Spiritual Update 003

What do I know??

I have been thinking a lot about the sign that advertises becoming two shades fairer in just one week…

Now there are a lot of things I claim to ‘know’ and this was one of them. “Of course, being tanned is beautiful”... “everyone knows that”. Unthinkingly, I have become a product of my culture and no matter where I run I can’t escape culture (unless I go and hide in a cave). Even if I travel elsewhere there will still be a definition of beauty and reality which I will find strange, and eventually, over time, be shaped by. All cultures believe they are looking at things the 'right' way but it’s not a matter of 'right' or 'wrong', just a way of looking at things.

People before the reformation likewise lived in a reality defined for them. A conversation with my sister bought up the scary thought…what if (just like the pre-reformed church) we are wrong about so many things and just can’t see it. What if my reality is so defined by my culture, my church and my upbringing that I am also blind to seeing the truth??

In what ways does my own life and the life of today's church need a reformation and a rethinking?



Group Prayer…

Sometimes I get sick of people banging on about prayer like it's an event. Something to be done rather than a relationship to be enjoyed. I don’t pray that much anymore, or for very long. God knows what I need so I don’t feel the desire to spend a whole bunch of time requesting things that
a) God already wants or b) God doesn’t want.

I haven’t been able to get into praying in big groups for a long time now. I'm not completely sure why. Here's a cynical look at some types of prayers you may come across when in a group. Enjoy.

‘JARGON’ PRAYER: A conversation with God that only those fluent in Christianese can understand. Featuring heavily are phrases like ‘washed in the blood of the lamb’, ‘redeemed and sanctified’ and 'let your spirit reign O Lord'. Good for impressing those in high places, just perhaps not the one in the highest place.

‘I’M SO SPIRITUAL’ PRAYER: A prayer demonstrating your vast wealth of Biblical knowledge, usually lasting long past the attention span of anyone in the group. All they remember is how long it went for and that you must be ‘a man of prayer’.

'TOKEN' PRAYER: Prayer for the sake of it. Inserted at various times because, ‘that’s the way we have always done it’. Examples include the beginning and end of a church meeting, during communion, during the offering, before the sermon, after the sermon, before meals, etc.

“AMEN” FISHING PRAYER: Prayer baited to lure in Amen’s from the brothers and sisters in the congregation. The tone of voice is continually raised and lowered for effect, while leaving room for the obligatory chorus of passionate Amen’s...if the Amen's are not forthcoming at the appropriate times, pausing to say 'it's okay to get excited' or 'are any of you awake' is sure to get immediate results.

ULTERIOR MOTIVE PRAYER: Worded to God but directed at someone in the group in an attempt to change their behaviour. Yes God, please help us remember to read our Bibles more (cough…Suzie) God remind us of the importance of not swearing (Jim). God, please help our children to do their homework and use their manners!!

PREACHING PRAYER: Now that everyone is completely silent and you finally have their attention you can really start preaching... through prayer. Reinforcing all the major points of the sermon for those who were sleeping throughout it, being sure to educate and emphasise the things you really wanted people to take home and remember. Phrases such as “God please help us to remember how important it is to ... insert dot points here”

Maybe we'd be better off replacing these with short, silent, heartfelt and listening prayers??


Humility:

Again, I just admire so much the way those around me have been willing to serve in ways that aren't showy and may never be recognized. I have seen servant-hood practiced so well before me that I really have no excuse for not demonstrating it in my own life.


Professional Sumo?

I crossed the Indian border at 72kg and am now tipping the scales at 78kg. Six kilograms of delicious food I couldn't resist. Granted, every day had been above 40 degrees which kinda puts a stop to any exercise...then again, maybe I could exercise...some self control!!
I don't feel good about myself in this state and remain pretty conscious of my body, constantly checking the mirror to make sure I'm not going to be drafted into the Sumo league. I'd like to be more disciplined in looking after my body, mostly with making sure I am not always stuffing as much as I can in my mouth...


White tax and integrity:

I've found it pretty funny jumping out and surprising rickshaw drivers who have already settled on a fair price...upon seeing me, some insisting more be paid! I've taken a video of 'white tax' in action, being quoted double the fair price and then confirming this by sending in a local. I even played a game to find the biggest tax mark up. The winning contestant was a rickshaw driver offering 200 Rupees for what was a 40 Rupee trip. A healthy 400% mark up.

At first I got annoyed at peoples greed and lack of integrity but then a good mate Kev pointed out the log in our own eyes. In the same way Rickshaw drivers look at me and see dollar $igns and an opportunity to make money, I have looked at Bill Gates and thought, well, whats the price of one copy of Microsoft to him? The sale of a few songs can't mean much to a famous artist, neither can one movie really matter to a Hollywood Star.

Very good point Mr Kevin Jackson.

'Different' Christians and making a difference

Probably all of us have met those Freaky Christians before, the ones who's presence people put up with but really want nothing more than to be left alone instead of being preached at or converted. I also probably fell into that category at stages in my own life. Being different trying to make a difference!

I was really encouraged when one of the Hope staff, Rose, sent me off with some kind words. She told me about a boy, Jitenda, who was apparently from a lower caste. His teachers wont even give him the dignity of beating him with their hand, instead using their feet to poke and kick him. I knew nothing about this and if I did I would have been sure to make a better effort to include him and make him feel welcome. I can’t actually imagine how painful life would be for a kid in that position.

Anyway, she said it has meant a lot to both her and him that I’d play with and tackle him, let him hug me, etc. I had no idea, I was just doing what I'd normally do. Today, as I left his school for the last time he kissed me goodbye and I would have had no idea what I was doing meant so much to him without the previous information.

I used to think of myself as the savior of the world and still do at times, but deep down I know that all I need to do is be faithful to the people I am investing in, and my life will make a difference. At least I hope.

Sometimes I look at other Spiritual leaders in public view and hope to be as spectacular as them. To run huge programs and be known around the world. It's good to be reminded that you don't have to do anything spectacular to impact someones life. In-fact I hope to be such an ordinary person that nobody is turned off knowing me but so spiritual that people can't help but notice I'm different!

Is that possible? Who knows?


Irresistible choice:

Sometimes we consistently make choices in our lives that form habits and lead to addictions. At this point they no longer become choices but become irresistible. Irresistible choices, if you will. For me, things like approval, getting my own way and eating too much food have been things I've found irresistible.

I've thought quite a lot about choices and God giving us the gift of free choice (what a gift it is too), though often we use it for evil rather than good. Despite God giving us the freedom to choose, I have a feeling God has done everything possible to make good choices irresistible to us. Of course they are still choices but...

I have never heard of a parent having to yell at their child “you will eat your ice cream”. The choice to eat ice cream is certainly being made on the child's part but it is so irresistible that there is hardly a choice to make.

I wonder if that is how it should work in a relationship with God. The closer we get to God, the more good, loving, beautiful and magnificent we realise God is and therefore the choice to do what God asks becomes more and more irresistible?

I know in my teaching, students I spent time with commented on how they followed my instructions based on our relationship, rather than the instructions themselves. If that can be true of me, how much more when we come to truly know a good God who loves and cares for us.
I certainly do not know this God yet, I'm sure if I did my life would better reflect the fact.

Anyway,
Hope this has got you all thinking
Love Andrew