Risk

To Risk

To laugh is to risk appearing the fool.

To weep is to risk appearing sentimental.

To reach out is to risk involvement,

To expose feelings is to risk exposing your true self.

To place your ideas and

dreams before a crowd is to risk their loss.

To love is to risk not being loved in return,

To live is to risk dying,

To hope is to risk despair,

To try is to risk failure.

But risks must be taken because

the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.

The person who risks nothing, does nothing,

has nothing, is nothing.

– William Arthur Ward (1921-1994)

Read this on www.artofmanliness.com at the beginning of this week. If you are a man and you have yet to look at this website, I highly suggest it.

So I went to a monastery today...

... and it was really cool. I know it has been a long time since I have posted anything here and I know my last post was actually a quote by a monk, the same monk that will wrap up this post. I've been doing a lot of thinking a lot lately, hence the reason no blogging, and today this quote really struck me right where I have been lately so I figured I would share it. I received this quote on the back of an info card that was placed into my bag of coffee and a St. Francis of Assisi coin which I bought at the monastery gift shop.

My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. No do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope that I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it. Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone -Thomas Merton

"If you love peace, then hate injustice, hate tyranny, hate greed- but hate these things in yourself, not in another." -Thomas Merton

Apologies Americans

As many of you know, I have not always had the best attitude towards the country which I live in. I have often been critical of Americans for the amount of resources that we have and the portion of those resources that find their way into the hands of someone who truly needs them.
For that, I would like to apologize a little.
Over the past few weeks in the wake of the earthquake in Haiti it would appear that America has forgotten about itself somewhat. It has been incredible for me to watch the outpouring of resources to the people of Haiti and the organizations wishing to help the Haitians. Within the first week of the earthquake the Red Cross had raised $10 million on their text messaging campaign alone. Many celebrities came together within a very short amount of time to host a telethon to raise money for relief in Haiti. I do not have exact numbers of funds raised from that telethon, but I'm sure it was/is a very significant amount.
So... Americans, way to go. Way to use the resources that you have to help others out in a huge way. I still have much frustration with how we use many of our resources, but for your response to the earthquake in Haiti I commend you greatly.
Let's keep up the good work and not just give in reaction to major disasters, but may we also give with compassion towards those who live in disastrous conditions day in and day out.

Rich Mullins

I don't know how many of you are familiar with Rich Mullins and his music, but, if you are unfamiliar with him may I suggest a familiarization? I remember hearing some of Rich Mullins music, and I remember hearing about his death in a car accident in 1997. But, at the time, I had no idea what kind of man he was nor what kind of life he lived. So, I will offer this video, one of my favorites that I have found thus far and suggest that you maybe go and look him up. If you have the time and would really like to see some cool stuff go and look up the "Homeless Man" documentary about Rich Mullins on YouTube. There may be another blog post to come about Rich, his music, and his life, but for now, I offer you this...



... also don't judge his music by the semi rough beginning of the song at the end of this clip. While his style may not match the sounds of today, it is still incredibly good in my opinion.

Intellect

The problem with many who claim to be intellectual Christians, those who are not only passionate about God but passionate about serving Him with their mind, is that it seems that many are falling in love with intellect more so than they are falling in love with God. They are busy writing blogs and debating/arguing with anyone who dare disagree with their point of view while they drift farther and farther away from the love of God and closer and closer to the love of their own mind.

Granted, this happens to all of us, myself included. Falling in love with our student ministry and everything that it has to offer while we neglect the root of these ministries. Grooving to the beat of a kick drum acting as if there is no being behind said groove inspiring our creativity. When we deny the true root of our actions, when we deny the loves that we have been called to, love of God and love of neighbor, the things that come out of our mouths start to sound a little ridiculous. When we fall in love with our theories, ideologies, and our own understandings and beliefs about the world around us while denying the one that gives us the ability to think through all of these things we become fools encapsulated in our own futile thinking. When we deny the love of God which in turn denies the love of neighbor, brother, and sister, we lose our place in the world of loving all of those with whom we come into contact.

This past year I had the opportunity to sit under the teachings of one of the country's best theologians for a week. He was incredibly smart, very articulate, and very wrong in how he chose to deal with those in the world that he regularly debated. This professor often debated or spoke out against Richard Dawkins, in fact, most of his arguments for the existence of God were directly related to rebutting the arguments that Dawkins made in his book The God Delusion. At one point in the week however, he made note that during a debate Dawkins was rather foolish and made an "ass" out of himself.

Now I ask, in calling this man an ass, did this professor bring Dawkins any steps closer to redemption? Did this professor exemplify the the kind of attitude toward the lost that he has been called to live by the God that he so passionately defends the existence of? Or, did he merely give in to the system of debate that has been established by the world?

Fast forward to last week. The Evangelical Lutheran Church of America is holding meetings where one of the topics up for discussion is whether or not they will allow practicing homosexuals to be pastors in their churches. During these meetings, a tornado came through the town and broke the steeple of the church where the meetings were being held. I do not know what your view on this is, but, John Piper took the stance that the tornado was a "gentle but firm warning to the ELCA and all of us: Turn from the approval of sin." All of that to say this...

You may disagree with the stance that John Piper took, you may agree with it. But, should you find yourself in disagreement and should you like to express this disagreement please do not cross over the lines laid by intellectualism and resort to name calling. Should you claim to enjoy a nice thought-provoking discussion and should you discuss matters with the foundation that no man has exclusive claim to truth, do not make the claim that you have an understanding of the truth that this man that you disagree with does not have. If you claim to love God, seek to edify your brother in Christ and discuss with him personally your disagreements. But, if you are more in love with intellect stripped of its roots, than by all means simply broadcast to the world that John Piper is an unintelligent ass and be done with the matter.

Who/what do you Love?

Listening

"Listening is a rare happening among human beings. You cannot listen to the word another is speaking if you are preoccupied with your appearance or impressing the other, or if you are trying to decide what you are going to say when the other stops talking, or if you are debating about whether the word being spoken is true or relevant or agreeable. Such matters may have their place, but only after listening to the word as the word is being uttered. Listening, in other words, is a primitive act of love, in which a person gives self to another's word, making self accessible and vulnerable to that word."

William Stringfellow