"An alter-call from the fringes of faith"

*[disclaimer: this is sort of a rant.. not planned/edited in advance-- take it for what its worth.]

So JESUS is the reason for the season. People keep saying that.. and the church Christmas message is always the same this time of year.. Its SUCH an important message of hope that a broken world needs to hear, but then I got to thinking..

Christmas is one of the few times a year (perhaps the only time) that a non-Christian will go to church. There is such a strong family tradition associated with holiday church-goers whether they believe or not. Once a year they get to hear that a baby was born so that it could die for them. Before I believed, I heard the story and it was cute, but not much more.

I understand a baby was born and died.. but I also understand he was someone special between birth and death! Gurgling baby.. Saviour in too much pain to speak.. Maybe this year they need to hear about what happened in between..

Jesus is a RADICAL!! If the active church-going crowd took every lesson Jesus taught to heart, I am confident we'd have an army of New Democrats.. okay, i threw that in there just to stir up some people i know will be reading this.. *coughjeffcough*..

Everyone is well aware of the downward spiral of this world. There's a mainstream pull toward the idea of zen, peace, balance.. finding HAPPINESS, and here we have a man saying money isn't the beginning and end of everything.. extend the love of the Lord to your brother.. to give of yourself without expecting recognition or anything in return.. To take time to search yourself and judge yourself before your neighbour.. To be open; an individual. You are made to be UNIQUE!! ALL he wants is our love -- for us to acknowledge him and have a relationship with him and for us to love and respect each other. In return we have his endless protection and the resources of the LORD ON HIGH at our disposal!!

They need to hear about the baby, but about a baby who grew into a man that empowers millions! He empowers us to give money when someone is in need-- to give food or clothing to those who could use it, and never ask to be paid back-- often giving in secret.. To openly encourage each other-- friends, family, co workers, or strangers for crying out loud... To wake up in the early morning before 6am and shovel the snow from a neighbours driveway because we care..

This Christmas is the year of "Wake up and smell the radical!"-- the stench of the sweat forming on our brow as we realise its not a cozy feel-good story but an alter-call to get real and stop running.. To clean up the horrible mess we've made of our earth and the mess we've made of our minds.. by accepting the help and direction of the One who brought this all to be.. We don't have to change who we are before he'll agree to love us.. He'll love us as we are-- thin or fat, gay or straight, man or woman and come into our lives transforming us from the inside out!

How often do we judge people? How often do we make comments to demonstrate how much more we know than the next person and how we have life figured out? We don't! We don't have it figured out. If you think so- you're fooling yourself. We need to start by shutting our mouths and opening our hearts. It bothers the heck out of me to see fingers pointing in all directions.. but do we point them at ourselves? In the dark places where nobody goes I know I'm not all I'm cracked up to be.. I've raised a complaint but its whining and unproductive unless i try to do something about it...

So let me come alongside you and stop telling you that you're wrong. Lets be imperfect together. EFF YAH. Lets go!