I want to share this video with you. It's from the Nooma series by Rob Bell. I used the only version I could find on You Tube. It is in two parts, and it has subtitles, and the audio track is slightly off. I hope these won't be distractions. Enjoy!
During Lent, my prayer is to be more fully present each day, and that I might be more fully aware of the presence of the risen Christ all around me.
To be fully present.
To be here, not there.
To embrace Today.
Amen.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Lent
So by now, Christmas has already disappeared on the horizon behind us, and we are fast approaching the Resurrection celebration of Easter. But before celebration, there is preparation. Before consummation, there is anticipation. Before spring, there is winter. Before Easter, there is Lent.
I don't come from a liturgical church background, and I am admittedly not well-versed in the historical season of Lent. And I don't want to just be an evangelical wanna-be looking over the denominational fence thinking, "Man, I wish we had traditions like that."
Life comes from Jesus, not from any religious practice or tradition.
So, what's lent again? It is the season of the Christian calendar that covers the 40 days leading up to Easter (not counting Sundays), in remembrance of Jesus' 40 days in the wilderness. It is a time of prayer of penitance, of repentance and reflection, of fasting and faith. It is a time to stop. It is a time to set some things aside that others may come into focus. And people often "fast" something they enjoy during this period of time.
Now, as followers of Jesus, we are certainly not bound to form and ritual for our relationship with God. Even Sabbath, Jesus said, was made for man and not man for the Sabbath. We're talking about tools, not rules. Unfortunately, it is so easy to replace spiritual life with dead religion.
So why bother with any religious traditions? Why not just do our own thing? Why observe something like Lent? Why deny ourselves?
Well, here are seven things for you to consider:
1. The Importance of Confession and Repentance.
How often do we live in a state of guilt and shame? Or perhaps worse, how often do we live in a state of denial about our sin?
Hebrews 12:1 says, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us."
Sometimes we just have to unload. To come before our Lord with humility and honesty. To take a spiritual inventory of where we are. To confess. To repent. And to turn.
And we know that when we do, as it says in 1 John, God is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
We never get to the point where we no longer need to confess. We never get to the point where we no longer need to repent. We never get to the point where we no long need to turn. And we never get to the point where we no longer need the raw, transforming power of the Gospel to be at work in our lives.
2. The Necessity of Facing the Darkness.
There are some subjects that we try desperately to avoid - things that we don't talk about unless we have to. They are the dark things of life - the suffering that we endure, which is beyond our control. Pain. Sorrow. Death. These are the minor key songs.
But we must have the courage to face the darkness. Though we may be fearful or ashamed, we throw ourselves upon the mercy of God, and we discover that there is no height nor depth that can separate us from the love of Christ. And we obtain grace in our time of need.
We must face the darkness, that we might know deeply that Christ himself has gone before us, that He has been touched with our affliction, and that He is present with us in our darkness. He is Immanuel, God With Us.
3. The Value of Self-Denial.
No one likes being denied what they want, right? We want what we want, when we want it. But the way of Christ is the way of the cross. Jesus commands us to deny ourselves. And that is so hard to do. It's hard enough to cope with being denied something by someone else, but to voluntarily deny ourselves? To pick up our own cross and follow Him? That is almost unthinkable.
When our appetites and our comforts are threatened or removed, what is lurking on the inside of us is often revealed. I'm sure you've had a conversation with a rude person who "hadn't had their coffee yet." When we don't get what we want or what we think we need, we react negatively. And that can be a blessing in disguise - a gift to show us how wicked our hearts can be, and how much we need God's mercy and grace. Like the tax collector in Jesus' story, we bow our heads and say, "Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner."
4. The Joy of Simplicity.
"Don't it always seem to go, that you don't know what you got 'til it's gone" (or 'til you set it aside temporarily)
Last summer, I spent two months in Ethiopia. One of the things that struck me was how valuable even the smallest things can be depending on your perspective. We laugh about it now, but even a bag of peanut M&Ms was precious!
