDOM from the suffocating, muggy heat that we Richmonders know well.

Our nation has recently celebrated freedom with a few high-profile human interest stories. Who is not captivated by the scenes of the U.S. hikers falsely imprisoned in Iran running down airplane steps to their families? Was it possible to miss the overturn of Amanda Knox’s murder conviction and the captivating photos of her tearfully leaving the courtroom?

         

Can you imagine the relief and joy that these individuals and families experienced upon receiving freedom from imprisonment and even in the case of the hikers, abuse?


Here’s to freedom of all kinds-

freedom from false accusations, prison, abuse, and enslavement;

freedom from sickness, hunger, injustice, and poverty;

freedom from the strong bonds of sinful greed, impatience, malice, and retribution;

freedom from hopelessness, despair, self-pity, and keeping up appearances.

Even still, here’s to freedom from heat, humidity, and hurricanes.


For all of these heaps of grace, thanks be to our Father who created both seasons and freedom and gives them abundantly to our weary bodies and thirsty souls. May we partner with Him to share this freedom with who we can in whatever ways we can.


Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.
Micah 6:8