One Last Plea

Try this:

1. Buy a cheap Bible. (I bought two of the same so as to clearly illustrate the difference.)

2. In it, tear out everything that is God using one or a few of His people to address the rest (Pentateuch, prophets, histories, gospels, epistles) as opposed to those "outside," and see how much of that Bible is left. I did. I went page by page and only left in what is God addressing "outsiders" and this is what's left:

It's worth noting that, not only is most of the Bible gone, but also (1) even a lot of what remains is God simply stating the judgment that is to come for the other nations ("an oracle concerning..." or "judgment on..." and (2) I left Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon in because they could be argued to be universal. So yeah, not much "reaching out to the lost" in there at all.

3. So what's the point?

The vast majority of Scripture is God teaching, reminding, admonishing, and even warning His people how to live so the world can see His ways in action.

Very little has to do with how to be outward focused. Sit with this for as long as it takes to understand that if your "faith" and/or church is built/focuses on outward, quantifiable forms of "productivity" (e.g., evangelism, church growth), something is wrong! (Extra credit: watch this video that delves more deeply into this particular focus.)

4. Keep this Bible as an ever-present reminder of what God actually wants us to focus on (Psalm 89:14a, Matthew 22:36-40, Matthew 7:12). Yes we are to "make disciples," but as has been pointed out for a long time now, "as we go," i.e., living as lights, not as recruiters, behavior police, or judges! And certainly not hiding within our gated, out-of-touch bubbles with nothing to offer but "thoughts and prayers!

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God's plan for His people has always been the same. In the Old Testament, He put the Israelites in the "crossroads" of their day so that all nations could be exposed to what it's like to truly live and walk with Him, and the church is supposed to be the light in the darkness now. This plan, however, is predicated on His people actually loving Him and each other truly, as He defines love. We obviously need all the help we can get with this, hence the dominant focus of God's word.

And if we're being totally honest, we in the "American Church" have failed miserably at this. Nowadays, the world isn't persecuting the church for its hardline stance against sin; so-called Christians are seen as part of the problem, for reasons ranging from ignoring, avoiding, and even denying others' suffering and pain to outright support and celebration of evil!  And we will have to answer for it. What else could Jesus be trying to warn us about in Matthew 7:21-23?

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’"

For my first two or so years as a follower of Jesus, I wholeheartedly believed that this applied to "others" (i.e., those outside my church). Ever since the day I realized that this applies to EVERYONE I have considered this the scariest (as in sobering in a terrifying way) passage in the entire Bible!

Notice that Jesus does not contradict them; He does not say, "No you did not do those things." Instead, Jesus is straight up warning us that we can check all of our religion's/church's boxes and still go to Hell!

And in warning us, He (1) literally contrasts God's actual will with our little boxes(!) and (2) boils it all down so simply to not truly knowing us.

It is also worth highlighting that He is not talking to atheists, agnostics, or folks of other religions, because those folks won't be talking about having done things in Jesus' name. This is for so-called Christians, and He doesn't say "few" or even "some," He says "many." This is huge!

We read parables like Luke 18:9-14 and, almost subconsciously, see ourselves as the chest-beating sinner. What if we're wrong? Is that the point of the parable?? Are we really making every effort (Luke 13:24, 2 Peter 1:5, 2 Peter 1:10, etc.) or do we think we're somehow exempt from such warnings and admonitions?

Yet there is (of course) hope.

But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:
“God opposes the proud
but shows favor to the humble.”
- James 4:6

We must choose love and humility and dig deep if we are to truly fight for our hearts (Proverbs 4:23), our lampstands (Revelation 2:5), and both our and our hearers' souls (1 Timothy 4:16).

The Conclusion Of The Matter

Ecclesiastes has been my favorite book of the Bible for a very long time; it is surreal to look back now and recognize how I've lived it. I have tested, tried, and even indulged in many things and approaches over the course of my walk with God, and I feel like I'm coming full circle.

From the Israelites in Canaan to the New Testament church, God's plan has always been for His people to be a community that actually gets love right so the rest of the world can see and join. We are not called to be a recruitment-centric, behavior-policing army; we are called to just be like Him. He couldn't have made this clearer (Matthew 22:34-40)!  Asking, "Who is my neighbor?" or saying, "I will love them if/but they ___" means I've already failed. Cities on hills and lamps on stands don't chase or harass people, they just are. People can see them and choose them as better than where they currently are or what they currently have. This is God's plan for the church, and we have failed. Today's "Christians" either straight-up pair politics with their religion or hide behind "no politics" as a way to do nothing. Both are wrong.

