1 Samuel 1:17 “Then Eli answered, ‘Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition that you have made to him.’”

Sounds like a solid response coming from a priest to a woman pleading with her Lord. But if you think about it… it’s an interesting response. If only Eli knew.

Imagine the scene. Hannah is heart broken, pouring her herself out, begging God to grant her a child. Eli walks up and accuses her of being drunk. I understand why Eli would jump to that conclusion. But that’s a completely different post. Eli’s response to Hannah is what leaps out to me. He blesses her request for a child. Sounds noble. Sounds like the very thing a priest should do. But little did he know the prayer he blessed was for the child that (one day) would replace him as priest.

We know little about Eli. What we do know does not reflect well on his skills as a priest. There’s a lot we could assume. I’m not spending time on that here. But I find the irony amazing. Let’s pretend Eli’s response was just a rote response that he made to the many people that filtered through that temple at Shiloh. “Shalom. Go in peace. May your request be granted. blah, blah, blah.” Is there a hint of boredom in his reply?

Once again, we have little information about how Eli treated his ministry as priest of Shiloh. We only receive glimpses. If we delve deeply enough will it reveal a man with a passive attitude toward his role? Just going through the motions with no focus, no intensity and no passion.

Can’t last long. Eventually God replaces you. He replaces you with someone that has a passion for His Presence, for His Word, for His Glory. And he just may do it with a little irony.

You read it. What do you see?

Check out this post from DJ Chuang. Sure wish I’d invested in Starbucks a few years ago!

I’m half way through the book Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claiborne. I don’t recommend it to anyone unless you’re prepared to be stretched.

Shane lives his life in the margins surrounded by the working poor of Philadelphia. He’s not living in the suburbs with a wife, kids and a puggle. He’s not on the corporate fast-track. He spends his time tutoring kids that come visit the house. He shares his food with the single mom next door. He lives in true community with those that cross his path. I am in awe of his willingness to drop everything and follow Jesus.

There are some stances he takes with which I don’t agree. But I’m not sure if it’s me making a decision based upon God’s Word and His movement in my spirit… or if it’s just my selfish response wanting to defend how I live my life because my paradigm is being stretched too much.

Although I don’t believe Shane suggests everyone living in suburbia should sell their homes and move to the inner-city, I think he’s begging anyone that will listen to share a fraction of what we horde with those in need. By doing so there will be far less in need.

In the end, we’ll find greater satisfaction in the giving. And we’ll likely find that we gain more in the process.

Something to chew on…

Have you seen the new website, Satan Hates Life?  What a kick!

These bilboards are going up in a variety of different cities.  Check it out!

Way too much coffee.  But if it weren’t for the coffee, I’d have no identifiable personality whatsoever.  ~David Letterman

I can identify with Letterman.

I added a new page!  Check out ‘My Family’ page!

Found a website to make incredible slide shows.   Check it out.

“The best marketers… don’t assault, they don’t demand; instead, they earn attention.” Seth Godin, Small Is the New Big, pg 151.

I’m not a marketer. I work in kids ministry.

That’s a simple cop-out. Actually, I am a marketer. Not by profession but certainly by trade. I market Jesus to kids. I market discipleship to parents. I market the concept that kids are designed to be world-changers and have a greater understanding of selflessness than most adults.

So how can I avoid assaulting parents with these concepts? But rather earn their attention? How do I turn it around to where parents are watching to see what LifeKIDS is going to do, what LifeKIDS is going to say, where LifeKIDS is headed next? Rather than chasing them down, begging them to read the website?

What is LifeKIDS doing to earn their attention? The current buzzword is Remarkable. So what is LifeKIDS doing that is Remarkable? As much as I hate to admit… Our kids space is no longer the Purple Cow. Not to everyone. To the one walking in the door for the first time… taking in the space… one thought spinning in their mind… “This is church?”. Yeah… it’s still the Purple Cow. But for our long time attenders… it’s old hat. They’ve seen it a thousand times. It’s still neat. But it’s no longer Remarkable.

I can’t get past the idea that the Remarkable is found in the people. In the Guest Services team that gets down on their knee to be eye level with the kids. It’s the Cast Member that greets that kid at the door by name. It’s the cards that are mailed out to the kids… just because. The relationships must be Remarkable.

I see pockets of it. Glimpses of the Remarkable. But it must be wide-spread. It must be the norm… not the anomoly.

For kicks, let’s pretend these Remarkable interactions are the norm. Does that earn attention? Will it cause parents to pay attention to LifeKIDS? Will it cause them to dig deeper into resources that just might transform their family?

Hmmmm…

I’m a fly.

A silly, tiny, clueless fly that flitters around a window banging against it knowing that freedom lies on the other side of the glass but absolutely powerless to get there.

I know freedom is found in Jesus. I know the fresh, sweet breath of Christ is found on my knees. But I continue to beat against that window that seperates me from freedom in Christ insisting that maybe one more body slam will break through this barrier.

Won’t happen. I need my Savior to show me the crack. The little hole to slip through where freedom, peace and life are found.

Chewing through ‘small is the new big’. Chewing because this is not a book you just read. You have to read a little… digest… then read some more.

Here are some nuggets I highlighted…

“The best marketers… don’t assault, they don’t demand; instead, they earn attention.” pg 151

“Here’s a neat way to invent a new Purple Cow. Figure out what the always is. Then do something else… Figure out what the always is, then do exactly the opposite. Do the never.” pg 151

“The challenge of being remarkable is being fast enough and brave enough to embrace the new, not just to rely on being the only.” pg 153

Good stuff… now how do I put feet to this?

What eats away at you? What do you get so fired up about it makes you wanna’ spit? What is your holy discontent?These questions run through my mind and I start scribbling. My holy discontent is the lack of community that exists within the church. My younger sister is living her life as far away from Jesus as you can imagine… and yet she lives in community better than I do! She can tell you the names of her neighbors down her entire street. She knows their kids. And their kids’ kids. On Tuesdays she makes spaghetti and her neighbors to the north come over for dinner. On Thursdays the neighbors make lasagna and everyone is over at their house.

I waive to my neighbor as I pull into the garage… close the door… and retreat to my nice, cozy, comfortable home where I don’t have to be bothered by another’s burden. ow

Referring to the bible, Rich Mullins once said, “I guess that’s why God invented highlighters, so we can highlight the parts we like and ignore the rest.”

So what do I do with this? Just remain discontent believing that nothing will change? Or do I change something in myself? Change my routine. Hang out outside with the kids playing. Offer to help my neighbor landscape her yard. Invite them for dinner. Doesn’t have to be much. Tackle it one neighbor at a time.

We’re having spaghetti tomorrow night!