Be Seen & Show Off Your Style

Those are probably two phrases that we would never teach in church, yet Jesus kind of said them.

"You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall the saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under the people's feet.
You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."

                                                                                 -Matthew 5:12-16

It's a well known passage, but last night I saw it much differently. Let's start with the second part.

You're the light of the world. Who? We are. He's talking to His disciples (Mt 5:1). Then he tells them to go and shine. He tells them to go be seen. In fact, he tells them that when you try to just blend in, to fit in, to go about your life in a normal way so that you don't cause too much stir - you're being dumb. Ok, I know Jesus didn't say "you're being dumb" but if you read it, it's implied. "A city on a hill cannot be hidden," it's impossible. You're like a giant in China:

You just don't fit in and you probably shouldn't even try to, cause it won't work.

"Nor do people light a lamp to be put under a basket."You don't pay to get new light bulbs then when you get home and plug them in cover them with a black trash bag so you can't see them.

We're not supposed to fit in. We're not supposed to do the status quo. We're not supposed to "be like everyone else." We're supposed to be the answer the world is looking for (Christ in us, the hope of Glory - Col 1:27).

Then if you step back 3 verses, it says we're to be the salt of the earth. I know that salt is used for many things back then, but lets look at what Jesus refers to it by "if salt loses it's taste." Ok, so salt has a taste, a flavor, a style to it. If we lose our style, our flavor, our taste, then we fit in with everyone else and just blend in and have no real purpose but to be run over by the rest of our culture/ "trampled under feet."

Often times in the church, I've realized that 1) we've been taught humility wrong, 2) we think we're still perpetually "sinners" rather than restored, reconciled "saints", so 3) we've been taught to hate ourselves and everything about us, which leads to 4) hiding in shame and embarrassment rather than living victoriously, extravagantly, with excellence, and living in a way the whole world can see and be attracted to Him.

I wrote a tweet about this last night that said, "Jesus actually said, 'Go shine and let the world see you. They'll praise my Dad when you do it the right way. Shine away and let them see.' #excellence" Except Twitter only allows 160 characters and I was over the limit so I began searching through the statement for ways to cut out. Then I realized that Jesus never said "the right way." We, in church, have added "when you shine correctly/the right way/in a God honoring way" to clarify for people so they don't go crazy and do the wrong thing. Good intentions, bad results. Because of that we don't know how to shine outside the church or doing "Jesus stuff." Jesus just said shine. My suggestion would be to shine as bright as you can and if anything is dimming your light, then it's just not helping you shine, toss it or change it. Whether it's not getting enough sleep, eating poorly, being in a  bad relationship, not communicating well with roommates/spouse/co-worker, or drugs/cigarettes/porn. Jesus said "Go Shine, and when you do. My dad will get glory."

(I believe what we should be helping people with is helping heal wounds and speak identity into them so they're not acting up/out to get attention. Attention isn't bad, it just won't satisfy what they're looking for. Once a person has that need met, they can get a crap ton of attention but it won't phase them, or get caught on them. It'll just roll off of them and go to God, the focus of their attention.)

City on a hill. I'm a huge proponent of  purity. Of taking steps, measures, and doing/not doing things to keep our minds, hearts, and intentions pure. That being said, I'm not as convinced that purity is what the world finds attractive about salt and light.  A city on a hill is not known for it's purity. It's known for it's safety, it's protection in wars, it's parties, it's the place where people come to hang out, it's the place where if you need/want something you go there because it's got it. Not just "needs" like food and water (which Jesus is big on helping the poor and homeless), but also needs AND wants of social interactions, of celebrations, of games, of fun, of new modern music, art, theater/movies. The city on the hill was where people from all around would come for what they wanted, what they needed. We're that city. We're supposed to be shining. We're supposed to be bringing people in.

