Pathways

I had a nice conversation with a good friend the other day. We talked about pathways to God and other mysteries of life... you know, some light conversation over coffee. Anyway, according to the well-known religious guru, Oprah Winfrey, there are many pathways to God, and (my interpretation of her words) Christians are rather arrogant to think they know the only way to eternal life.

Hmmmm... I realize Oprah is a very good and very powerful person. She has very publicly, very generously given away many things to needy people, and has poured herself into causes of injustice around the world. But just because she's popular... just because she's giving... just because she's a celebrity (in a culture that worships celebrities)... just because she's a "good" person, I have - and always did have - a problem with Oprah's "many pathways to God" theology. Just who is her god anyway? I submit she believes that "god" is found deep within ourselves. With enough positive thinking, we can tap into our inner god. A novel idea, but one that goes against the Jewish/Christian concept of a powerful creator.

For example, here is an Oprah quote from a 2002 article: "I became calm inside myself and I thought, The outside world is always going to be telling you one thing, have one impression—accusatory, blaming, and so forth. And you are to stand still inside yourself and know the truth, and let it set you free. And in that moment, I won that trial."

Now, I don't pretend to know whether "good" sacrificial, generous, god-fearing (i.e., Christlike) people of other world religions are on the right pathway toward salvation. No one knows the eternal destiny of other human beings... only God alone knows that. As followers of the Way, we are called to discern a person's standing before God perhaps - and be witnesses of His mercy and grace - but never to judge or condemn them to "hell".

Like Oprah, I do not believe that people must (magically) utter the name of Jesus, or bow down to the cross, or read a Bible, or say the sinner's prayer... or (for heaven's sake) be regular church attenders in order to be on the "path" of salvation. So, if Oprah believes Christians are arrogant to think they are the only people on earth who have even a glimmer of hope of eternity (just because they were lucky enough to be born into the right culture)... I would agree with her. I firmly believe salvation is far more complex, far messier than that... part of the divine mystery. Finite creatures attempting to know the ways of the infinite God will never fully grasp Him.

However, unlike Oprah, I don't believe there are many pathways to God... there is only one... and that is right response to the light we have been given (by whatever means that light may be shed). In other words, I believe the One true God can and does have the power and motivation to reveal Himself to humanity... ALL of humanity. And ultimately, He invites every human being to look outside themselves - to walk on the path of eternity - through His Spirit. For many, this light is the gospel of Jesus Christ... that is, an invitation to walk in relationship with the Jewish Messiah - to live as he lived, and believe as he taught. For others, the light... the revelation of God... may be cast in different shades or colors... but nevertheless, the invitation to turn away from self-worship (to repent) and turn toward something far more powerful than themselves... is given. Now, just how and where salvation plays out in the midst of this revelatory transaction takes place is a complete mystery... wouldn't you agree?

Anyway, here's my beef with Oprah. Ultimately, it seems her god is found from within... in other words, we are god. If we just believe in ourselves more, if we search deeply inside our soul... our inner sanctuary, if we seek inner peace and harmony (the goodness within us all)... we will find salvation... bliss... the pathway to God.

But the God I know... the One who whispered my name and revealed Himself to me... The One who was, and is, and always will be... let me in on a little secret: Creation is good, very good... but within the bounds of human history, something very bad occurred... something which profoundly damaged the goodness of creation... In the context of freedom, a wrong choice was made, thereby damaging humanity's eternal relationship with God. But God - knowing our determined desire to find the answer within ourselves - allowed humanity to attempt to fix their own problems... to be "good" and moral beings strong enough and righteous enough to restore the broken relationship (in their own strength... with some help from God). But after thousands of years and countless cycles of failure (as told in the Old Testament stories of God's chosen people)... After it became abundantly clear humanity is "lost" apart from God... In the fullness of time, God revealed Himself more fully, more personally. The Lord Himself joined us in our stead, He came to our world and personally paid the high cost of our salvation. We, therefore - through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ - have the opportunity to live in a restored relationship with our Creator.

The answer is not found within ourselves, Ms. Winfrey... the answer is found outside of us, as we invite Him to come near. The answer is found in the loving, faithful, ever-so-patient, sacrificial, and yet oft-frustrated God who made us, cares for us, disciplines us, goes to the ends of the earth for our sake... and yes, the God - the ONLY God - who provides the Way for our eternity. "god" has a name - He revealed Himself to us as Yahweh. He then chose to more fully reveal Himself to us through His Son, Jesus... and by His Spirit. That is not a statement of arrogance... it is a Trinitarian statement of faith - it is an articulation of hope for those who seek something powerful and grace-filled of which they can cling to... forever.

