Above Reproach Not Above Life

So here is what I have been thinking about. Above reproach. I think this term is used improperly and lived out to a point that it is detrimental to the Kingdom in many circles. However, I could be wrong...that is not unusual

Paul used this referring to overseers or elders in the church. He said they have to above reproach, but it goes on to say what that looks like. He says, „ the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money‰

I realized in my own life that I used the excuse of being above reproach to not hang out with people who live wrongly, or not to go certain places where people would see me or do things that had the appearance of sin. That meant don‚t let anyone see me smoke my pipe, or don‚t go to bars b/c someone just might see you in there drinking milk and think that you are sinning, thus I would not be living above reproach.

I don‚t think Paul was saying this b/c that would mean that Jesus did not live above reproach. I wonder what Christian conservatives would think today if they saw a young woman caressing Jesus' feet with her hair and Jesus accepting this behavior. I wonder what they would think when they would be rebuked by Jesus for confronting an adulterous woman. They would say he is not living above reproach by hanging out with these people, and developing deep relationships with them.

I discovered that living above reproach according to Paul is exactly what Jesus did, and the opposite of my life. He said they are to be self controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, faithful to his wife, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. he did not say anything about hanging out with people who did not follow this life style. If no one spent time with them how would they know about the freedom that comes from following Jesus.

Peace my brothers and sisters

Discovering the Sabbath

Smokin' Word,
originally uploaded by Penzance.

I had read a bit of Abraham Joshua Heschel's book The Sabbath, and from that little bit I decided that the Sabbath was essential to our physical, mental, spiritual, and relational health. So we are trying to keep the Sabbath.

For us it is on Saturdays b/c we both do not have work. We spend time together resting, sleeping, eating, hanging out with friends in a relaxed manner, and enjoy not having plans. Recently the mystery and magic of the Chronicles of Narnia have captured us. While we were at the park my wife read to me.
Our faith community offers services on Saturday nights so we try to go the gatherings not having to worry about youth programs, children programs, meetings, etc. You know the stuff that Sundays usually get bogged down with for a Pastor's family.

Observations so far: we notice a difference when we are not able to celebrate the Sabbath for some reason. Two, we are still shaping what it looks like thus taking any advice from veterans, and I am (little by little) researching the Scriptures and the Jewish community for spiritual depth.

Anyone can feel free to give suggestions.

sushi

sushi,
originally uploaded by low..

now that Engelina and i have a home to live in, we needed a little extra company for when i go away and for our entertainment since we rarely watch tv.

so we got in our car and went to nationally known super market for pets, Pet's'Mart! our options were limited to aquatic creatures b/c the nice people we rent off of do not want us to have pets (like dogs, cats, etc).

my wife and i have been planning on getting a fish for a while, and calling the fish Jeffrey...after my middle name. Jeffrey was supposed to be a goldfish, which i found out after we bought a beta fish.

so we are in the car leaving the super market for pets and said, "so, this is Jeffrey" My wife quickly responded, "NO, you cannot name a Japanese fighting fish Jeffrey." I did not know the rules for nameing fish, but I said OK.

After that conversation i predicted that the next fifteen minutes on the way home will be spent brainstorming over what name would fit a Japanese fighting fish. However, my prediction was wrong. This is because i had an epiphany. I said, "We shall name him SUSHI" (i did not say that way actually, but it adds a good affect to the story). My wife laughed and agreed. I was really happy!

fifty dollars, three other fish, and a road trip from Maryland, sushi is now living with an algi sucker in a tank that has bubbles and a filter to make is life all the more enjoyable. We think he is happier because his colors are brighter. The other fish died, not from sushi but another fish, so we flushed that killer fish down the toilet.

Peace

get your own food

Lately I have been thinking about what people say about church. Usually when people think about church it is one hour gathering that happens once a week. I am tired of people saying that the teaching is not deep enough. Even in youth groups, teenagers are saying that they NEED something deeper.

It is interesting, however, that I found the opposite discussion between church leaders and the congregation in the letter to the Hebrews. It is opposite, yet the same. They were living off of the surface teachings, the basics, but did not know what was right and how to live in obedience. They were satisfied with religion, not life change in themselves or in others.

How many times do we go to church and complain we NEED something deeper, but in all actuality, what was being taught we never obeyed or taught others. The truth is we are hungry (which is good), but we are too lazy to feed ourselves. We need someone else to do it for us…once a week.

Imagine a child who gets fed by the parents once a week. Is that a healthy baby? Now imagine that same child ten years later still being fed by the parents only once a week. Not only is that person unhealthy, but they are weird!

new job journeys

Street Scene Mural,
originally uploaded by philly_mark.

Well, it is official. I graduated college on Saturday and Tuesday I started what everyone calls life. Don't ask me what everything was leading up to this point. At the last minute Mike called and said that I could start ASAP. So I started the next day, which was yesterday.

My first day consisted of moving things around in my new office and spending 5 hours in the car with Mike. Get this we just sat in a parking lot in the car and talked. Syke! We went on a road trip to Baltimore for a meeting that. I got to go tag along and play basketball and eat free food. With cheese cake as a desert...sweet first day ha?

Well peace out to all my fans... stay tuned for more updates for Philly.