God's Report Card?

Report cards are coming soon.  Woo hoo!  For some this is good news, for some it’s not!  Here’s an interesting question: How would you rate on God’s report card?  Does that make you squeamish?  When we read verses that say things like “don’t be conformed any longer to the patterns of this world” we quickly feel a flash of guilt for all the ways we don’t do the right thing.  When you read the Bible do you feel God’s report card flying at you?  Maybe you’re not at Fs, but, if you’re honest, you’re not at an A either.

Here’s the deal: if you like living under a report card system, then go live in the Old Testament.  In fact, just go live in this very world.  We are constantly being judged by our accomplishments.  It’s hard in any season of life, but especially as a teen.  Everything about the teen world is about measuring up.  Grades now “count.”  Your future college and/or career choices are at hand.  You want to earn scholarships.  You want to impress the right people.  You want to earn the right position on your sports team, in the band, or a role in a play.  Even social media does this.  How many texts do you get compared to the next person who seems to always be checking their phone.

But I say, “Don’t be conformed any longer to the patterns of this world.”  One of those patterns is to be judged by a report card.  In biblical words, you are no longer under the Law.  First Corinthians 13 says “Love keeps no record of wrongs.”  Who is love?  1 John says “God is love” and therefore, God keeps no record of wrongs.  You are free.  You live within love. 

Our immediate response, often, to this is “If God isn’t judging me anymore because He loves me, then why do the right thing?”  The answer is that you don’t understand love.  There are only two reasons to live out ‘good’ behaviors.  Fear or love.  If you do good stuff because you’re afraid of God, or of what will happen, or of what people think of you, you’ll look good to people, but you’re just a shell of a person.  But people  in love find themselves acting differently because love does that. 

So, trash the report card.  God doesn’t have one for you anyway.  It’s more likely you who made the report card.  Just ditch it.

studying God

"We devote years to studying a trade or profession.  Ought we show less perseverance in acquiring the experience of God?" 
Paul Tournier (1898-1986)

What to Expect When You're Expecting

My wife and I watched What to Expect When You're Expecting the other day (We actually got it from Redbox instead of the library this time!).  We figured it would just be a fun flick, but it was actually really good and really funny.  There's this one group of dads who always walk in the park with their kids.  They always like to stop by and talk to this one dude who is totally buff (and, of course has no kids).  Everyone gives him a high five, but he always leaves one particular nerdy dad hanging.  It's really pretty funny. 

This got me to thinking how often we spend our days wanting to have everyone's approval.  Sometimes I feel like a politician.  When people ask politicians a question, the politician is not really thinking about the answer.  They're thinking about how to say things so people like them.  I know I spend a lot of my thoughts thinking about how to say things so people will see me a certain way.  I want to rather think about being who I really am and thinking about what other people really need. 

Unfortunately, being true to yourself, to others, and to our Father, opens up the reality that some people won't like us.  It's like Jesus said, "Don't be suprised when people hate you/persecute you because of me."  So, there's my challenge for you...and for me.

PS. As always, when I reference a movie it doesn't mean that I think everything in it is "appropriate."  Just sayin'.

Chapel Video

Hey, guys,
Here's the video I showed in chapel the other day.  Enjoy!

Sennacherib Chapel from Kurt Maechner on Vimeo.

Church or Apartment?

A lot of you read my story in the "Why Are You Here?" series.  After that all happened, I realized I wanted to get closer to God.  I thought church would be an important part of it.  You know what, I tried and tried to like church.  I tried to say the words in the liturgy like I meant them; I tried my hardest to sing all the hymns I didn't know with gusto; I even did my darndest to follow the sermon.  No matter what, it felt like shoving dry broccoli down my throat.

Then I got an invite to a Bible study at a teacher's house.  It was led by my art teacher, Miss Sakata.  I had no idea what to expect.  I went with my friend Mark (the one who spoke in chapel).  There were all these students there, most of them upperclassmen, that were totally into Jesus.  First, we sang some songs.  One of my first real acts of faith was to sing.  And, wow, God met me through those simple tunes.  Then someone, usually Miss Sakata, though sometimes a student, shared some insight about a part of the Bible.  After that we got in groups to share some things we could use prayer for.  I had never had a place where I could open up.  It was weird, but I could tell my heart liked it.

So, that became my church.  I still went to my 'church-church,' the place with the steeple, but the place where I met God, learned more, and felt encouraged and supported in my faith was a second floor apartment. 

Do you want something like this?  If so, Mr. Waugh has a Bible study going at his house in Westlake on Mondays at 7pm.  It starts up for the year next Monday, October 8th.  If you want to go, but don't have a ride, let me or Mr. Waugh know.  I'm sure they can find you one.  Two students that could also help you get there would be Tim Coulter (the guitar player in chapel) or Allison Henry.  Any of them can get you directions too.  Think about !