Prodigal Medic....

Read this article this morning after looking up a friend on Google. 

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I know probably most of you have seen this, but if you haven’t, its worth your time. This is a clip from the British version of “American Idol” a year or two ago, and a man named Paul Potts. Paul is a cell phone salesman, and apparently, an opera singer. What captures me each and every time I see this clip is the transparent insecurity of this man as he stands on stage, waiting for his music to begin. To me, his facial expression captures what my heart feels so often, although I have learned and conditioned myself to hide so very well over the years. I love watching the look of apprehension on the judges faces when Paul annonces that he is going to sing opera. Bad Ricky Martin impersonations would be an angelic offering compared to bad opera. But as the music starts, and Paul starts singing, the look of amazement on the judges face is magical. Even more miraculous is the transformation of Potts’ body language. His awkward, insecure stance at the beginning of the piece changes as the music rushes out of him. His posture changes, and towards the end of the clip, as audience members are leaping to their feet and judges are watching, mouths agape and in rapt attention, Paul stands, with his arms spread, his head tilted backwards and being just who he was meant to be. I relate so much to this. I crave being accepted and loved like this and truly, this is almost my tangible version of the prodigal son. I find myself thinking about how God will welcome me home one day, with that same applause. In the meantime, like Paul when the music ends, I struggle to find my sense of self, my confidence and my place in this world.

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I watched an incredible presentation yesterday from this year’s TED Conference. It was presented by a guy named Willie Smits, an Indonesian conservationist, who was deeply moved by a moment walking through a marketplace in a town where someone tried to shove a dying orangutan baby in his face. He ended up rescuing the orangutan baby, and began to explain how the deforestation of the palms in order to provide biofuels for the Western world. I was at first skeptical, as I always am, with these “save the rainforest” type speeches. Do I believe that the rainforests need to be saved? Absolutely. Do I have any idea how? No, and really, my garden on Facebook doesn’t really count as a worthwhile effort on my part.

However, as with most TED talks (since I have rarely heard one that doesn’t intrigue me), I stuck it out. And I was deeply intrigued by Smits’ incredibly well thought out plan for saving the orangutans. His plan was to by 5,000 acres in a forest in Borneo and to create not only a wildlife sanctuary, but also a whole new way to approach everything related with this. While it would take twenty minutes just to capture some of what he said, the summary would be a meticulously thought out plan for caretaking of the earth, reforestation, creating biodiversity, a self-sustaining and self-propagating economy for the local people which creates local ownership, a wildlife habitat, and ecology center. The result is staggering. His center, with this meticulous reforestation and business plan, has directly contributed to everything from raising this part of Borneo from one of the poorest to one of the richest, increasing education, children’s health, increasing rainfall and restoring the natural balance of the earth, saving the orangutans, drastically decreasing crime, and the list goes on. It absolutely blew my mind.

And it got me thinking…

What if this could be the new face of missions? What if we leave behind the old models of going to people groups different than our own, with our spin of the Gospel to thrust upon then, while destroying their culture and without really giving them a practical day-to-day hope? I started thinking about how in the last century, missionaries went to these far off lands to “convert and save” the “lost.” Was this effective? In certain situations, absolutely. But I’ve always been unsettled at the cost of this, because “saving” them often seems like a process of assimilating them as well. In fact, there was a recent article on ABC News’ Nightline about YWAM (a great organization) and the conflict with the Brazilian government about how YWAM missionaries are contributing to the decline of the native customs and cultures. To be sure, some of this is good, I think, as I do not think infanticide is a good form of population control. However, we need to think long and hard about how we leave these people. Are we just throwing our holy hand grenades without providing for the tangible needs of these people?