Universal Truth

So, what is Truth anyway? Is there really such thing as universal Truth? More specifically (and controversial)... does the Bible contain universal Truth? How can we know?

Well, I've been having an email conversation with a couple of friends this past week, and I think the answer is yes... and no. Yes, there are unchanging, universal, non-negotiable, God-given truths which are revealed to His people through Scripture. But no, we can't just isolate and remove any one teaching or principle from the biblical record and universally apply it to any and all human circumstances. In essence, I believe that - rather than universal and transcendent - truth is alive and contextual, wholly dependent on the ever-continuous teaching of God's Spirit.

Modernity would like us to believe that we can read something in the Bible and - once we've properly dissected it into understandable nuggets of truth - overlay those principles to our lives today. I mean, why else would God give us the written record, except to allow us to distill the ancient stories down to timeless principles and moral instruction for our application in today's world? Answer: I don't know... I'm not even certain I believe that interpretation is entirely false. However, I do know that is not a wholly sufficient way to approach the mystery of Holy Scripture.

I don't for a minute believe Yahweh's revelation of Himself to His created beings can be fully manipulated, or digested, or understood, or embraced, or discerned, or grasped apart from His help. I don't believe for a moment that God provided us a logical record of a long history of relationship between the Creator and fallen humanity so we could read (study it, analyze it) it and somehow in our limited capacity, know and understand the fullness of Truth. If that were the case, then what role does the Holy Spirit play in this relational drama? Helper...? Bridge...? Translator...? Puzzle Solver...? 

No.

He is the Spirit of Truth, the One who Reveals (present tense) to His people. His role is not reduced to merely teaching us what the Bible meant... He is continuously at work in His Church, continuously revealing new dimensions of truth to God's people wherever they assemble in submission to God's authority. Yes, I know... the biblical canon has been closed - that is, there will never be any further books added or subtracted from the canon of scripture... but that doesn't mean God's Spirit is not still at work, still revealing God's intentions for His people TODAY, through submission to the ancient account of God and His fickle, rather faithless creation. The canon may be closed, but our story of salvation is still being written day-by-day. 

I admit, this is probably the most confusing, least clear post I've ever done (or will ever do). But I get so frustrated that my Church, whom I passionately love, is so wacky about universal truth and timeless principles. In my estimation (with a lot of help from other who write about this) - I believe this has led to the dangerous error of elevating Scripture (and reason) above experience and tradition, rather than holding them in tension with one another. It also leads to other errors that get us into big trouble. Can you think of any?

Yes, we are rational beings, but I've got news for you: intellectual reason is not the only channel of capturing truth for humans. We are not just cold, rational animals, we are emotional beings... experiential creatures... sensory-responding humans that have the capacity to discern truth in our mind, heart, and spirit. And God is Spirit. And we are to worship God in Spirit and in Truth.

Truth is not a set of principles... Truth is a person. His name is Jesus Christ... and He cannot (and will not) be reduced to a code of morality, or universal knowledge, or one-dimensional philosophical reason. That would be minimizing the power and ability of God to reveal Himself to us in fresh and creative new ways. Truth then, is organic, messy, problematic. It is not merely taught, but caught - captured through all the experiences and expressions of what it means to be human.

Truth is ongoing. Truth is alive. Truth is contextual. Truth is revealed to us as we submit ourselves to the author of life. 

In the immortal words of Lily Tomlin: "And that's the truth!" :-p

Hungry

Well, it's been an up and down kind of week, mostly down to be honest. 10 days to go, and we're all feeling the heat. Last night, I wrote a long, pretty negative blog which detailed our fears and concerns about this whole church-planting adventure. But I decided not to post it. Frankly, it was just too blunt and full of fear. Suffice to say things are not going real wonderful at the moment, but regardless of how things may look circumstantially, I continue to believe that everything will work out in the end. Moving issues, building issues, no-place-to-live issues, no-place-to-store-our-stuff issues... you know, everyday stuff (smile)!