When you strip it all away, you realize the delight of simple things that you often don't even recognize. We only had electricity every other night, so there were evenings we spent in the kitchen just talking over candlelight. And it was beautiful.
I came away with a desire to be more fully present of the simple joys all around me, and most importantly, of the people around me.
Intentionally simplifying life, even in small ways, can help us reconnect with the simple gifts that are all around us.
5. The Christ in the Commonplace.
Sometimes our allegiances and affections are divided. And it's often hard to see that, considering how fast-paced our lives get. And Jesus is calling out to us all the while, but we can't hear Him. He bids us come, but we can't see.
Sometimes we have to make ourselves stop, breathe and listen. And when we do, we can become more aware of the presence of Christ all around us, and we begin to hear that still, small voice whisper our name. And sometimes it is in the most mundane places that we begin to see the beauty of God shining through.
6. The Power of Community.
Everything is better when it is experienced together.
And it is important to know that we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses - a community of Jesus that is 2,000 years in the making - a people sanctified by God for Himself. And there is something about common practices that transcend culture and unite us. We mark our conversion from death to life in the waters of baptism. We share the body and the blood of Christ at the communion table. These sacraments bind us together in unity. And as we observe and partake, we are joining our stories and experiences together with a multitude of other believers - past, present and future - under the banner of our Lord Jesus Christ.
When we prepare our hearts together through an intentional season of seeking God - when we enter into the story together - we can experience joy that we would not know if our spiritual pursuits were only private and individual.
Lent certainly isn't baptism or communion. But I think it can serve as something that unifies our hearts in dependence on God ("Give us this day our daily bread"), in confession and repentance ("Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors"), and in anticipation of the joy to come.
7. The Satisfaction of Delayed Gratification.
Delayed gratification is hard to sell. Why wait until tomorrow when you can have something today? Why not now?
Well, as any kid at Christmas knows intuitively (though they probably wouldn't say it), it is the waiting that makes Christmas so special. And though the anticipation just drives you crazy sometimes, if you peek in the closet to see what you got, it's just not the same.
When we have to wait for something, it only adds to the celebration. Waiting builds character. And when we finally receive what it is we hoped for, our joy is more fully experienced.
So during the Lenten season, it is not only a time for somber reflection. It can also be a time of preparation and anticipation. Like in Advent, we can enter the story of those who waited for Messiah's deliverance. As we approach Holy Week, we not only look TO the Cross of Christ, but we also look THROUGH it, to Easter. And as we symbolically and literally take up our "cross," we too endure it, despising the shame, for the joy that is set before us. The feast. The party. The time when the Lord will return and make all things new - when we will be resurrected, and the whole creation will be liberated from death and decay in the new heavens and the new earth! Alleluia!
But I'm getting carried away. We are not to Easter yet. But we will be. And it will be worth the wait!
So what am I doing about Lent? That's a good question. I want to do more than just giving up chocolate or meat, or whatever. I thought about giving up television, but I really don't watch much at all, so it wouldn't be much of a sacrifice. I thought about giving up my iPod... but I'm just not ready for that kind of sacrifice!
There are a couple things I am doing, beyond just giving things up. I have taken up a particular Scripture reading schedule, which has been a true joy so far. And I am also taking time out every day to take a walk or sit outside for a while - a time where I can just stop, breathe, and listen.
And my prayer during this season of preparation is that God would help me to be more fully present each day, and also more aware of His presence wherever I am.
And I pray that for you too.
Amen.
I don't come from a liturgical church background, and I am admittedly not well-versed in the historical season of Lent. And I don't want to just be an evangelical wanna-be looking over the denominational fence thinking, "Man, I wish we had traditions like that."
Life comes from Jesus, not from any religious practice or tradition.
So, what's lent again? It is the season of the Christian calendar that covers the 40 days leading up to Easter (not counting Sundays), in remembrance of Jesus' 40 days in the wilderness. It is a time of prayer of penitance, of repentance and reflection, of fasting and faith. It is a time to stop. It is a time to set some things aside that others may come into focus. And people often "fast" something they enjoy during this period of time.
