Phos Hilaron and Allowing the Light Through

It is amazing the things one thinks while in the bath. Certainly, many people do their best thinking while alone in the bath for precisely that reason: they are alone, without distraction, and will be there, likely, for a while.

I had a "teachable moment" this morning in the bath with my son, (who is four years old and, as a result, is often permitted to interrupt my times in the bath if he needs to use the bathroom) who enquired as to why there was a small orange glimmer of light on the wall beside the sink. I had to think a moment, and then realised the plastic handle on my razor is orange and was picking up the light from the bulb above it. I then went into a lecture about the three stages of light allowances that I could remember from grade school:

1. something transluscent allows some light to pass through it, (like the razor handle),
2. something transparent allowed most or all light to pass through it,
3. and something opaque does not allow any like to pass through it but will instead cast a shadow.

He was obviously amazed at Daddy's brilliance as he said nothing, flushed the toilet and left.

Undoubtedly some of you will look upon the title of this blog with some familiarity, but many will scratch their head and wonder if I've mispelt something. I have stolen the title from our most ancient hymn: [http://encyclopedia.tfd.com/Phos+Hilaron]  I steal it because I feel it aptly names the concept I discoverd in the bath.

Once my son had left I rejoined my thoughts which mingled with the recent exploration of grade-school science. How transparent was I, and what Light is passing through, if any? Of course, you may now have put together I am talking about Christ, the Light of the world, or, the Gladdening Light "phos hilaron".

As we live and breath, as we go about our business, as we respond to the world around us, do we allow some of that light to pass, all of it, or are we spiritually opaque?  There has been much written on such a topic, challenges given by many much more capable than I, but I hope to simply get you to do some self-evaluation (2 Cor 13. 5).  I know I left the bath that morning a cleaner man on both the in and outside.

Something for the "think-ubator"

God Put a Smile Upon Your Face

"Stop your anger! Turn from your rage!  Do not envy others - it only leads to harm" Psalm 37. 8 NLT
In an event of divine coincidence, I found myself experiencing stress while reading this verse and listening to a CD in the backround.  On thier sophmore effort, Coldplay has a song by this title. While the message of the song is more humanistic than the Psalm, I found the message to be similar and was encouraged almost overwhelmingly. 
We should not be sad, angry or worried about anything because our God has things under his control. He has indeed put a smile upon our faces; wearing it is testimony to His strength in our life and not a naive "head in the sand".
Smile today with the smile God gave you :)

The Gospel of Candyland

Once again this week I found myself in another "teachable moment" with my son.
One of his favourite games lately is the Milton Bradley boardgame he received for Christmas, the pre-school hit who's original players would now play it with their grandchildren: Candyland. I don't know much of its history, and the story-line as it is printed on current editions of the game's box liner make no mention of it, but it sure has some Christian allegory to it. Let me explain.
As I started out saying, I had a teachable moment with my son this week; while playing the game for the dozenth time, he asked me why the liquorice tripped us up and why it was there. (if you are not familiar with the game, more of its premise will become evident as this blog continues.)
He is very good at the game and excited by it ~ he can play it several times in one sitting without tiring, unlike his father.  I tried to answer him to the best of my ability and found something interesting developing in my explanation.  We move our players (represented by gingerbread men) along a brightly coloured trail on our way to the celestial city of Candyland.  Along the way there are various "sticky spots" where Lord Liquorice has left traps for us to slow us on our way, (resulting in a missed turn).  My nutshell explanation was this:

Candyland = heaven; the King is GOD; Lord Licorice represents Satan and, therefore, the liquorice he leaves around on the path is the tempting, candy-like trip-up on our way to Candyland like sin.  Lord Licorice was himself a resident of cnadyland at one point, but was put out when once he felt he should have a greater position in the Kingdom.  Failing to comply with the demands, he now hides out in the forest hating the King and anyone who seeks to visit him.  So, possessing still some remnant of his time in Candyland, he uses pseudo-candy to throw people off the trial and slow their arrival.

My son was tracking along nicely and I found a way to once again see the Truth of God around me in everyday things.  I believe he enjoys the game on a deeper level now and I was able to help ensure our families commitment to Deuteronomy 6. 7.

