Words Create Worlds

Allow me to set the scene for you. Here I am at the tender age of 17 competing for the New York State Karate Title.  Prior to this I had never won anything, or been good at any sport.  The only way to win is by fighting in the ring.  I am in the ring surrounded by my coach, instructor, and my other teammates  In the ring the judges start the fight and I start winning.  Outside the ring my teammates start screaming my name and my coach starts shouting directions.  Suddenly the world around me becomes a blur of fists and kicks and the people around me cheering me on turns to a blur.  I won and the congratulations that ensued filled me with more joy than actually winning. It was the words from those around me that changed everything.

Words create entire worlds.  Words can change everything and create an entire world.

Don’t be a good samaritan

Recently I was asked to write a blog as a “contributing author” on another website called “called to youth ministry”  They are a new site helping youth workers.  I am honored to help them and I guess this now makes me “internet-famous?” Either way here is what I wrote for them, but if you are a youth worker be sure to check out their site too.

A Man Born Blind John 9:1-41

Today’s sermon was good, Jesus’ miracles keep getting bigger and now we get to something that has never been done before.  A man who was born blind is now healed.  You can check out the audio here or on iTunes by searching for Tanoma.

John retells this miracle of a man born blind begging at the temple gates.

Immediately after telling this miracle (or any miracle) people generally fall into two categories.

1. says this is simply a story to teach good morals and didn’t actually happen.

2. says this is fact and actually happened.

I wouldn’t dare tell you which group to be in but I would push you to think about your situation.

If you are in the first group and you believe that miracles don’t happen and everything is simply reducible to what we can explain and everything fits into a nice little box.  Sometimes life doesn’t.  Sometimes there are things in life that can’t fit into our prescribed boxes.

If you are in the other group and the miracles are true and exactly how they happened.  Sometimes we spend so much time trying to figure out exactly what happened we miss what the miracle is saying to us today 2,000 years later.

Red and Blue prayer

Oh God! Oh God! Oh God! Oh God! I can’t believe this is happening.  What is going on, where did they come from? How can this happen? They aren’t supposed to do that.

What do I do? How do I get out of this? Can I make a deal with you, God?  If you get me out of this I promise to do better next time?  Please Lord, you’re my last hope and now I need you!

I’m not sure what to do, I thought I had everything under control and now I don’t . All I know is right behind me is something I don’t want to see flashing lights behind me.  Save me! Keep me near you and remind me to breathe because these lights are getting brighter and in a few minutes I’m going to need to know that someone out there still loves me and still forgives me of trying to take the law into my own hands.

- Amen

Broken internet connection

Today I arrived at seminary and after my first class I turned on my laptop and was preparing to check my email and start researching a paper on Isaiah 61.  However, to my surprise the internet wasn’t working.

I knew it wasn’t my computer.  I am running a brand new top of the line Apple Mac Book Pro. I love this computer and it does everything I need it to do and more.  Besides that I have used computers on a regular basis since I was in the 3rd grade and my dad brought one home from work.  I went to technical school for computer repair.  I have held jobs in computer maintenance and while in high school I even had my own business fixing other people’s computers.

So I knew it wasn’t my computer because I am the master of all computers and they bow before me!  The problem with the internet connection must have been on the other end with the seminary.  Surely they would be to blame because they are not as smart as me when it comes to computers.  Right?