Forest Rangers

I was at a meeting about a week ago and one of the guys there was talking about God being wild and how we have tamed him, put him in a box...nothing really new. But then he said something that I have been seriously pondering, "christian leaders need to be more like forest rangers than gardeners".
So what's the difference?
Gardeners spend most of their time manicuring what they oversee..lots of "hands-on" time grooming, pruning, pulling, planting and replanting making the garden fit the preconceived picture in their mind. The gardener is THE artist.

In contrast a forest ranger's job is to keep human hands off of what they are overseeing. No planting, pulling, trimming, or grooming. Occasionally picking up some trash or putting out a fire both of which often come at the hands of...well...humans. He protects and mends the bruised reed instead of uprooting and replacing it. The beauty of a forest is often found in its wild spontaneity. A forest ranger recognizes he is not the artist but he is a steward for the artist.

What does this look like in church life...messy and uncontrolled for sure. Much more reactive than proactive. It means we minister ample portions of grace and truth and leave plenty of room for the Holy Spirit to work in people's live. It means we spend most of our time cleaning up messes instead of preventing them.

By Grace

Ya know, as I reflect on my last post about Jesse's honesty and journey in Kolkata. I am reminded of how we stand by grace alone. Here is a guy who really is doing all the stuff yet openly admits that he was missing Jesus.

Sorry bro' not picking on you, ya just got me thinking a bunch.

Along these same lines, what if we were to hear Mother Theresa openly speak of her own wretchedness and need for forgiveness?

Yes I know she past on years ago.

I think most of us would say something like, "oh she's just being humble" and we either would not be able to comprehend it or we would quietly accuse her of false modesty. The truth is that apart from Christ she is as bankrupt as anyone else who has walked the earth.

On that infamous Thursday night both Judas and Peter, and all the disciples for that matter, denied Jesus. Peter said he didn't even know who He was. Judas allowed the guilt and reality of his evil to drive him away from His saviour and ultimately take his life. Peter on the other hand was willing to return, hurt and humiliated, but still in love and he received restoration.

See up to that point Peter's problem, just like many of us, was simply that he believed his relationship with the Rabbi was grounded in his own ability to follow. After all, he was THE ROCK, and even if all these others leave you I won't. I will die with you.

When the flood came his house came crashing down in the reality that he had built it on the rock of his own shifting sands of self-righteousness instead of the real ROCK...the grace and truth of the Son, and the incomprehensible love of the Father.

1st Love

Here is a recent update from Jesse, a bro' who has gone out into the fields of India. This is really good stuff but hard. Jesse is one of the most kingdom focused hard working people I know. He’s been doing all the "stuff" for years:
at the abortion clinics at 6:00 on Saturday mornings talking to people who are going to kill their kids,
getting punched,
spit on,
hot coffee thrown at him.
but here he is admitting that in the process of it all he lost his focus, his relationship with Jesus had become lukewarm at best.

Relationships take time and work, anyone who is married and honest will agree.

Getting honest about where you are at is a good thing. It’s the 1st step to freedom. Ya got to fight though. Jesus said the kingdom of God is advancing forcefully and forceful men take hold of it. Paul says we have to persevere. That means we fight, but fight who and persevere against what? Most often ourselves, our sinful nature, carnal minds, our own great ideas and desires…our flesh…pick your translation it is all the same.

Living in America

This is an excerpt from an email I received a couple of weeks ago from a brother who has recently gone to India to do some work for Jesus and/or get worked on by Jesus. If you want to read more of his thoughts click on the Gusseology link to the right.

Thus far India has been very difficult on me. I am very very very homesick.
I am also very ill. So physicaly and mentally it's been very straining.
My spirit is also in very unkown waters right now. As soon as I landed in
Kolkata (Calcutta) and walked out of the airport there was no question I was
in a new world. The poverty here is astounding. I have spent some time in
Mexico City and that didn't even begin to prepare me for what I would see
here.
The poverty smacks you accross the face and I don't think I'll ever
get used
to it. I know you hear it all the time, "Americans don't know how
good they
got it"....but we really really don't. I've been in a constant
state of
struggle as I look at what is around me.
A few nights ago I was
ready to throw the towel in. I think that is mostly
because we hadn't
started anything yet. We were still kind of settling in
and so all I had was
time to think about how much I miss home and how
chaotic the conditions are
here.
But then we started actually doing stuff a few days ago, and it has
really
lifted my spirits. We aren't working in the brothels with the sex
trade
girls yet. They said that is so intense that we need a couple months
here
before we do that. And in that time we are taking Bengali classes.
Bengali
is the language of this area. So what we have been doing is serving
the
poor. Mother Teresa had done amazing things in this area in her
lifetime.
The Indian people absolutely adore her. She started a number of
compunds
called "homes" throughout the city that are used to help the
helpless. Her
first "home" was a place to bring people who were dying. She
couldn't stand
seeing them just die on the street, so she started a house
where they could
die with dignity. Since that first one she has started many
others. Homes
for the extremely handicapped. Mentally ill. Long term
sufferers.
Addicts. On and on and on. So we have been working at one of the
homes.
I get there in the morning and wash the clothes of the patients. Then
when
I finish that I wash the compound. After that I go around and massage
the
patients. They are foul, puss filled, bloody, etc., etc....but....Mother
Teresa once said that when she washed the feet of the poor she couldn't help
but imagine she was washing they very feet of Jesus. I am no mother teresa,
but I do get a taste of what an honor it is to serve the poor. I also get
to joke with them. I say my jokes in english, and they don't understand a
word, but they still laugh :)

When I read this I cried. Not only for him or the people there but mostly I think for myself. Why? Why Father? Why was I born in this country...born with so much...wealth, opportunities, convienence, ease. I didn't have any input in where I was born and to whom I was born. I have a great family, awesome parents but I didn't choose nor did they. Scripture says God decides where we are born and the number of our days. Sure we make many decisions that will ultimately affect how our life is lived out but the core basics of where, when and to whom we have no control over...they are God ordained.

I am sure of this, I wasn't blessed this way for my comfort and convienence. To those who much is given much is expected. Jesus is including everything in this statement, time, gifts, talents and yes money as well.

Upon deeper reflection though I certainly wouldn't hasten to say I am blessed and they aren't. America is a tough place to live and have a real relationship with Jesus. Not because we are persecuted and burned at the stake like many of our brothers and sisters but because it is easy to fall asleep and miss Him. With all the stuff it is easy to think we have Him or worse don't think we need Him. I remember when my wife came back from a mission trip to Haiti she said that Satan was the distracter of our souls. That is so right on. In other countries such as Haiti, India and many more the need for Jesus is so much more obvious than here. So much easier to here his voice and follow. They don't have near the stuff to leave. When Jesus says give up your life and come follow me that truly is good news for them. For us it feels more like the rich young ruler...we know Jesus is right, we know He has the way of abundant life but we walk away sad, can't let go, not yet, haven't ate my fill. Lord have mercy!

Thanks Jesse. Thanks for following Jesus and being transparent about your journey. Jesus is working on more than just you with your time in India.