Apprentice 2 Jesus

We allow exploitation of the poor and accept letting powerful people get away with it

The story continues to unfold about Brett Favre, former QB of the Green Bay Packers (whose fans now insist he was QB of the Vikings last. Sorry, poor attempt at humor). He made sure funds were earmarked from the state to go to two pet projects of his. One was to the University of Southern Mississippi (his alma mater) and another pot of gold to a startup he in which he was an investor.

Correction: in directing state funds, what ended up happening was those dollars were funneled from a pot intended to help the poorest of the poor. And, yes, he knew about it.

The “baked in” racism that still exists

The Alabama state constitution was re-formed in 1901. It is the longest constitution anywhere in the United States and it “bakes in” racist language that is STILL THERE. For those who accuse others of “erasing” history, I would challenge them to understand history MORE FULLY.

Idols that need destroying

“Awakening to love can happen only as we let go of our obsession with power and domination.” — bell hooks

You have to knock over a few idols along the way. The gods of this age are controlling. They have a chokehold in all that we do in every institution existing in our culture. When you go after power and domination, an avalanche rushes back at you. Yet, these idols must fall. It is our ruin to embrace these gods!

We need a love ethic… but we want power and domination.

Everything is on fire

This podcast with Brian Zahn has been something that is sinking deep into my soul. Zahn has a story at the end about the fire at Notre Dame that stirred me and calls me to keep following Jesus no matter what.

I need to absorb this stance Zahn describes deep into my life. This is “last third living.”

Conversation with Brian Zahnd Part 2

The centering place of Christ and love

“My belief that God is love — that love is everything, our true destiny — sustains me. I affirm these beliefs through daily meditation and prayer, through contemplation and service, through worship and loving kindness.” — bell hooks, All About Love

Evangelical orthodoxy centers on one thing… and it’s not Jesus

Nor is it the Bible. Two things I grew up believing deeply, Jesus and the Bible, turns out, in practice, NOT to be the centering thoughts of our American evangelical lives.

And there is data.

The poor and the powerful

People who don’t go to jail for exploiting the poor. Among them now is former NFL QB Brett Favre. He took huge amounts of money from the state of Mississippi that was earmarked for welfare programs. He then helped funnel $5 million from that fund to help build a volleyball arena at his alma mater.

What have I left for others to follow?

I am working through 2 Timothy 3:10-17 and Paul gives a tough assessment of what is going on in the world and all that Timothy will have to undertake. It is a real assessment that reads like it seems hopeless.

What to do?

The hard places

There isn’t any good way to start this. I think about “Last Third Living” and walking with discipline and my efforts to shove out the unnecessary things to focus better on the necessary things in my life… and then for a day I encounter the hard places. Places I have wanted to go to serve when I was younger and now places I want to help as I think about giving back.

Digital Minimalism

My wife and I recently listened to Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport on a trip. I was so impressed because he wasn’t calling for a whitewash of digital products in our lives. He was desiring to draw people back to thinking, meditation, clearing the mind, and developing deeper friendships once again.