I've been thinking about my recent post on personal evangelism, and I want to try to articulate my "method." I must admit though, it's not very structured... in fact, it's rather loose and flabby. There's probably a lot of overlap in my definitions below, but what can I say? Truth to me is not systematic and rationalistic, but inter-relational and organic.

First, I think it's important to become fully saturated with the love of God. It's not my pre-rehearsed speech that will convince someone to enter the kingdom of God, but the authentic love of God overflowing from my heart. So, in my mind, evangelism is rooted in a deeply dependent relationship to, with, and in Jesus Christ. This involves the basic Christian spiritual disciplines such as private and corporate prayer, and passionate consumption (and communal interpretation) of the Word of God. The Bible is read, not to receive "how to tips on evangelism from Jesus and friend," but rather to enter the story of God and allow His Word to shape my character from the inside out. The more I read... and give the Spirit of God permission to saturate my soul through the narrative and propositional truths... the more my heart, soul, mind and strength become mysteriously shaped into the image of Jesus Christ. It's not about principles for living... rather, more like revelation for transformation.

Secondly, I believe it is imperative to become thoroughly immersed in the local community in which I live... where I socialize, go to school/work, shop, eat/drink, play, run errands, worship, and dwell. The light of Christ was meant to be given away to others who are living in darkness, but I cannot shine if I do not engage and intentionally nurture relationships wherever I go and live. I don't need to carry the attitude that I must "get everyone in the world saved." No, I must carry the attitude that God is at work in my community, and I must seek to join Him where He is. As far as I can tell, that "place" is not predictable or measurable or containable. The task of reconciliation is the Lord's alone to carry out, and all He asks of me is to make myself attuned to His will, available to be His presence in the world, and eager to share the story of His resurrection power to forgive and transform with anyone who genuinely seeks Him.

Third, I believe evangelism extends to more than just a one-time conversation or crisis at the altar... into something much bigger and more effective in the context of eternity. Yet it is also messier and less controllable. Incarnational presence goes beyond getting someone to say the sinner's prayer... Incarnational presence is a continual acting out of God's personal touch to those who hunger to grow in their knowledge and experience of His grace. It is reaching out to the powerless. It is giving to the poor and needy. It is spending time to pray for the oppressed and afflicted. It is listening to those who need to spew venom or vent pain that has been welling up in their heart. It's doing what Jesus did when He came to this dark place... It's giving people a better alternative... and empowering them to believe in something (someone) outside of themselves... it's costly... it's self-emptying... it's God-focused and it's powerful.

Fourth, I believe evangelism has to erupt from our best intentions and motivations. I am not on a mission to grow a church, or get another notch in my gun (gunslinger talk)... or even satisfy my own ego to "get someone saved." No, the motive of my evangelistic style must not originate from my modern desire to build a powerful empire... it must originate in the all-powerful, pure, interdependent, ever-continuous love of the Triune God. I'm not here to do God any favors... frankly, He doesn't need me to save the world, or even one person within it. But He does delight in utilizing the overflow of my heart to touch people who yearn for something greater than what their experience has offered up to that point in their lives. I am not a self-automated power-tool, finding people who are broken and taking it upon myself to fix them... I am a hand-tool, placed in the hands of Almighty God, ready to go wherever He call me, and do whatever He bids me to do. I don't have to worry about anyone's eternal destiny... I just have to love people wherever I go, and trust that He knows what He is doing with my life.

Evangelism is not what we tell people, unless what we tell is totally consistent with who we are. It is who we are that is going to make the difference. If we do not truly enjoy our faith, nobody is going to catch the fire of enjoyment from us. If our lives are not totally centered on Christ, we will not be Christ-bearers for others, no matter how pious our words.
--Madeleine L'Engle

Two Weeks

(Deep breath)...

In 13 days, we'll be heading out on the biggest journey of faith that we've ever taken before. And lately I've been reminiscing about our journey here. Looking back, I guess you could say we stepped out in faith when we sold our home, packed up our stuff and moved to Kansas City six years ago so I could attend seminary. And yes, it was a serious step of faith for us... but it didn't really seem like it at the time... we didn't know anyone in the Midwest, had no place to live, no jobs, very little money... In fact, all we had was a 26 foot U-Haul truck full of stuff and lots of faith that God had called us there.

