several years ago now as we deconstructed our culture around the REALM and began to understand what it meant and means to be responsible for creating culture we (the community at the REALM) frequently used a term that began to shape our identity and DNA. the word represented a lifestyle, it encapsulated missional living, and reflected a life of a true genuine learner... a disciple. the word simply was...
BE.
we learned that america was experiencing a huge identity crisis as americans sought to be defined by what we did, what we owned, where we lived, who we hung out with... superficial, plastic identities that changed whenever what we did changed... which was often, if not everyday. the search for significance seems to so elusive that we hide ourselves in anything that seems to have worth.
and so the identity crisis continues...
as a reflection of the gospel we realize that its WHO we are that dictates WHAT we do. BE leads to DO... if DO leads to BE we struggle to remember... we forget who we are. there's power in remembering and it seems that god went to great lengths to remind us to NEVER forget... forget what? to never forget from where he rescued us from... the oppression, the slavery, the margins of society.
so... all these years later and the sequel comes out...
because the word DO(ing) has a negative connotation for me i will replace it with the word OBEDIENCE... as we BE (understanding the story from which we come from... the redemption and continued restoration of the gospel) it naturally produces a life defined by obedience. true hearing always produces a response... obedience that is steeped in LOVE. obedience finds its roots in love. thats why the poor widow gave everything (2 coins) she had, she understood, she loved deeply and richly producing a life of obedience.
so may my life... may our lives... may our community... may the church BE steeped in love so rich and so deep that all we know is obedience.
F
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