I like labels. They make things easy to define. If I can label those around me, it keeps things nice and orderly–something my structure-craving brain loves.

I have a friend who is the home improvement king. If I ever need help on a project, he would be first on my list to call. The guy just single-handedly renovated his entire kitchen and it looks amazing. I have a friend who is a Bible scholar. If I ever have a question about a Bible verse or chapter, he’s my go-to guy. He’s incredibly smart and knows how to look at a passage from different angles.   I have a friend who is a great dad. He has kids older than mine so I know I can call on him and ask those “How did you handle?” questions. And when he does tell me, it’s always in a very grace-filled, encouraging way. I also have friends who are good at finances, lawn care, electronics–I think you get the idea.

But the problem with a label is that while it makes easier to categorize everything in my brain, it gives me a very narrow view of someone. I begin to see people only for what they can do for me, and become blind to what I can do for them. All of these guys are friends not because of that one trait, but because they’re just great guys.

They’re also human. My friend who is the home improvement king has a lot of stress on his job. My friend who is the Bible scholar has big dreams that need encouraging. My friend who is a great dad is grieving the loss of a family member.

Every person in your community, at your job, in your church has a story. Yet so many times we’re content to just read the summaries, aren’t we? We’re content to just be satisfied with what we see on the surface and make our evaluations based solely on that information.

If we’re honest, it can get ugly sometimes. We size up prayer requests based on how rich, how perfect, how beautiful someone’s life is compared to ours. We determine who is and who isn’t worth our sympathy and empathy based on our own evaluation of someone’s worthiness. We decide how someone is worthy of help based on his or her own ability to get themselves out of the situation. We say we love others, but if we’re really honest, sometimes we really only love what we want to love.

But not Jesus. He was passionate about people–even some of the most obnoxious, annoying people. People like Peter the hot-headed, or James and John the arrogant, or even Judas the backstabber. And, when you get down to it, people like me.

But the difference between how Jesus sees others and my default perception is that He sees the full person and his or her complete story, not some edited version. He also knows how that will change when He enters into the story.

So many times I’m content to read the Cliff’s Notes version of those around us, size them up, then move on. But Jesus stopped and jumped into people’s stories.

And there are times when He lets me see those stories as well.

I catch a glimpse at the story behind the student who keeps interrupting me in Sunday school when I find out he is under a lot of pressure at school and home to be perfect. I see the story behind the lady with the screaming kid at the grocery store when I realize she’s trying to teach her daughter that she can’t have everything she wants.  I discover the story behind the rude clerk at the gas station when I watch and see that he just got chewed out by the customer in front of me because they were out of a particular brand of cigarettes.

Everyone has a story, a story that is bigger than the one I sometimes see. I just need to take the time to read it. And when I do, it makes it harder to stick a label on someone. They move beyond a single word to become a living, breathing person. Someone who not only deserves my compassion, but my time.

Take time to read the stories of those around you today. And if you really want to be like Jesus, don’t just “read them,” enter those stories.

What did God teach you this weekend?

What did you learn about LIGHT?

How has God called you to be LIGHT?

What was the funniest thing that happened this weekend?

We’ll have your students call when we are within an hour of Indy. See you soon!

Here are some photos!

LOST WONDER
An XP3 devotional by Tim Walker 

Life always seems to drift towards a rut, doesn’t it? The “new” quickly fades and we’re left wanting more. Okay, life isn’t quite that ominous, but look around you at other Christians, especially those who have some history at church. We know it all and we’ve seen it all. There are very few surprises.

We listen intently to every new speaker, every new book, every new song, hoping that maybe something new will spark our interest. Our sense of wonder is dead. Some might mark this as a symptom of our culture, but the truth is we’ve been longing for wonder for a long time.

Look at John 11. A passage so familiar that it becomes white noise in our heads. It’s the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead–and home to that one Bible verse you knew you could memorize (John 11:35).

Jesus was on His way to Bethany. “When Martha got word that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him. But Mary stayed at home. Martha said to Jesus, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask.”

Martha always gets the “shame on you” tone when we read this passage. How dare she talk to Jesus in such a way! But if you listen to what she said, Martha believes. She believes that Jesus can do great things. She knows that He could have healed her brother, but she also knows that He still can.

“Jesus told her, “Your brother will rise again.” 

“Yes,” Martha said, “when everyone else rises, on resurrection day.” 

Martha  knew Jesus could do big things. She just didn’t expect them. She thought that He would work in the same old way He always had–miraculous, nonetheless, but predictable.

I’m the same way. I know so much about God. I know about scripture. I’ve functioned in the culture of Christianity for so long that I know it too well. I don’t know everything, but I know that God doesn’t always heal when we want Him to–I’ve seen too many family members die from cancer to know that’s a reality.

I know God sometimes says “no” when I desperately want Him to say “yes.” I know God says wait when I want Him to make things happen. I know. I know. I know. So did Martha.

But then Jesus did something that messed up Martha’s knowing. He moved beyond all her rationalizations. He surpassed her efforts at self-protection, trying to minimize the hurt and disappointment that life may not turn out the way Martha wanted. Jesus did what Martha completely didn’t expect Him to do–He raised her brother from the dead. Martha gained back her wonder. She saw Jesus not only do great things for other people, He did something amazing for her.

Do you want that sense of wonder? Do you want God to blow you away beyond all the boxes you put Him in? Because despite all our rhetoric about avoiding boxing God in, in our hearts, we lean towards minimizing and limiting Him. It keeps our faith nice and safe. We don’t get hurt by disappointment.

It also keeps it boring.

Don’t you want to read a passage of scripture and just be amazed at the new things you discover every time you read? Don’t you want to learn new things about this God whom you think you know so well? Then wouldn’t it be great if all of that knowledge and all of that amazement poured into your life, into your everyday, mundane routine? The result would be more than just Lazarus being raised from the dead. You would see some life in your own dead places as well.

That’s the kind of relationship Jesus wants with each one of us. He wants your relationship with Him to be filled with wonder. He wants to show you new things about Himself, things that consistently push and pull at the limits we try to put on Him.

Maybe then we could all get lost in wonder too.
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To access the PARENT CUE for the month of January, click here.

See you at 9:15!