And indeed He did call us to Kansas City. Not just for a rich, holistic, life-changing master's education and the opportunity to learn new things about God... but also for the practical life experiences and the opportunity to learn new things about ourselves! One lesson we certainly learned (sometimes the hard way) is that yes, indeed, God was there to take care of us every step of the way... even when it seemed like times were very dark and our marriage might fall apart. Things simply fell into place... and we learned to depend on each other in ways that could have not come from our own wisdom or strength... it was truly the Master's hand guiding us. Strange, interesting, and thoroughly unpredictable events unfolded right before our eyes... all in all, those first few months were hard but very special to me and my family. All doubts about whether or not God had orchestrated our move (and our calling) - not us - were erased early on. I often struggle with knowing whether I'm following God's will or Jeff's will. The latter is not pretty... and I have many years apart from God to prove it!

Then, right at twelve months into our new life in Misery... uh, that is, Missouri, after the honeymoon period had worn off a bit and the finances were getting extremely tight... one of the biggest miracles of all took place... God called us to serve in a small church in the southern part of the city. The pastor and church board were looking for a seminary student who would simply be willing to serve part-time in exchange for living in their parsonage... a parsonage mind you, with four bedrooms, a full basement, and in a wonderful older neighborhood. Duh... It took me about three seconds to ponder the benefits of that deal! So, I paid them a visit that same day!

But, here we are, five years from that point, and two weeks from moving back to Washington State... and this revelation is really hitting me hard: I'm not going to miss the house one bit (and it has been a great place to live and raise our kids). Frankly, it's the people we're sad about leaving behind, not the building. Since we have the ever-hectic VBS planned for the last week of our time in the big city, the congregation threw us a big farewell party last night and laid hands on us to carry on the Christian tradition of sending us to our next assignment. The whole night was simply wonderful... and yet, it was terrible. I cried like a baby, and my wife cried even harder... and my nine year old daughter cried even harder than that! My 13 year old son didn't cry as much, but he didn't really say much either... he was too overwhelmed and choked up to speak. Good heavens, it was like an episode of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition... I don't know about you, but I can't make it to the end of that show without tears flowing... Nor can I say goodbye to the people who have been our friends, adopted family members, and our biggest supporters without feeling like my heart is being ripped in two.

It's funny, but I've been waiting for this moment for a very, very long time. I've watched many fellow students, a few fellow associate pastors as they left us for greener pastures, never to return... and oh how I longed for the day when it would be us leaving for a new ministry adventure. And now that it is literally upon us, I'm excited of course... but surprisingly I'm not joyful. There's a whole stew of emotions flooding my soul right now - sorrow about leaving some of the best people in the world behind... fear and trembling about what we're getting ourselves into in Ellensburg (more to come on that topic later)... joy that it's finally "our time" to be heading out into the wild blue yonder... and (this is a paradox)... even a bit of mourning that I'm not in school anymore. I never considered myself a natural student... I have a pastor's heart, and only came to seminary to learn how to think theologically (NOT to learn how to become a pastor)! Even though I hated reading all those books (the boring ones), and dreaded writing all those papers (the difficult ones)... I am mystified to say that there is a part of me that misses the challenge to engage my brain in the marketplace of ideas... and consider how that translates into pastoral ministry in the 21st century.

My God, I've been institutionalized! It's a good thing I'm leaving town, or I might someday get the crazy notion to work toward a D.Min. degree... Nah, I'm not that warped!

Nevertheless... God is calling us, of all things, to come home. The vision has been cast, the deal has been set, the call has been made, and plans have been executed... we are now officially past the point of no return. I know this is the right thing to do, but why doesn't He make it easier to leave one place as we prepare ourselves for whatever he has planned where we're going? Oh well... our old church will move on and we will move on... but not completely. Though time and distance may separate us... the love of God in Christ will bond us to those wonderful folks for all eternity.

Thank you for all generosity, patience, love and grace you have shown me and my family these past five years, Summit View Church of the Nazarene! We are profoundly grateful for what you've done to shape us and prepare us to serve in His kingdom.

God-Breathed

From 2 Timothy 3: Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God's way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us.

The Bible is a dangerous thing. Throughout history, people have used portions of God's Word to do very stupid things, and some have even used it to justify horrific and vile actions against humanity. Many try to use it as a simplistic code for morality, and yet - even though they endeavor to follow it's principles to the letter - their life and their actions can't be said to be defined by love.