If you need food and water, come to the followers of Jesus, they'll take care of  you. If you have a headache, cancer, a broken leg, come to the followers of Jesus, they'll take care of you. If your relationship is a mess, marriage is splitting, kids are going wild, come to the followers of Jesus, they'll take care of you. Need a new idea for a novel, want to hear the best music coming out, want to see extravagant creations of all forms, come to the followers of Jesus, they'll take care of you. Because a follower of Jesus, does what Jesus does. Jesus only did what He saw God do (John 5:19), so it's not actually them doing anything it's God. That's why they're known as "the followers of JESUS" and not Jacob, Frank, Bill, Julie, and Suzanne. That's why people are not coming to the city of people, but the city of the living God (Heb 12:22). We're His temple, His city, His stones knit together and when we live fully, we shine brightly, and the world will come to the city, be amazed at the flavor, the style, the taste of the people and have no option but to turn and praise their Maker, the Ruler, the King of the Country, the God of the people. So today, lets stand out, lets be seen, let's have a unique flavor and style that the world is dying to see, and when we do, we'll hear people sing the praises of our God.

Do everything to the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31, Col 3:17, 23)

Psalms 84

One of the things I want to get better at is knowing the Bible and having it more memorized of sorts because many people will make many arguments without using the Bible and using logic. Some of it is good but some of it is faulty logic. So I want to learn the Bible better and be able to quote it better. To do so, one of the things I used to do and want to start again is rewriting the Bible. (Wait, not a heretic.) I'm digesting it. I'll take a passage, I'll read it, study it, then rewrite it in my own words so that it's transforming my thinking and I have to process through it. So today I did Psalms 84 and I thought I'd pass it on in case you want to read it. (Really, the reason I'm posting this is 1) so I do it more often and 2) so you can try it and learn this way too if you'd like.)

Psalms 84:

Oh how beautiful is Your home, Your house, where Your presence rests, O Ruler of Angel armies. M y soul longs and burns and yearns to be in Your presence. It even faints/collapses  in peace and rest in Your presence. My heart and everything inside of me the burning passions and desires sing for joy. My outsides and my body and everything natural and tangible sings for joy to You, the living and active God.

Even the flighty birds of the air who move around find a home with You. The swallow and the sparrow - the cheapest most common insignificant bird - has a place with You where she can set up her home and have her babies at Your altar, O Ruler of the Angel Armies, King, and Supreme God. How happy and set-up for success covered in blessings  are those who live in Your house, in Your presence continually singing Your praise in celebration. 

How happy and set up for success covered in blessings are those who find their strength in You.  Those who's hearts are like highways, set on a pilgrimage to Zion, Your city, Your home, Your ways, Your commandments, Your coming Kingdom. As they go through hard times, situations or circumstances of bitterness and morning - they instead make it a spring of hope and joy. They open up the heavens and bring showers of blessings and resources to satisfy what they've been missing so much that they have abundance. They don't ride the physical roller-coaster of energy but go from strength to strength to strength to strength. Each one gets to appear before the Living and Active Ruler God in His Kingdom.

O Ruler God, God of the Angel Armies, hear my prayer and my request. Turn and pay attention to me, God of my fathers and God of the faithful you've made promises to. Stop for a second, think about what I just said. Stop. Think. Sit on it.

God, you've given us a shield, a king to protect us. Look him now in the face and pour out your ability and rulership on Him. 

A day with you God, a single day hanging out in your presence is better than 1,000 days anywhere else. I'd rather be a servant at the edge of your presence, just opening and shutting the door - letting people come and go but allowing me to just be there serving you. I'd rather be there doing that than living in the houses of evil, messed up, wicked people.  Cause God, you are a like the sun (full of life, energy, and warmth) and you are like the shield (strong, protective, and stable). You pour out favor/connections/permission/grace with honor/respect/value. You don't hold back anything from those who walk with you, those who walk in righteousness, those who walk lives of integrity. O Ruler of Angel Armies, how happy, set-up for success with blessings overflowing on the guy or girl who trusts in you? How set-up are they for success and happiness are the ones who trust in you?

(From Psalms 84 ESV)