01 October 2010

Post Evangelical

I mentioned I was having a tift with God a bit earlier. Just in case you were wondering? He won. Go figure. We were having a disagreement about why I was back in Maple Valley. See, God said "Go home." And I said "Sure thing," complacent little bugger that I am ((ha)). So I came back to the Pacific Northwest under the impression that I would come back, get a job, do a year in the State Penitentiary of Suburbia, and then go about my merry way off to whatever was next. When I got back, lo and behold! there are no jobs. I've been blown off by even the lamest of jobs ((although I have yet to go back and ask for a job at Crombie)). A dear friend of mine who works for World Vision said that if I emailed my resume to her she could drop it around some places and see if anyone was looking for interns. It was in that moment that God and I had our real tussle. I was just thinking about what a pain in the butt resumes are ((especially when you're me and have very scattered job experience)) and very angrily demanded answers from God.
Our conversation went a little like this:
"WTF am I doing back here? You told me come home, I came home and now I can't even get a job at fricken QFC Starbucks."
"Dude. Did I say go home and find a job?"
"Well... no. But you said go home. And I need a job if I'm going to save money to go somewhere else."
"Did I say you were going somewhere?"
"Well... no. But I love going other places and serving people and that's what you want, love and restoration."
"M, is it difficult for you to travel? Do you find it challenging to go and love on people?"
"Well... no. But what does that have anything to do with it? There are people out there who need to be loved on."
"You don't think I should be sending someone who finds it difficult to travel, difficult to love on and relate to people they don't know? So that two people are restored rather than just one?"
"Well... maybe."
"Maybe? You don't think maybe I brought you back home because being in this environment is difficult for you? That maybe people here need to be loved on and related to just as much as people elsewhere? That maybe you're the person they need to encourage them to go places they might never have thought of otherwise? That maybe being in a place that is challenging for you, you will be able to challenge others in a way that helps restore yourself and them?"
"Oh."
"Yah, 'oh.' I know what I'm doing and you are a part of that, never doubt it. You need to listen to what I say, not what you think I'm saying."
"Heh, kay. Love you."
"I love you more."

I went to 3 different churches yesterday, doing various things at each. It felt good to serve, to be a part of community without being plagued by the politics of it all. I realize, if I had a job I wouldn't be able to participate in these things. I enjoy my simple, nontraditional life. I keep hearing the word "revolution" lately. Maybe this is all a revolution is, changing the way you view life and therefore changing the way you react to it, thereby creating a revolution.



Do you think we could do it? Create a revolution for good? A change in society that promoted kindness and sincerity? Love and acceptance? Once again, it's a video aimed at believers in Christ. But I don't think it's exclusive to "Christians." Good people exist in all forms. I've seen it. Agnostic, Atheist, Buddhist, Muslim, Jewish, Hindi, Dao, Pagan... all people have goodness within themselves.

I think a social revolution is needed. And I think our generation needs to be the one to revolt.

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