What is it about the Bible that is so confusing... so perplexing? It's by far the best selling book in the world (so I'm told) - heck, most households have at least one Bible, and the majority of Christians have several. One look at the shelves of a Christian bookstore and you can see why... there may be one Bible but a whole plethora of versions, translations, etc. There's a Bible for any particular sub-group to which you may belong. It's kind of embarrassing... 'cause I'm willing to bet that even though practically every American has access to at least one Bible, not too many people seem to actually read it.

But I don't know what's worse... not reading the Bible, or reading it in a vacuum... apart from a community of people who desire to interpret and live out the fullness of what the scriptures teach. I believe Paul when he says, "Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us." But my experience and education have taught me that this "shaping" doesn't happen to isolated individuals - at least not very often - rather, it happens to people within an authentic community of faith. The problem, of course, is that not all communities are created (or shaped) equally. If those charged with proclaiming the scriptures seek to do anything more or less than love God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength (and consequently love their neighbor as themselves)... then the community won't be defined by the essence of God's character - that of self-emptying love.

So what's my point? Well, that's the beauty of a spiritual diary I suppose... it doesn't have to make complete sense! But Here's what I'm trying to articulate:

The Bible, in all it's beauty and mystery and authority, has been woefully misused and misunderstood over the centuries - both by the world and by God's people. It seems we either want to elevate it to the status of God (which is idolatry), or reduce it to a collection of nonsensical fables. But I don't believe the Bible should be force-fit into either of those categorical extremes.

It is not just a humanistic collection of stories... However, that claim cannot be understood apart from a hunger to know the person of God... the faith of a child to believe the Creator of the universe lives, and has made a way to communicate directly with His creation.

On the other hand, it is not divine either. The scriptures are not God... they are the witness of God... the revelation of God. How does the Bible reveal God? He is so gracious, He chose not to dictate every word that was written down... He didn't reveal Himself as abstract truth... Instead, He revealed Himself to a particular people, within a particular cultural context. Essentially, He gave the people what they could understand - the story of His grace interweaving through His fallen creation to redeem it. And that story of grace continues right up to the present day (and beyond). His Spirit helps us... within a community of faith... to interpret that same story for our own lives... enabling us to understand it in light of our own cultural context.

Therefore, the Bible is far more profound than what it may appear to be. My desire and calling is to inspire people to read it together... and interpret it together... and live it out together... It is the awesome story of God... the God who loves us... the God who emptied Himself... the God who came into this world in the only way that we could understand His love... the God who gave up His life for our sake. When it's all said and done, the Bible is not a simple collection of laws or principles for Christian living... it is ultimately about the Holy Person of Jesus Christ - the One who personally invites us to let His story be our story.

Why, Lord?

From Psalm 18 (The Message):

The cords of the grave coiled around me;
the snares of death confronted me.

In my distress I called to the LORD; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears.

Someone I'm very close to is dying. A dreaded disease has entangled itself around her organs and is slowly snuffing out her life. She is an extraordinarily positive person, and brave beyond my comprehension... both of which have likely kept her alive this long. But she is growing weary of the battle, I can sense it. I keep praying for a miracle... and believe He can touch her body if He chooses. That said, however, I want to walk a careful line between faith in Him and demandedness of Him.

It's kind of weird, but I've never had anyone really close to me die before - that is - except my grandparents and an elderly aunt and uncle. But somehow, my large nuclear family has managed to escape the inevitable loss of someone taken from us way before their time. Five brothers and sisters, with husbands, wives and kids,etc.... and yet, we've not had to deal with the shock of losing someone young. But I think we're about to experience a significant shock wave fairly soon. I feel so helpless. I'm 2000 miles away from my family, and really don't have the resources to do anything except throw out the occasional sound byte to God... "Lord, please heal her, give the family peace"... you know what I mean, don't you? Where's the power in that?

But tonight was different. Tonight was about much more than a sound byte to God. Tonight it all became real and powerful and searingly painful. Tonight I came to a whole new realization of the value each person brings into my life... especially family members - those I know more intimately. Tonight I got beyond my self-centered little world, and felt a tremendous amount of pain for someone I love... and as a result my heart is hurting deeply. I can't stop weeping. Why do people have to get sick? Why does death have to rob us of our togetherness? Why does life have to be so fragile and painful? Why do perfectly healthy, perfectly happy, perfectly young people have to suffer for no apparent reason... and why do we have to witness the beautiful gift of life slowly bleeding out of their body?