From Genesis to Revelation the vast majority of Scripture is God using one or a few of His people to try to get through to the rest (see the breakdown here). Most of the time they don't listen. Not much has changed and apparently never will (Matthew 7:21-23).

So in conclusion, turns out it's actually pretty simple:

• Whatever the problem, some will choose to be part of the solution, many will not (Proverbs 12:1).
• When the rubber meets the road, very few will truly choose humility and love (Matthew 7:13-14).
• The only way I can ever be part of a group where I agree with everything is if I'm part of a group where everyone thinks like me. This will almost never happen; if it does it will be brief; and, it really is not best. Participating in groups where people think differently from me is needed, healthy, and how I get to practice being like Him (1 Corinthians 9:19-23).
• This is who we are and will always be until the end, and I am not here to fix the world but to be a little light in the darkness, loving my neighbors and my enemies, pointing to the only real solution, which is offered to all (2 Timothy 3:1-5; Matthew 5:14-16; Matthew 5:43-48; 1 Timothy 2:3-4).
• What people do with this is God's purview, not mine (1 Corinthians 15:37-38).
• I have failed hard and often to be like Jesus, but I can never give up and never stop growing (Romans 12:21; Philippians 3:12; 2 Peter 1:8-11).

Jesus came full of grace and truth (John 1:14), but we humans will never be full of either. And while I fully embrace the need for and value of truth, I find myself agreeing more and more with this movie clip when it comes to us being certain we always know what the truth is. I am beginning to see why all of us so desperately need all the grace and mercy we can get (Luke 23:34), and all I want at this point is to be an instrument of this, leaving truth to God and only ever striving to be an instrument of truth as He sees fit (2 Timothy 2:15)!

Lord, I can be such a mess,
but I am a dearly loved mess!
Thank you for...well...being perfect!
Thank you for loving me, no matter what.
Please help me to want what you want;
please help me to be a light.

My Take On Us

Introduction

It seems to me that we can all be divided into two overarching groups and we each live out of one of two overarching, and competing, value systems. And I believe everything that happens -- everything -- can be understood and explained if we understand this perspective.

The Two Groups: Smart and Dumb

It's important to note that "smart" and "dumb" can (and should) be broken down into subcategories:

Knowledgeable: The lowest form of smart. This is simply knowing facts, like the fact that 1+1=2.

Intelligent: The ability to figure things out using knowledge and intuition.

Wise: The ability to put it all together and make the best choices possible in each situation. The highest form of smart.

Ignorant: Not an insult, it is simply (and literally) the lack of knowledge. We are all ignorant of so many things because no one knows everything. Easily "cured" by knowledge, the least harmful form of dumb.

Dumb: The inability to process concepts, ideas, and truth on a higher (or deeper) level.

Stupid: Willful ignorance (Proverbs 12:1). This is the worst, most harmful, and even dangerous form of dumb.

The Two Value Systems: Self- and Community-Centered

Self-centered: At the end of the day, you are what matters most (or only). You tell yourself that others (e.g., family) matter, but it's pretty obvious to everyone else that you are the center of your universe. At pretty much any cost.

Community-centered: While not necessarily -- and definitely not always -- putting self last, you understand the value and power of truly working together and usually choose accordingly.

Breaking It Down

So at the most basic level, everyone falls somewhere within this chart:

Broken down further:

*It is not wise to be self-centered.

And for easy reference:

Some Ways This Plays Out

• People in quadrant 1 rarely seek power; people in quadrants 2 and 4 often do.
• It ranges from extremely difficult to impossible to help people in quadrants 3 and 4 see that they are (a la Dunning-Kruger and the like).
• People in quadrants 3 and (especially) 4 are easy for people in quadrant 2 to manipulate.
• People in quadrant 1 are likely to choose humility; quadrant 2 and 4 people are not.
• Those who are/could be part of the problem far outnumber those who are/could be part of the solution.

So What Do We Do?

As a lifelong Trekkie, I would LOVE to believe (and did for a very long time) that we have a future ahead where we all finally come together as one; I know now, however, from Scripture, that this is never going to happen (2 Timothy 3: 1-5).   Of course, if we all followed Jesus, all the world's problems would absolutely be solved; but again, this will never happen (Matthew 7:13-14). So, for me, I resolve to walk with God, trusting that He will guide me through His Spirit as I strive to be a light in my own life and trust Him with the rest. It seems to me that this is the best -- and frankly, only truly good -- way to live.