I know...I know...the term is clearly "passive aggressive". However, I believe that at the heart of this social-interaction stigma is the very title of this post. Namely, Zombies: Aggressive Passives.
The reason I take such issue with "passive aggressive" people is that they attempt to reap the benefits of aggressive go-getters without the ability to properly exercise their projected passion to reach the same goal. In other words...they claim they want to be a champion boxer, yet they only swing outside of the ring when their "opponent" isn't looking. I am currently struggling with how I am supposed to deal with people, that would seemingly irritate Jesus. (Yes Jesus got irritated...it's in there). This behavior is very similar to zombies in movies who seem to relentlessly pursue the people they chase, without any passion, personal conviction, nor critical thinking. They seem aggressive, yet in their core they are weak...they simply feed from people.
As both a self-designated and socially-designated aggressive individual I have a personal disdain towards people that seemingly act "gangster" in moments where they would never seemingly have to back it up. For example, with the new explosion of social media over the past decade, it is commonplace for people to lash out at others via technology when the person lives down the street, attends the same school, is three cubicles over in the office, and/ or attends the same church. Perhaps this technology is enabling people to become less and less personable under the guise that they are connected to the whole world. The worst part is that people have the nerve to call it social media, when in reality it is training the next generation to be faux socialites, by building Internet confidence and utter face-to-face passivity.
Connected to this issue is people who seem to think they actually know someone because they follow them on twitter, are befriended by them on facebook, and have generously contributed to one's youtube views on their channel. At best you know whatever the person promotes, markets, or projects themselves to be via online venues, and most likely have simply excited one's "itch" for attention as they seek validation from strangers who probably simply like their profile pick.
The scary aspect to me is that this has crept into the church. It's usually the one's who say that it is a great forum for "discipleship" that are hollerin' at girls/ guys, catching up to ex's, and inevitably socializing with people that had naturally fallen out of their lives (and usually fallen out for good reason). Tye Tribbett, in a sermon amidst one of his concerts, gave a riveting analogy concerning 'doors'. He referenced the internet and tv channels. The analogy states that "not only do you have access to 300 channels,...but 300 channels have access to you. Not only do you have access to the world...wide...web, but the world...wide...web has access to you". Now by no means am I indicting facebook nor social media, for I am utilizing several venues as we speak...read...whatever (see my point)! There is no real human to human interaction, and thus why so many disagreements and hurt feelings occur via text, email, and tweets. Even this blog pails in comparison to a real life-on-life conversation with me.
My point is that not only are you broadcasting yourself, but you are also making yourself available to any and everyone who has a computer or smartphone. Likewise, there are a seldom few amongst the millions (probably billions)who aren't serving some subconcious, insecure need for the attention they never got in high school, college, childhood etc. Likewise on the other side of the spectrum are the people who were popular, shallowly (because I believe there is such a thing as noble popularity), who simply continue to feed off of the empty submission of followers who have aimlessly devoted themselves to their life and calling, while completely and blindly overlooking their own life-mission. This too, sadly has happened in churches. I haven't quite figured this out yet...or rather I have figured it out and my findings are so grotesque that I wish they were not true.
In closing, my point is that social media has enabled people to create a "personality" without going through the hard work of self-examination, prayer, meditation, tough experiences, and suffering...which will inevitably make you find Jesus and begin to bear true confidence which comes in knowing you are validated by God, and have a unique purpose that only you can fulfill...which is much more than being some human's blind, hollow-follower. We aren't even encouraged to follow Jesus blindly, nor 'hollowly'. However, we are encouraged to count the cost, and choose to love with Him with ALL our heart, MIND, soul, and strength. Yet it seems we are being DUMBED down by this false sense of discipleship (twitter...follow me), and it is producing a zombie-like people with such a false confidence that they are challenging the one's who are actually alive and fully conscious. If this made you mad...then, sadly, you are one of the zombies! Which brings me back to my first point...isn't it funny that zombies in movies are so aggressive in death, because they have lost their soul and thus have nothing to lose, and when they challenge the living there are only a select few who are brave enough to fight them off. The reason zombies are so scary is that they are the living dead; seemingly fully functioning people yet they move without a mind.
