Lucas Sampson

Denzel Wahington Discusses His Faith

2009-09-25T18:07:00.003-04:00

In this 2008 interview on Fresh Air with Terry Gross, Denzel Washington discusses his film The Great Debaters. In the last half of the interview, Washington gives an account of his life as a preacher's son and his personal faith journey. Definitely worth a listen.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=17780245

A Letter to Angry Guy in Gas Station

2009-08-19T08:34:00.006-04:00

Dear Angry Guy in Gas Station,

We met, albeit briefly, in a gas station just off of the PA Turnpike, both waiting in line at checkout; you with two bottled waters in hand, I waiting for change after pumping gas. As in most gas stations, room to create a line at checkout is scarce, even in this rather large and heavily trafficked convenience store. Lines are, out of necessity, amorphous, and I commend you for noticing I was already part of one. I could tell you were impatient, ready to get out of that place so you could get on with your day. Your gate was hurried, your face long and eyes wide with the stressful pace you were trying desperately to keep. Then it happened. The anxiety of keeping that fast pace and your subsequent impatience exploded as that man in military garb rushed ahead of the line.

The exchange was short, but precise. Just a few pithy comments passed back and forth.

"Really! Can't you see we're in line?"

"I'm just bringing these wiper blades back."

"Can you believe this?"

"It'll just take a second."

The first thing I thought was "Don't drag me into this." Then, "That register isn't even open now. No big deal." Then, as you quickly and deliberately turned your gaze from one person to another seemingly trying to find a sympathizer in the crowd, and finding no one, including the only other person to whom this supposed injustice was cast - me - tossing the two bottled waters you were holding into the nearest candy display I had another thought: "How sad!"

How sad that this simple act of ignorance by this soldier set off such an extreme reaction of anger. Sure that soldier acted stupidly and without regard for the other patrons standing dutifully in line. But was it such a big deal? Did it warrant such reaction? Did you think that a little explosion would exact any sort of change?

I think that outburst revealed something much deeper than being angry about waiting a few more seconds in a convenience store line. I think I can safely say that people who don't have deep emotional, relational, or spiritual issues - or those who at least acknowledge their problems - wouldn't have such strong negative outbursts - or implosions, for that matter - about such instances. These people understand that everyone has their own problems - no matter the scale - and their own priorities - no matter their justifications. They understand that no one can control the actions of another person, nor can they effectively exact positive change in another by any sort of force, physical or psychological. These people understand that they screw up just like you or me, or that guy who cut in line - we're fallible - and that such outrage about something so insignificant is hypocritical. Such people also realize that in the scope of reality, the injustice that may or may not have been committed in that gas station that day is simply a drop of water in the sea, trivial in comparison to the injustice of war, sexual exploitation, human trafficking, genocide, etc. It is almost meaningless. They realize that the self-entitlement they perceive as an inalienable right - the right to do what I want, when I want, however I want; or the right to be treated in one way (not get cut in front of in line) and act another (__fill in the blank__) - is just another name for selfishness or conceit or vanity. These people realize there is more to life than getting what we want, when we want it. There is more to life than getting ahead at work, or rushing around to do a million things so we can say we did those million things. There is more to life than you perceive. There is a higher purpose; a higher calling.

There is so much more to life than getting mad at some jerk for cutting in line. There is love.

Paul the Apostle wrote: "Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love" (I Corinthians 13:4-7, 13).

And Jesus taught the greatest act of love: "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13). He should know; He actually did it (Romans 5:8).

So, remember that next time you get angry with someone for going to the head of the line at a gas station, or for cutting you off on the interstate.

I'll leave you with this line from a book by Larry Crabb: "When the way we feel interferes with living in relationship as we should, the evidence is strong that the deep and deceitful processes of the human heart are actively at work, screaming for sanctifying attention."

Is your heart screaming for sanctifying attention?

Grace and Peace

Savior On Capitol Hill

2009-08-10T23:53:00.005-04:00

I had a good, open discussion with a friend about world government in light of human depravity tonight over dinner, and then came home to endure a closed-minded discussion on government. The three involved went on about the US going to pot because of Obama, and the liberals; yada, yada, yada. They talked as if there was hope in the 'right' person in the White House, or the 'right' people on Capitol Hill, or if evil liberals would see the light of conservatism there could be redemption for our country. I immediately thought of this song:

God (un)Limited?

2009-08-09T19:57:00.001-04:00

I heard a sermon today about Christians using their gifts in church ministry. The preacher spoke of the necessity and mandate that every Christ-follower use his/her spiritual gifts and natural (or better) God-given talents in God-honoring ministry in and through a local church congregation. Everything he said was good, solid truth. Truth every believer needs to hear. But, about half-way through his talk, he said something that made me say, "Huh?"

He said, "God is limited without ministry commitment."

If you're like me, that comment probably makes you shake with contempt for the man who said that. Initially, at least. When the preacher said those words, "God is limited..." I immediately felt a rush of anxiety, and then a flood of confusion as I tried to make sense of what he was saying, of the implications of such a statement.

How could God - Creator of all existence, the "I am that I am" - be limited in any conceivable way. If God is all-powerful, all-knowing, at once and forever everywhere, how can there be any end to the extent of His ability?

I was confused - I'm sure on some level I'm still a bit confused - but I forced myself to think through it, and here's a little of what I came up with.

1. God is all-powerful, all-knowing, all-being, at once and forever everywhere.

2. God expects those who follow Him to be actively involved in His mission and vision in and for His creation (ministry).

3. If God did everything He could do - if He was not limited in this part of His activity in His creation - followers of God naturally would not be actively involved in ministry. The work would be done, so, we all could go about our lives with little to no regard for God's mission and vision.

4. If God is limited, He limits Himself; there is no outside influence.

5. God limits Himself in that He allows His followers to share in the joy and privilege of bringing His message of hope to a desperate people. God knows that this act of self-limitation helps to produce deeper relationships between Him and His people, and among the members of the Church.

6. So, if we as God's followers are not involved in God-honoring ministry God is, in a sense, limited.