Think!

Two days ago, I was having a conversation with a great friend (I’ll explain later what makes him so great), and I dropped on him a great quote off of Wally’s blog. Here’s the quote and the conversation that followed (it’s not as long as it looks)

Check out this quote: "If Jesus was half the revolutionary you claim, how come he is now represented by one of the most conservative, status-quo institutions on the planet?"

what do you make of it?

I like
it....Jesus was a revolutionary…he came to fulfill the law, bring wholeness....I think we stunt that as the Church - I don't think we can take that to extreme and "make" or "cause" change…but our lives should bring a desire for change in others, people, institutions, governments, cultures, just as the life of Christ did

how do you see that playing out?

hmmm....ok 20/20 - well....let me put it this way... Christ's life was sold out to his message, he lived what he believed...his life drew people to him, and his message caused people to take an honest look at their lives. He became a catalyst for change. Our lives should be like that...the disciples wanted to be like Jesus, they wanted to imitate him (not only because it was the cultural way, to become like a rabbi, but because they sought the deeper life, the life he lived)

man this is a loaded question...now that I read what I wrote, I feel like it was a patent modernistic churchy answer – ok, here it is: if we seek to love God, by being open to the love that is offered from the father, than the Spirit which is indwelling and empowering us, changing us, and create a revolution in our souls.... that revolution is contagious...love is contagious

just b/c it's Modern does not mean it's wrong
necessarily

yeah...but it means that it is only one vantage point. I think we need to approach these thoughts/concepts with a modern, postmodern, medieval, and ancient view...they all had something to offer - man, my head hurts now…I didn't expect to have to think this through...
Thanks for making me think.

This friend didn’t necessarily disagree with what I was saying or the quote that I shared, but he pushed me beyond the nice sounding statement and made me Think! about it, about what it meant to me, about why I thought it was good. That’s what makes him a great friend.
I think it’s dangerous to hide from these types of people (those who ask tough questions) and surround ourselves only with those who agree with our philosophy and ideology. The Word says that “as iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” We won’t be sharp if we’re rubbing up against soft people.
Props to my man AP for being sandpaper, and sharpening me.
Roach out.