The Hardest Thing In The World To Do

The hardest thing in the world to do, for every person in the world, is not achieving some physical feat, reaching some monetary worth, or climbing from the dumps to a particular social or political status.

The hardest thing in the world to do is not to overcome addiction to alcohol or pornography. It is not to clean one's self up after living a dirty life. Changing one's life is difficult, it is not the most difficult.

The hardest thing in the world to do is to love another - purely, freely, and independently of the chance of their beneficial reciprocal actions.

Deeply sown into the fabric of our fallenness is the need for our actions towards others to be advantageous to us. On the flip side of that fallen coin is the necessity that our actions towards others must not be disadvantageous to us.

It doesn't matter what the other gains if we do not ultimately gain, or, if we ultimately lose. So we develop the most surreptitious stiff-arms to keep those who needs us from dragging us down.

And this is why Christianity is so hard. This is why Christ is so often hated. He demands the hardest action in the world. When we bring to him our resume of "good" actions toward others he gives us the truth we hate to hear - that we were not loving at all, but selfish throughout.

We loved only those who allowed us to remain in control of our lives. All the while we neglected the sojourner, the fatherless, the oppressed, the prisoner, and the poor. Those who impose, overly-need, and often take advantage of us. Those who may put our lives in danger of not being the greatest thing in the world.

The crown jewel of the Christ's crown, however, is his love for his enemies; his ability and strength to faithfully love people who do not love him back. He is odd because he touches lepers, and communes with sinners. He takes time for the blind, the bleeding, and the unclean. He freely gives to those who cannot give back. He died for those who actively sought to take his life.

And he expects us to carry on that Spirit-led and empowered tradition.

We have to know this about our call. Otherwise, we remain indistinguishable from the rest of those who love only the ones who love us in return.

Christ knows that doing the impossible - doing the hardest thing in the world - will get the world's attention. It will draw all men unto him. It will make self-seekers angry, it will weed out the lukewarm, and it will call sinners to repentance.

And there are a lot of sinners out there. Sinners that will come running into our churches, homes, and lives when we show them the scandalous love of Christ.

Allow me to add a quick, yet dangerous note. If you agree with what has been said, it is not enough. The feeling that accompanies knowing and agreeing with the truths of Christianity is nice, but that feeling soon fades when Christ providentially orders our life and calls this knowledge into action.

I would not be surprised if you received a phone call soon after reading this post - from your spouse, child, or parishioner. And I would not be surprised if the person on the other end of that call was needy, negative, or even degrading to you.

As the good feeling fades and the anger tempts you to rage, cling to Christ by faith. Beg for the Spirit's power to love. And hope in the reward that he has promised for doing the hardest thing in the world - for loving those who are not loving you back.

Is It Okay To Be So Busy All Of The Time?

Let's face it, life is busy. Real busy. Many of us are juggling work, school, marriage, children, church, and other important activities. We wake up early and go to bed late. And we find little time during the day to rest - or, to be free from countless demands of the day. We expect that life should be more restful, and at the end of every day we struggle with whether or not it is okay to be so tired. 

We ask ourselves hundreds of questions: What can we cut out? What are we doing wrong? Why are others so demanding? What are we going to do!?

I think a lot of our stress comes from an unbiblical expectation that we should not be a busy people. In other words, it is helpful to know that it is okay to be really tired at the end of the day. Knowing this, I believe, will bring more rest to our hearts even though we tirelessly race with our hands. 

Here are a few thoughts concerning this matter that I hope will be helpful.

Christ was extremely busy. One survey of the gospels shows us that Christ was extremely busy. He was constantly being pulled by the masses. He spent many days without eating. He had to wake up before daylight to pray and spend time with his Father. There were even times when his busyness made him late for vital appointments. People died because he got caught up helping someone else (Luke 8). He even fell asleep in a boat during a life-threatening storm. 

Though Christ was busy outwardly, he was restful inwardly. As Christians, we should be Christ-like.

Christ was busy doing his Father's work. It is not okay to be busy doing something other than the Father's work. The Scriptures actually call this laziness (Prov 18:9). If you are busy doing things for selfish gain, with a self-glorifying goal, and by a wrong standard, then your fatigue is heavier with condemnation. We must daily repent for such actions as we work toward godliness, out of a heart of love, and with an aim to bring God glory. This we can only do by the Spirit who gives us great rest, even while we are extremely tired. 

Take advantage of the gift of God-given rest. Christians should sleep. Yes, that's right. Get some sleep every night. Also, rest for one full day per week. The Fourth Commandment is a gift that we frequently disregard. Many of us would feel less condemnation if we were celebrating the Sabbath with a good nap, with good people, and with worshipful rest. If you feel stress on that day, spend some time repenting of a desire to be unbound by time. Then spend some time actively trusting in the God-man Jesus Christ who cares for you and who is in control. He allows us to rest. He will take care of tomorrow.

