Good Question

This past weekend our students participated in a 35 mile walk for missions. It's been a 10-12 year tradition and has become a rite of passage. I came up lame in the 7th mile. Somehow, my foot either received a stress fracture or some other quirky malady. I'm not sure yet. One of the things I missed in walking ( I was relegated to driving the van) was the conversation. Since our walk normally takes place during Easter many of our students carried crosses. Since I was driving I saw this from a different persepctive. At one point I saw a student carrying not only his cross but the cross of another. You could say he was double crossed. During the walk I heard things like "he pushed his cross off on me" or "he/she didn't want to carry his cross anymore". You can draw the parallels of the Christian life for yourself, no sermonizing necessary.

I had some boys spend the night at my house that night and in the car my son asked an interesting question, he said, "Can you be too spiritual dad?" I was taken back at the suddeness of the question. That this 12 year old who burps and farts with the best of them was thinking of such a question blessed me. It was a good question. My answer? I said no. I said, "you could be too religious but not too spiritual". I clarified that by saying spiritually connect with God, the God of scripture. Spirituallity has become a catch all for any postmodern expereince that that makes of feel whole or comeplete in and of oursleves and can leave God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit completely out of the picture.

The students in my car shared recent episodes where an adult got onto them about certain behaviors which were displeasing. In some cases it was just generational protocol a.k.a Grandma etc. in other cases it was just religious tallying. Did they are did they not fit the mold of a man made system of religion. Student long for Christ centered spirituality and contue to shun the score card Christianity.

Have you boxed in your relationship with God to the point where spiritual claustrophobia and checkpoint theology is choking off spiritual life and vitality? Good question.

Blessing and Peace,

PT