Thoroughly Chastised

God has a way of hitting me over the head with things sometimes. But I can't complain, because more times than not I really deserve it.

I have a ton to get done at the office today, and this morning nothing was going right. I kept getting interrupted by the phone (one good call from a friend and all the others annoying), and then I couldn't access the work website to write the e-newsletter or do my updates for December--which, of course, is the number one most important thing I need to get done today. (It's still not working, by the way.) So I was in a cruddy mood when a coworker popped her head in my office doorway to tell me that we were having an impromptu staff meeting to hear David Jeremiah speak to us. I know who he is through my work, of course, but I don't listen to his radio program or watch him on tv. He's also the pastor of a huge megachurch down in San Diego.

Ugh. This was the last thing I wanted to do. So I went into the lunchroom with a bad attitude, annoyed that I had no advance notice, miffed that some people were acting like we were about to be blessed by a visit from Christ Himself, and just pissy in general because--in all honesty--I thought I knew what he was going to talk about, and frankly I just wasn't in the mood for more mutual back-patting, meaningless antecdotes about the (now deceased) founder of my organization, and empty chatter about how important our work is blah blah blah . . .

Sure enough, he started with a bunch of "I remember when . . ." stories about our founder, and internally I rolled my eyes and stewed, thinking about those darned web updates. But then the unthinkable happened: He started talking about something relevant. And meaningful. And--dare I say it--different from what we usually hear around these parts. His talk was all about how Bible-teaching churches have focused all their energy on fulfilling the Great Commission (that is, teaching the gospel message at home and abroad) and have pretty much ignored the Great Commandment (to love God above everything else and to love your neighbor as yourself [Matthew 22:37-40]). This spoke to me right where I live lately, trying to find a balance between being a student of the Word and at the same time be of some earthly good to other people in need.

We may not be saved by good works (salvation is by grace alone), but we're saved for good works! The world should be able to look at what we do, hear what we say, examine our bank accounts, monitor our free time and from all of that know that we're Christians. As believers we're not supposed to hole ourselves up in our towers of biblical knowledge. We're supposed to be out on the street feeding the poor, clothing the naked, nursing the sick, etc. I know all of this, but I've got to say it was refreshing to hear it coming from a solid, conservative, Southern Baptist (can you believe it???) Bible preacher.

He's just published a book on the subject called Signs of Life: Back to the Basics of Authentic Christianity, and he gave us all signed copies. It's a series of 40 mini-lessons on living a life marked by "relevancy, surrender, authenticity, generosity, and compassion" and, in so doing, transforming yourself, your community, and our nation. Imagine that--Christians mingling with and thinking about people outside of their circle of church friends!

So ok, Lord, consider me thoroughly chastised. Yet again I vow to not doubt You in the future. But You know as well as I that I will. Sigh.