A while ago, my tiny children and I composed this:
Last night mummy went to a party,
She danced on a table whilst there,
She waved her shoes at strangers
And wore bananas in her hair.
Last night mummy went to a party,
She danced on a table all night
She made hysterical gestures
And gave all her friends a fright.
Last night mummy went to a party,
She danced on a table - it's true!
She threw some trifle at vicars
and had to hide in the loo.
But really...
Last night mummy went to housegroup
She talked about God whilst there;
Can that really be as exciting
As dancing and bananas and hair?
Friday, January 26, 2007
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Growing pain
I have a suspicion (and I am not alone here) that a good deal of society's confusion, unresolved problems, and the source of an awful lot of unhappiness, can be traced, if not completely then substantially, to this fact: people just do not grow up anymore.
From serial marriages, to yobbish behaviour, to watching 8 hours of TV a day, to trying to fit 25 stone bodies into size 8 dresses, to lack of consistency and commitment, to vast credit problems - the fact is people are behaving like children. And often spoiled children at that. It's children that make and break a half dozen friendships in a week, get stroppy when they can't have their way, become mesmerised by pointless TV shows, are fickle in their moods, will spend all their savings on some temporary toy. But the difference is: that is how children have always behaved, not how adults have always behaved; they behave like that because they are immature, adults are supposed to grow in maturity. So, what is acceptable and expected in kids has now transferred to large numbers of adults where it is unhelpful and unattractive. We just don't grow up properly.
Why in our generation is it suddenly not only OK but even desirable to act like this? Carl Truman has made the point very well (www.reformation21.org) that when ‘youth’ is desirable, even admirable to those who are older, the unfortunate side effect is that what is ‘youthful’ (i.e. immaturity) is also esteemed. In other words, we behave like children because our ability to deal with age and aging is incredibly poor. We are so desperate to stay young, that we think it helps to not grow in maturity.
This is sold to us as an advantage: we stay youthful, don't get set in our ways, live exciting and full lives, never become old fuddy duddies. Hooray!
Hmm, there are a number of problems with this. Firstly, we are going to get old and slow down and no amount of surgery is going to stop this (eg.Joan Rivers). Secondly, although this philosophy should equip us to be appealing to younger people, thereby gaining credibility through association with them, it is these very young people who can detect a middle-aged man or woman masquerading as youthful from 500 yards, and take necessary evasive, or possibly offensive, action. Thirdly, it makes you look stupid.
What is more frightening are the ramifications not only for society, but also the church. We are called to be mature in Christ, and this is dependent to some degree on a co-ordinate general maturity as a human being. Being like Jesus means being grown up as Jesus is - we could say He is the ultimate grown up, entrusted with running the universe, upholding every atom and saving humanity. You don't get to do that without being 'grown-up'. But as Christians absorb the yoofy-ness of culture, and the contingent age-ism, then problems develop.
For example, a colleague was asked, by a Christian from another church, "What is the secret of the blessing you're receiving at your church?" The answer was, in effect, "Prayer - why don't you attend your prayer meeting and make a difference?" Answer: "Because it's full of old people"
Right. Well, number one: it isn't full of old people - but then you can't know that if you don't go. Number two: so what if it is? When did God say: "do not associate with older people, they can't pray properly, they're a right nuisance, and they smell bad"? I can't get my Bible to say this, even if I use The Bible Code. In fact it is a reversal of the biblical dynamic of older, more mature (yes, I admit that older doesn't always mean more mature, but bear with me) Christians training up the younger generation from their well of experience (e.g. Titus 2). This powerful tool of God, using older saints to help younger saints to avoid pitfalls and go further and faster than they did, is killed off. So it's discriminatory and it's church-damaging, because we don't get mature as quickly or as well as we ought.
And where does this idea of come from? Certainly not from the Bible. It does not use the trite phrases we commonly find about older people being stuck in their ways and not moving with the Spirit, and younger people being 'on the edge' etc. In fact at Pentecost, as Joel's prophecy is fulfilled in the outpouring of the Spirit, the people affected are sons, daughters, young men, old men, menservants and maidservants. No age restrictions.
Now, I know plenty of older Christians who would warn me that it's easy to get stuck in one's ways, and new times need new approaches. But that isn't the same as writing off anyone over 60 (or 50 or 40, depending how young the writer-offer is). If you are one of those people, you should think very carefully. It really will not be long before you are that age, and if you have taught your youthful disciples that anyone older should be pensioned off, what do you think they will do to you when you reach that age?
