Man of Your Word

One of my favorite actors is James Woods.  Seriously.  He has an ability to breathe life into his roles as  if to squeeze tar from a turnip.  He definite is one actor who holds twenty pounds of talent in a ten pound sack.

My minor fascination with him today is the roles he continues to choose. The man James woods portrays is the man I aim to be.  Now I am not so naive as to elude that James Woods is the man he portrays. I am aware, he is an actor.  But his unerring choice of roles that so vividly gives voice to the person I aspire to be, must have an anchor and foothold on his true nature. As is well known, the more you become a behavior, the more that behavior becomes you.  I do not desire to be the man James Woods is, but the man James Woods portrays.

From the first time I was privileged to witness him in Diggstown, to the panache he demonstrated as the villain of The Specialist.  Most recently, his role in the new television show the Shark as a man evolving on the redemption road brings to mind my own meanderings.

In his characters I find myself drawn to a few key constructs.  He is unflinching and resolute regardless of circumstance.  He is adaptive and volatile but with rationale and intent intact and obvious in each endeavor.  Decisive and direct, but not malicious. He pursues with prejudice even the hard choices and continues amidst conflict with comportment. His words speak of the world as it really is, his actions speak of the world as he would have it be.

Resolving the paradoxes and conflicts we each face every day is a challenge for any man, whether  his words are scripted or not.  If in my own walk I were to respond as James Woods would, then I would be the man I would be.

Labels: aspiration, relationships

Recently, I bantered with a colleague about compromise.  That particular conversation was about business but it stuck with me long after.  In the context of faith specifically, I don't understand compromise.  For quite some time now I have been what I call a Practical Absolutist.  I believe in Right and Wrong, Good and Evil.  That's the absolute part.  But I reserve the right to switch them as necessary to keep my world view consistent and myself sane.  That's the practical part.  For example, murder is wrong, capital punishment is not.  Eat healthy, except on vacation. Don't burden other people, but lean on friends.  In my own warped way, this is how I resolve paradox.  In the case of faith, I struggle with how I see the majority settle their discord over salvation.

So often we create ways to talk about our faith without obedience, our walk without perfection, our life with compromise.  We seperate our faith and works to such extent so we can expose our faith while downplaying our failure to produce works.  When pushed even in small ways we lean on grace and forgiveness, claiming freedom through our salvation.  Don't get me wrong, my freedom does come from grace.  My salvation is by grace alone! But that is only first part of the truth.

Let me digress a little on why I split this hair so finely.  The gospel of forgiveness is “...to bring about the obedience of faith...", Romans 1:5. This epistle has forgiveness as a major theme but the conclusion I feel is often overlooked; “...to bring about the obedience of faith...” Romans 16:26.

Faith is not merely an assent, a decision, a recognition. Faith, by its very nature is solely defined by obedience.  Faith can't be something simply talked about (Psalm 50:7-13).  And it should not be merely referred to as a means to classify oneself.

The two major modern evangelical interpretations, dispensationalism and covenant theology both teach that good works accompany genuine faith. In dispensationalism the emphasis is usually upon the work and influence of the Holy Spirit. In covenant theology the emphasis is usually upon the relationship nature of works as a consequence of faith. To my mind, they are both indirectly supportive of this decline from spiritual excellence.

Paul writes twice to the Thessalonians about the “the work of faith” (I Thessalonians 1:3 and 2 Thessalonians 1: 11). Is this not the same as “the obedience of faith” (Romans 1 and 16)?

To my eyes, true faith is not merely accompanied by good works, as if they may or may not be present. True faith is itself the source which produces obedience. If we have true saving faith, it causes us to lead a life of faithfulness. Our life of faithfulness produces obedience because of the essence and nature of what faith is.

Labels: aspiration

I've been a little busy to keep my posts flowing, but The View From Her has been doing an excellent job stimulating dialogue lately.  As I was visiting family this weekend I kept getting the probing questions and suggestions about relationships and women in general.  In all honestly, I'm just not at a place where that is a priority for me right now.  I'm in a very self-centered place with work and other things going on.  Being aware of this, I've been deliberately not thinking about the whole relationships and dating thing.  Having it pushed back in my face repeatedly, regardless of how good-intentioned, was more of a nuisance than I was ready to accept.

