my new shirt

Last weekend me and the family went to the mall to do a little summer clothes shopping. We're headed to the beach in a couple of weeks so we had to get new bathing suits for growing children and mom and dad could use a little updating as well. I got a few shirts that were nice enough to preach in at our new little fellowship and at the same time night out at the beach worthy. The best thing about the whole deal was that most of the stuff was on sale. It was a win win, we got some needed new threads while at the same time saving a little coin. I was excited about my new shirt and even wore it Sunday night. I got so excited about it I wore it again Tuesday night to the baseball game and then by the end of that night I was ready to throw the shirt away like a used up paper towel. Why the sudden change of heart? Am I that fickle? I hope not. Did I develop some new found conviction concerning shirts from Old Navy? Not on this budget. Did I gain twenty pounds in two days and it no longer fits? Possibly...but no. You see what happened involved my two year old little girl. She was playing on the play ground and got whacked in the noggin and to make a long story short she ended up having to have three stitches right between her pretty little eyes. There was a good amount of blood and nothing with which to wipe it. That's where my shirt comes in. Between carrying her to the van and into the hospital lets just say my shirt got a little stained. But that shirt had never dreamed of being so used. Certainly it was just an ordinary shirt and when I put it on all I wanted was for it to make me look good. But it came to bear the marks of that which is most precious to me. When I put it on I thought looking good mattered, when I took it off it reminded me of what really matters.

a view from the left

a couple of weeks ago I had the privelege of attending a debate in the Big Easy on the "future of atheism." There were many scholars there from both sides of the aisle, Christian philosophers and apologists William Lane Craig and Allister McGrath eloquently made the argument for the case for the existence of God. On the other side were scholars of the atheistic belief with world renowned atheist Daniel Dennett, author of "Breaking the Spell" and "Darwin's Dangerous Idea" headlining the card (to use a little MMA terminology). The debate was lively, intelligent, courteous and fruitful. It certainly proved again how feeble is my wee little mind. In the ensuing week after the conference I took it upon myself to email Dr. Dennett and simply thank him for coming to New Orleans and engaging the christian community in an intellectually honest debate. You see most atheists believe that Christians hate them militantly. This presumption, which may be of course true in some cases, only serves to fan the flame of their passsionate zeal to oppose and resist the truth that is in front of us every day. The clearly hidden truth of design. I did not expect Dr. Dennett to respond to my email. Not only did he respond but he actually engaged my statements and respondied to me specifically and personally. When I got done reading the message I felt honored and respected. I had received a personal email from a Pulitzer Prize finalist! There are many pastors today who never even see half of the correspondence that comes from their own people. I felt valued and it made me want to hear more about what Dr. Dennett has to say. I know we are far from each other in terms of our beliefs. But now instead of thinking of them as the enemy, I see them much more like I think Jesus would have me to, with compassion. Funny how so many christians are so much more interested in being heard than hearing. The best way to open the door to anyone is by letting down your guard and listening to more than their words, listen to their life.