Plant a flower, shampoo carpets, pray that heaven's mercy falls.
ONE: An early morning walk, alone. Cool, crisp air so pure, fingers freezing I dig my hands into my jacket pockets, so glad I wore sweats, a sweatshirt and a coat. The sound of the creek below, clean cold water rushing. I looked up and saw three middle-school boys on the corner, waiting for the bus. One, who I recognized, busy with his phone, thumbs rapidly relating to the world.
As I crossed the street, she approached. A girl, probably thirteen, looking twenty-five. She wore a tank-top with plunging neckline and leggings: Like, the kind you wear under a skirt, but without the skirt. Just a tanktop and skin-tight leggings. Her face was made-up, long hair swinging as she walked, hips swaying. As we passed on the street the soft scent of her perfume swept over me as she made her way over to wait for the bus. Oh dear Lord help those boys. When I was back on the path and hidden safely behind a bush, I glanced back over to watch the scene play out. A common theme had woven throughout my week and this was my chance to see it in real time.
The boy I knew, bless his heart, glanced up and I could read his mind–then he quickly looked down and stared hard at his phone. Bless you, boy. The other boys had no defense. Two made a valiant effort to divert their eyes but one poor boy just sat and gawked, mouth open, in a trance.
I was close, this close, to going over, taking dear sweet pea by the hand and walking her back home so her mama could give her a coat … and a skirt. I didn’t. I should’ve. But I prayed for those boys and for her and for the world of middle schoolers and for my kids–all growing up in this sad sexed-up society.
TWO: Earlier this week Jeff forwarded me a disturbing article. I won’t link directly here, but if you are interested I’m happy to send it to you. I read through every word, and wept.
The article was Porn and Junior-High Culture, published as part of the Drowning in Porn feature of New York magazine. The gist of the article was that online porn is so widely available and accessed among junior high (and high school) boys that junior high girls are posing for similar pics, sexting and texting and trying to “keep up” with the distorted desire of their male classmates. The five junior-high girls interviewed admitted that it’s hard to “keep up” with the image that boys have in their mind, not to mention the assorted “activities” these boys demand that they do.
I read and cried, read and cried.
These are our boys, poisoned with filth from the pit of hell. Warped, addicted, ruined, dazed and overwhelmed by the onslaught of sexuality before they are even old enough to drive a girl to the movies.
These are our girls, with mutilated souls, believing that some digital fantasy pic is what they have to “measure up” to. Trying, aching, longing to be prettier and thinner and sexier and perkier.
Made old before they even have grown up.
THREE: Then at the end of the week I met with a 16-year-old friend. She is dear and I love her like a daughter.
And everything I suspected was true. It’s as bad as I thought.
I said goodbye, closed the door. Sat on the couch. Shook my head, cried. What’s the use, God? This world is gone. It’s so warped and messed up and hopeless. What’s the USE?
I walked to the sink. Two packets of seeds sat on the counter, waiting to be planted. What’s the point, God? I put my hands through the motions, spooned soil into egg cartons, tore open packets, and just as I began to finger tiny seeds into soil, the packet slipped and fell out of my hand. Most the seeds down the drain. I stood still, hands resting on the edge of the sink, looking down. The seeds and our world. What’s the point, God? Almost all of them are already gone down the drain. My heart quickened as I looked back down into the packet.
Just a few left.
That’s the point, Kari.
There’s a few left.
My eyes filled up as I poked my finger down by faith into the packet, pulled up the few last seeds, gently pushed them into soil. Covered tenderly. Watered. Covered with a plastic bag and slid up into the warmth on top of the fridge.
With care those few would grow. Would live.
With care seek out those few who will grow. Will live.
What else, Lord?
I looked down at the carpet in desperate need. Pulled out the steam-cleaner. While Jeff tucked kiddos into bed I steam-cleaned to save lives. Over and over down the hall, each time brought water black. Dump water. Do it again. So dirty. So much filth. So much work.
It was worth it.
I finished late. Was tired. The carpet looked like new. I fell into bed, exhausted, and told my man my heart.
And prayed that heaven’s mercy fall.
Our world is dark, no lie. The curse is alive and well as we exploit each other’s weaknesses.
But this morning I pulled the egg cartons down from the top of the fridge:
A dozen tiny shoots, two dozen tiny green leaves.
Shoots of hope.
Keep planting, shampooing, and praying. Thanks for reading.
2 Kings 7: Faithful Distributers
How are you doing reading through the Bible? I pray God’s blessing your efforts, no matter where you are or how consistent you feel. Getting ANY of God’s Word in our hearts is better than none. I read 2 Kings 7 this morning and was reminded of this fun story from last fall, about this very passage.
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Have I mentioned I love the sacred mundane? I may not like all the lessons of daily life, but I cannot deny that they are there. The latest one? It was delivered to me in a big cardboard box.
