trash pickup day

I could be called a leader and a follower. I'm not anti-authority, though I've been given reason to distrust. I'm not conservative or liberal, but rather disinterested in human constructions. I am more intentional than aloof, therefore could never be a hipster. I will hold thoughtful conversation with anyone that listens well enough to provide useful encouragement or rebuke, regardless of what they might assume about our relationship.

When I moved to KC, my apartment was smack in the middle of the high culture and alternative scenes. This was fitting. I love coffee and make a mean latte, but I can take or leave the accompanying music scene. I like cheesy 90s pop and sappy 60s love songs. I listened to hair bands before they were popular and grunge after it was dead. I like chick flicks and dude thrillers. I'm a romantic, but a realist. Who cares? I feel ridiculous going on like this, just as Paul did. I can do without any of this trash!

I give the impression of being independent because I've moved about on my own. In reality, I'm completely dependent on Christ and His Church. I spent the majority of my life looking for the Bride that Jesus made covenant with in scripture; I may spend the remainder looking for the bride that I will make covenant with on earth. Since I found the first, I have no reason to go rogue. When I find the second, I will have no cause to serve apart from her.

Young people are admirable because they carry a passion for the ministries placed on their hearts, and they are incredibly frustrating because they refuse to commit to others in their pursuit. Most days, I want to bang my head against the wall, wondering what it will require for them to work together and stop placing their identity in the world. Jesus doesn't care if we like coffee, like art, like finance, like music, like politics, like romance, like establishments, or like the downtown district with all the cute mom-and-pops. He wants our obedience.

Feed His sheep. Preach a Gospel of truth and grace. Make disciples, not a protegee. Be discipled, not mentored. Don't cringe from the stronger words of Christ. Strengthen the Body. Fear and worship Him. All the other junk is stinky garbage in the end -- my mess included. Rest not in silly threads. Hope not in worldly answers to spiritual problems. Serve not in your own interest. Follow not for the sake of your own independence.

Stop complaining about the state of the church and begin gathering with other believers to find Sustenance for your discontent. Pray together like those desperate for the Lord. Utilize your gifts as God intended: for the sake of your brothers and sisters, not for the identity of self. You are beautiful in their manifestation, because the glory of God is demonstrated. You are unsavory in your search for individual purpose, for God offers a better one to those who seek Him first.

I have a vision that depends on you. Imagine that. I need you. I'm not too ashamed, independent, or hip to express that. I need you as quickly as you are willing. We have a nation to win for Christ, not an election. We have a Church to purify, not a Facebook cause. We're scattered like ants across this land, but even ants gather where there is food and rest. Ants merge when there is work to do. Those of you who have the answer to something...congratulations, leader -- you've discovered that you need followers too! It's time to put the selfish identity and independence behind. It's time to stop seeking community and unity in temporal things. It's time to seek the Kingdom as a holy priesthood, and allow Him to build His Church.

The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!" On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each on of you is a part of it. (1 Cor. 12:21-27, emphasis added)