Your tireless work is not in vain. Be tired storing up treasures in heaven. Again, if you are storing up treasures on earth, you can expect your fatigue to be mixed with the condemnation of the law (which we cannot bear). But if you fall flat on the floor at the end of the day in utter exhaustion, all because of your tireless Kingdom work, you can be inwardly restful knowing that, in just a short time, you will experience unending rest in heaven. And that rest will be with others who are there because of your work. Jesus was serious when he spoke about such treasures. We should think about this often.

If you die early because of your hard work for the Kingdom, it will all be worth it. It's okay to tirelessly work so that others can eternally rest. 

This is ultimately what makes busyness so sweet. Christ, and his everlasting rest, is what makes being so tired okay. It is because of his work that we can rest before the Father. We no longer work for acceptance. And it is because of our hope of heaven that we tirelessly spend our lives loving others (Col 1:1-5). Remember, the treasures are real. 

Christian, it is okay to be busy.

Cleaning Our House Will Not Cleanse Our Hearts

Chaos in the outside world - from the inconvenient actions of others, to the constant random acts of children - makes me anxious, tired, and sometimes fearful. As the day wears on, and my inner tank draws closer to "E", visions and [over]desires of rest pervade my life. The bed, the pillow, and the long sigh at the end of the day give me a delightful taste of what shalom will one day be.

There are times, however, when I want that taste of rest too badly. In an effort to drag the end of the day closer, I forcefully manipulate my outside world into my own version of what peace should look like. I hastily toss my children into the bed, giving little attention to their small, though often significant, desires. I leave important home-tasks undone. I neglect prayer and intimate conversation with my wife.

I come home and immediately clean. No talking...just cleaning. Order. Now. People can wait.

My over-desire for rest, peace, and order compels me into forcing the door of my day shut. If someone puts their foot in that door, well, that's their fault.

I am learning that when I try to force peace outside, those are the times when there is little-to-no peace inside. By calming the storms around me, I somehow think that I can calm the storms inside of me. For some reason I think that ordering my home will order my heart.

As we survey the world that Christ entered into, we should see that it was far from peaceful, orderly, or restful. He rarely rested (physically). He had to wake up early to find time to pray. The masses where always following him. The Pharisees were always hating him. His disciples were always distrusting him. And the poor were always asking things from him. His life was anything but restful. It was chaotic.

But even during the storms of the outside world, his heart was calm. The peace he brought to others was an overflow of the peace he received from his Father. Because he was restful inside, he could minister to the unrestful world outside. Because of his dependence upon the immutable Father, he was liberated to bring peace to the chaotic world around him.

That's why we can call him gentle, compassionate, and loving.

And this is how we ought to be. By the Spirit of Christ, we should bring peace to others - not forcefully, but gently, patiently, and faithfully. We ought not be influenced into unrest by the world around us. He is our shield, our arc of safety, our refuge, our strength, our rock. Rather than forcefully grabbing the world around us, we ought to faithfully cling to the Prince of Peace.

Anxiety and unrest during chaotic times are the symptoms that we need Jesus. Our frustrations and short-fused reactions toward others (like our children) is indicative that our faith is small. Frantically cleaning will not bring about inner cleansing. I think we all need to hear that cleaning the house will not clean our hearts.

It has really helped me to stop and consider my own heart - especially during times of great unrest. The gospel is really good news. I need it daily. I need to hear that Christ cleanses me, loves me, and is with me. I need to hear that he is unshaken. I need to hear that he is restful, strong, and blessed.

He really does bring freedom. The inner rest he gives, liberates us to advance his Kingdom in the most unrestful places. He gives a calm in our hearts that is meant to calm the restless hearts of others.

White Church Planter, Black Neighborhood - Article for RAAN

I am honored to contribute another article to the Reformed African American Network. Over the past year, I have been asked many questions about how a white guy can plant a church in a black neighborhood. In this post, I share a few lessons I have learned in my short tenure in Trinity Gardens.

The Good News: We Cannot Do Anything We Set Our Minds To

Christianity is the only religion or way of life that obligates and calls people to do the impossible. It is the antithesis of the cultural message most children and adults hear, that "you can do anything you put your mind to if you just believe in yourself."

When thinking of what "the impossible" might be, many think of very difficult feats like earning a college degree, playing professional ball, or building a large sum of wealth. Some may think of overcoming impossible obstacles such as a severe illness, disability or socioeconomic condition.

But that's not what Christ has in mind when he calls us to do the impossible. If it is, then Christianity is no different from any other world belief system. As a matter of fact, humans have historically accomplished and overcome great feats without believing, trusting, and following Christ.

Many impoverished kids have made it to the league. Many people with disabilities have overcome impossible odds. Many low have become high. Many poor have become rich. Many sick have become well. And most of the stories exclude faith in Christ. The moral of most of them is, if you believe in yourself, you can do anything.