Churches like Mars Hill in Michigan, with their XYZ Initiative and microfinance work in Burundi, organizations like Blood:Water:Mission and others are on to something. And I think that Smits is on to the same thing, although in a secular way. Maybe the best way to radically effect change in these people is to enter into their world as one of them. Maybe the new way to witness is not through street plays and the Jesus Film, but by analyzing the local economy and agriculture and empowering these people groups to find the courage to believe in themselves as having value and worth just how God created them, no longer selling themselves and their land to the Western world at the cost of their very lives for the cheap buck. Maybe, as we tap the Church’s rich resources of amazing people with expertise in agriculture, finance, public health, etc. with this multi-faceted approach, we can radically be changing the goal of missions from short-term to long-term investment in a community. I even have hopes that many of these same ideas might be applied domestically, not just internationally. Especially in such economic times, the need to minister to our literal neighbors is even greater. I think by showing that people have value and worth, and incorporating the message that this value and worth comes from a Creator that loves them how they are, we can really see the whole world change for the better.

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Yesterday, I heard a pastor make this challenge: “Is it really that we are about community or affinity?”

I think that this night is how it is supposed to be.

My favorite band was playing a show at my favorite pub in Santa Rosa tonight. I got to drive up there with two of my best friends. We talked about life and faith and things of significance the whole time. We shared a great meal together, and during this time, enjoyed each other’s company with stories of life and full of laughter.

As we left dinner, the three of us were happy and carefree, and arriving at the pub to see more of my friends was great. There was such genuine affection. I’ve always thought that if my good friends were ever all stranded on an island together, we would have an incredible time. People who had never met before were laughing and having a good time, people were watching out for each other, and there was so much goofiness and dancing. Arms around each other, sharing the moment, each of us finding our own connection with something bigger than ourselves, actually singing our own songs to God in the middle of this dance floor. Even towards the end of the night when someone was caught stealing from our friends, people were there to stand up for him, to protect and look out for him.

I took a break for a small bit last night and sat with my drink. I had just had a conversation with a woman I’d just met about her life and things she was going through. I heard from my friends that they’d had similar experiences that night as well.

All this really made me think about Rick’s statement: Am I settling for community or affinity? I think I’m pretty thankful and certain that I have an amazing community. I am thankful for these people more than I could express. This is so close to the feeling of family. And with all the mess and the fallen humanity that we each express, we found belonging and companionship. This was not some homogenous group, as there were all sorts of backgrounds and life experiences there. But it was, as I said, a great community.

The words to one of the songs really wrap up my thoughts on the night:

Its only whispers that keep our hearts alive
And tonight I wish that you and I could drive
Then race with the satellites as they streak across the sky
And when you’re near, I’m light as air and I believe that I can fly

In this moment,
Its beautiful ‘cause you’re right here
In this moment,
Its like I’m drifting across the sky
And there’s no gravity that can possibly hold us
And leave me weightless
- Five AM

Thank you to all those who make up my community and my family, those that I see frequently, as well as those that I wish I was closer to. Those moments, and these people, are what make my life so rich.

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Although he is avowed as an atheist as Bill Maher, Penn has always been much more intelligent and thoughtful in his position. In fact, after watching this video, I'm amazed and impressed even more. Definitely worth the time and most certainly thought-provoking. 

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A few random thoughts…

I went to a church today, alone and new, which for me, are both things that I am used to. I actually relish the thought of going somewhere that I am not known, being an anonymous face in the crowd. For those that do have a regular community of faith though, let me remind you of something important. It is so important to make new people feel welcome. Candles, dark rooms, worship leaders who are so hip that they cant see their toes… these things do not equal “community,” “authenticity” or any of the other buzz words that seem to proliferate so many church mission statements. The singular aspect of a community of believers that actually transforms these words to the reality of the vision is this: hospitality. Without the simplicity of a smile, a sincere hello, these other words fall empty. Let’s not forget that Jesus was most comfortable in the margins, and really, margins exist not only outside of the church, but also within, when we form cliques, when we are more concerned about our friends and we forget that there are new people there, searching to fit in and become a part of the community.

My next thought is simple:

I love reading people’s blogs. So many of the ones that I read are friends of mine, but others are people that I know within two degree’s of separation. This keeps me from wasting my whole day reading. This week though, I’ve found great writing from Trent, Katie, Kevin, Nakepastor and Kristin... some friends, some I've not met in person. But all worth reading. Thanks to those that make me think, pause and process...

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