An Empire of a Different Kind

I have been reading about the Roman Empire of late, particularly of Caesar Augustus, the leader under whom Rome achieved a stature that the world had never witnessed before. It was an incredible empire, powerful and advanced in every way.

As I read of Augustus' life, I wonder, 'how in the world would I keep my ego in check if I literally ruled the world?' Many of the Caesars took the step of proclaiming themselves to be gods, and who could argue? Caesars ruled with great power. Rome could not be conquered. I wonder what there would be within us to put a border on our ego if there were no external borders placed on our power? When I am defeated I am humbled, but with all success and power what would limit my thoughts about myself? It seems power fed the egos of the Caesars - perhaps in a way the world had never seen.

I think of this, because into this Roman Empire Jesus was born. Yes, it was on the fringe. But Jesus, as his followers would be - was born into this empire, and interestingly within it, he would build an empire of a different kind. It would surpass Rome's in its size and power, it would claim more citizens than Rome ever knew, and it would also have limits. In building his kingdom Jesus keeps our egos in check by reminding us that his kingdom is based on words like humility and service, forgiveness and mercy. These words deflate the ego, even defeat it.

Letting my mind wander, I confess that I have tried often to turn my life into my own pathetic little empire and as it has been built taken the ego ride that comes with it - a pep-rally of my own importance. I hope that Christmas returns me again to the basics. Life is about Jesus and the values he taught - and really it is in his empire I want to find a place.

Happy Birthday, Jesus. I am glad that you are here.

A Story on the Line

This week in politics spiritual stories have figured prominently, from Mitt Romney's Morminism which is controversial to many Christians to Oprah Winfrey's recalling Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Christian convictions that further opened up African American political participation. In our political campaigns, perhaps in an unrivaled way, the faith lives of candidates have been asked about and spoken of intensely. If you want to know more, take a look at the Pew Forum (www.pewforum.org) and there you will find the spiritual stories of all of our political candidates.

My question is this: if you were on the campaign trail and asked about your faith, what would you say? It is easy to take a shot at the faith of others, without putting yourself on the line. As I think about it, Jesus criticized certain aspects of the faith of others but he also told people what he believed. Jesus did not like the lack of charity or the spiritual boasting of the Pharisees, but while Jesus was confronting the Pharisees he was also open and honest about who he was and what he was about. This is part of why I like Jesus' style so much - he confronted others, and was honest about his own story.

So this is the challenge - write your own story and email it to the loft (anixon@loftchurch.com). What do you believe, and what has shaped you to believe as you do? You might find that in writing the story you will learn a lot about God and you - and will be able to have a more interesting conversation with those who have put their faith out there for all to see.

What You Need is Half of What You Want

Many years ago I was traveling to Europe for an extended stay. As departure day drew closer a friend of mine gave me a piece of advice saying, 'put everything you think you need on a bed, and then get rid of half of it.' This was my first introduction to thoughtfully considering what you need.

On packing day, I took the advice - everything I thought I needed on a bed. There was a lot - music, books, momentos from home...American food - basically it was my life stateside piled up along with clothes, toiletries, etc... The pile was far beyond the dimensions of any luggage, and a private 747 was not feasible.

What I then discovered has stayed with me - there are layers of want. I want this as a luxury, I want that as a convenience, I want this to be 'in' with others - and when you go through the discipline of getting rid of half what is obvious is that in reality I do not need much. Today, I have much more than I will ever need.

So I divided my stuff in two. Later - once I was in Europe - I happened upon a second truth. Because of discipline earlier, I had space for a few things to bring back to give to friends. Because I had 'done with less' I had the chance to come home with more.

Over the years, I have found God to work in a like manner. When I make space in my life through sacrifice, God has the room in me to give more. God can bless others because there is room in my life for God, and the irony is that being a blessing for someone else gives me more joy than anything that I could pack my life with. Go figure...

A Perfect Match

Christmas is about opposites. It is one of the holiest times of the year and the most self-indulgent. It is the time of year where we think about giving, yet most of the people that we give to will also give to us. Christmas is the most powerful season of the year, and it centers around a baby - powerless in every way. Christmas is a time of contradictions.

