Dear Friends,
“For even.” Two powerful words which express the commonness of humanity and the ordinary mechanics of life. Words which force us back to reality when we are tempted to choose a special status for ourselves.
For even the jewels upon the crown were once dusty rocks in the ground carried by ordinary people.
For even the eagle which soars effortlessly on the currents of the air must stop and sleep.
For even that sizzling juicy piece of bacon basking in the glow of the morning sun upon your plate was once a pig wallowing in the mud. Though truth be told, we may call it mud, we all know it is much more than that. It is months of sloppy horticultural stimulation goodness that when lathered upon a pig for thirty days gives your bacon a flavor nothing short of pure culinary ecstasy.
As Christians our call is to live a life guided by the for even.
For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45, NIV)
For even the one who holds the universe in his hands used his hands to touch the infected skin of a leper.
For even the one who spoke this world into existence spoke words of forgiveness to a woman caught in adultery.
For even he whose will alone determines the movements of the universe knelt down and washed his disciples feet.
For even the one who existed before time would walk the dusty roads of the Middle East.
For even he who could call down 10,000 angels to come to his aid chose to suffer on a cross.
For even Jesus served and came to serve.
As Christians in the United States we enjoy many benefits. We have built magnificent buildings. We have carved out a Christian culture for ourselves. And as great as the blessings and benefits we relish are, we must never forget the for even.
Our call is to serve not to be served. Our call is to surrender over status. Our example is one of suffering. For even I am sinner saved by grace alone.
Blessings,
Stephen
founder of the Church of the Nazarene, are certainly going to make their way into the motivational repertoire. One of those I heard frequently was a story of a person asking old Phiney what he would do if he were told he only had ten years to live. Phiney, lowering his voice and fixing his eyes on his poor unsuspecting inquisitor replied he would spend the first five years preparing for the last five. With that men came into the room and carried off the questioner to study in one of the many fine Nazarene institutions of higher learning. From then on no one dared asked Phiney any more questions.
Building Block #2: A vision does not necessarily require immediate action.
Building Block #1: A Vision Begins as a Concern.
So what about, “Christmas is a birth and a birth is violent?” Any woman who’s given birth will tell you it’s violent and a baby would too if he could. But what about the violence that came because of Jesus’ birth? Obviously there was Mary’s pain and even the pressure that Jesus must have felt as his tiny body was pushed through a narrow birth canal. But what about the spiritual birth that is made possible in each one of us because of Jesus’ birth, death (violence again) and resurrection? Is that violent? Yeah, I think it is. I think the spiritual birth that is possible in each one of our lives because of the Christmas birth is violent—and sometimes downright painful.
Without a doubt Galesburg, Illinois is a railroad town. Over 160 trains a day go through downtown. Planning a trip across town requires calculating waiting for the inevitable train, or two, or three. All through the day and night the sounds of train horns can be heard as engines pass the innumerable rail crossings in our city. I have learned engineers have a personality to the way they blow their horns. Some prefer the loud sudden blast. Others choose to let the sound gradually build to a crescendo. Still others prefer to have fun with successions of short blasts. I sometimes wonder if they are trying to play a song.