In my distress I called to the LORD; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears. There is one thing that is of great comfort in all this confusion and pain. Somehow, through the fog of our experience, the Lord reveals Himself as light in the darkness... He hears our cries for help. He may not answer our prayers in the way we would like Him to, but He does quiet our spirit when we're afraid. He does call us by name when we're feeling very alone and afraid. He does reassure us that He loves us very deeply and eternally when we're in deep spiritual pain.

Somehow, tonight was different... somehow, tonight my cry came before Him... tonight I prayed far more than a sound byte. And He heard me. He brought a sense of comfort to the person who is suffering. He brought His holy presence to someone who is in the darkest valley of their earthly existence. He poured out His anointing on a phone conversation, enabling two people to connect by means of His Holy Spirit. Tonight a prayer was heard, and felt, and answered. Tonight, we encountered together the One who is all too familiar with suffering and death... and He reminded me that He is also the One who was resurrected and lives for our sake.

Thank you, Abba, for filling our emptiness with your divine presence. Amen.

Fire

From Psalm 104 of Eugene Peterson's The Message: O my soul, bless God! God, my God, how great you are! beautifully, gloriously robed, dressed up in sunshine, and all heaven stretched out for your tent. You built your palace on the ocean deeps, made a chariot out of clouds and took off on wind-wings. You commandeered winds as messengers, appointed fire and flame as ambassadors.

There was a big fire here in Kansas City earlier this week. Apparently some bad wiring in a bar set off a huge fire that engulfed a large portion of an city block, leaving a whole group of businesses at 75th and Wornall with nothing but charred remains and a horrible sense of loss. However, in a short sound byte kind of interview, I heard one of the owners bravely report that there must be some reason this happened, and she would rebuild... in fact, the new business would be bigger and better!

I don't know why, but I thought of the Hebrew people entering the Promised land. God is God, and doesn't have to explain Himself to us... therefore, sometimes God's Word can be pretty troubling. One of those times is when the Hebrews were commanded to charge into the Promised Land and destroy all who were dwelling there. To someone seeking God, one glance at the book of Joshua could very well derail their budding trust in Him... How could a loving God command His people to wantonly murder a whole generation of peoples and cultures who lived in the wrong place at the wrong time? Number one, we could probably never understand the darkness of the Canaanite culture... the evil is beyond our comprehension... child sacrifice, sacred prostitution, oppression and mutilation of the innocent and vulnerable... etc. It was a religious culture completely given over to the very idea of evil, and God had had enough. So, He sent His people, the people He had promised to bless, into the land to take it back for His sake.

Number two, this was not an eternal mandate... or excuse to wage "Holy War" with anyone who opposed the Hebrews throughout their history - rather, it was a specific empowerment of a specific people, for a specific time frame, for a specific reason. It was bloody, it was violent, it was vile, it was repulsive... but in the bigger picture of human history, it was necessary according to God. Do you know what else it is...? It is a perfect metaphor of our hearts. Like it or not, we are born into this sinful, fallen world and participate in it. For instance... I'll bet no one had to teach you to lie when you were a child... it just came natural the first time you were backed into a corner by your actions and felt compelled to get free by whatever means necessary. The bottom line is that we all store up some form of sin in our hearts... no one is exempt. But by His grace, God has given us a means of "waging war" on the evil inside of us, by coming to a place of recognition of the sin, and overwhelming desire to have it destroyed.

Repentance.

Our God is a God who both builds up and tears down. I'm sure the Kansas City business owner who lost it all in a consuming fire would not prefer to start from scratch all over again... but funny thing... when something is utterly destroyed, it creates an opportunity for something new, something better, something exciting, something meaningful... something unimaginable when life continues along at status-quo. Jesus put it this way: Listen carefully: Unless a grain of wheat is buried in the ground, dead to the world, it is never any more than a grain of wheat. But if it is buried, it sprouts and reproduces itself many times over. In the same way, anyone who holds on to life just as it is destroys that life. But if you let it go, reckless in your love, you'll have it forever, real and eternal (John 12:24-25).

That Jesus. He had a way with words. But have you noticed...? He never said anything He wasn't willing to live out in His own life... no matter the cost.