BACKGROUND THOUGHTS

Some have asked me what led up to my previous post. The answer is not simple. Many thoughts and experiences influenced my thinking. However, I believe it all started with a simple, or not so simple, verse in I Corinthians, "But we have the mind of Christ."

It was not the focus of Sunday School that morning, but the thought grabbed me -- what does that mean, "we have the mind of Christ"? I couldn't get away from the question. For days I had the words ringing in my mind. I started praying to understand what it means to have the mind of Christ. I don't know fully what I expected the answer to be but I know that in part I thought that if I could tap into the mind of Christ I would have answers -- answers for the tough questions of life. But as I prayed to understand the phrase I became keenly aware of those suffering -- people close to me who "have it altogether" in most people's eyes but people who were dealing with deep, deep hurt. I finally realized that to have the mind of Christ was in part to see the suffering beyond the facade.

Around the same time I traveled to Dallas. While there I got lost for a couple of hours, all the while listening to a "Christian" radio station. In that part of the country "Christian" = "Republican" and visa versa. I was deeply sickened as I listened to the sugar coated verbage on one hand and the anti-Democrat "Christian" political lingo on the other. It was shallow. It was negative. It was nothing that reminded me of Jesus. (The sadly humorous program was the one that spent most of the time preaching the end of the world ("World War III could break out tomorrow") , sighting recent international events, while at the same time pushing listeners to sign up to go on the upcoming Holy Land tour.) By the time I returned home I was convinced that I could not be aligned with the term "Christian" if that is what it is -- shallow, saccrinely sweet, politically radically right -- this was NOT the mind of Christ!

Then I started reading Mountains Beyond Mountains, a book about the incredible poverty and disease in Haiti. I once again was made aware of severe suffering but now my focus was adjusted to third world countries. I was moved by what one man, Paul Farmer, was able to do to make a difference against all odds. I was challenged by the thought of what kind of impact could I make on the world if I had that kind of passion.

Randy and I then went to the National Pastors' Convention. I don't believe there was an agenda for each of the speakers besides to encourage the pastors. However, what I heard over and over from the great variety of speakers was that to be a follower of Jesus demanded action. It demanded connecting with our communities and our world.

So all those things dove-tailed and inspired the previous posting.

Has life changed for me, you may ask? Yes and no. To the casual observer they wouldn't notice any radical change. The change is more inward. My day starts by asking Jesus what does it mean today to follow Him. I've prayed more for suffering people. I believe I am to do more but I'm waiting for Jesus to tell me what that "more" is.