Ever wonder what will be said of you after you die? Most funerals have a time of testimony where those in attendance share about the great things the deceased have done. These consist of positive memories, funny stories, or even the impact their belated loved one has had while living in their world. Without sounding too morbid, I hope my funeral will be difficult and hard on those who attend. Mountains of Kleenex will abound as the tears flow missing me. The time of testimony I hope will be forcefully cut short, as people cannot stop sharing the meaning and ever lasting effect I’ve brought to their world.
In his new book A Million Miles in a Thousand Years, Donald Miller says that part of living a memorable life (or a life that others will want to be a part of and hear about), is to let your life tell a good story. The elements to telling a good story according to Miller isn’t that complicated, and can be boiled down to one sentence. To tell a memorable story, the character must want something, and overcomes conflict to get it.
With that said, I wonder about one of the most famous stories of all time: the life and times of Jesus Christ. The gospel of John says that Jesus left such an enormous legacy, that it’s impossible to pen all of his endowment (John 21:25). I wonder… if we apply Donald Miller’s elements of a great story to the life of Christ, do the gospels depict the world’s Savior as a character with a goal who experiences opposition while attempting to accomplish his mission? If so, what is this goal, and what sorts of thing stand in his way? And lastly, how does Jesus overcome his opposition?
What about you? When you read the Gospels of Christ, do you find any of the above questions applicable to the life of Christ? If so, how might those questions be presented?
Showing posts with label donald miller. Show all posts
Showing posts with label donald miller. Show all posts
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Some Inspirational Thoughts to Ponder
The last few days I’ve encountered a number of inspirational quotes that have stimulated my thinking. So I thought I might share them. Maybe they will inspire you and stimulate your thinking as well. So here they are... Enjoy!
Faith in God's revelation is a way of grasping reality, without necessarily comprehending all the steps that may be involved. - Ray Stedman
As Moses laid aside the prerogatives of royalty for the sake of his God-given mission, so we must throw off whatever may hinder faith even though it may be right for others… Each runner must honestly judge what hinders faith for him or her and resolutely lay it aside, even though others seem to be unhindered by the same thing. - Ray Stedman commenting on Hebrews 12:1-2
Don’t think of me as a perfect Christian because I’m not. Anything good that you see in me, is not me as a Christian, its God being gracious and showing up in me - Nick Vujicic
It is essential to care about human rights - that ultimately is the bases of our existence. The responsibility to protect does trump sovereignty. If a sovereign does not take care of his or her people, the international community has a responsibility to protect." - Madeleine Albright
GRACE...God's Real Actions Compassionately Expressed - Erik Freiburger
Mine the things that make you angry and find the core values you can use to tell a great story - Don Miller
What makes you angry or think that “things” need to change - Erik Freiburger
The remedy for every tribulation is found in the cross. For obedience to God is found there - Thomas Aquinas
Faith in God's revelation is a way of grasping reality, without necessarily comprehending all the steps that may be involved. - Ray Stedman
As Moses laid aside the prerogatives of royalty for the sake of his God-given mission, so we must throw off whatever may hinder faith even though it may be right for others… Each runner must honestly judge what hinders faith for him or her and resolutely lay it aside, even though others seem to be unhindered by the same thing. - Ray Stedman commenting on Hebrews 12:1-2
Don’t think of me as a perfect Christian because I’m not. Anything good that you see in me, is not me as a Christian, its God being gracious and showing up in me - Nick Vujicic
It is essential to care about human rights - that ultimately is the bases of our existence. The responsibility to protect does trump sovereignty. If a sovereign does not take care of his or her people, the international community has a responsibility to protect." - Madeleine Albright
GRACE...God's Real Actions Compassionately Expressed - Erik Freiburger
Mine the things that make you angry and find the core values you can use to tell a great story - Don Miller
What makes you angry or think that “things” need to change - Erik Freiburger
The remedy for every tribulation is found in the cross. For obedience to God is found there - Thomas Aquinas
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Confession
I’m slowly working through a pile of recommended readings I’ve accumulated over the years in college. One of these books is Donald Miller's Blue Like Jazz. As I was navigating my way through the book this evening, I came to his chapter on confession. In it he shares his involvement in Renn Fayre (a big party weekend) during his own college days).