This contradictory time of year is in part because of the high standard Christmas sets. Christmas, personally, is an ideal. Christmas is the day where, for only a moment, life stops and we have the chance to enjoy what God has done for us. I suppose other days should be like this too - every Sunday...easter...wedding days and birthdays. Yet, nothing is like Christmas. Christmas is the time where I think most of what a perfect world should be - celebrations, family and friends, a deep and genuine faith, a life of sharing and receiving as needed.

As I think of it, maybe the contradictions I see in Christmas are exposed in the other days of the year. Christmas, if I were a better person, could be every day. Every day a little Christmas, as Martin Luther envisioned every Sunday a little Easter. The contradictions I see are caused by the person that I am - if I change then what I see changes and what others see in life will change as well.

Maybe my Christmas hope then is to become the person that I see at Christmas, and seek the life I find at Christmas year-round. For actions and beliefs have to make a perfect match, and when that day comes more of God is easy to see. I hope this Christmas is a perfect match.

The Biggest Lie I Have Had to Contend With

It is my favorite line in Blue Like Jazz, maybe one of my favorites of all time. I like it because it is true for me. Ask me about my life and I can tell you that this quote is my story as it is Donald Miller's and others. Here it is: the biggest lie that I have ever had to contend with is that life is a story about me.

Now, I like me. In fact, I like me a lot - but for a long time I thought that life was a story about me, only to get confronted with the Truth.

Truth, real truth, hurts. Real truth cuts away at something that we have held onto, it may be an idea that we believed in or a philosophy, or a person that we love in an unhealthy way. We believe in something that tries to convince us that life is about us only to have capital T Truth hit us, and hit us hard. I cannot remember the day when I decided that life was a story about me, it sort of just crept into my life and grabbed a subtle but solid hold. I needed something to be the center of life - why not me?

As I re-read the quote from Blue Like Jazz, it is more about a lie than the truth. I guess that underneath the quote - and this is why I like it so much because it hints at a truth rather than saying it - is it's power. Here is that: the biggest truth that I have ever had to contend with is that life is a story about Jesus Christ.

He is the Truth.

The more I believe and understand that life is a story about Jesus, the better off I am. I am, really, a story about him. And the more I get to know Jesus the more I realize how much better I am and the world is when it is a story about Jesus. As I go through today, I will ask, 'how can I make this story, my story, about Jesus?'

As I live this out I become new, and at least so far that is no lie.

The Phillipians Project

Be the Bible.

The people in the Bible (most of them) are people who beg to be imitated in some way. In the Loft we are talking about Paul; Paul the scarred, Paul the courageous, Paul the champion for Jesus Christ. As I read Phillipians I think of the constant challenge Paul faced to preach Christ in new towns and encourage others that they could follow Christ as well - and the miraculous event is that they did. After Paul left - churches carried on, and they did so because they commited to not just know Jesus but to be Jesus.

Are you this person who is trapped in the bleachers practicing some version of spectator Christianity. Read Phillipians, and make the decision to be Paul, to be like Christ and then watch with joy as what you know becomes who you are.

Just a talkin' head,
Andy

Why Philippians Matters

At the Loft this week we started a five week walk through Philippians. The letter, although short, it miles long on its impact both through the content of the letter and the setting in which it was written. The content contains gems that Christians have remembered throughout the centuries. "To live is Christ, to die is gain', 'I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,' and other phrases from the servant hymn in chapter two to the personalized greetings that close the book demonstrate the constant closeness Paul lived in to both Christ and other servants of the church with whom he labored.

The setting of the book only adds spice to the substance of the letter. Paul writes from prison. In jail because of his convictions and perhaps, through using his citizenship in order to make it to Rome, Paul writes in a state of utter dependence upon God and others.

How often do we let circumstances define our outcomes? If an event takes life in a negative direction or if our work produces a less than ideal result, do we hear the voice of the temptor beckoning us to call it quits and resign from our endeavors? Paul is either faithful or deluded - he spendshis life living for He who is everything or nothing. Each of us makes our own decision, ultimately, if Jesus is who he says he is or not and unfortunately for us, there is no middle ground.

Paul offers us the example of the fully devoted follower, living out the decision that Jesus is everything. His decision defined his heart, his relationships, his courage - and we see all of this in his writing. Paul honestly believed 'to live is Christ.' The Christian lives by this standard.