If you read the post below about the rich young ruler dude, here’s a little addendum to the story: the end.

Yep, that’s it.  We never hear another word about our denarii addicted friend.  After a few short sentences, barely even a paragraph — The end.

Contrast that with Peter.  Jesus showed up in his life, asked him to make some major adjustments, and he did.  And his story continued.

Later, Peter blew it (many times).  But, he corrected his mistake(s)… and his story continued… across multiple books (bunches of them).

We all make mistakes.  For some, the mistake of not letting go of “that” takes a bit longer to correct.  But hopefully we do… and the magnificent story of our lives continues to be written… volumes.

What’s the title of the next chapter in your biography?

So this dude found Jesus and asked him what he needed to do to truly be one of Jesus’ people.  Jesus answered his question with a quick Cliff Notes version of the Ten Commandments.  The dude replied that he had done all of those things since he was a child.  Then, in very Yoda-esque fashion, Jesus replied, “You still lack one thing.”

It seems this dude had a problem with money, a heart-level problem.  He was wealthy.  To boot, he was a person with authority.  And, he was young.  A rich young ruler.  He was living the 21st century American man’s dream.  He probably had all the right robes, sandals for every occassion, and the best of camels to carry him around. 

Today wasn’t his day though.  Jesus jacked him all up when he said, “Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.  Then come follow me.”

In one short conversation, Jesus cut to Rich’s core.  And Rich “became very sad” perhaps because he knew he was busted.  Maybe he even knew he would be broke forever unless he let go of his addiction to denarii. 

“Come on, Jesus.  I have kept the commandments… since I was a kid.  And I’m here now, seeking to be an even better person.  But not that…”

So… let’s turn the story around on ourselves.  We have been good people, right?  We’ve been following God’s ways as best we know how, right?  So what if one day, Jesus looked us square in the eyes and said, “What about that?”

What’s “THAT” for you?

(Luke 18:18-25)

Over the last several months, I’ve had the opportunity to talk with several recovering alcoholics.  The conversations are most always fascinating.  Last week, the topic hovered around what to do when you don’t think you can make it through the day without a drink.  After several minutes of around the room discussion, I think it was concluded that you ditch the day and just focus on the next hour.  If even that seems undoable, then come at it in five minute increments.  

And during those minutes, we concluded that you gotta get the principles of the program pumping through your cranium.  

And during that pumping process, you gotta hold tight to your Higher Power… or none of it will work.

The genius great thing about all of this is:  If you keep it up, the minutes become hours, and those hours become days… and the old habit of drinking becomes a new habit of not drinking… and you discover that you have indeed changed (the 12th Step).

Good stuff… but I got to wondering if this plan could be applied… to being a Christ-follower.

It’s not a breeze to be one of His.  We wanna be… and we wanna be on task all the time… but we struggle against a disease called sin.  It’s a butt-kicker of a malady, coming at us from every angle… often and ferociously, much like the disease of alcoholism.

Possible solution: Fight back one minute at a time… five minutes… an hour… a day.  And in the process of fighting for righteousness’ sake, new habits replace old, and you become that new person you want to be.

And how?  Fill your mind with the principles of The Program and hold tight to The Higher Power.

How many of you get to cranking through your day… and then realize that you forgot about Christ back there somewhere?  Put Him in your minutes… and hours… and days.

“Hi, my name is Matt.  I’m addicted to Jesus.”

You?

Alright, so beat this:

For the last two weeks, I have been studying ferociously for a biology assessment test.  It’s one of those beloved things you must pass in order to take the next step down the road to becoming a nurse.  It’s been a bear, since the last biology class I took was in 1993.  Anyhow, I tackled it head on, took the test on Tuesday, and felt pretty good about it.  Then today, Brett was telling me about a video he showed the youth group at church.  It was about laminin, a protein.  It is especially good at connecting to other molecules in the body and is vital to making sure overall body structures hold together.  As Brett was telling me the story, I kinda knew what he was talking about.  Then, the slammer: Laminin is shaped like a cross.  Yes, that’s right, a cross.  This cross-shaped molecule holds you and me together.  Are you smelling what I’m cooking?  Jesus, man, Jesus… holds us together.  Dude.  His imprint is everywhere.

So all of that is cool enough, right?  Then, before dinner tonight I was sharing this nifty discovery with my Mr. Science Guy Middle Schooler oldest child.  I’m anticipating he’s gonna dig it because he’s a spiritual giant in the making and a science mad man.  

So, he’s with me.  Listening intently.  Getting excited as my enthusiasm grows with each sentence of the story.  Then, … wham: “I think you’re talking about a video from Louie Giglio.  Mom got it for me when she went to Passion last year.”

Well alrighty then, I guess I am.

Two God-given opposable thumbs up to the mom who knows her kids and nurtures their spirituality with excellence.  

(And p.s. I got a letter in the mail just now from the college — I passed the test!)

(For the short version of Giglio’s message, go here.)

I was reading Mark’s book the other day and came across an interesting story.  A bunch of people brought a blind man to Jesus and asked him to touch him.  Jesus took the man away from the group and did just that.  When Jesus asked the man what he saw, he said, “I see people; they look like trees walking around.”  Strange.  It seems that everything was out of focus.  So, Jesus touched the man’s eyes again and his sight was fully restored.  He saw everything clearly.

So, why did it take two times for the man’s blindness to be overcome?  
Was it just an off day for miracles?

Or…

Maybe the man was blind AND had TreePeople Disease.  He needed multiple healings in order to truly see clearly.  The first touch remedied his blindness and the second touch cured his inability to see people as Christ does.

I think some Christ-followers need the second touch because we too suffer from TreePeople Disease.  Sure, we see other people around us, but they are no more significant than a tree.   We walk right past them without even noticing.  And when one does get in our way, we chop it down.  

People are not walking trees.  See them like Christ sees them.

Remember that story in the Bible about Jesus turning water into wine?  You know, the one where he’s at a wedding with the boys.  The festivities were well under way and then the wine started to run low.  Bad form.  Serious party foul.  Mom mentioned the problem to Jesus, in that mom sort of way.  Then, Jesus told her that it was really none of his business.  Then, without another word, Mary turned to the waiters and said, “Do whatever he tells you.”  (Some people’s moms…)  So he said and they did and bam, about 150 gallons of water became fine wine… and the wedding went on without a hitch.

I wonder why Jesus did that?  

For his first recorded miracle, why did he make alcohol?

Mom gave him a nudge.  He pushed back a bit.  But then he kicked off his crusade to save the world.  He went public with his powers at a party.  What did his Father have to say about all of this?

There must have been a ton of people there since he made so much wine.

Did he see something special in the bride and groom?

Maybe those newlyweds were eternally impacted by his kindness.  And his message.  Maybe they would go on to contribute immmensely to his cause.  

Maybe he knew their hearts and how in love they were… and thus there was reason for celebration.

Who was getting married anyway?

Maybe the servants needed to see the Messiah.

I wonder if there’s more to the story than the wine making.  Sometimes we get so lost on the wine part that we forget the people parts.

Thoughts?

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Found this list on the Internet:

Pursue HER with your:
1. conversation
2. thoughfulness 
3. affection
4. protection 

Pursue HIM with your:
1. admiration 
2. reassurance 
3. support
4. nakedness 

Anybody know what any of that is about?