I Am An Idiot!

How many times have I preached it? How many times have I told others that the battle we are in is against "spiritual powers." In laymen's terms, lost people are not the enemy, stupid! Let me give you some background. Several weeks ago, in preparation for the Easter season, I began reading the story of Jesus' march to Jerusalem in those final days: how He was moved to compassion for the people, how He wept over them, how He prayed for them. And I began to pray that God would give me that kind of heart for the people of Southside and the people of Decatur. Isn't it amazing how God answers prayers? Over recent days, I have been on a spiritual roller coaster sensing God moving in my life, not understanding the emotions and the fatigue. And I still don't have all the answers, but this morning, as I drove to the church listening to Christian radio, the DJ's were interviewing Mark Hall of Casting Crowns about their new song "Everyman." He made the statement that hit me right between the eyes. And I paraphrase, "We have to stop looking at lost people as the big, bad wolf. They are good people who are simply looking for the right way to go. The Bible says our battle is against spiritual powers. " And it suddenly dawned on me, even though I know the truth, I have been living and considering people as the enemy, forgetting who the real adversary is. In reality, the people around us are P.O.W.'s in a spiritual conflict who deserve no animosity, who should not be the cause of our fear, who DO deserve and desperately need our love and compassion. Here are the words to Casting Crown's song:

I'm the man with all I've ever wanted

All the toys and playing games

I am the one who pours your coffee, corner booth each Saturday

I am your daughter's favorite teacher

I am the leader of the band

I sit behind you in the bleachers

I am every man

I'm the coach of every winning team and still a loser in my mind

I am the soldier in the airport facing giants one more time

I am the woman shamed and haunted by the cry of unborn life

I'm every broken man, nervous child, lonely wife

Is there hope for every man

A solid place where we can stand

In this dry and weary land

Is there hope for every man

Is there love that never dies

Is there peace in troubled times

Someone help me understand

Is there hope for every man

Seems there's just so many roads to travel, it's hard to tell where they will lead

My life is scarred and my dreams unraveled

Now I'm scared to take the leap

If I could find someone to follow who knows my pain and feels the weight

The uncertainty of my tomorrow, the guilt and pain of yesterday

There is hope for every man

A solid place where we can stand

In this dry and weary land

There is hope for every man

There is Love that never dies

There is peace in troubled times

Will we help them understand?

Jesus is hope for every man

Will we help them understand?

I Pick...You!

I long for the day that someone will come up to me before the worship service and say, "Pastor, you see that man that just came in the door? The one in the ragged clothes that looks like he hasn't bathed in weeks? Man, I have been working on him all week, and he finally came to Jesus." Please don't misunderstand. I am the pastor of a very loving, giving, ministering bunch of folks, but I have noticed that even in this context, Christians tend to be a little more selective as to whom they minister to. What I tend to hear most often is, "Pastor, have you made contact with John Doe this week? He would be a great asset to our church." Sadly, we want to focus on reaching those people who can do something for us. But Jesus said, "It isn't the healthy that needs a doctor. It's the sick" (Ben's paraphrase). My interpretation: Minister where the needs are. Don't ask what new members can do for your church; ask what you can do for people who are hurting. Isn't that what He meant by the parable of the Good Samaritan? Isn't that what He did during His days on the Earth? Sure, Jesus had wealthy friends that He ministered to -- but they were friends who came to the realization that they had just as big of a need as the lepers, the prostitutes, the poor, and the outcasts from Jewish society. The very people that we are so often fired-up about reaching are the ones Jesus spent very little time with. I'm just glad that in this game of life, God doesn't pick teams like we do: take the biggest, strongest, and fastest first, and then if there is room let the little guy play as long as he stays in deep right field. Instead, God looks at the world and says, "I pick...YOU!" Isn't that what John 3:16 says?