Wikipedia says Renn Fayre is a three day weekend where the students’ events include bizarre art installations, bug-eating contests, the alumni Meat Smoke, a occasional motorized couches, fireworks, naked people painting themselves blue (a tribute to the ancient Picts),naked Slip 'n Slide, a beer garden, the Glo Opera (performed at night by actors covered in EL wire and glow sticks), lube wrestling, full-contact human chess, parachuters, castle-storming and bike-jousting.
According to Miller, the few Christians that attend the college often opt out of the festivities, giving the Holier-than-thou impression. During his days though, there was one year where him and his friends set up a confessional booth for those who wanted to confess the sins they’ve committed.
Don’s fellow classmates would approach the booth in a drunken stupor, doped up on hallucinogens, expecting their carelessness that weekend would be forgiven. But their confessions wouldn’t be heard by Don and the other believers on campus. Instead, Don and the other disciples of Christ would confess and apologize to the lube wrestlers, human chess pieces, and bike jousting contestants.
For decades and centuries, the human race has poorly represented Christ and everything he stood for during his days on earth. Entire wars have been fought “in the name of Christ” or “under the authority of God.” After you consider the motivation or purposes of the armies involved, their use of the term “for Christ” is an abuse and misrepresentation of the man’s stance and reason for being. (One such army is the LRA or the Lord’s Resistance Army.)Things of this nature and other monstrosities have given Christ, the Church, and other Christians a bad rap sheet through the ages.
Rather then win people over by sponsoring intellectual arguments or pointing out one’s failures, Don – and the other Christians present chose to admit they were guilty of giving Christianity a bad reputation. Don says this repentance, as cheesy and lame as it may sound, made a significant impact in the student body at Reed College that year.
Don Miller’s confession of not always having it together and seeking forgiveness from others, got me thinking of the times the Lord has lead me to apologize to people from my past. If don’s experience of seeking forgiveness from those he has wronged has brought all parties to tears, I wonder what impact my letters of apology have had on the ones I’ve sought an apology from.
Wikipedia says Renn Fayre is a three day weekend where the students’ events include bizarre art installations, bug-eating contests, the alumni Meat Smoke, a occasional motorized couches, fireworks, naked people painting themselves blue (a tribute to the ancient Picts),naked Slip 'n Slide, a beer garden, the Glo Opera (performed at night by actors covered in EL wire and glow sticks), lube wrestling, full-contact human chess, parachuters, castle-storming and bike-jousting.
According to Miller, the few Christians that attend the college often opt out of the festivities, giving the Holier-than-thou impression. During his days though, there was one year where him and his friends set up a confessional booth for those who wanted to confess the sins they’ve committed.
Don’s fellow classmates would approach the booth in a drunken stupor, doped up on hallucinogens, expecting their carelessness that weekend would be forgiven. But their confessions wouldn’t be heard by Don and the other believers on campus. Instead, Don and the other disciples of Christ would confess and apologize to the lube wrestlers, human chess pieces, and bike jousting contestants.
For decades and centuries, the human race has poorly represented Christ and everything he stood for during his days on earth. Entire wars have been fought “in the name of Christ” or “under the authority of God.” After you consider the motivation or purposes of the armies involved, their use of the term “for Christ” is an abuse and misrepresentation of the man’s stance and reason for being. (One such army is the LRA or the Lord’s Resistance Army.)Things of this nature and other monstrosities have given Christ, the Church, and other Christians a bad rap sheet through the ages.
Rather then win people over by sponsoring intellectual arguments or pointing out one’s failures, Don – and the other Christians present chose to admit they were guilty of giving Christianity a bad reputation. Don says this repentance, as cheesy and lame as it may sound, made a significant impact in the student body at Reed College that year.
Don Miller’s confession of not always having it together and seeking forgiveness from others, got me thinking of the times the Lord has lead me to apologize to people from my past. If don’s experience of seeking forgiveness from those he has wronged has brought all parties to tears, I wonder what impact my letters of apology have had on the ones I’ve sought an apology from.
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