As I caught up on my blog reading, I noticed the theme of physicality and sex pervading the posts.  That's cool, I kind of expect it from a writer with as much focus on male/female relationships as Her.  But I can't help but wonder if pushing us to consider our views and perspectives on physicality and sex on a continuous basis is healthy.  Don't get me wrong, I find the posts and discussion on these subjects as interesting as the next guy.  But for someone trying to keep God at the center of my thoughts, and not be continually impacted by sexual desires, it frustrated me a little.

Can't the non-sexual aspects of interpersonal dynamics be as intriguing and frought with pitfalls?  Or is sex really 99% of the issue with the relationships even in the Christian community?  (That last was rhetorical, I'm not that naive.)

I guess the seed of my post came from asking the question to myself...  "She seems so savy and in the know, where's the depth I've so greatly appreciated in keeping my Walk matching my Talk?"  Rough I know, but that's just how I roll.

Perhaps I need to remember that even the ones who seem to have it so together still face the same struggles.  Or maybe, the reason they seem to have it so together is because they actually face the same struggles head-on. Could it be that addressing this area that is most troublesome in such a persistent fashion is the key to practical success for this area?  Maybe she's on to something with this...

Point taken, here's some slack.

Labels: aspiration, relationships

So I'm growing. I can deal with that.

During this process of self-examination I continue to be faced with the stark reality of my isolation. Walking by faith becomes a straight-forward exercise when you surround yourself with God-fearing counselors who will unabashedly bounce your commentary and actions back to you as needed. Working on the road, amidst the decidely unreligious, makes me strain against my relativistic leash.

One of the key things that I find help my walk align my talk is striving for an undivided heart. Perhaps I'm just helped by the visualization, but knowing my heart and my motivations is how I keep my clarity and sanity in the world gone mad. It is common today to rationalize ways to accommodate our faith to the culture we imbibe. This is contrary to our identification in scripture as "a peculiar people." As disciples we have been sent out “like lambs among the wolves.” I'm not sure about you, but that would sure be easier for me if wool didn't make me itch.

Living with an undivided heart and an open mind is hard but I've found two aids to keep the walk and the talk in sync. Be deliberate and be articulate.

Deliberate
Knowing your heart and motivations is crucial to keeping on the straight and narrow. It is a necessity if you want your mind to be open to the world around you. The early Christans had this same problem when their monastic and ascetic faith was suddenly overtaken by rich, successful Roman Christians. The Roman Christians really wanted to find a way to live their faith, without giving up their influence in the world that was enacted through money and relationships. The new Roman Christians wanted to party and be faithful and the figured if their heart was in the right place, why wouldn't that be okay? It's the same rationalization I've heard over and over. I for certain have used it myself.

For much of life I have no problem with this, especially when it comes to interpersonal issues. You have to have an open mind about style, taste, and comfort level. If you link your own ideals of behavior, dress, adornment, worship-style, or whatever to maturity and depth of faith then you remove your ability to be impactful on those around you. Simply put, you stop being in the world. There is no excuse for elitism or formality in faith and God-following. I'll save the extremes of this (tolerance, relativism) for another post.

Articulate
The earlier Christians had a problem with this blind rationalization which Paul argued for them. The crux of the argument is that the rationalizations can't be done in a vacuum. You still have to be able to interact and communicate those things you are being deliberate about with those around. For example, Paul urged them to consider if another weaker Christian might be led astray by this action. He wrote, “by your knowledge those weak believers for whom Christ died are destroyed.” I'm personally not too keen on destruction so this would be a side-effect of my walk I'd rather avoid.

Being articulate isn't just about being able to tell others your story, your intentions, or about your faith and reasoning. It goes beyond your actual communication and speaks to the transparency of your life. You shouldn't have to actually defend your beliefs and movitations, they should be crystalline and obvious even to the casual observer. Don't shoot me, I know that's incredibly hard, and it continues to be my challenge daily. Thankfully Christ understood this intimately and gave us Scripture and Spirit.

In my own world-view, it is being deliberate which keeps me impacting my world (living in it), but it is being articulate which keeps me seperate from the world (not of it).  Maybe as you stew on this, you'll find your own ways to express how you straddle this particular razor.

In truth, I could write and write about the undivided heart and about being deliberate and articulate ad nauseum. This particular post is just to start giving the concepts some structure and start some thinking. Future posts will address and expound on these topics. I'd appreciate any feedback to guide this study.