Perhaps the scariest notion is not that they are dead and yet move, but rather they are mindless creatures who still seem to act with a motivation...but where does this motivation come from?
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Friday, October 8, 2010
The Meaning of Life
I believe that the answer to this profound inquiry is actually quite simple. The answer lies somewhere between chess and pasta. But Will...what in the world do castling and fettucini have in common?
*What I am about to share is an 'ah ha' moment regarding my own perspective and in no way is to diminish the awesome, and Godly work of the group that I was with. Nor am I stating that any of the other volunteers had any of the perspectives that I am challenging. This is simply a sharing of an experience that will hopefully 'refresh the perspective' of the Church where it is necessary. Thank you, and enjoy!
One warm Sunday afternoon as August was winding to a close, we pulled up to the vacant parking lot that people without homes usually frequent to receive compassionate care provided by churches, non-profits, and the occasional conscious individual desiring to make a difference. However, to our dismay and overt delight, the parking lot was full of people from another ministry who were already serving the very people that we came to help. As it should be with any Christian worth their salt, we were not upset over the proverbial 'territory' we had lost nor the 'souls' we were no longer able to 'minister' to, but rather we were elated to see that the local church was actually being the Church, and we simply needed one question answered...Lord, what is our plan B?
In life, our 'Plan B' is usually God's plan A on a journey where we decided not to check in with God as frequently as we ought. When we arrive at the destination that we thought God was leading us to, we sometimes realize that the place we were headed was simply established by routine, a common consensus on what is 'good', or simply that last place God told us to go, while we completely dismiss a current check-in with our coordinates in our GPS (God's Positioning System). In other words we don't check the 'system' for updates, we are simply content that we are headed in the general direction of what we think is our target destination.
As if taken from a page of the book of 'things God does, that baffle Christians' we drove past the parking lot and convened on the side of the road to regroup. After several minutes of confusion which turned into conversation and a few bathroom breaks our fearless leader decided that it was a great opportunity to frequent a park in another part of the city that was just a few blocks over. As our modern caravan snaked through the winding streets of downtown Atlanta, we finally arrived at our next challenge for the afternoon...parking. Although seemingly as difficult as a toddler writing in legible cursive, our mixed group of northerners, southerners, californians, and midwesterners managed to parallel park on a street adjacent to the park 'Plan B'. To our joy, and subtle discomfort, the park was full of people. People to minister to, yet seemingly far from the 'homeless' people that we had prepared to sing to, preach to, and feed homemade pasta. The park was actually full of lower-middle-class African-Americans; the majority of whom were master chess players battling their wit at the cacophony of chess boards set at numerous tables at the southeast corner of the park.
I honestly felt nervous, as I was chosen to prepare a 'sermon' for the 'people on the street' which now had turned into interrupting several Sunday afternoon Chess matches for people who were seemingly 'the least of these'...at least to us. In hindsight, I realize that I was nervous in both occasions, not due to fear, but rather an overwhelming sense that God had changed 'the plan' in order that we might gain a new perspective. Namely, that we might "Refresh our Perspective" and thus my first blog post. God was refreshing our perspective on the size of His kingdom, the role of the local church, the lack of continuity between churches, our understanding of street ministry, and who we target for ministry through a tainted perspective. At this moment all I could think is, why am I out here about to preach to people as if I am assuming they don't have God because they seem to have less than we do? At this moment, the sermon I had prepared stemming from the rich young ruler seemed useless. I also watched as our group nervously scrambled to pray in a circle in front of normal people who were playing chess. We began to sing, seemingly to ourselves as I played guitar to songs speaking of God's love as we lifted melodic praises that broke the cold silence of focus and determination to win chess matches. Other than the occasional spurt of laughter and subtle intellectual discourse over current events, we were the soundtrack to the park. The question is...was it welcomed? At what point do you draw the line between worship and narcissistic privilege? Between homeless people and chess masters? Between the church and the lost? Between us...and them?
