One Thing
- What possibilities may be hidden in the unexpected places of your life?
- Is there one opportunity that will pass unless you act now?
- Is there one victory over procrastination you can have in the next 15 minutes?
- Is there one life into which you can speak encouragement today?
- Is there one thing that will make today significant within the power of your choices?
Piety
Piety is the conversation that happens at the crossing light at the corner of Holiness Way and Desperation Blvd. in the City of Human Vulnerability on a foggy day in January.
Politician and Prophet
Martin Luther King taught us the difference between a politician and a prophet.
A politician is pretty careful not to go against his/her allies.
A prophet will speak truth to power even if the powerful are his/her friends or allies on some other issue.
And a prophet will do it in love.
A "Recognized" Leader
How many people have to recognize you before you can use the word, "recognized" in your title .. like ... "Recognized Leader."
Does my dog count?
Tiptoes
Standing on tiptoe in expectancy.
Living breathless in the wind.
Waiting with expectation among the voices of boredom.
Living above the storm ...
Hopeful ...
Hope.
FOLLOW
In case you need a sermon, here is the outline of one of my messages from Mark 1:14-20:
It spells the word, "FOLLOW."
F - FULFILLMENT which speaks of URGENCY because "The time has come."
O - OPPORTUNITY which brings an OBLIGATION which is based upon the SUFFICIENCY we receive to believe good news.
L - LEAVE which is one part of the good news of repentance, sometimes the dark side, or is perceived to be. It is the INSURGENCY that calls us from the ordinary, from old business, and from old concepts of a "bad news God."
L- LINK ourselves to God's new deal, the Kingdom of God, the God movement introduced by Jesus at the right moment. The Kingdom link brings LEGITIMACY to the call.
O - OPEN your hearts to good news, the second part of repentance, believing and receiving something fresh, new, and enlivening. This evokes EXPECTANCY.
W - Do it WITHOUT DELAY - This is the IMMEDIACY of the good news/gospel message of the Kingdom that Jesus proclaimed. It is also how eager souls responded without coercion or manipulation.
It boils down to a very simple and uncomplicated call from Jesus, "Follow me."
When we respond to that, the other pieces fall into place and He can deal with our theology and other burning questions in time and as they arise.
The Power Grab
There was a power grab on a planet swirling through space
Long ago.
Chiefs, generals, engineers, and masons
Deluded
Thought
If only
If only we could add enough of
What has been made
Piece by piece
and build upon it
What has been made
With our ingenuity
and effort
We can reach
and be
The creator.
We can take over.
All we need is the will and
The energy and
The creativity and
The commitment
To rise higher than
The Originator
and we can be Original.
And they unified around that
Big Idea
and ended up
In utter confusion.
In spite of all their unity
and Progress ...
They forgot a few key
Home Truths or
Cradles of Civilization.
Either way ....
Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. And as people migrated from the east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. And they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.”
And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar. Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.”
And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of man had built. And the LORD said, “Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another's speech.”
So the LORD dispersed them from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city. Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the LORD confused the language of all the earth. And from there the LORD dispersed them over the face of all the earth."
Genesis 11:1-9 (ESV)
So then ....
Where does your piety lead you out of your collision of thoughts, motives, passions, desires, and commitments? Is it to prophecy, to lead, to stand on tiptoe in wonder, or simply to follow ... or all?
And can all be one?
Consider this, the way of political expediency and grabbing of power will overflow into a confusion of soul and of direction. To settle on the One will bring the many strands into one thing. So ask the questions again and act accordingly ...
If you follow my drift ... my streaming and meandering drift into center:
One Thing
What possibilities may be hidden in the unexpected places of your life?
Is there one opportunity that will pass unless you act now?
Is there one victory over procrastination you can have in the next 15 minutes?
Is there one life into which you can speak encouragement today?
Is there one thing that will make today significant within the power of your choices?
Since we are being someone random, you can dance now!