All these things miss a big point: God is the source of life, not youth. Yes, your joints work better - but that in itself is not life, certainly not life abundant. To have God in one's life is the source of our life, His unending youthfulness is in the heart. Youthfulness in the sense of never aging, waning, slowing; and with it wisdom more ancient than the stars. With such Life in the heart we have the capacity for a deep wisdom, with a vitality that age cannot diminish. You see, the important thing is not to try to stay young and give the semblance of energy; but to be truly, completely alive every day through the life of God. And to be truly, vibrantly alive at every stage of life in the way God intends for it. Our culture has got the idea that youth is life, so we should stay youthful; and Christians who live that way have not received such an idea from the Bible, but from the world around them. In so doing they actually strangle God's purpose for them and their churches. God wants us to be utterly alive in a way that fits whatever our physical energy, calendar age, experiences, knowledge of the Bible, our ministry life, wisdom, holiness and so on, is right now. Instead of greeting the next birthday with dread and depression, we should be able to ask: what is it that God will do with me next, now I have reached this point? What is it I shall do and be that I have never done or been before? Once we stop idolising youth and start worshipping God with our years, then this backward looking regret, or frantic grasping of the vestiges of youthfulness diminish. Because we know that we shall be more alive even as we grow older!
In the song that became Psalm 90, Moses prays "So teach us to number our days". Help us to be aware of the brevity of life, making days count, treasuring and learning from memories. Why? "So that when I realise how old I am I will scare myself rigid and buy midriff-revealing tops and tight cycling shorts". Er, no. "That we may gain a heart of wisdom" (v12). The wisdom of God, the wisdom that brings light and life.
And that's what our young people need. They emerge into a post-Christian society where the media and society will be against them. To survive they need wisdom, not yoofyness from their elders.
And it's what our churches need. Nowhere in the Bible is there a segregated church: young people over here, oldies over there. A church is the gathered people of God, centred on Jesus Christ irrespective of race or age.
So, please, be who God intends you to be, bringing life, and light and wisdom wherever you go, especially in God's house. Be alive with God's life, whatever your age. It will make you a lot more joyful than hanging your happiness on the hope that other people will notice how youthful you are. And it's a lot less embarrassing than wearing stuff three sizes too small or twenty years too young, which reduces your YP to hysterics on the back row.
If you want me, I’ll be on the back row, sniggering.
(Copyright: The Masked Badger)
From serial marriages, to yobbish behaviour, to watching 8 hours of TV a day, to trying to fit 25 stone bodies into size 8 dresses, to lack of consistency and commitment, to vast credit problems - the fact is people are behaving like children. And often spoiled children at that. It's children that make and break a half dozen friendships in a week, get stroppy when they can't have their way, become mesmerised by pointless TV shows, are fickle in their moods, will spend all their savings on some temporary toy. But the difference is: that is how children have always behaved, not how adults have always behaved; they behave like that because they are immature, adults are supposed to grow in maturity. So, what is acceptable and expected in kids has now transferred to large numbers of adults where it is unhelpful and unattractive. We just don't grow up properly.
Why in our generation is it suddenly not only OK but even desirable to act like this? Carl Truman has made the point very well (www.reformation21.org) that when ‘youth’ is desirable, even admirable to those who are older, the unfortunate side effect is that what is ‘youthful’ (i.e. immaturity) is also esteemed. In other words, we behave like children because our ability to deal with age and aging is incredibly poor. We are so desperate to stay young, that we think it helps to not grow in maturity.
This is sold to us as an advantage: we stay youthful, don't get set in our ways, live exciting and full lives, never become old fuddy duddies. Hooray!
Hmm, there are a number of problems with this. Firstly, we are going to get old and slow down and no amount of surgery is going to stop this (eg.Joan Rivers). Secondly, although this philosophy should equip us to be appealing to younger people, thereby gaining credibility through association with them, it is these very young people who can detect a middle-aged man or woman masquerading as youthful from 500 yards, and take necessary evasive, or possibly offensive, action. Thirdly, it makes you look stupid.
What is more frightening are the ramifications not only for society, but also the church. We are called to be mature in Christ, and this is dependent to some degree on a co-ordinate general maturity as a human being. Being like Jesus means being grown up as Jesus is - we could say He is the ultimate grown up, entrusted with running the universe, upholding every atom and saving humanity. You don't get to do that without being 'grown-up'. But as Christians absorb the yoofy-ness of culture, and the contingent age-ism, then problems develop.