And then Christ steps on the scene and calls us to love.

Just when we say, "That's all? I can do that." he calls us to love our enemies - to love those who actively and aggressively hate us, those who do not reciprocate our good will.

Christ calls us to the impossible task of liberating others from meeting certain beneficiary qualifications in order to be loved by us. As a matter of fact, as the love of others recedes, his call for us to love them increasingly resounds.

If we can somehow accomplish obedience to this command, blessings will overflow. But if we cannot obey, we stand empty, in need of his merciful kindness, and reminded that we are weak and unable to do this one small, yet impossible task.

A man may reach the peak of Mount Everest, but he cannot overcome the monumental reluctance of his own heart.

A woman may give direction and leadership to a large corporation, but she cannot direct and lead her own desires.

The devastating truth that we cannot do the impossible if we believe in ourselves has lead millions into the relentless pursuit of a thousand seemingly significant, possible tasks. When Christ calls us to love our nasty neighbor, we run away dismayed, franticly searching for [other] teachers who can give us commandments we can accomplish. We will go to anyone and ask...

Who exactly is my neighbor? Do I give them money? How much do I give? What if they misuse what I give them?

What strategy can I employ to provide water for the entire continent of Africa? How do I start a ministry that does what other ministries are already doing? What can I do right now to change the world?

What possible thing can I do today that will look like I accomplished the impossible tomorrow? How can I soothe my guilty conscience? How can I remove the stain of my own sin?

How do I do these things while appeasing my wife who is starting to hate my efforts to change the world?

How can I make my marriage argument free and do this ministry at the same time? How can I assure my wife that I love her while working too much saving the world? How can I love her without knowing her? How can I care for her when I don't know how?

How can I refrain from going to bed angry tonight? How can I love her well when I really don't want to?

And after we have read the books, asked the teachers, gone to countless seminars and conferences, our own inabilities continue to stare us (and others) glaringly in the face. We have succeeded at reaching the nations, but have failed miserably to love our neighbor. This is the desperate condition only Christianity can heal. This is greatest human weakness that only Christ is strong enough to change.

The good news is that he does. He loves those who do not reciprocate. He loves sinners who come to the end of themselves - who forsake their own efforts and rely fully upon his grace to work in them what they cannot work within themselves. He is strong to love the unlovable that they might become both lovable and loving to others.

It Makes No Sense Whatsoever to Confess Sins

If the threat of punishment looms around every corner, ready to execute after every morally wrong move or motive, then it makes no sense whatsoever to confess sins. If eternal damnation lurks to condemn us perfectly for our culpable imperfections, then it makes all the sense in the world to hide, blame, and defend ourselves.

We should be tireless in our efforts to divert the critical eye away from our shortcomings, while drawing the celebratory attention of others toward our accomplishments. We should be openly critical of others, and overly zealous to proclaim our achievements to the world.

This is human survival.

Death that feels like emptiness, being rejected and unaccepted by other significant beings. Death that feels like hopelessness, having someone else in control of our destiny after we have squandered it away. And death that feels like darkness, having no good, comforting, or safe authority to speak over and direct us.

The threat of this death keeps us bound. The bible uses words like "dominion" and "slavery" to describe that which controls our lives. Diversion is our feeble attempt to delay the death we know we deserve. Because we know it is rightly approaching, anxiety and fear become close [unwanted] relatives.

If we are found guilty, then we are dead. And so we become enslaved to the sins stated above - lying, blame-shifting, and hiding.

But what if the looming condemnation were to be judicially lifted? What if the death deserved was rightly diverted? What if the cup of God's just wrath was poured out completely upon another, upon someone else? What if our death stung another? What if his life saved sinners like you and me?

Then it would make all the sense in the world to confess and not defend. It would make sense to live honestly without hiding. It would be reasonable to take the blame rather than cast it. It would be natural to draw attention to the strengths of others.

Imagine the marriages! Imagine the relational glory!

Suddenly, our old way of doing things becomes wholly unreasonable. If someone were to confront and expose our sins, we should no longer feel the need to defend and divert. The fear of death has been removed. Life has been promised to repentant sinners.

So we admit our guilt. We show our hand. We expose our faults (saving others the stressful trouble!). And we humbly proclaim that we are the freed men and women of Christ - our substitute. We trust him so much that we are fearless to open our lives up in vulnerability to others. We trust him enough to confess, repent, and believe. We love him enough to love others.

We cling to him so tightly that our confessional actions make no sense whatsoever to a watching world.

How to Make World Changing Resolutions

I recently wrote an article entitled How to Make World Changing Resolutions. You can read the article in full on the Reformed African American Network (RAAN) website. In the article, I address the reasons why our resolutions don't last, the faulty nature of our resolutions, and things we can do to ensure they last and make a difference in the world. I hope you enjoy! Happy New Year!