In an American Christian culture that values wealth, power, beauty and success as much as it does, I'm always challenged and inspired by people who remind me of what LIFE is really about.
Cherish these words from Philip Yancey:
"In a world ruled by law, grace stands as a sign of contradiction. We want fairness; the gospel gives us an innocent man nailed to a cross who cries out, "Father, forgive them." We want respectability; the gospel elevates tax collectors, prodigals, and Samaritians. We want success; the gospel reverses the terms, moving the poor and downtrodden to the head of the line and the wealthy and famous to the rear."
Wednesday, March 24, 2004
Tuesday, March 23, 2004
A Line at the Changing Room Door
Our church meets in small groups most Sunday nights. My wife, Rochelle, and I belong to one that meets just up the street from our house. Our group started about 3 years ago and its present look is drastically different from what it was 1,095 days ago.
The biggest difference is obvious: there's a line to use the changing room! No, not the kind of changing room you might find in a department store: that's where customers change. It's not even the kind of scum-stained changing room you may remember from high school: that's a locker room. You might be thinking of the bristling backstage area you might find at a concert or play: that's a dressing room. No this room is not for customers or athletes or thespians, it's for children.
In three years our group has grown from 9 people to 17 people. 17 PEOPLE! Our group used to have discussions, now it has diapers. We used to talk about our beliefs, now we talk about bottles. We were a group in search of sanctification, now we are a group in search of sleep.
Our small group has changed dramatically the past few years. We've had people join our church family and join our group. We've also had other kinds of changes. Financial reversals, job changes, career changes, stay-at-home-moms, family trouble; they've all visited our group.
We've also been visited by some angels-in-waiting named Nicole, Kristen, Julia, Parker, Naomi, Alyssa, Cole and my favorite, Malia Rose. Each one of them has been a continental shift when it comes to change. The other night as I stood in line waiting for the changing table, I thought about the subtle, yet powerful, image it is--though it may not be the prettiest (or most nicely scented).
I was reminded that we all need to be changed--babies, toddlers, adults, everybody. We all need to be freshened up and made clean. And though a dirty diaper can oftentimes leave me desirous of a life without messes, no life like that exist. You see, sin has really made us dirty, and we need to be cleaned. I'm thankful for a God who doesn't mind changing me.
The biggest difference is obvious: there's a line to use the changing room! No, not the kind of changing room you might find in a department store: that's where customers change. It's not even the kind of scum-stained changing room you may remember from high school: that's a locker room. You might be thinking of the bristling backstage area you might find at a concert or play: that's a dressing room. No this room is not for customers or athletes or thespians, it's for children.
In three years our group has grown from 9 people to 17 people. 17 PEOPLE! Our group used to have discussions, now it has diapers. We used to talk about our beliefs, now we talk about bottles. We were a group in search of sanctification, now we are a group in search of sleep.
Our small group has changed dramatically the past few years. We've had people join our church family and join our group. We've also had other kinds of changes. Financial reversals, job changes, career changes, stay-at-home-moms, family trouble; they've all visited our group.
We've also been visited by some angels-in-waiting named Nicole, Kristen, Julia, Parker, Naomi, Alyssa, Cole and my favorite, Malia Rose. Each one of them has been a continental shift when it comes to change. The other night as I stood in line waiting for the changing table, I thought about the subtle, yet powerful, image it is--though it may not be the prettiest (or most nicely scented).
I was reminded that we all need to be changed--babies, toddlers, adults, everybody. We all need to be freshened up and made clean. And though a dirty diaper can oftentimes leave me desirous of a life without messes, no life like that exist. You see, sin has really made us dirty, and we need to be cleaned. I'm thankful for a God who doesn't mind changing me.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