Labels: aspiration

Another day begins and with it the frantic pace of daily life swings into full gear. We each prepare to engage in the activities that seem to rule our lives -- commuting, caring for children, working, going to meetings, shopping, paying bills, running errand, planning parties, working out, phoning family members, cooking, cleaning, and so forth…. Instinctively we feel and readily admit that we are over-committed. And yet somehow when we look at the roles we play and the tasks of each role, the very idea of reducing our responsibilities seems unlikely bordering on impossible.

As long as there were no roads, you had to interrupt a journey at nightfall. Then you had all the leisure in the world to recite psalms at the inn, to open a book, and to have a good talk with one another. But nowadays you can ride on these roads day and night and there is no peace any more.
-- Tales of the Hasidim

This constant exertion towards activity opens us further to the madness of consumerism and materialistic living.  An infinite cycle of weariness leading to openness to the promises of merchants and peddlers. Their subtle web persuades us that buying just one more thing, one more item, will relieve the pressure of our responsibilities that feel so burdensome and take so much of our time. All the modern conveniences, and at the end of the day, we still feel the assault. Our body is exhausted and our souls are empty. We lack the sense of significance and fulfillment that we thought we were supposed to have in life. We have misunderstood the role of activity in life.

Which Way Is Up Again?
Our model of activity and business is hardly new. Often, this ascribed solely to the compromises of living in the modern world. Sure we take phone calls about work in the middle of dinner, but that's just the trade-off for the convenience of a cell phone, right? We get bombarded with offers for Viagra, mortgages, and from helpful Nigerian millionaires, but that is balanced out by the convenience of email.  While we naturally assume that this is a modern issue, Jesus addressed this same concern centuries ago.

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!

"Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.
--Luke 10-38-42

What a profound answer! Jesus was not proposing that we all sit around and do nothing. He was pointing out that we shouldn't allow business and activity to steal away the best part of life.

Sometimes just getting things done is a necessary part of life, but it is only a single aspect of the experience that is life. We need activities and we need accomplishment, but not at the expense of our relationships. The story about Mary and Martha should remind us that being over-committed is not about time, it is about our faith, about our growth, about our relationships.

A Story
A man was walking down the street and saw a lady weaving. She was so focused on the weaving that she didn't even look up as he drew near. The man said a cheerful hello and asked what she was making. The lady simply muttered that she did not have time to talk. But the man was insistent and again asked her what she was making. The lady refused to even look up, she just kept right on weaving and mumbled something about interruptions. The man tried again and still could not inspire a reaction. Finally, the man said simply, "Everything that you are worried about is in God's hands. You need only look to Him with reverance and be amazed." At this, the lady glanced up from her work and for just an instant she was reverently amazed.

The quickest way I know to keep faith vibrant and robust is to look up with reverence and be amazed. The most efficient way to grow in strength, is to worship.

If you see me on my knees, it's not because I'm weak.  I'm getting stronger.
-- Bob Carlisle

Nothing stops the onslaught from the world around us.  We will continue to be asked to take on new roles and responsibilities.  We will continue to look for ways to eliminate unnecessary activity in your life. We will continue to commit and to perform.  As you exert in your activities, ask yourself this:

• Is this activity making me less or making me more?
• Is this activity deepening my relationships or diminishing them?

Labels: aspiration

If you were going to be caught in your worst failure, who would you want to catch you?

For myself, I'd want someone who would treat me as gently as Jesus treated the woman at the well. I think His interaction in that particular situation models how Believers are called to live, and how spiritual leadership should be exercised. Funny enough this has significant spill-over into the practicalities of everyday leadership as well.

One of my current struggles revolves around being gentler, more soft-spoken, perhaps even tactful if the planets happen to align properly. In the midst of my becoming, wouldn't you know I come face to face with an environment in which a delicate touch and mild manner are at the same time both necessary and onerous. Fortunately, this post isn't really about my current situation, my sincere apologies for the tangent.. [Editors note: no llama's were harmed in the writing of this post.]

A common thread I find in both the secular and spiritual environments is "How does leadership function in a relationship-driven environment?". When taken specifically from a spiritual perspective this is often linked with the notion of Relational Christianity. In this context alone, the question brings to light two significant issues with our perception of church and organized religion. Since I'm not really writing about secular leadership (prior tangential paragraph excluded) let's stick with the spiritual aspects.

