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Here’s to good things! 2 14 2006 |
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Tuesday, 14 February 2006 |
As I write this at 7:30 AM on Valentine’s morning, the picture of my
kids eating pancakes and opening up the gifts that Tracy gave them at
the table this morning is still in my mind. We exchanged some sleepy -
eyed greetings and a few mumbled “ I love yous ” were overheard. It was
nothing too exciting, but at the same time it was everything about
which to be excited. Family is important. Indeed, for many of us, we
would argue, family is the most important piece of life’s puzzle. No
one else sees without our makeup, or when our hair is sticking straight
up, or when our eyes are still blurred from last night’s sleep, or when
we’re overly grumpy, or when we’ve had a bad day. Family sees us at our
worst and loves us up to all our potential.
The church is often described as a family.
Indeed, for many of us, we would argue, the most important piece of
life’s family puzzle. No place else encounters us in all our
brokenness, or in our deepest grief, or in our saddest moments, or in
our most disappointing experiences, or in our selfish ambitions, or in
our sin quite like our church family does. And, then loves us back to
all the potential that God has gifted to us in creation.
Often I choose to use as a charge for us at
the end of our worship services a statement from the letter to the
Colossian church. Hear it from Eugene Peterson’s The Message: “ So,
chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God
picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength,
discipline. Be even - tempered, content with second place, quick to
forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master
forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s
your basic, all - purpose garment. Never be without it. ”
In the New Revised Standard Version of the
bible the end of that statement tells us that “ love binds everything
in perfect harmony. ” Whether you prefer Peterson’s idea of an all -
purpose garment or the thought that love binds us together perfectly,
the instruction is the same: Without love running deep in our bones and
coursing unashamedly through our veins, we don’t have much of a family
life at all. So, love people. Love them uncontrollably and wildly. Be
more concerned about them and what is best for them than you are about
your own outcome. Give all that you have to your family at home, to
your friends, and to the body of Christ. Love. Love. Love. Love is a
good thing. And to quote, not a theologian, necessarily, but a good
country music philosopher, Alan Jackson writes: “ Too much of a good
thing, is a good thing! ”
Here’s to good things! And, too much of them!
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 14 February 2006 )
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