Now, as followers of Jesus, we are certainly not bound to form and ritual for our relationship with God. Even Sabbath, Jesus said, was made for man and not man for the Sabbath. We're talking about tools, not rules. Unfortunately, it is so easy to replace spiritual life with dead religion.
So why bother with any religious traditions? Why not just do our own thing? Why observe something like Lent? Why deny ourselves?
Well, here are seven things for you to consider:
1. The Importance of Confession and Repentance.
How often do we live in a state of guilt and shame? Or perhaps worse, how often do we live in a state of denial about our sin?
Hebrews 12:1 says, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us."
Sometimes we just have to unload. To come before our Lord with humility and honesty. To take a spiritual inventory of where we are. To confess. To repent. And to turn.
And we know that when we do, as it says in 1 John, God is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
We never get to the point where we no longer need to confess. We never get to the point where we no longer need to repent. We never get to the point where we no long need to turn. And we never get to the point where we no longer need the raw, transforming power of the Gospel to be at work in our lives.
2. The Necessity of Facing the Darkness.
There are some subjects that we try desperately to avoid - things that we don't talk about unless we have to. They are the dark things of life - the suffering that we endure, which is beyond our control. Pain. Sorrow. Death. These are the minor key songs.
But we must have the courage to face the darkness. Though we may be fearful or ashamed, we throw ourselves upon the mercy of God, and we discover that there is no height nor depth that can separate us from the love of Christ. And we obtain grace in our time of need.
We must face the darkness, that we might know deeply that Christ himself has gone before us, that He has been touched with our affliction, and that He is present with us in our darkness. He is Immanuel, God With Us.
3. The Value of Self-Denial.
No one likes being denied what they want, right? We want what we want, when we want it. But the way of Christ is the way of the cross. Jesus commands us to deny ourselves. And that is so hard to do. It's hard enough to cope with being denied something by someone else, but to voluntarily deny ourselves? To pick up our own cross and follow Him? That is almost unthinkable.
When our appetites and our comforts are threatened or removed, what is lurking on the inside of us is often revealed. I'm sure you've had a conversation with a rude person who "hadn't had their coffee yet." When we don't get what we want or what we think we need, we react negatively. And that can be a blessing in disguise - a gift to show us how wicked our hearts can be, and how much we need God's mercy and grace. Like the tax collector in Jesus' story, we bow our heads and say, "Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner."
4. The Joy of Simplicity.
"Don't it always seem to go, that you don't know what you got 'til it's gone" (or 'til you set it aside temporarily)
Last summer, I spent two months in Ethiopia. One of the things that struck me was how valuable even the smallest things can be depending on your perspective. We laugh about it now, but even a bag of peanut M&Ms was precious!
When you strip it all away, you realize the delight of simple things that you often don't even recognize. We only had electricity every other night, so there were evenings we spent in the kitchen just talking over candlelight. And it was beautiful.
I came away with a desire to be more fully present of the simple joys all around me, and most importantly, of the people around me.
Intentionally simplifying life, even in small ways, can help us reconnect with the simple gifts that are all around us.
5. The Christ in the Commonplace.
Sometimes our allegiances and affections are divided. And it's often hard to see that, considering how fast-paced our lives get. And Jesus is calling out to us all the while, but we can't hear Him. He bids us come, but we can't see.
Sometimes we have to make ourselves stop, breathe and listen. And when we do, we can become more aware of the presence of Christ all around us, and we begin to hear that still, small voice whisper our name. And sometimes it is in the most mundane places that we begin to see the beauty of God shining through.
6. The Power of Community.
Everything is better when it is experienced together.
And it is important to know that we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses - a community of Jesus that is 2,000 years in the making - a people sanctified by God for Himself. And there is something about common practices that transcend culture and unite us. We mark our conversion from death to life in the waters of baptism. We share the body and the blood of Christ at the communion table. These sacraments bind us together in unity. And as we observe and partake, we are joining our stories and experiences together with a multitude of other believers - past, present and future - under the banner of our Lord Jesus Christ.