First, this question clearly shows how we are so dependent on the leadership of men and women that we lose our ability to function without it. This is quite tragic actually. You see, if our dependency isn’t in Christ we will never discover the power and simplicity of being truly faithful.

Before you get your knickers in a twist, I'm not suggesting that if you subscribe to a leadership doctrine or an organized religion that you are somehow not a Believer. I am simply implying that to be a living richly, sold-out, on-fire, at-peace, on-your-feet, free-to-dance, all-you-have-to-do-is-fall, God-Follower...you can't really afford to get to wrapped up in an organization structure per se.

The second issue brought to light with this question is how our perception of leadership is so imbedded in managing or controlling institutions that we cannot recognize it without titles or positions.

The protest at this point usually involves the leadership evidenced in the early church. I am by no means contesting this point. Leaders must exist, leadership must always be exercised. This point is well and truly conceded. My dissent requires asking the question, "What kind of leaders were they?".

You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. -- Mark 10:42-45

We read here clearly how Jesus warned His disciples that in God’s reality leadership serves a vastly different function than it does in the world. The crux of this difference is because spiritual leadership is not based on management. Take a walk through Barnes and Nobles and see how many books on Christian leadership today are supposedly adapted to the business world. This alone should make us stop and question how the popular view of leadership has been tainted.

The Gospel portrait of leadership doesn’t portray leadership as the power to command, but instead it is the passion to serve others. My own views on leadership have matured over the years away from viewing leadership as power, influence, or even giftedness. Thinking on my own life I came to realize that those who have helped me most to grow, didn’t hold positions of power at all. They simply loved me enough to point out the way to God’s heart and then let me decide if I wanted to follow it. In my walk today I notice how it is those who have been most transformed with a Godly character who disregard the power of the Religion I once thought so essential to furthering the kingdom. It is these Faithful who reject anything that doesn’t reflect the child-like freedom to walk together in right relationship with the Father.

Considering my own walk and reviewing the life experiences of those I respect, a subtle truth emerges. Those who most effectively function in leadership don’t need titles, salaries or positions of authority. On the contrary, those things only distract from a true calling. Those who have been called to effective leadership know there is an inherent conflict between spiritual authority and institutional power.

Today people qualify for leadership in our religious institutions based on their educational background or eloquence. They are hired for Biblical knowledge or for their ability to draw a crowd. We recruit for positions from those who can manage a vision or motivate people to help achieve the organizational goals. If they draw a salary from a religious organization, if they have a title, we believe them to be leaders even if their lives don’t reflect a walk with Christ. We now have an entire industry of seminaries and educational programs to "prepare" people to lead our Religions.

The Gospel describes leadership as being evidenced by a transformed life. A life lived in daily, right, relationship with Christ. Leadership in the early church had nothing to do with what gifts a person possessed or lacked. It mattered only that their character had been transformed in a visible way. They began to treat others with truth and tenderness, just as Jesus did.

This in no way downplays the importance of wise counsel and teaching. The crucial perspective is to realize the fleetingness of it. The role of a leader is only temporary, helping as needed, then returning to the permanent role as brother or sister.

But you are not to be called "Rabbi", for you have only one Master and you are all brothers. And do not call anyone on earth "father", for you have one Father, and He is in heaven. Nor are you to be called "teacher", for you have one Teacher, the Christ.The greatest among you will be your servant. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. -- Matthew 23: 8-12

This doesn't leave much to interpretation does it? That is one of the things I love most about Scripture. When put so simply, it becomes obvious what leadership is not. It can be less obvious what leadership is.

The best piece of advice I've ever distilled usually comes out when talking about being successful in life in general. As is often the case, that same piece of advice is what I have found to be crucial to spiritual leadership as well.

When you are about your business of life, it should be clear what you are doing, why you are doing it, and you should be able to communicate clearly about it. If you are doing something you can't or don't want to talk about publicly, you probably shouldn't be doing it. If you can't explain why you are doing something, or your intentions aren't obvious, then there is a good chance you need to reconsider your motivations. Of course there is place for discretion, and everyone doesn't need to be all up in your business, but in general I've found those three little words to be a handy measure of whether my Walk and my Talk are lining up.

Labels: aspiration

The following is an excerpt I ripped off from Charles Swindoll one of my favorite authors. Perhaps later, I'll grace you with another piece that I wrote. For now, his words suffice.

The longer I live the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other poeple think, or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make a break a company...a church...a home.

