almost famous

I was on the go-train last week, heading back to Toronto after returning the old family van. It’s blue. I needed it for the Donald Miller week. From the second floor of the train I started thinking that I probably won’t make the cut for Don’s next book unless for some reason he thinks of me as his son, which I’m not convinced that he does. After he left I realized a couple of things. I think that I wanted to meet Don and suddenly we’d become best friends and then I’d be known as Lewis-the beat poet president in his next book and we’d exchange witty, meaningful conversation about penguin sex or something like that. Here’s the thing: it didn’t happen. Don’t get me wrong, I think we had some good chats here and there. I suppose we thought each other was funny and shared some good stories, but in terms of life-changing conversations— it didn’t happen.

Over the course of Donald Miller week I realized that life changing, meaningful, conversations generally don’t happen with strangers very often, if ever. I imagine that’s the point of friendships. One night last week was one of those times I was thankful that I have some people to talk about life with and expect honest responses. It was just a couple of guys sitting around talking about feelings without thinking thatone of us must be gay. I guess it all comes down to this: being associated with someone famous doesn’t make anyone more valuable—being famous doesn’t make anyone more valuable. Yet we see someone who has been on CNN and say, “ah crap, where should I bow down?” when really, they’re as depraved as I am. Anyway, all of this to say that I think we need to value our friends, maybe even our enemies on the same level that we think of Miller, Mclaren, Lebron James or Brian Stiller. They’re all the same. Some are more popular than others but that has nothing to do with the intrinsic value of each individual. I should know this by now. I guess that’s all I wanted to say; that we shouldn’t expect to bond with famous people and have that meeting fill some void for popularity that is waiting to be filled in our lives. No, the desire to be valued is filled in Christ and is perpetuated in our communities- our friendships- anything else is a lie. However, if Don Miller was part of my community…

More.

Do you love me more than these? This guy named Don spoke at chapel about how the question addressed to Peter by Jesus was a reference not to the other disciples but of his career as a fisherman- (see John 21:1-13) It was his life, even after all the years of teaching Jesus had given him, Peter returns to fishing after Jesus death-- back to the way things were I suppose. But Jesus appears to him and asks, do you love me more than these? More than this lifestyle? More than this life? Do you love me enough to take care of me sheep, feed my sheep, nurture them, discipline them, love them? Then I started to think.

Do I do whatever it is that I do because it is my attempt to feed the sheep or am I farming my own little herd of lamas? Seriously though. Am I concerned with the body of Christ on the earth-- the means by which God has left humanity to accomplish his purposes, or am I concerned with the lamas? The lamas would include hundreds of meaningless conversations about nothing. Maybe sports, maybe the weather, maybe classes or profs or meetings. Like a never ending Seinfeld episode; it’s entertaining but ultimately unfulfilling.

Feed my sheep. I’m pretty sure God doesn’t care about sports. He’s probably not a Leafs fan even if the guy on the Fan 590 says so… if they were they probably wouldn’t be in a 37 year drought…although the 40th year is just around the corner, maybe they’re just wandering in the wilderness and about to enter the promised land.

All of this is to say that I enjoyed what I heard. Maybe it’s because was someone that I really like so my mind is biased to what I heard. He probably could have preached against the inerrancy of Scripture and I would have said, “you know, that’s a good point”. But I think there was some truth to what was said. “Peter, do you love me more than the fish? Prove it. Here’s how—feed my sheep. Jesus wanted Peter to know that in this life--His life-- you’ve got to love him more or it won’t work. If you serve or whatever because you were trained to in the synagogue you probably won’t last and you’ll end up taking a sabbatical in your 3rd year of bar mitzvah’s or have an affair and sell real estate in Samaria. No, I think Jesus meant this is something bigger than you’ve ever experienced and it needs to be motivated by your love for me. --Love me more, that’s it...that’s everything.

its about time.

Finally, I've joined the sub-culture of bloggers I didn't know existed until recently. I feel the way I did the day I found out that you're supposed to flash your lights at oncoming traffic if you see that police have set up a speed trap-- its like a secret world. Well, I have a feeling this could get addictive. Maybe one day i'll have something intelligent to say on here but for now i'm out.