When we prepare our hearts together through an intentional season of seeking God - when we enter into the story together - we can experience joy that we would not know if our spiritual pursuits were only private and individual.
Lent certainly isn't baptism or communion. But I think it can serve as something that unifies our hearts in dependence on God ("Give us this day our daily bread"), in confession and repentance ("Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors"), and in anticipation of the joy to come.
7. The Satisfaction of Delayed Gratification.
Delayed gratification is hard to sell. Why wait until tomorrow when you can have something today? Why not now?
Well, as any kid at Christmas knows intuitively (though they probably wouldn't say it), it is the waiting that makes Christmas so special. And though the anticipation just drives you crazy sometimes, if you peek in the closet to see what you got, it's just not the same.
When we have to wait for something, it only adds to the celebration. Waiting builds character. And when we finally receive what it is we hoped for, our joy is more fully experienced.
So during the Lenten season, it is not only a time for somber reflection. It can also be a time of preparation and anticipation. Like in Advent, we can enter the story of those who waited for Messiah's deliverance. As we approach Holy Week, we not only look TO the Cross of Christ, but we also look THROUGH it, to Easter. And as we symbolically and literally take up our "cross," we too endure it, despising the shame, for the joy that is set before us. The feast. The party. The time when the Lord will return and make all things new - when we will be resurrected, and the whole creation will be liberated from death and decay in the new heavens and the new earth! Alleluia!
But I'm getting carried away. We are not to Easter yet. But we will be. And it will be worth the wait!
So what am I doing about Lent? That's a good question. I want to do more than just giving up chocolate or meat, or whatever. I thought about giving up television, but I really don't watch much at all, so it wouldn't be much of a sacrifice. I thought about giving up my iPod... but I'm just not ready for that kind of sacrifice!
There are a couple things I am doing, beyond just giving things up. I have taken up a particular Scripture reading schedule, which has been a true joy so far. And I am also taking time out every day to take a walk or sit outside for a while - a time where I can just stop, breathe, and listen.
And my prayer during this season of preparation is that God would help me to be more fully present each day, and also more aware of His presence wherever I am.
And I pray that for you too.
Amen.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Covered in Snow
So if you live here in East Texas, you already know that it snowed last night! And it wasn't just our usual few flurries that melt on contact (which are rare in themselves). It was legit! It really snowed!
We looked out the window this morning, and everything was covered in snow! Now, if you're used to this kind of thing, it might not mean as much. But I just feel like a kid again when it snows. And it was even better because it was Jocelyn's first time to ever get to experience snow. We had a blast!
Our morning included all of the essentials for a snow day... building a snowman... drinking hot chocolate... a snowball fight with Mammaw... creating a special iTunes playlist... and just walking around a lot taking in the beauty of it all...
When I was younger, our home was near a small patch of woods that we always loved to play in. One year, we were burning some trash in a barrel, and the grass caught on fire and sent a line of flames straight for the woods, and a patch of brush and trees caught on fire also. This was a little terrifying, to say the least. But fortunately, the fire department made it out in time to stop the fire from spreading or reaching any of the homes on the other side of woods. Nothing was damaged -- except for this whole patch in the woods, which was thinned by the fire and torn up by the trucks. It looked really sad.
That winter, East Texas was graced with a layer of frozen precipitation. It wasn't really snow - just ice that time. But it covered most of the yard. And that patch of woods that had been ripped up by the fire and the trucks was covered too. I remember going back there and seeing it. All of the ground that had been burned, deformed and ripped up had become a winter landscape. And it didn't look like a scar anymore. It was beautiful...
We all have been hurt by someone or something. And we have all made destructive choices which led to pain and ruin. And there have been times there is no hope in sight. And we are left burned and scarred...
