the encounter

Imagine living in a house with 20 people when you don’t enjoy entertaining people. Yikes!

The Generous Husband writes…

A few months ago my bride and I attended a meeting on “new monasticism” – living in intentional, multi-family groups. Yeah, that can be a commune in all the ugly ways, but it can also be something good. But I only mention it here because of something said to me by the man who owned the house in which we met. This fellow, a bit older than I, said he did not like entertaining – and I commented on how odd that was given that he regularly had a group of 20 or more in his home. He then said “I am learning to die to my preferences.”

I think that’s a lot of what we as followers of Christ are called to do.

It would be my preference to hoard all my money and say, “I worked for it. I’m not giving you a dime. You go out and earn your own.”

It would be my preference to say, “I’ve had a hard day – I don’t want to fix a meal for another family.”

It would be my preference to say, “You’ve wronged me too many times – so I’m off the hook – I don’t have to love you anymore.”

It would be my preference to say, “Honey, I don’t care what you want anymore – it’s all about me and what I want.”

But I think Jesus asks more of his followers… even when things aren’t going the way we’d prefer.

If someone drags you into court and sues for the shirt off your back, giftwrap your best coat and make a present of it. And if someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously. - Matthew 5:39:42

If you’ve gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care— then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. Don’t push your way to the front; don’t sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand. – Phil 2:1-4

Love from the center of who you are; don’t fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle. – Romans 12:9-10

or the New King Jimmy puts it this way:

Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another.

What preferences do you have trouble dying to?

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Just got back from the funeral of Donna Parker’s mother, Betty Lou Parker. If you only knew what I used to think and feel about funerals as a kid. Growing up I watched grandparents, aunts, uncles who I really loved die. I knew very little of Christ, heaven, and the Bible, so death and funerals were a frightening thing. I despised them, ran from them, and irrationally feared other family members dying. It is almost surreal now to not just be attending them, but speaking at them.

No one enjoys funerals, but they do enable us to experience dimensions of life that are healthy. Death gives perspective to the fact that life on earth does not last forever. It reminds us of the frailty of life, the importance of relationships. It makes you want to go home and hug your wife and kids. It causes you to pray for others who are hurting. It allows you to associate with those who mourn. It makes you take stock of what’s most important in life. It makes you thankful that Christ has called you, saved you, and that you can spend eternity with Him. It makes you thankful for family and friends. It reminds you that your body is not your home. It reminds me that before I came to Christ I was dead to God. It reminds me that now that I am a follower of Christ I am dead to sin. It reminds me that Jesus wept at a funeral.

Such are funerals and death.

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