Thursday, May 03, 2007

Clarifications, Maybe

Thankfully this is an interactive blog, and I appreciate you guys keeping me on my toes.

After reading Sue's link to Ben's blog and Bob's response to my previous post, I had to think about if I was really saying what I intended or simply passing along rhetoric.

As you can see, I have retitled the series and edited the first post. I don't believe that the words warrior and hero convey the message that I want to say.

There is a call to become actively engaged in the life of the Spirit. It isn't a call to greatness, but rather to sacrifice, vulnerability, and death to self.

Are we willing to engage in that fight, especially when the path to victory requires our brokenness rather than our success?

Our life as free men and women of God is the life of a subversive warrior, one who turns the other cheek, one who blesses rather than curses.

We do all of this in the knowledge that as our freedom is won, we ultimately lose our own life.

4 comments:

Annie Grace said...

Hey Grace,

Since I’ve recently found your blog, I've been backtracking and reading from your beginnings in the blogging world...you are about 2 years ahead of me in blogging AND in the understanding of many of the issues you discuss. God has had me on the same journey….I just didn’t know there were so many others that felt the same way.

In "Parasitic churches?" (July 17, 2005), you said, "Today I am thinking about the mistaken notion that by getting busy at church, we are serving God....What is so sad about this, is that true zeal is channeled into a place of irrelevance." This is what I have been in the process of finally recognizing as such a source of frustration and sadness for me….including the fact that most of the ministry in church is to self which leaves no room for ministry to the poor, orphans, widows, etc.

Anyway, thanks for all you have shared. I'm looking forward to continuing to read your journey.

[I tried to post this comment on your original post. But after the second try and it didn’t work, I am wondering if you can even comment on a 2 year old post? As I said, I’m new to all this. So it’s out of place here and not applicable to your current discussion (although I’m enjoying it too) but at least you’ll get it!]

Annie Grace

Linda said...

Hey Annie!
Thanks for commenting, and here is fine. I'm not sure about comments on old posts.

That was a good quote. :)
Those thoughts are what eventually led to my understanding that as believers our lives should be more missional. I'm still working on that.

Good luck with the blogging. I'll be sure to add you to my reader.

John Frye said...

Grace,
I don't think warrior and hero are necessarily bad words. Don't shy from them. In cultures where there are rituals for moving boys to men, the concepts of self-denial, willingness to serve others, and facing death without fear define "the man." Western cultures have distorted masculinity into the self-centered, Me-centered mutant.

Jesus had a penis, not a vagina. He was a man. It is no slight to our sisters in Christ if the traits of authentic masculinity are modeled in Jesus. And being brave, courageous and exhibiting self-denial are not gender specific (ie, only male).

Linda said...

John,
As you can see, I have struggled with how I want to communicate this. Not so much with the masculinity of it, but rather with the image of success and self-sufficiency those words convey, especially the word hero.

I mostly don't want to lose sight of the fact that our calling is one of downward mobility and service, yet we should live that calling with bold passion and contagious freedom.

Thanks for your perspective. I appreciate it.