I Want, Therefore I Am

I have read somewhere the phrase "Happiness is wanting what you have, not having what you want". What a great statement; There is a tonne of want and materialism amongst youth and society, and no more is this prevalent than during the “holiday season of giving”.[1] Though I do not know if it all stems from one place, I know we did not get there innocently. In writing this I consulted a few books to help create an informed answer, but I found the best advice was borne of personal experience, so here is my humble insight on the subject:

First, there is nothing wrong with either having things or simply wanting them in and of themselves. However, pride and envy often creep in and it becomes a sport. If you find that all you can think about is "the next big thing", or what else you can get that your friends do not have, maybe some self-examination is in order:

• What's wrong with what I have?
• What was I like before I had it?
• Why do I want it...

- To compare to those around me?

- Perhaps true happiness is one more purchase away?

- Maybe people will be impressed with what I have?

- 'Retail Therapy' is comforting.

- Possessions = Love

I know many of us struggle with wanting more - and yes, I said 'we': me too - but the fact of the matter is this trend of ‘get’ until we either find ourselves in debt with lots of stuff, or still wanting and unhappy with stuff we have is destroying us from the inside out.

This is a huge deal! I am not a financial expert, but I know this much: Contentedness is more valuable, longer lasting and self-valuing than ‘having’ any day. I believe Paul would leave us with the same encouragement.[2]

Greg Laurie has given these insights:

1. Watch how and what you are storing.
2. Keep your vision clear
3. Don’t worry for material things, (Matthew 6)
4. Put God first in your life [to get the ultimate blessing]

Consumerism never saved anyone. Try appreciating what you have, you will see. Have a Merry Christmas and be content with what we have: A God who loves us enough to be one of us to save us from ourselves.

Agree? Disagree? I'd love to hear from you.

---

[1] This is a topic for another article all together – how political correction needs an enema.

[2] Philippians 4: 10-14

Character and Christian Chicken

Colossians 4:5-6 (TNIV)

“Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”

Writing on the maintainence of love and good deeds in the Canadian culture, I want to discuss how we do this in a Canadian institution; a place we are often on display. Somewhere where people are watching us and where we are often “just off duty”.

Many church-going families will end their Sunday morning by spending the early part of their afternoon having lunch at Swiss Chalet. Also affectionately known as Christian Chicken, several of Oakridge’s own attend the post-service luncheons.

First, what is the general reception of Christians as more of us are becoming patrons on Sunday? Often the opinion is negative: They are pushy, demanding and/or arrogant. Impatient. Bad tippers! Some of the waitstaff at restaurants will avoid a Sunday shift simply because “that’s when the Christians come in.” Some of our brothers and sisters have been known to criticise the waitstaff that is serving them for even working on a Sunday ~ all the while making necessary that server’s employment since the Christian is there.

Happily, I will announce that we do not have that reputation; at least not at 1011 Upper Middle Road. I interviewed some of the waitstaff at the local Christian Chicken to see what they had to say about “our crew”.

Overall, we are discribed as “very nice, patient and friendly.” There were even some honourable mentions regarding a particularly nice, senior couple who share an anniversary with one of the hostesses and celebrated the occasion with a gift! We are generably generous with our tipping, and one particularly “handsome” family is number one in this area. Generally we are seen the same as “normal folk” but are particularly communal as we will often request to be seated together and can take up entire sections of the dining hall; a noticable difference that can, at times, make it difficult for the server to know where to serve the food and/or collect the cheque J. One particular action they witness, much to the surprise of the server each time, is the likelihood of one family covering the bill for another, anonymously. All of this speaks well for us as Christ’s ambassadors as we live and and eat before the Swiss Chalet staff.

As it regards our incarnational witness to the world around us, what is important is both the practice and development of character. I understand Paul in Colossians 4 to make a clarion call for a Christianity that is never off duty; letting the love of Christ permeate everything we do and say, no matter where we are. For further consideration, see Who You Are When No One’s Looking by Bill Hybels.

So, perhaps we’ll see you around Swiss this weekend. Remember; we’re being watched, and so far, we have left as good an aftertaste as the meal we’ve enjoyed.

The Aroma of God.