The remarkable think is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past. We cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play the one string we have, and that is our attitude.

I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it.

- Chuck Swindoll

Labels: aspiration

My good friend Stephen and I have had an ongoing conversation for the last several months about (among other things) money. Okay, it's really more about cycle of salvation and whether the saved can become less-so. But we tend to wander and weave whenever we repartee.

The background is that Stephen made a bit of coin as a businessman, and is continuing to improve his financial situation through savy deals and wise management. As I can attest, once you've acquired some monetary success, you tend to become a bit of a target. The ramifications of these new relationships will truly change your world view.

In this particular dialogue, the parable of the rich young ruler was naturally brought up. We discussed how the issue with this particular fellow wasn't the rich part or the young part or the ruler part. It was that he was holding something back in his spiritual life. That the rich part (and maybe the ruler part?) were impacting his ability to give of himself completely. If you want your whole soul saved, you need to give up your whole old soul first. [Editors note: don't shoot me for the theological inconsistencies with that last phrase, I just liked how it sounded. Stay focused now.]

As we both so politically agreed that there is no problem with having money or nice things, I found it necessary to share my true perspective on the problem. One that isn't very politic, bordering on heretical. You see, I don't believe it is possible to follow God, live by faith, and have wealth. Yes, I you heard me. I said it. You can't be rich and in right relationship with God. That is honestly what I believe to be the only message to be derived from Scripture. Of course, that's not all I believe.

Before you fly off the handle, let me lay out the whole foundation for you. You see, just because a person cannot be wealthy and live by faith, doesn't mean they can't control wealth. This subtle distinction is what makes world-changing by believers a practical reality. We can have big companies that make a profit. We can have huge charities that change the world. We can have lobbies and pay for politics. We can throw parties, create television programming, build publishing houses and construct huge housing developments. But individually, our responsibility in living by faith is to never be wealthy. Remember, this is just what I believe.

So how does this play out in practice? Stephen had the answer. He called it the Walking Non-Profit. Make as much money as you want, invest in the company as much as you need. Be TRULY successful. But in your own life, make sure the balance sheet is run like a non-profit. Other than what you need, make sure the rest goes back to those who do need it. For example, a faithful CEO should never receive more income than the amount the company spent on benefits for all the other workers combined. That's how the world runs today. Do a little research and you will see that story continually replayed. I posted some stats from Forbes in an earlier post.

As we meandered around this subject it was really refreshing to me to actually be able to share something I truly feel with someone I thought would truly understand. Unfortunately, this is more rare with me than I'd like to admit. I don't like hearing my buddies talking about how little effort is involved with finding dates. It annoys me to watch someone who dances so much better than I do it so effortless while urging me, "It's easy!". People don't want to hear an accomplished person saying things are easy. They don't want to see someone they view as wealthy talking about giving it away. It just comes off as condescending and fake. Nobody believes in altruism anymore. Even the ones who say the do, are so hardened by abuses they've suffered, that their default response is disbelief and cynicism. This is one of many reasons I find that I keep my real opinions to myself and just offer blind encouragement.

Of course, no one wants to hear that God-Followers can't be rich either. We need the dream, the fantasy, the false-hope. We need to believe that someday we might have fortune or fame. Our adult ADHD means we can't simply be satisified in a life of service. No one aspires to the title of Servant anymore. Alas.

Labels: aspiration

One of my young friends has been struggling with a relationship lately. The heart of the issue is the dilemma over walking the path of integrity which is hard, and succumbing to the comfortable simplicity of "just getting along".

A great example of this dilemma and how easy it is to be seduced is found in thechief priests and Pharisees who were troubled about Christ. For them, the concern wasn't whether He was preaching the truth and obeying God. Had that been the only wrinkle they could have politely turned their heads. Instead it was what He was doing while He was preaching that created the predicament for them.

When Lazarus came to life and walked out of the tomb they asked themselves:


Out of fear for their position, out of desire to not raise the ire of the Romans, they decided to avoid trouble by killing Him. These were just human men. Faced with a rather obvious choice, in retrospect, it's easy to point fingers and hold high the standard. But how often do we neglect, reason out, or explain away parts of God's word because of what might happen to us?

Have you, like I have, ever been afraid to properly emphasize some features of the Word because of how it might be recieved. I've certainly glossed over areas of spirituality and belief out of desire to widen my appeal (or simply not offend!).

