Intolerant ("Welcome to Reality" Part II)

Are we confined to the purpose of wallowing in the misery of the despair of the world around us? Or maybe more applicable to many of us, even simply disconnect from it, choosing instead to live lives in a simple little bubble of work, play, school, and church, with people around us who agree with us, or at least tolerate us from time to time? And our priorities include only that which will not stress the edges of that bubble, or make us uncomfortable, or challenge our pride and lofty opinions. Things that are pleasurable, though ultimately superficial and meaningless in the grand scheme of this thing we have defined as reality, not to mention eternity. But really in the bubble how often do we truly attempt to understand the implications of this reality, eternity, or the consequences we can or may induce in either.

Sure, maybe we'll expand the bubble every once in a while to include another person or two, or conform it to meet the needs of a situation, but really do we ever dare to even think of a world outside that bubble? No, of course not, we must instead be content with the way things are, giving nothing but a glance to those who are not within but our deepest of confidences, though really how deep are even they, being more of mere acquaintances with those we call our friends, because really who has the time or desire to actually invest in a person, to actually know them truly. And I mean more than a handshake or a hug or a "Hey how's it going" and five or ten seconds of attention once or twice a week.

And that is absolutely despicable!

Yet, this is the world so many of us live in. Notice I use the word "us", not to exclude myself by any means, and I'll even go so far and be so bold to say that this is a tendency often enjoyed or at least expressed by the members of the BCM of Western Kentucky University, of which I am also a part of, and in which there are several people I very deeply respect and those who do not entertain such habits as the ones I speak of. But humor me as I make a few perhaps dangerous though curious generalizations. And before you get offended, perhaps you could examine yourself and hear me out. Perhaps you are experiencing these feelings of sharp defense because I am indeed about to threaten the stability of your own bubble.

But who would dare to pop our cozy little bubbles and maybe take a chance for once, to have a little faith? I'm as guilty of this as anyone, if not moreso. But does it make it any less true when I say Love cannot be confined to the little worlds of our own creation we choose to contentedly live and indeed cower in, and in fact I would go so far to say Love despises such things. Yes, people are different; this is inevitable. But can we not take a firm grasp on reality, on Love, cast aside our prejudices, our high and mighty, holier than thou mindsets, our opinions, our pride, our compromises, and even our own fear of being discovered to be what we really are behind all of the walls and masks and just say

My God! Please, please, break my heart for what breaks Yours. Let my lips speak only that which you wish your people to hear. Let me be Yours and Yours alone, and let Your Love be the only thing I long for, and the only thing shown in me because it truly is the only thing that is in me.

Can we cast aside everything we have set to be our priorities, and instead let nothing but this reality of Love to be a priority. Because really in the face of this stark reality, nothing even holds up to be second, third, or even on the list. Now, I'm not saying we should all drop everything and rush over to the deepest, darkest regions of the world to preach the Word. Yes, we must live our lives, go to school, to work, handle our responsibilities, but what could these things become when Love is let loose? Blessings, through which Love explodes! Love doesn't just take over our priorities when we choose it; it envelops everything we are and have to use it bless others and even us.

What could we become when we allow our comfy, pathetic bubbles to be popped, and actually invest in others, getting beyond the surface into what is, dare I say it, uncomfortable? Risky? Will we shy away because of what we might expose ourselves to be? Or will we trust that the same Love in us is doing a miraculous work in those around us as well?

Would we dare to draw attention to ourselves? To be different? To raise our hands and say no I don't agree and this is why. To stand out from the crowd instead of flowing with it as we are so inclined to do? To be uncompromising, unflinching, unwilling to back down because of the joy, hope, and power of the Love running rampant in and through us?

To be set apart, as we are called to be?

All because Love is what it is.

Can we possibly, finally, rise to the challenge of truly being the people of the one whose name we bear?

Will we be Christians?