There is a great song by my favorite band U2 called "Grace." I want to share the lyrics with you:
Grace
She takes the blame
She covers the shame
Removes the stain
It could be her name
Grace
It's a name for a girl
It's also a thought that changed the world
And when she walks on the street
You can hear the strings
Grace finds goodness in everything
Grace, she's got the walk
Not on a ramp or on chalk
She's got the time to talk
She travels outside of karma
She travels outside of karma
When she goes to work
You can hear her strings
Grace finds beauty in everything
Grace, she carries a world on her hips
No champagne flute for her lips
No twirls or skips between her fingertips
She carries a pearl in perfect condition
What once was hurt
What once was friction
What left a mark
No longer stings
Because grace makes beauty
Out of ugly things
In Isaiah 1:18, God says, "No matter how deep the stain of your sins, I can remove it. I can make you as clean as freshly fallen snow. Even if you are stained as red as crimson, I can make you as white as wool." (NLT)
You see, there is the way that everything works. Some call it karma. Some call it sowing and reaping. But either way, it's this idea that you always get what you deserve. You make your bed and you sleep in it.
But there is another way... the way of grace.
And there may still be hurt and pain and loss. But when God covers us with grace, just like the winter snow, He transforms our brokenness into beauty...
Right now my yard is covered in snow.
And right now, I am covered in grace.
We looked out the window this morning, and everything was covered in snow! Now, if you're used to this kind of thing, it might not mean as much. But I just feel like a kid again when it snows. And it was even better because it was Jocelyn's first time to ever get to experience snow. We had a blast!
Our morning included all of the essentials for a snow day... building a snowman... drinking hot chocolate... a snowball fight with Mammaw... creating a special iTunes playlist... and just walking around a lot taking in the beauty of it all...
When I was younger, our home was near a small patch of woods that we always loved to play in. One year, we were burning some trash in a barrel, and the grass caught on fire and sent a line of flames straight for the woods, and a patch of brush and trees caught on fire also. This was a little terrifying, to say the least. But fortunately, the fire department made it out in time to stop the fire from spreading or reaching any of the homes on the other side of woods. Nothing was damaged -- except for this whole patch in the woods, which was thinned by the fire and torn up by the trucks. It looked really sad.
That winter, East Texas was graced with a layer of frozen precipitation. It wasn't really snow - just ice that time. But it covered most of the yard. And that patch of woods that had been ripped up by the fire and the trucks was covered too. I remember going back there and seeing it. All of the ground that had been burned, deformed and ripped up had become a winter landscape. And it didn't look like a scar anymore. It was beautiful...
We all have been hurt by someone or something. And we have all made destructive choices which led to pain and ruin. And there have been times there is no hope in sight. And we are left burned and scarred...
There is a great song by my favorite band U2 called "Grace." I want to share the lyrics with you:
Grace
She takes the blame
She covers the shame
Removes the stain
It could be her name
Grace
It's a name for a girl
It's also a thought that changed the world
And when she walks on the street
You can hear the strings
Grace finds goodness in everything
Grace, she's got the walk
Not on a ramp or on chalk
She's got the time to talk
She travels outside of karma
She travels outside of karma
When she goes to work
You can hear her strings
Grace finds beauty in everything
Grace, she carries a world on her hips
No champagne flute for her lips
No twirls or skips between her fingertips
She carries a pearl in perfect condition
What once was hurt
What once was friction
What left a mark
No longer stings
Because grace makes beauty
Out of ugly things
In Isaiah 1:18, God says, "No matter how deep the stain of your sins, I can remove it. I can make you as clean as freshly fallen snow. Even if you are stained as red as crimson, I can make you as white as wool." (NLT)
You see, there is the way that everything works. Some call it karma. Some call it sowing and reaping. But either way, it's this idea that you always get what you deserve. You make your bed and you sleep in it.
But there is another way... the way of grace.
And there may still be hurt and pain and loss. But when God covers us with grace, just like the winter snow, He transforms our brokenness into beauty...
Right now my yard is covered in snow.
And right now, I am covered in grace.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Commercials
Ok, so I’m not much of a football fan. I don’t think I watched a single NFL game this season. Well, I did watch part of the Cowboys game on Thanksgiving Day, but it wasn’t my fault, I tell you!
I did watch the Superbowl though. Being a native of Louisiana, I had to watch the Saints make history.
