Found this pic today over at Backyard Missionary.
It's just a picture sure to offend some, make some angry, hurt some and make others laugh.
But as I was making pancakes for my boys this morning I thought how well it shows our fallen, human nature.
The past year has been an effort to change myself (and have Father change me) from the religious "Church Lady" that I had become. But something about this picture plagues me. Will I end up changing one thing to only to turn into something more ludicrous?
From Church Lady to anti-institutional jerk?
From Church Lady to emergent jack ass?
From Church Lady to I have all the answers now - just follow me?
From Church Lady who trusted too much to one that trusts no one.
From Church Lady who at times led people by manipulation to one who no longer leads people anywhere.
You can just see the t-shirts can't you?
Not that I have met any of those. Nor have I picked that flavor up from you, whom I read. I just know my own propensity to want to have THE answer and being so proud.
See, I hate this area of not knowing. I can float along here for a while but to never really know - to never have The Plan still drives me crazy.
But then maybe if I never have the plan, maybe if I never really know what Father will do in the next year or next week I will avoid growing into the man in the picture...looking more ridiculous and being more dangerous to myself in what I have become than even in what I was to begin with.
In my old life we were encouraged to come up with our goals for the new year. My goal for this year is to not become a religious caricature of the man in the picture.
9 comments:
Good goal. Rest in the Father's grace and follow the guiding of his Spirit. Jesus gave the Comforter to guide us into truth. Concentrate on loving God and others and God will take care of the rest.
Barb ~ I am adopting that one too! Great insight. Thanks!
Sometimes, the pendulum can swing alot, and we show extremes.
Remember, though, our stories aren't over..and those extremes sometimes just need to be there.
Keep walking...not letting the fear of what 'could' happen, to let you falter. God promises not to let us fall. He's pretty good at it.
:)
I understand what you are saying...I'm there too. I want to be able to not always have the answers, but often I find that my answers have just changed.
I keep praying for God to remind me of everything I don't know, just about the time I start to think I know something.
Walking by faith and not by sight means just that. It is very interesting to me that I like to walk by sight but just say I am walking by faith. Yes, there is a plan, no we will not know it except as we live each day.
our need for significance is the great equalizer in all of us. we all want to feel important regardless of place in or out of the Body. i went to an emergent event one time and thought the guys on the panel were no different than the people they were trying to distance themselves from. It reminded me that love, graciousness, humility, etc are a whole lot more important than being "right."
Great post! I've thought about those things too. (I really liked Watchman's comments - it all comes down to how we love). I know for me, I don't want to be dogmatic. I have dealt with the stigma of being an out-of-church Christian and always felt uncomfortable with the dogmatic approach that faithful Sunday meeting attenders took toward me, communicating that I should be doing what they are doing, or else I'm not really following Jesus and I'm not a real Christian (because of the way they read/interpret the scriptures).
Of course it doesn't matter to me what other people think about the way I am following Christ. But I don't want to be presumptuous towards them in return. I don't want to be dogmatic and make others feel like the way they are following Him isn't credible, or isn't right (because of the way I read/interpret the scriptures). I think there is room for all of us... and it can look different for different people. I'm right there with you and identify with this post. Thanks for sharing!
I am going to abuse the fact you're on my blogroll and ask you to promote an idea I've had for helping local charities. I would appreciate it if you could help spread the word.
Put me in the "make others laugh" pile :)
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