Can we read the Bible, the very words the God we claim to love has given us, and believe it? And act on it? Without compromise? Can we love others without accepting the sin they refuse to let go of, or will we instead hesitate and rationalize for them? Often because of our own discomfort or willingness to tackle the hard questions of life...or fear of being labeled as close minded, intolerant, prejudiced, and bigoted.

I hate that word, "tolerance," by the way, simply because of the massive cop-out it has become, though let me qualify that statement before you think of me in any way hateful. But when did Love become an excuse for the depravity we wish to wallow in? When did we decide to sacrifice truth so that everyone is happy? Truth should not be compromised because people start to squirm in their chairs! There is a very significant difference between loving others and stamping a bug "OK" on everything they do. Must we allow sin, and at I'm sure major risk to myself and the respect of several of you I say such as homosexuality, to become wholly accepted at the dread of being called "intolerant"?

So does that mean Jesus was intolerant, a bigot? Because He refused to compromise for those that could not recognize their sin for what it was? Last time I checked, there were plenty of unhappy people around wherever He went, people who didn't want to get over their own self pronounced piety, and they ended up killing Him for it! Yes, He went to people who needed Him and His Love, His grace, and forgave them. But didn't He also say, "Go and sin no more"?

We are a church of failures, of fools, of flat out messed up people, of sinners. Sinners saved by grace. And yet this does not excuse the actions of others, and especially not our own actions! That the people of God, the ones who bear His very name, would dare to make excuses for the things the One who saved them despises is in itself despicable.

We as humans may be no better than that. And yet we are called to be better than that. Humans saved by grace. And transformed by Love.

So will we realize this stark reality and all of it’s implications?

Will we be wholeheartedly decide to be intolerant of ourselves, our own self proclaimed piety, our bubbles, our compromise, and just Love? And can we confront the hard things in life, and the things in those we Love, because we do indeed Love them?

What would this even look like, to dare to get out of our bubbles? Maybe it's a spontaneous call to just talk. Maybe it's a risk to trust at one's own personal risk and confide in another. Or even to sit down and ask, and genuinely be interested, invest, and listen to what another is going through. Or to lovingly confront. Or to talk about something you've been struggling with, or one of those simply hard questions in life. Or to just joke around, be ourselves with people we never thought we would. Or to stand out from popular opinion and ideas. Or to disagree with the things another is saying because it simply isn't right. Or to run the risk of being looked down on, even laughed or sneered at, disdained, for standing up for simple truths. You all are smart, creative people, I'm sure you can think of something and you sure don't need me for that. But I would challenge you to simply dare to not be comfortable. And to truly Love others. Those who are our brothers and sisters in the one whose name we bear, Jesus, so that He may be proud of us. And those who He so longs to wrap in His arms and lavish with His Love, those who are lost, so that He may proud of us. But most importantly, so that we may Love, and so let others know that they may know Love.

I don't claim to have all the answers; i could never hope to find or give them all, especially where Love is concerned. But then I guess that's why we aren't expected to find or know or give them all. And I guess that's why they call it faith.

"And these three remain: faith, hope, and Love. And the greatest of these is Love."

Please, do not be offended by anything I have said, though if such a thing suits you feel free to be so as long as it truly, honestly makes you think. Though indeed, much of what I have touched on are tendencies every one of us, just being humans, have dealt with and most likely will continue to deal with, so keep such things in mind. But if I made you uncomfortable in any way, well good! Call me harsh, but I meant to be, because comfort is overrated and certainly not required or really even a part of the lives we should be living outside of these bubbles that should not exist. Life is uncomfortable, is hard. If you haven't seen that then you need to start questioning where you've been living.

If you do have any questions or comments please feel free to offer your thoughts. I'm just one guy, and a lot of what I just said is probably confused and disconnected, and I am fully aware there is a lot there, but I would love to hear another perspective as the basic idea presented here is one we could all do to ponder a little longer.

And more than ponder, perhaps even do something about.

Dive Deep.