How do we make people feel when we enter their neighborhoods, their places of recreation, and their lives with a story that they may already have? To be honest, in the moment I felt embarrassed. By no means was I embarrassed of my Lord and Savior, but rather embarrassed that we had possibly brought charity to the self-sufficient. At this moment I was broken and God began to show me what I was supposed to see. People are not poor because they lack possessions, but rather poor because they lack purpose. Purpose that comes from a relationship with Christ, which comes from people who show you His love through genuine compassion rather than a place of judgment and false piety. The only thing 'these people' needed from us was love and dignity. The same dignity that was afforded them for their chess prowess, should have been rivaled by Christians who could see them through God's lens...see them as equals through God's perspective. We needed our perspective refreshed. As God refreshed my perspective he led me not to scripture, nor to my sermon notes on my cellphone, but rather toward two spoken word pieces that came out of my story....my testimony. I realized that the greatest gift I have to offer does not come from my elite academic accomplishments, nor the six instruments I play, nor charisma, but rather my personal example of God's grace intervening in my self absorbed life. Where God condescended, became less, and through a loving relationship made me greater.
This is the gospel, and this is the goal of ministry. That we might become less by laying our lives before someone else to the goal that they might reach their Godly potential sparked by a loving relationship. I shared my spoken-word on 'Anger' and three young men came up to me and began to ask me questions on how I was able to overcome such rage and violence in my late teens. All I could give them was the only salvation I had...Christ. I said that I had found my purpose in God who chose to condescend for those in a lower place, that we might be raised to a place of safety, power, and dignity. Likewise, this is my purpose and the purpose for us all. The meaning of life is that we might condescend and establish a loving relationship to the lowly, that they might have redemption and receive the gift of love and dignity. After all, this is the example we have from the very author of life itself, Jesus the Christ. After I shared my story of redemption through Christ's condescension we served hungry people a free meal. We did not feed the homeless that afternoon, but rather shared the gift of experience and a meal with our fellow man. Who would have thought that I would find the meaning of life between chess and pasta?
*What I am about to share is an 'ah ha' moment regarding my own perspective and in no way is to diminish the awesome, and Godly work of the group that I was with. Nor am I stating that any of the other volunteers had any of the perspectives that I am challenging. This is simply a sharing of an experience that will hopefully 'refresh the perspective' of the Church where it is necessary. Thank you, and enjoy!
One warm Sunday afternoon as August was winding to a close, we pulled up to the vacant parking lot that people without homes usually frequent to receive compassionate care provided by churches, non-profits, and the occasional conscious individual desiring to make a difference. However, to our dismay and overt delight, the parking lot was full of people from another ministry who were already serving the very people that we came to help. As it should be with any Christian worth their salt, we were not upset over the proverbial 'territory' we had lost nor the 'souls' we were no longer able to 'minister' to, but rather we were elated to see that the local church was actually being the Church, and we simply needed one question answered...Lord, what is our plan B?
In life, our 'Plan B' is usually God's plan A on a journey where we decided not to check in with God as frequently as we ought. When we arrive at the destination that we thought God was leading us to, we sometimes realize that the place we were headed was simply established by routine, a common consensus on what is 'good', or simply that last place God told us to go, while we completely dismiss a current check-in with our coordinates in our GPS (God's Positioning System). In other words we don't check the 'system' for updates, we are simply content that we are headed in the general direction of what we think is our target destination.