And of course, this is the one time a year when we all actually turn up the TV for the commercials. This is when companies shell out some serious cash (around $3 million for a 30-second spot), hoping to leave an indelible mark on us. Overall, I was disappointed with the selection this year, but there were a few laugh-out-loud moments… Betty White playing football… friends conversing with auto-tuned voices… the Doritos ninja… Casual Fridays… and Tim Tebow tackling his mom. Funny stuff. I don’t know if they’re worth a multi-million dollar investment, and I don’t think I can remember most of the companies that were advertised. But maybe some kind of seed was planted. Who knows? Maybe tomorrow I’ll think to myself, “I could use some Doritos right now!” ...
A lot of people are upset these days. There’s an ever-growing list of things that are "destroying our country" and our society. And the usual suspects line up, and we point at them and say, Yeah, that’s the one. That’s the one who’s ruining my kids. That’s the one who’s stealing my country. That’s the one who...
Well, I think we’ve got the wrong guy! I think that marketing is what’s gonna get us all in the end! Commercials.
I read recently that the average American encounters three thousand commercial messages every day. Yeah, that’s right. Three thousand… every day! Billboards, radio, TV, magazines, banner ads… even at the theater before the trailers! Everyone is selling something. And there are so many things that I would never have imagined that I needed or wanted. But now it’s hard to imagine life without them.
I heard Don Miller speak recently, and he talked about the simple strategy of advertising. The basic idea is to convince you that you are miserable, and that you will continue to be miserable until you have this product, and that when you do finally get the product that your life will finally be worth living. I know it sounds so silly, but don’t we buy into the promise all the time? And when we do get the phone, or the jeans, or the whatever, what happens? Does it stop there? No, it's never enough...
In Genesis, we read about the fall of mankind, where Adam and Eve eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God tells them that if they eat the fruit, they will die. And if you’re like me, when you read the story, you think, “How stupid can you be? I mean, seriously, don’t eat the fruit. It’s not rocket science.”
And yet, if we are honest, that scene occurs over and over again, to each one of us. Because what we have is never enough. We want more and more. And the chorus of voices that surrounds us constantly persuades us that we want more… that we need more… that we deserve more…
Maybe it would be better for us if every time we gave in to that desire, someone blew the whistle on us and kept us in line. Maybe there should be a surgeon-general-type warning on all the things that we long for – “Chasing after this product can result in misery and/or death.” But when we follow our nature into those things, we often come out unscathed. And like Adam, we look at ourselves and pleasantly say, “Well...I’m not dead.”
Jesus told a story of a farmer who had an incredible harvest – so big that he didn’t have enough room in his barns to store everything. So what did he do? He decided to tear down his barns and build bigger ones, after which he would take it easy and enjoy life. Now that sounds pretty good, right? His desires didn’t lead to immoral living, to addictions, or even to debt. He was just being a good steward, right? Wrong. In Jesus’ parable, God says, “You fool! Tonight you will die. Then who will get what you have stored up?” (Luke 12:19, CEV)
You see, there is something that happens when we always want more. We seek. We accumulate. We center on ourselves. And it all comes so natural, because it is the way of the world. It is our way...
In Romans 12, the Apostle Paul says, “Do not be conformed to this world.” I think a lot of people think that just means don’t drink beer or don’t watch R-rated movies (except the Passion of the Christ). But often, the most dangerous enemies to our souls are those that blend in – that just seem natural.
In another place Paul says, “I have learned in whatever state I am in, to be content.” (Philippians 4:11)
What would life be like if we could truly be content with what we have? What if we didn’t always want more? What if we didn’t believe the hype? What if...
So what is that one thing today that you must have? What is it that is going to make your life complete? Don’t believe the hype. Don’t believe the commercial...
I don’t have cable at home, or even network TV for that matter. But my in-laws have a DVR, which is an amazing advance in technology. Now, when watching America’s Funniest Home Videos, I can rewind live TV and watch the poor people fall off the porch again and again and again. But better yet, after recording shows, I can fast-forward the commercials.
I like that.
I did watch the Superbowl though. Being a native of Louisiana, I had to watch the Saints make history.
