your lights are on (?)

"if you drive a black cavalier with the licence plate,&%$023 - your lights are on"

as the words came from my mouth, the bad taste was already forming

is this really what we've become? simple purveyors of information?

...

where is the call for restoration?

the cries for healing and justice and mercy and forgiveness?

God, forgive our near-sightedness

...

"if you are alive and breathing, it's time to turn your light on!"

restoration & reconciliation

good day...it's Friday, it's sunny, it's warm and the week's winding down. I should be kicking back and enjoying...but I've got a bone to pick. it's in response to some comments I received about another post: http://ineloquentanthem.blogspot.com/2009/04/jesus-wife-beaters.html

after some lengthy, challenging and inspiring conversations with friends regarding this post - it was brought to my attention that I did not come across with much grace or understanding. I agree - that may have been how I came across.

here's my heart (which probably was not obvious in the wife-beater post):

- it absolutely decimates my heart to think of the pain that people have received at the hands of the Church. there are countless stories of friends who have been greatly wronged by seemingly well-intentioned people.

I am sorry.

I am sorry that happened to you. I am sorry that people who say they love Jesus wronged you in such a way.

I am truly sorry.

but that is not the bone I pick - it's with those who have handed out the hurt that brings us to this point.

For many people who happen to regularly attend institutions called churches, they believe it is their God-given right to allocate punishment to anyone as they see fit - attempting to pick the proverbial speck out of others' eyes. typically, this has not been done in love (yes, I keep coming back to that).

here's my submission: if our intention when pointing out specks is not done with restoration & reconciliation in mind as the ultimate-goal, then it's best left undone. I'm not even going to play the 'plank-card' on this one - that should be common sense enough.

let me explain.

- if you are not willing to do everything in your power to help your brother or sister be restored and reconciled, then shut up.

- if you are not willing to humbly walk down those awkward, painful roads with your brother or sister in love, then take your well-intentioned (or are they?) motives and shove 'em (in your pocket).

- and mostly, if you are not willing to be honest with yourself, your brother or sister, and with God about your own lacking and need to be reconciled and restored, then...enough said.

...may we be people who humbly extend to all those in need the restoration and reconciliation that is freely offered in Jesus and be willing to walk with them...because, after all - we need this as much or more than they do.