I was recently in a Christian bookstore looking for something – I don’t even know what, but there I was browsing the book aisle and I saw something that caught my attention. In the Christian Living section, I saw the Don Miller Section of books. So, I see his books and I notice a little placard under neath the book Blue Like Jazz. It says something like, “please use discernment in reading this book.” It goes on to say, “this book has many things written within it that may be upsetting to many Christians and has elements that are not found in Evangelical Christianity.”
That was the gist of this little sign and it shocked me. My first reaction was laughter – “that’s silly.” Then I went to irritation – “I can’t believe I just read that.” Then it went to down right anger – “I’m so mad that somebody feels they have to write something so ridiculous”. Now Don is one of my favorite authors of the last decade. He’s deeply raw and provoking and yet I always feel like his writings are drawing me closer to the heart of God. He’s been a voice for disenchanted Christians and is reminding us all that spirituality doesn’t look like some pre-cut form or mold that makes us all look like cookie cutter robots.
To me this little sign is the epitome of what’s wrong in our church. “I’m right and I have the Right interpretation of what a Good Christian should look, smell and act like and anything different is wrong, dangerous and probably not a real-Christian.” This is the very thinking that is so pervasive in many of the Christian Production Circles. Now, I guess I have to admit something at this point, I used to work in a Christian bookstore and I grew up going to them often. I listened to Christian Contemporary Music and Christian Radio Stations exclusively. I went to a Christian School and to Church every time the door was open. I’ve lived that life! And now, after all that (including a Biblical Studies degree and a Masters of Divinity) I’m seeing things that I’ve missed.
I’ve missed great music. I’ve missed great thinkers. I’ve missed ideas that could have made me so much deeper of a person. I’ve missed the God-opportunities because I was so “hell-bent” on defending Him and, what I thought, was the right way to follow Him. Now, I look at the church and I see a whole generation that is leaving and leaving quickly. Oh, sure there are a lot of 20-30 somethings that are still coming and are very devoted, but there are also a lot more who think Christians are hateful people who only care about being right. For that reason, I’m going to start something, for years these stores have encouraged – the “boycott” method of following Christ. Boycott Disney, boycott movies, boycott U2 because Bono dropped the f-bomb. Well, I’m not going to this store anymore. I’m not doing it out of anger or out of retaliation. I’m doing it because, for one, I don’t think Jesus would go in. And two, there are people who need Jesus – they don’t need someone to tell them how wrong they are – they need a friend who also is trying to find a working way of life.
Now, I’m not saying we shouldn’t be careful or even have a standard to live by or judge things off of. I am saying that I want to follow Christ and I know that I will have to do so based on interpretations of others and myself, but I want to do so in a way that shows others how incredible this God of ours is. He’s the God who created us. He’s the God who let us fail and then moved heaven and earth to make things right again. He’s the God who offers us a way of living that is very different and is FULL. He’s the God of YES not the God of “don’t do this or don’t do that.”
I think that’s all what Jesus was up to – bringing freedom, brining hope, bringing the Kingdom of Heaven to earth. I noticed while I was reading Matthew the difference in the teaching of John the Baptizer and Jesus yesterday. John says “repent for the Kingdom is at hand.” Jesus says “Repent for the Kingdom is HERE.” Jesus didn’t say Repent and get things all this way and then when you get to heaven eternity will begin. He says, the Kingdom of Heaven is HERE. Repent, teshuvah, is to drop what’s not working and find something different – something life giving. That is Jesus. Turn to me because life is broken and see that the Kingdom of Peace, the Kingdom of God’s Presence, the Kingdom of Hope is here.
See, I’m finding that God is way to big for me to limit Him and when I have him pegged down and figured out – then He has to jump out of His Box. Being right all the time, or having to defend my interpretation of who God is puts God in this box. It’s a box He didn’t create and it’s one He won’t stay in! Living with a God outside of the box is dangerous – it’s mysterious. It’s also the God I want to live for.