And of course, this is the one time a year when we all actually turn up the TV for the commercials. This is when companies shell out some serious cash (around $3 million for a 30-second spot), hoping to leave an indelible mark on us. Overall, I was disappointed with the selection this year, but there were a few laugh-out-loud moments… Betty White playing football… friends conversing with auto-tuned voices… the Doritos ninja… Casual Fridays… and Tim Tebow tackling his mom. Funny stuff. I don’t know if they’re worth a multi-million dollar investment, and I don’t think I can remember most of the companies that were advertised. But maybe some kind of seed was planted. Who knows? Maybe tomorrow I’ll think to myself, “I could use some Doritos right now!” ...
A lot of people are upset these days. There’s an ever-growing list of things that are "destroying our country" and our society. And the usual suspects line up, and we point at them and say, Yeah, that’s the one. That’s the one who’s ruining my kids. That’s the one who’s stealing my country. That’s the one who...
Well, I think we’ve got the wrong guy! I think that marketing is what’s gonna get us all in the end! Commercials.
I read recently that the average American encounters three thousand commercial messages every day. Yeah, that’s right. Three thousand… every day! Billboards, radio, TV, magazines, banner ads… even at the theater before the trailers! Everyone is selling something. And there are so many things that I would never have imagined that I needed or wanted. But now it’s hard to imagine life without them.
I heard Don Miller speak recently, and he talked about the simple strategy of advertising. The basic idea is to convince you that you are miserable, and that you will continue to be miserable until you have this product, and that when you do finally get the product that your life will finally be worth living. I know it sounds so silly, but don’t we buy into the promise all the time? And when we do get the phone, or the jeans, or the whatever, what happens? Does it stop there? No, it's never enough...
In Genesis, we read about the fall of mankind, where Adam and Eve eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God tells them that if they eat the fruit, they will die. And if you’re like me, when you read the story, you think, “How stupid can you be? I mean, seriously, don’t eat the fruit. It’s not rocket science.”
And yet, if we are honest, that scene occurs over and over again, to each one of us. Because what we have is never enough. We want more and more. And the chorus of voices that surrounds us constantly persuades us that we want more… that we need more… that we deserve more…
Maybe it would be better for us if every time we gave in to that desire, someone blew the whistle on us and kept us in line. Maybe there should be a surgeon-general-type warning on all the things that we long for – “Chasing after this product can result in misery and/or death.” But when we follow our nature into those things, we often come out unscathed. And like Adam, we look at ourselves and pleasantly say, “Well...I’m not dead.”
Jesus told a story of a farmer who had an incredible harvest – so big that he didn’t have enough room in his barns to store everything. So what did he do? He decided to tear down his barns and build bigger ones, after which he would take it easy and enjoy life. Now that sounds pretty good, right? His desires didn’t lead to immoral living, to addictions, or even to debt. He was just being a good steward, right? Wrong. In Jesus’ parable, God says, “You fool! Tonight you will die. Then who will get what you have stored up?” (Luke 12:19, CEV)
You see, there is something that happens when we always want more. We seek. We accumulate. We center on ourselves. And it all comes so natural, because it is the way of the world. It is our way...
In Romans 12, the Apostle Paul says, “Do not be conformed to this world.” I think a lot of people think that just means don’t drink beer or don’t watch R-rated movies (except the Passion of the Christ). But often, the most dangerous enemies to our souls are those that blend in – that just seem natural.
In another place Paul says, “I have learned in whatever state I am in, to be content.” (Philippians 4:11)
What would life be like if we could truly be content with what we have? What if we didn’t always want more? What if we didn’t believe the hype? What if...
So what is that one thing today that you must have? What is it that is going to make your life complete? Don’t believe the hype. Don’t believe the commercial...
I don’t have cable at home, or even network TV for that matter. But my in-laws have a DVR, which is an amazing advance in technology. Now, when watching America’s Funniest Home Videos, I can rewind live TV and watch the poor people fall off the porch again and again and again. But better yet, after recording shows, I can fast-forward the commercials.
I like that.
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