Last week, when Jeff and I were talking about a new commitment to giving, changing our lifestyle, etc. I was talking about clothing. It is unbelievablehow much clothing we all have, amen? I mean, I could probably go the rest of my life without buying another article of clothing and never actually “run out”. I may not be fit for a runway, but I’d probably be just fine. The kids obviously grow out of their clothes rather quickly, but they certainly don’t need much. So just last week I told Jeff, “Ok, I do laundry once a week, so really the kids only need enough clothes for one week. That’s 7 outfits. Yes, some days are dirty, so toss in one extra, but we’re talking 8-9 at the most. I want to keep reminding myself we need less than we think.” So, Heidi really was growing out of all her clothes, and one of the things I prayed and asked God for was winter clothes for Heidi. Dutch is fine but Heidi-boo definitely needed some, including a jacket.
Of course, in classic God-style, He provided.
That night someone at church flagged me down and told me she had something for me, which turned out to be a HUGE box of hand-me-downs from her daughter. Did I mention HUGE? I was laughing out loud at God’s provision because it was so interwoven with what He was doing in our adventure of faith. It was like He was saying, “Worried about your kids provision? Yeah, I got them covered!” Not only were there lots of clothes, there were FOUR jackets! I was hoping for one!
As I sat in my living room, surrounded by little pink outfits, I of course had thanked God and was now sitting around folding and sorting sizes. Then as clear as anything, right in the middle of folding a pink turtle-neck, I thought of the words of the four starving lepers from 2 Kings 7:9 “We are not doing right…“. The story is long, but basically during a time of great famine, four starving lepers (as prophesied by Elisha) discover the camp of the Syrian army, abandoned because the Lord had made the Syrians hear the sound of chariots and they had fled away in the night (vv.6-7). So these four starving lepers stumbled upon a multitude of food and supplies, miraculously provided in the middle of a famine. And while they are in the middle of pigging out (v.8), they stop and look at each other and say,
“We are not doing right … let us go and tell the king’s household.”
In other words, “It is not right that we are sitting here stuffing our faces and plundering all of this gold, while the rest of our land, our people, are starving in the middle of this famine. Yes, God miraculously provided it for us, but we do wrong to sit here and eat without sharing with others.”
God was the one who provided the food and supplies by miraculously making the Syrian army hear the voice of chariots and flee in the middle of the night.
God used the four lepers to be his discoverers. The purpose of giving them the whole camp of Syrian supplies was not so they would eat a whole army’s worth of food or take a whole army’s worth of supplies. He showed it to them so they could be faithful distributors, so they could go tell the king’s household and therefore alert all the people to the miracle of food.
Of course as I sat in the middle of my living room sorting through piles of clothes, I thought of the leper’s words and knew what to do. I got busy and text messaged some fellow ministry-friends, who have daughters the same age, and found out their specific size and needs. Then that night Jeff and I sorted all the clothes into piles for each of us based on size and preference. Something so simple as hand-me-down clothes made me cry, because I knew God was showing me what He wants for his people, the people of America, who have so much. We must be faithful distributors.
I realized that we, I, still have a such a spirit of entitlement. Even though Isay everything belongs to God, I still somehow think that MY income, MY stuff, MY house first and foremost belongs to me. When I receive something, whether it’s a gift or a regular paycheck, I automatically assume that God wants me to have it all (except maybe 10%, right?). But what if God gave us a large income so that we might bless those in need, sponsor children, fund business ventures in developing countries, the list goes on. What if He only wanted us to keep half? I think it might be possible for us to tithe our whole lives without ever really asking God if the other 90% was ours in the first place! He might have intended it for someone else!
So as I sat there sorting clothes, it all came into focus. Having less is so much simpler. As I took Heidi’s small “keep” pile up to her room, (and yes, she’ll have plenty for one week’s worth of clothes), I was so glad I didn’t have to figure out how to find space for all those other clothes. It was easy to tuck the new items into her drawer. I didn’t have to get more hangers, didn’t have to stuff things in. A great reminder that less is more.
All it took was a little time and it was SO fun to be able to deliver clothes to the other girls. And of course they were thrilled. I felt most blessed of all, and now all our daughters have clothes for the winter for free. And, as I sorted the clothes, I did feel God’s sweet reminder that there were some definite advantages to being a faithful distributor–if we are the faithful distributor, we get to have first-pick of the cutest clothes! 
Among other things, Heidi ended up with a polka dot rain jacket, a puffer jacket with fur lined hood (beyond cute), and a pink sweater dress that fits her perfect. I knew that I didn’t need to feel guilty for Heidi having beautiful cute clothes–God provided them and gave me the privilege of hand-picking what she’d keep.
God bless America–It IS true that we in America are blessed. We are blessed with the fun and honor of being faithful distributors. We get to receive so much abundance from God, and then we get the FUN and THRILL of picking where to give all the extra (and there’s so much extra!). We get to sort and delight in giving–we get the fun of seeing those joyful faces as we give out God’s resources. And…sometimes we even get to pick the cutest pink rain-jacket for ourselves. 🙂
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(As I reread this I’m convicted all over again about how much stuff the kids have accumulated just since writing this post! Time to sort and give some away!)
How can you be a faithful distributer today? Thanks for reading.