In my own life, I've reasoned out and legitimized all sorts of behaviors and choices. In what way am I different from those leaders who ignored the actions of the Christ to save their own lifestyles? A proper fool am I then, that I refuse to trust the one in whom I place my salvation.

Of course, I'm not all awash in fickleness and simplicity. Often times I've steeled myself as should be and left the results to God. The trick then is continuing in that behavior, the strength of which I infrequently partake. As a true servant I must ask first what is right, and only then apply it to my desires. As follower of Christ I should be the least trammeled by what others may think or say or do. As a servant of the Most High it no longer matters whether any one else believes and teaches what I teach or not, or whom it offends or confirms, as long as God said it.

Labels: aspiration

In downtown Denver there are these free buses that travel up and down the main street. They are a wonderful way to let the crowded downtown area spread out a little without making everyone walk forever to get anywhere. Personally, I enjoy them most at lunch time because it means I can visit restaurants quite a distance from the office with very little effort.

It's been snowing in Denver and very cold. So naturally the buses are a little crowded. The other day I as I was riding the bus I was paying attention to my own behavior as we pulled into a crowded stop. There were a dozen people who wanted on this bus and we were full. As I looked around I thought "Where are they going to fit?" And then right away I felt myself stiffen up. They weren't going to get my space! When they began to push and push I started pushing back. The harder I was pushed, the more effort I put into trying to just stand in my own little space.

Pushing back is natural. It's almost patriotic. The notion that "I've got my space and you can't take it." is fundamental to our culture. In fact, I've heard it referred to as common sense. Just a little preventive measure to ensure that someone doesn't invade your space. Let's face it, you got there first, you should keep your space.

If you consider a while you realize that we carry this behavior with us not just physically but mentally as well. We do it in our families and our jobs and even in our churches. Someone pushes on you, push back.

Of course, that's not how Jesus did it. Zaccheus was in the tree, the crowd was pushing. Instead of pushing him away, Jesus asked to come into his space. The same with the woman at the well, and woman at Simon's dinner party. He invited them into his space and was willing to enter theirs.

The more I've thought about it, the more believe that's one of the reasons people crowded around Jesus so much.  Have you ever met someone who didn't push on you? Who instead said, "Come on in. Share it with me."? Those are the people you want to hang out with. These are the people that don't make you feel guilty, that make you feel accepted.

A good example of how Jesus dealt with boundaries is the story of when Simon had a dinner party. Back then a dinner party was not a closed-door operation. You see, the houses sort of surrounded an open inner patio. They didn’t really use chairs, so they were just lying around on pillows and stretching their feet being comfortable. Because of this openness in the homes of the day, people could walk in, listen to the conversation for a few minutes, and then walk out and continue with their day.

This dinner party is underway and here comes the lady in the story, just wandering in. She kneels down at Jesus' feet, and begins to cry. Then she takes her little vial of perfume, something that many Jewish women carried.  And she pours the whole thing on his feet so that the whole place begins to smell. Then she does one of the most embarrassing and inappropriate things a woman of that culture could do. She pulls the combs out of her hair, and her long hair falls down all over his feet. Finally she begins to wipe her tears and the perfume with her hair.

Okay, so the hair thing doesn't seem like such a big deal to us today, but have to consider it in context. In that day, when a girl got married, she put her hair up, and it never came down again in public. In fact, many married men during that time never saw their wives with their hair down. I'm sure you've heard the expression "Go on, let your hair down!". In those times, it had a richer meaning.

In any case, here this woman is, letting her hair down. Instead of enforcing the boundary and insisting on appropriateness, Jesus allows her into His space. Not only does he allow her into His space, He affirms that she is an important person. The implication is that because she is important to Him, she should be considered the same by everybody at the party.

Jesus broke down the boundaries. We love boundaries. We like boundaries for our property, our space, even with our love. We say, "I can't give my love away. If I give my love away to people like that, it'll run out. I won't have enough for my family or my friends!". The truth is that the more love you give away, the more you've got to give. It always happens that way.

I noticed a funny thing about those buses I ride every day. They are very crowded and you often have to put your hand on the ceiling, because there's not even a strap you can reach. But after you've been riding for a minute or two, you turn your head and notice that in the middle of the train there is plenty of space. Of course, nobody is going to move that way and give up their space.

Labels: aspiration