if you disagree with me...

I think... that it’s a privilege… to disagree.

And if you disagree with that statement, it’s fine.

I’m not that handsome, educated, or cultured.
But sometimes, ignorant and ugly people are kind people.
And sometimes, literate and lovely people are angry people.

And when we disagree, the room holds its breath.
Because this is the great unveiling.
The moment when real me meets real you.

The reaction is what gives us away.
Tone, perhaps more than content, reveals character.
Disagreement is a window into our very souls.

Because, out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.
The brain thinks.
And the faucet of our actions speaks…

I mean, even the pious didn’t know they could murder,
Until they disagreed with a poor carpenter’s Son.

And if we can’t love one another as we really are,
Then perhaps we’re better off hiding behind polished digital masks,
Living in insta-convents and guarding our cliques with more clicks.
Living and loving a lie with other liars. Fossilizing. Desensitizing.

If humanity is no longer capable of loving the unlovable,
Then perhaps the world needs its strong to suppress its weak,
Force-feeding agendas that make the world a "better place."
Society’s golden handcuffs - legislating kindness because we can’t just BE kind.

If your ideology is best articulated while your neck-veins bulge,
Then perhaps you’ll find that people disagree with you
More than they disagree with your ideology.

But when the real us comes out,
Bearing our teeth and making fools of ourselves,
Or disseminating a tranquility that diffuses wars.
Then we’ll know whether we are lovers or liars.

And I’ll say, “Hello, it’s nice to meet the real you. I’m the real me.”
And after we shake hands I’ll ask, “Do you drink coffee?”
And maybe you’ll say, “I’d love to.”

A THEORY :: Spiritual Predisposition

Most Christians seek God the same way they “found” God. There’s nothing particularly wrong with it, nothing unnatural about it, in fact it makes a good deal of sense. But if we want more of God, to know the dimensions of Him that we didn’t encounter at first, we’ve got to start being kind to each other.

Here’s a Story:

Two brothers “find” God… or really, God finds two brothers. One’s name is Thinker, and God captivates him with a conversation of reason, or something like that. The other’s name is Feeler, and God captivates him with a supernatural encounter, or something like that.

Pause here: This is fantastic news, right?! God is saving all kinds of different people! Okay, resume.

Naturally the two brothers begin to pursue God through the same means God used to illuminate their hard hearts in the first place. Thinker keeps thinking about God, and Feeler keeps feeling for God. And both of them are growing.

The two start surrounding themselves with like-believers. Thinker seeks God at a thinking-church and by going to thinking-meetings. Feeler seeks God at a feeling-church and by going to feeling-meetings. Both are becoming “strong” Christian men. One is a strong thinking believer, and the other is a strong feeling believer. Thinker is a ravenous book-reader and Feeler is a ravenous prayer-warrior. Thinker thinks Feeler should read with more veracity and exercise his mind, and Feeler feels Thinker should pray with more authority more and exercise his heart.

Over time the chasm grows between the two brothers and now they look so different that they assume the other is doing something wrong. Bitterness stirs. Each becomes so offended that he starts questioning his brother’s salvation. "Perhaps," they say, "we're not even brothers at all." Thinker thinks Feeler is an irreverent gift-worshiper and Feeler feels Thinker is a sad book-worshipper.

It’s lame. It’s stupid. But it’s common.

For Thinker it was Gospel-wine in a Rational-wineskin. For Feeler it was Gospel-wine in an Experiential-wineskin. But instead of continuing to drink good Gospel-wine, they gnaw on their Gospel-flavored wineskin until all that’s left is a lot of opinions and a mess of emotion.

One's got a shriveled heart like the Grinch. One's got a shriveled head like the blonde in Clueless. And this is a problem because the GREATEST COMMAND (according to Jesus) is the veracious engagement of our WHOLE being: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your Heart, Soul, Mind, and Strength.”

They have no idea how badly they actually need each other.

How does the Thinker begin to cultivate a heart saturated with the emotions that his knowledge of the Gospel should be compelling? And how does the Feeler begin to cultivate a mind saturated with the knowledge of the Gospel that so stirs his emotions? The answer, of course, is “Together."

How did YOU “find” Jesus? Has your walk with God maintained that flavor? Do you try to help others find Jesus the same way you did? I hope so! But perhaps it’s time to walk toward the parts of God you know exist but have been uncomfortable approaching. You’ll need some brothers and sisters who are a little different than you. Maybe even a little weird.

Divisions in the Church happen when you only love and listen to part of your spiritual family.

Not only do I need brothers and sisters to point me to deeper unplumbed caverns of God’s nature, but I need brothers and sisters to give me what I really need… not another book, not another encounter, but the Gospel. To pour out Gospel from their varied wineskins into my soul. To show me the Jesus of the Bible through many lenses, cultures, and testimonies until I'm completely captivated with the splendor of it all.

It's the atoning death of one Son and the call of One Spirit in the face of many circumstances that wakes the dead to One Lord.

For Paul, a blinding light and a vision that rattled his soul. For the Eunuch, a Bible study on the long road back to Ethiopia. For some, Paul’s rational arguments in the synagogue. And still for others, the inebriation of their senses and a distinct outpouring of gifts and wonders at Pentecost.

In each of these. One Gospel. One Spirit. One Call.

So rather than demonize each other, perhaps we can marvel together at the kindness of a God that meets us where we’re at. And from time to time maybe we can take off our Spiritual Predispositions, our crusty wineskins, and hear the Gospel afresh from one another. 

We Burned The Church

When we were young my friends and I thought the Church was perfect.
Our eyes were wonder-filled with few expectations.
Sunday was for playing and Jesus was our superhero.
We didn’t realize that the Church would fail us in time.
Or at least we were too young to believe it.  

When we grew up a little my friends and I thought we were perfect.
Our eyes were wild with unrealistic expectations.
Sunday was for sleeping, and we loved Jesus, but not His Church.
We didn’t realize that we would fail the Church in time.
Or at least we were too young to care.

When we grew up a little my friends and I got fed up with the Church.
Our eyes were painfully shut with failed expectations.
Sunday was a joke and Jesus was unimpressive.
We didn’t realize that Jesus still loved the Church even if we didn’t.
At least Jesus was jealous for us.

When we grew up a little we realized that no one and no church is perfect.
Our eyes were dazed and we started to question our expectations.
Sunday was for fools, but we were fools and Jesus still loved us.
We didn’t realize that we were the Church whether we liked it or not.
At least Jesus picked up our broken pieces.

When we grew up a little we fell in love with an imperfect Bride called “Church.”
Our eyes were filled with wonder again but with fewer expectations.
Sunday was special, but it wasn’t about Sunday anymore. It was about Jesus.
We didn’t realize that the Church looks more beautiful the longer you love Her.
At least He uses broken pieces to build His Church, and loves us anyway.

“Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. ”

— Revelation 19:7