As if taken from a page of the book of 'things God does, that baffle Christians' we drove past the parking lot and convened on the side of the road to regroup. After several minutes of confusion which turned into conversation and a few bathroom breaks our fearless leader decided that it was a great opportunity to frequent a park in another part of the city that was just a few blocks over. As our modern caravan snaked through the winding streets of downtown Atlanta, we finally arrived at our next challenge for the afternoon...parking. Although seemingly as difficult as a toddler writing in legible cursive, our mixed group of northerners, southerners, californians, and midwesterners managed to parallel park on a street adjacent to the park 'Plan B'. To our joy, and subtle discomfort, the park was full of people. People to minister to, yet seemingly far from the 'homeless' people that we had prepared to sing to, preach to, and feed homemade pasta. The park was actually full of lower-middle-class African-Americans; the majority of whom were master chess players battling their wit at the cacophony of chess boards set at numerous tables at the southeast corner of the park.
I honestly felt nervous, as I was chosen to prepare a 'sermon' for the 'people on the street' which now had turned into interrupting several Sunday afternoon Chess matches for people who were seemingly 'the least of these'...at least to us. In hindsight, I realize that I was nervous in both occasions, not due to fear, but rather an overwhelming sense that God had changed 'the plan' in order that we might gain a new perspective. Namely, that we might "Refresh our Perspective" and thus my first blog post. God was refreshing our perspective on the size of His kingdom, the role of the local church, the lack of continuity between churches, our understanding of street ministry, and who we target for ministry through a tainted perspective. At this moment all I could think is, why am I out here about to preach to people as if I am assuming they don't have God because they seem to have less than we do? At this moment, the sermon I had prepared stemming from the rich young ruler seemed useless. I also watched as our group nervously scrambled to pray in a circle in front of normal people who were playing chess. We began to sing, seemingly to ourselves as I played guitar to songs speaking of God's love as we lifted melodic praises that broke the cold silence of focus and determination to win chess matches. Other than the occasional spurt of laughter and subtle intellectual discourse over current events, we were the soundtrack to the park. The question is...was it welcomed? At what point do you draw the line between worship and narcissistic privilege? Between homeless people and chess masters? Between the church and the lost? Between us...and them?
How do we make people feel when we enter their neighborhoods, their places of recreation, and their lives with a story that they may already have? To be honest, in the moment I felt embarrassed. By no means was I embarrassed of my Lord and Savior, but rather embarrassed that we had possibly brought charity to the self-sufficient. At this moment I was broken and God began to show me what I was supposed to see. People are not poor because they lack possessions, but rather poor because they lack purpose. Purpose that comes from a relationship with Christ, which comes from people who show you His love through genuine compassion rather than a place of judgment and false piety. The only thing 'these people' needed from us was love and dignity. The same dignity that was afforded them for their chess prowess, should have been rivaled by Christians who could see them through God's lens...see them as equals through God's perspective. We needed our perspective refreshed. As God refreshed my perspective he led me not to scripture, nor to my sermon notes on my cellphone, but rather toward two spoken word pieces that came out of my story....my testimony. I realized that the greatest gift I have to offer does not come from my elite academic accomplishments, nor the six instruments I play, nor charisma, but rather my personal example of God's grace intervening in my self absorbed life. Where God condescended, became less, and through a loving relationship made me greater.
This is the gospel, and this is the goal of ministry. That we might become less by laying our lives before someone else to the goal that they might reach their Godly potential sparked by a loving relationship. I shared my spoken-word on 'Anger' and three young men came up to me and began to ask me questions on how I was able to overcome such rage and violence in my late teens. All I could give them was the only salvation I had...Christ. I said that I had found my purpose in God who chose to condescend for those in a lower place, that we might be raised to a place of safety, power, and dignity. Likewise, this is my purpose and the purpose for us all. The meaning of life is that we might condescend and establish a loving relationship to the lowly, that they might have redemption and receive the gift of love and dignity. After all, this is the example we have from the very author of life itself, Jesus the Christ. After I shared my story of redemption through Christ's condescension we served hungry people a free meal. We did not feed the homeless that afternoon, but rather shared the gift of experience and a meal with our fellow man. Who would have thought that I would find the meaning of life between chess and pasta?
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