Situational Pornography

The house...

The car....

The high-power job.  The perfect partner(s).  The look, clothes, computers, smart phones, boats, and all the other stuff that's supposed to make us feel larger than life.  I'm not here to 'dis' the cool stuff that exists in the world.  Quite frankly, I could see myself in a really sweet Donzi - the Porsche of powerboats.  What I'm talking about is where we place our focus and what we chase after.  In other words, do we chase after fantasy situations - unrealistic conditions, settings, relationships, jobs, body image, and status we believe will fulfill us and make us happy - life's situational pornography?

I recently heard a term "ministry pornography" used to portray a picture of a fantasy ministry setting that most pastors will never experience.  It describes the 'rock star' pastors who have stadium-sized congregations every Sunday, incredibly large campuses, and everything seems to be going their way.  This type of unrealistic image can distract us from the glorious realities of our ministerial settings.  This term isn't slamming mega-churches or their pastors.  It's a wake up call for the majority of pastors who lead smaller congregations to not forsake the settings we have been called to.

And that got me thinking not just about  ministry - but life in general.  I think back to when I was a teenager and an early 20-something.  I'll admit...I often fell into situational pornography thinking: "I'm gonna be a famous musician with lots of fans, a great beach house, lots of money, and I'll be really happy when I achieve it."  Reality check - last time I took inventory of myself I wasn't a famous musician with lots of fans, I don't have a beach house, and I'm not super rich.  But...I am happy.  And that's a big deal.  I'm happy with where I am in life, because where I am is where I am supposed to be.

I'm not saying we shouldn't try to better our lives, our communities, and our world.  And I'm not saying we should be content with poverty, unemployment, racism, or other injustices that affect our lives.  And I'm also not saying that we shouldn't dream.  But facing our realities as they are empowers us, guides us, directs our dreams, pushes us to do bigger, better, greater, God things that will have lasting impacts.

Sometimes life is good.  Sometimes it's not so good.  But God is with us every step of our journeys whether we feel it, know it, or acknowledge it.  And when we embrace God's peace and contentment, we do great things in our everyday rituals and interactions.  We don't need to escape through situational pornography thinking.  God wants us to participate in life! 

Who is God?

Wow, what a loaded question!  Most of us have some sort of understanding and description of God, but how do we really know who God is?  I mean, we can't see God, although we see evidence of God.  It's hard for us to put into human terms that which encompasses all we know and experience.

But I'll try my best.  If you asked me this question 20 years ago, my answer would have some similarities to how I would answer today, but there would be drastic differences as well.  See...I've been growing and maturing over these past 20 years (I hope, anyway), and everything I have experienced has shaped me as a person.  All these experiences have also shaped how I understand who God is.

Sometimes I think a good way for me to answer who God is, is to say who God isn't.  For instance, God isn't bound by our human thoughts, emotions, and limitations.  Yet God comes to us, up close and personal, on a daily basis.  And, God isn't Santa Claus.  In other words, if I ask God for a pony, God won't 'make good' on my prayer only if I'm good.

Also, God isn't boring.  In fact, God is downright exciting, challenging, and quite an interruption to our daily lives.  Yet, I think we humans often downplay God by the way we try to squeeze God into our human thinking.  In other words, do we allow God to shape our lives and guide our thinking and actions?  Or do we go about life and ask God to line up with our plans, prejudices, and agendas?  I'm often guilty of the latter because I'm human.  So I have to seek out God, study God, and listen for God.  This is done when I am present with people, when I listen to, and interact with my neighbors.  I learn who God is when I share a cup of coffee and a story, when I listen to the dreams of a child, when I walk or run and truly take in the awesome wonder of creation, and when I thank God for the gift of my wife and daughter.

God can be found everywhere, but we often are distracted - by work (or lack of), bills, sports, vacations (or lack of), social media, TVs, cars, clothes, relationships, and...you get the picture.  But...God is also present in all the things I just listed.  Because God is everywhere.  And God cares about all that we do and experience.  So, who is God?  Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer.  Father, Son, Holy Spirit.  Great One.  Abba.  I am. All That Is.  And on, and on, and on.  May we find out who God is today.  And, if we're here, may we start the process over again tomorrow.

Conviction and Conversation

Ever been in a situation where what you believe was harshly or critically questioned?  Maybe you were even the brunt of gossip, rumor, criticism, or slander.  Still...you couldn't shake the feeling deep inside that you needed to stick to your guns.  It's not easy when it seems like you're the only one (or one of a very few) whose thinking and actions are in contrast to those around you.  Situations like this test our character and convictions.

Once, the Apostle Paul wrote a letter to a church he founded in Thessalonica.  This city was the capital city in the Macedonian province, and in the heart of the oppressive Roman Empire.  Paul wrote this letter because he had heard that folks there were sticking to their guns - even in the midst of opposition.  He, himself, was encouraged by their faithfulness.  So he wrote the letter to reciprocally encourage the church to continue to be strong in their convictions no matter what others said.

Paul had his share of conviction-standing moments.  Once he was the church's number one enemy.  He killed many early Christians in an attempt to curb a new religious movement that threatened his way of belief.  But after his conversion moment - where he encountered the living and loving Jesus - his convictions changed.  In many situations after this point, the persecutor became the persecuted.  Many of Paul's letters include details about suffering and imprisonment as a result of sticking to his convictions.

So what are our 'black sheep' moments?  What do we face that causes us to stick out like a cultural sore thumb?  Do we stand up for the person being bullied?  Do we share the good news about God's love for the world?  Do we choose to say something about a joke that targets people because they're outside the 'norm' of society?  Do we let someone else have the easy and convenient parking space?  Do we seek out to accept and affirm all people - even our enemies?  Even the enemies of God?

Newsflash: at times, we're all enemies of God.  Because at times, we all want to do things our way and look out for number one.  That's one of the paradoxes we live with.  God wired a survival instinct within us.  But I believe God wants us to expand our survival instinct beyond the self.  God wants us to think about others.   Instead of seeing what's 'wrong' with and always competing with others, God uses other people to remind us of the diversity that exists in this world.

And with diversity comes differing ideas, opinions, and convictions.  How we deal with our differences is one of the biggest challenges God allows us to experience.  Sure, we can stand on our convictions in the midst of cultural diversity.  But we must not become islands of 'righteousness' when doing so.  We should allow room for conversation, reconciliation, and transformation - for all involved.  God wants us to seek higher and better ways.  God wants us to know what breaks God's heart.  God wants us to stand against oppression and injustices.  God wants His convictions to be ours.  Let us learn and reflect the convictions of our Creator - even when they're not easy or popular.