For example, a colleague was asked, by a Christian from another church, "What is the secret of the blessing you're receiving at your church?" The answer was, in effect, "Prayer - why don't you attend your prayer meeting and make a difference?" Answer: "Because it's full of old people"
Right. Well, number one: it isn't full of old people - but then you can't know that if you don't go. Number two: so what if it is? When did God say: "do not associate with older people, they can't pray properly, they're a right nuisance, and they smell bad"? I can't get my Bible to say this, even if I use The Bible Code. In fact it is a reversal of the biblical dynamic of older, more mature (yes, I admit that older doesn't always mean more mature, but bear with me) Christians training up the younger generation from their well of experience (e.g. Titus 2). This powerful tool of God, using older saints to help younger saints to avoid pitfalls and go further and faster than they did, is killed off. So it's discriminatory and it's church-damaging, because we don't get mature as quickly or as well as we ought.
And where does this idea of come from? Certainly not from the Bible. It does not use the trite phrases we commonly find about older people being stuck in their ways and not moving with the Spirit, and younger people being 'on the edge' etc. In fact at Pentecost, as Joel's prophecy is fulfilled in the outpouring of the Spirit, the people affected are sons, daughters, young men, old men, menservants and maidservants. No age restrictions.
Now, I know plenty of older Christians who would warn me that it's easy to get stuck in one's ways, and new times need new approaches. But that isn't the same as writing off anyone over 60 (or 50 or 40, depending how young the writer-offer is). If you are one of those people, you should think very carefully. It really will not be long before you are that age, and if you have taught your youthful disciples that anyone older should be pensioned off, what do you think they will do to you when you reach that age?
All these things miss a big point: God is the source of life, not youth. Yes, your joints work better - but that in itself is not life, certainly not life abundant. To have God in one's life is the source of our life, His unending youthfulness is in the heart. Youthfulness in the sense of never aging, waning, slowing; and with it wisdom more ancient than the stars. With such Life in the heart we have the capacity for a deep wisdom, with a vitality that age cannot diminish. You see, the important thing is not to try to stay young and give the semblance of energy; but to be truly, completely alive every day through the life of God. And to be truly, vibrantly alive at every stage of life in the way God intends for it. Our culture has got the idea that youth is life, so we should stay youthful; and Christians who live that way have not received such an idea from the Bible, but from the world around them. In so doing they actually strangle God's purpose for them and their churches. God wants us to be utterly alive in a way that fits whatever our physical energy, calendar age, experiences, knowledge of the Bible, our ministry life, wisdom, holiness and so on, is right now. Instead of greeting the next birthday with dread and depression, we should be able to ask: what is it that God will do with me next, now I have reached this point? What is it I shall do and be that I have never done or been before? Once we stop idolising youth and start worshipping God with our years, then this backward looking regret, or frantic grasping of the vestiges of youthfulness diminish. Because we know that we shall be more alive even as we grow older!
In the song that became Psalm 90, Moses prays "So teach us to number our days". Help us to be aware of the brevity of life, making days count, treasuring and learning from memories. Why? "So that when I realise how old I am I will scare myself rigid and buy midriff-revealing tops and tight cycling shorts". Er, no. "That we may gain a heart of wisdom" (v12). The wisdom of God, the wisdom that brings light and life.
And that's what our young people need. They emerge into a post-Christian society where the media and society will be against them. To survive they need wisdom, not yoofyness from their elders.
And it's what our churches need. Nowhere in the Bible is there a segregated church: young people over here, oldies over there. A church is the gathered people of God, centred on Jesus Christ irrespective of race or age.
So, please, be who God intends you to be, bringing life, and light and wisdom wherever you go, especially in God's house. Be alive with God's life, whatever your age. It will make you a lot more joyful than hanging your happiness on the hope that other people will notice how youthful you are. And it's a lot less embarrassing than wearing stuff three sizes too small or twenty years too young, which reduces your YP to hysterics on the back row.
If you want me, I’ll be on the back row, sniggering.
(Copyright: The Masked Badger)
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
On naming God
At the end of an essay on deciding what Name of God we should use in beginning prayer:
Getting that initial address right seems important to me, not because I imagine I can really capture this source of all being in a verbal container. But the name I call to God with determines the guise in which I come to this task, duty, privilege of prayer. In naming God, I am in some way—far beyond my incomplete understanding—determining my own identity. Naming God ends up defining not him, but me.
Virginia Stem Owens (Books & Culture, 26th Dec.2006)
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