Undone-The Beginning

The thoughts that follow are true of who I am as an individual and as a Jesus-follower. But this article,  Baby Zion, and included video spurred this particular essay. I hope you will take the time to read the article, see the video, read my thoughts and share your own. Blessings to you. #UNDONE

Our nation is known for its successes, its bigness, our money, our monuments, our influence. And as a nation we worship this measure of "success"- money in the bank, a comfy life, well-groomed spouse and kids, big house, fancy cars, no worries. But it's rooted in so many lies of what success really is.

What if American Christians became known, instead, for protecting the innocent, defending the defenseless, speaking for the voiceless, naming the nameless?

What if, instead of "standing our ground", we showed the world what it looks like to bend low to come to the aid of the widow, the orphan, the unwanted, the neglected, the broken, the disheartened, the forgotten, the "useless", the used up and thrown out?

What if we made every effort to bind up the brokenhearted with the Good News that no one is beyond the reach of the Grace of God?

What if, instead of pushing away those who make us sense our own shortcomings, we drew them near? Until the grace of God captured all of us? Until we lived so dependent on the moment-by-moment, He's-gotta-show-up-or-I'm-sunk-deep, grace and mercy and power of God, that we can't imagine living any other way?

What if?

I bet our kids would no longer ask in Sunday School, "why don't miracles happen now like they did back then?" ...

I bet our neighbors and co-workers wouldn't be surprised to find out we are church-goers or consider ourselves Christians...

I bet we wouldn't spend so much energy getting angry when some newspaper is "anti-Christian" because we're too busy feeding "sheep" and have our hands full living out the love of Jesus...

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I believe in the inherent value of all human life from conception to natural death. ALL human life. Yes, the unborn. Yes, the dementia riddled. Yes, the broken. Yes, the feeble. Yes, the "my body hurts so bad I can't get out of bed." Yes, the body of an adult and mental capacity of a child. Yes, the alcoholic. Yes, the prostitute. Yes, the pimp. Yes, the depressed, anxious, sad, and lonely. Yes, yes, yes.

There is not one without value and purpose. If you are alive today, it is because God has purposed it and purposed you.

If you know Jesus and call yourself a Christian, do not cast off that which God has called you to care for.

And if you do not know the grace of God in Jesus Christ, may today be the day you hear Him say, "YES, YES, YES!! I have called you by name, you are MINE!"