Filling in my blank: (6) Do Justice
I shared here the beginning of a journey, to fill in the blank of a life goal penciled in awkward cursive nearly 22 years ago. (I’d be honored if you’d take a moment and read that initial post which communicates my heart on this topic.) I shared here about walking through the Real.Life.Exhibit last summer, shaken to the core, reeling, asking God what we could possibly do to help. I shared here about an eye-opening experience with regards to the mundane affairs of food, diet, and budget, and how even the foods that we eat can cause great impact around our world. And then here I shared about my Tipping-Point, reading The Hole in our Gospel and realizing the enormous potential we had for touching the world with the gospel of grace through a generous life. And finally, here I shared about our decision to put our house up for sale, and although it has not sold yet, we continue to be excited about what God is doing in our hearts and wallets and world.
Of course, as I’ve said in each post, this journey has no end. But I set out initially with the simple goal of filling in my blank, that is figuring out, in a brief few words, how God wanted me to live in relation to my world. Well, my blank is filled in word, though it will take the rest of my life to fill in deed. The simple answer comes straight from God’s Word in Micah 6:8:
Do justice.
I just finished a book by Timothy Keller, Generous Justice. Where The Hole in our Gospel powerfully compels us to action, focusing primarily on international aid, Generous Justice helps us make sense of the call to social justice and how it is inextricably linked to the gospel of Christ. Keller focuses more on the starting point of justice–our own neighborhoods and cities. Keller also does an excellent job addressing criticisms launched by both the secular world and the conservative evangelical community. He addresses the myriad causes of injustice and poverty, from a biblical perspective, and demonstrates the three-fold way to do justice: Through relief, development, and social reform.
I’ll admit it’s all a bit overwhelming. I’m sitting here, a stay-at-home mom of two preschoolers, in my giant suburban house that I can’t sell, wondering what it looks like to do justice right here in my home. Giving is a great start and that we’re doing, but Keller really highlights the need to do justice personally, relationally. Justice skin-on-skin. And while there are certainly no homeless folks in my neighborhood there is still plenty of justice that can be worked if we took the time and energy to be creative.
Keller finishes his book with a thought-provoking discussion on Peace, Beauty, and Justice. Here he fleshes out what it truly means to do justice, through seeking physical, social, and spiritual Shalom, and through creating beauty and justice, which takes our eyes off ourselves and glorifies our God.
Bottom line? Sponsoring children isn’t enough. Giving away our money isn’t enough. Selling our home isn’t enough. Buying local, sustainable, or fair-trade food isn’t enough. But that’s just it.
None of it is enough. That’s the whole point.
True justice is a justice simply inspired by the grace of God. Only grace can inspire in us a true justice–one that gets close, cares, one that is tirelessly devoted to seeking the peace of the people in our sphere. God has already finished the work, so we simply work toward the goal of spreading around all the glorious grace to as many people as possible. So my goal with regards to the world, simply put?
Do justice.
The hard part is the doing. I don’t expect to figure all that out right away, but I’d love to share bits and pieces as they become clear.
And although it’s overwhelming, I’m thankful to have a wonderful Example to lead the way. Thank you, Jesus.
Do Justice and Love Mercy
Do justice and love mercy.
Micah 6:8
Osama bin Laden is dead. Do we cheer or mourn?
Justice or mercy? God’s word says both.
I clicked on Facebook to see. A mix. Cheers. Expletives. A Christian warning to not rejoice. One particular post stands out, quiet. A friend who lost a loved one when those towers fell that day. Only two words:
Wow. Justice.
Yes. To so many who lost loved ones that horrific day almost ten years ago it wasn’t national tragedy but personal tragedy. My own experience is so far from theirs I hardly dare open my mouth. But how are we to respond? Our sacred Scriptures are replete with turning of the cheek and impreccatory psalms.
Do we cheer or mourn?
Justice or mercy? God’s word says both.
In Micah 6:8, the term for “mercy” is chesedh, God’s unconditional grace and compassion. The word for “justice” is the Hebrew term mishpat. According to Tim Keller,
“mishpat puts the emphasis on the action, chesedh puts it on the attitude or motive behind the action. To walk with God, then we must do justice, out of merciful love” (Generous Justice, p.3)
We mourn because sin, death, and the grave were never God’s intention. The enemy of our souls seeks to steal, kill, and destroy–And he did much of just that through the life of bin Laden. But our responsibility is to grieve over sin, offer forgiveness, and execute justice.
The death of Osama bin Laden will never bring back all the loved one whose lives were cut short that September day. But we are reminded that we serve a just God. The work of Jesus on the cross is that much more beautiful when we understand the justice of God. We deserve the worst of death but He’s given us the greatest of life. That grace extends to all who will receive.
I do not rejoice over death. Anyone’s. But I do rejoice over justice, and we can rest assured that we serve a just and merciful God. As Jeff always says, “God is able to sort all these things out.”
I rejoice that this perpetrator of evil is no longer on the prowl in our world. I mourn over a human soul that was so deceived by the devil and used to carry out his schemes.
But most of all I rejoice in the extravagant grace of Jesus Christ. He carried out perfect justice once and for all by taking our place on the cross.
That I will celebrate.