Friday, February 6, 2009

Irresistible Revolution

I've found over the past week that it is easy to make judgements. For example:
- Texans wear cowboy hats and boots, have big hair, drive trucks, and love Chuck Norris.
- Portlandians (?) wear skinny jeans and beanie hats, have a lip/nose ring, dreadlocks, soul patch, and drive Subaru Outbacks.
- Christians listen to only Christian music, wear purity rings, are right-wing extreme fundamentalists, and don't know how to have a good time.

Tonight I went to a friend's church to hear Shane Claiborn, author of Irresistible Revolution, speak. I have never read the book or heard of the author, so I didn't know what to expect. The speaker came onto the stage: tall, skinny, dreadlocks, do-rag, glasses, long goatee. I have to admit that I was somewhat judgemental at first, but this man who is living "the simple life" challenged my unnecessarily complicated life. I am sure that if he had lived during Christ's time on earth, he and Jesus would have been best friends. Here are some thoughts that I wrote down and would like to share with you...

  • Christianity is spread not through force, but through facination.
  • When the disciples asked Jesus, "Are you the one we've been waiting for or should we expect someone else?" Jesus replied, "Go back and report what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor." If someone were to ask us "Are you a Christian?" would we be able to reply, "Tell me what you hear and see."
  • You can have all the right ideologies and still be mean.
  • Fascinate the world with grace and interrupt injustice with your life.
  • Sometimes it's easier to love orphans in Africa than it is to love the people we live with.
  • God, give us fresh ears to hear the whisper of your love.
  • Our God is a god who, for some strange reason, doesn't want to change the world without us. We ask, "God, why don't you do something?" and He replies, "I did. I created you." We are to be His hands and feet on this earth.

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