I had found my seat and made small talk with my neighbours for a bit until the show began. Ready for a good time, I looked forward to the concert seemingly oblivious to my surroundings once the lights went down and the music started.
I was sitting behind a woman at the concert that night, and as the first song finished and the second began, I found myself distracted by her perfume.
She was several years older than me, so it wasn't one of those predictable, cutesy scents out there endorsed by some celebrity who neither really wears it, nor does it smell good on anyone ~ they're usually just a variation of musky fruits and alcohol sold to teens for way more than its value.
No, it was a mature, intoxicating scent that wouldn't be ignored.
I was embarrassed by my attraction to the scent and its wearer. But I couldn't help but be diverted by it throughout the concert.
At the intermission, I found myself approaching her to enquire what scent it was ... I had to know the name of that which compromised my enjoyment of the show.
Something funnily coincidental, however, was the fact that particular night I wasn't wearing any [pleasing] scent, and I hadn't showered that day. This perfume made me keenly aware of my own stink :( so at the break I rushed off to put on some deodorant I had for emergencies in order to help make me similar in scent.
It was beauty, and I was not ... I wanted to be so.
In our day to day lives, you don't expect epiphanies to be visited upon you when you're doing something seemingly ordinary, but, that's what makes it an epiphany. You have to be prepared to have God interrupt you when he wants you to be aware of something. Especially when you're not expecting it; he loves to do it then.
All throughout the pages of our bibles, you can find story after story, accounts of men and woman who were simply living their lives ~ some good, some bad ~ and going about their business when God interrupts them; he makes them keenly aware of an insight or truth about himself that alters their consciousness, their perspective and patterns and they go away from the experience changed. Sometimes he may knock you off your horse and strike you blind, like Saul. He may choose to start a fire in nearby shrubbery, and then talk to you from it as you walk your sheep, like Moses.
Or he may use something as subtle as a scent; something that is within his will to manipulate to his glory in order that you and I are made keenly aware of HIM.
All tools of his grace to humanity; he may even use us as that scent to both change us and direct others to him so that he gets the glory.
How do you smell? Are you catching people’s attention or turning them off? Are people being drawn to God through you or being pushed away? Are you close to him, letting him show you where you really are and letting him fill you more and more ~ are you getting in his way? Are we being real in our depiction of Christ and what it looks like to be his follower?
Let him Speak into you, don’t analyse it. (this coming from a “bible studier”) Too often we complicate things; Jesus spoke in parable to common folk with surface meaning or generally understood, subtle sub-text, we don’t have to dig too deep to get it.
I hope we see how God works through us in order to bring others to him so that he might have the glory. That smells good.

Comparisons: Judgement Disguised as Motivation …

I have been preoccupied with being in my early-thirties lately [few of you will remember a television series from the 80's titles "thirty something"] and will celebrate another year of earthly existence in a few days, though it is nothign compared to the one I'll begin enxt year. I know, I am still quite young, but I am starting to feel my age … before I go too far here, let me back up and set this article up so you know where I am going with this.
Do you ever find yourself saying things like, “Why do they need to tell me the age of this guy in the news?” Why do we need to know how old people are? However, when I hear about people’s age, it makes me contextualise who they are and what they’ve done. When I was younger and looked at celebrities, people in my community, whomever, I would always put them on some sort of plain that I was not on. It is incredible the amount of ‘young people’ I would compare myself to.
As I have aged, I find myself passing the age of some of these accomplished people. I know you must do it too ~ it isn’t long before the sports star you idolised is ten years your junior. And while we are on sports stars, let me mention Michael Jordan: He was the one I idolised in my youth. Him along with other celebrities who looking back now were mostly in their twenties or late teens ~ a few even early thirties. While I still enjoy following some artists and such, many of whom are considerably older, doing some simple grade-school arithmetic I realise that for the majority of my heroes ~ and many celebrities today ~ I enjoyed their work in their twenties.
There are several sports stars or celebrities I currently enjoy who are in fact my age or, as is more often the case now, younger than me ~ and I am not old! The captain of my team, Toronto FC, is Jim Brennan; he was born a few short days before me back in 1977 and is a good looking average sized guy form Southwestern Ontario ~ the comparisons stop there: I have no chance of having his soccer skill or life experiences. I guess I have missed my window for true celebrity status and sport stardom. Oh well.
There is, however, one man I have looked up to as long as I remember who is the same age in all the stories we know about him and is younger than most of his followers, an age which I now find creeping up on me quickly. Jesus.
It only took him three years to change the world and save all of humanity, all accomplished by approximately the age of 33. I have done nothing close to that, nor ever will, even if I live to be 100 and work at it everyday with the vigour and stamina of an 18-year-old.
It is possible to compare yourself too much to other people in an attempt to either build yourself up, or tear the other down. Sometimes, it is to motivate you. The only comparison that really has any lasting influence and is of any true worth is the man from Galilee. As I slowly read and understand who He was, and I seek to be more like Him, and am slowly being made into His likeness ~ a little too slow for my liking most days ~ it comes as comfort to know that if I am faithful in being who He has called me to be, I am right where I need to be. Who cares what others say.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I think I'll go play some FIFA Soccer on the Wii and at least compete virtually amongst my peers :)
Galatians 6. 3-5