Lesson of the Week: How To Survive The Ocean

For most of my life I have been trying to figure out how I operate. I'm always trying to figure how my brain works, what my body is physically capable of, and how I can maximize my potential by doing the least amount of work. Our bodies, and the world that our body is immersed in, are very hard to master. It's sort of like trying to learn how to drive a car, but the car is sinking to the bottom of the ocean. It just always seems like there has to be a better way to navigate the ocean other than a freakin' car.

I believe its fair to say that each and everyone of us wants to master life. We want to navigate the murky waters of life and get as many treasures as we possibly can, in the shortest amount of time, using the smallest amount of effort. The problem with this is that, alone, were unable to do this. I had a high school math teacher that always spoke about life being a game, “and if your good at it, you can win”. Now we are capable of living life this way. We can play the game, get the awesome degree, get the car, get the trophy wife, we are capable of getting all sorts of stuff from the world with hard work, effort, and a bit of luck. However, if your following my metaphor, aren't we all just still sinking to the bottom of the ocean in a car? I suppose you can choose to sink to the bottom in a Mercedes if you want, but what's the difference of sinking to the bottom in Mercedes or a 1989 Dodge Caravan with 250,000 miles? Were still in the ocean, were still sinking, and were still going to drowned or be crushed by the pressure of the ocean.

Now, if your still with me on my metaphor, is there a better way to navigate the oceans of life? Like maybe a submarine?...or the Lamborghini in “Thunderball”? I think so. I think living with God in the ocean is the only way to survive. Its the only way to get back to the surface, to the air we breathe, back to where we belong. Unfortunately, I'm still sinking in the ocean in my 2005 Crystler Seebring with 129,000 miles. But by the grace of God I'm someday going to make it to the surface in some sort of vessel, and I'll get to take my first breath of real air. Someday.

Lesson of the Week: Riddled With Imperfection

Whether we choose to admit it or not, each of us are highly imperfect. I am no where near being "perfect", let alone deserving of the title " a decent human being". I am selfish, defiant, and narcissistic, more than I would ever care to know. The odd thing is that I believe in Jesus, who is the only person to walk this earth and be blameless in the demanding eyes of perfection. He is not selfish, defiant, or narcissistic. And I have the chance, through grace, to be blameless for my imperfections. The concept makes no sense.

This weekend I was talking with a friend about a member of a christian band who's faith has been called into question. This issue has risen because one of the members of the band smokes, or smoked, marijuana. Lately they have been accused of not being real Christians, playing the "Creed" card, if you will. However, my friend's response really encapsulates how I believe we are to view our mistakes in the light of claiming we belong to a perfect God.

My friends response is as follows; "It's total bullcrap. The fact that he admits that he has an ongoing issue with drugs, and that he states that he is trying to get off the stuff, is how you know he's a christian!"

Now I am not saying that admitting sin, yet,continually sinning, is what makes one a true christian. However, admitting our faults and sins to one another in hopes that they may help us fight against our own selfish desires is what God wants from us. Another friend always says that "once we put our faith in Christ the punishment from sin is gone, however, the power of sin remains. And though that power is still there, with the help of God and fellow brothers and sisters, that grip can slowly be loosened." (err something like that :) That's what living as an imperfect person, yet belonging to a perfect God is all about.

I guess my point in this scatterbrained blog is that I am always going to be a screw up. But I don't believe for a second that I will be defined by my imperfections, because of the freedom I have in Christ. The only way I want to be defined is how I love God, people, and the world. That's what I learned this week.