So, I've been reading The Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claiborne and as I mentioned before I warned you I'd be talking about it.
I'd recommend it to anyone who
a)is bored of 'Christianity'
b)enjoyed Blue Like Jazz by Miller
c)has a heart for the poor
d)has lots of money
e)has a missionary call
f)is a male or female (just to cover my bases)
The chapter I'm reading now is a tough chapter--it's about money. And if you know me then you'll know I have issues with money. Too much, too little, too stressed all the time. Too cheap, too reckless, too thrifty, too extravagant and shitty with tithing to top it ALL off. The story of the talents was written pour moi.
Anywho--in the book Shane is discussing the call on our lives--the challenge to live in community and all that entails: sharing incomes, food, housing etc. He talks in there that if someone in the community is without food, then they all fast until they can all eat together (modeled after Early church community living--cool concept eh?)
Anyway! It's taken me oooooooohhhh maybe a week to read this chapter because it's like a Brillo pad to my soul.
And the idea of living poorly or simply--selling our possessions and living among the poor--really makes me sick. Because I see first hand everyday serious poverty. And I don't think I could handle that.
You want me to what? Live with who? And wear what?
But then it struck me--our modern-day concept of living simply or poorly isn't the horrible scenario we see on TV or experience on mission trips. What we see today as being poor and simple isn't the benchmark of how God is calling us to live.
So when I read things in the Bible that are asking me to live like that--it's not me living on the street, reaking of B.O, eating a couple times a week and just generally being gross. BA!
What am I trying to say?!? It's complex and I know I'm using the wrong words. But what I'm trying to convey is:
--the common look of poverty today isn't the poverty we're called to as Christians. God doesn't want that for ANY of his children--christian or pagan.
He doesn't want us living in squalor, unhealthy, malnourished and miserable.
That's it--it's the model of Jesus' poverty that we need to follow. Not the model of this broken world.
So, that's not a loophole to excape the challenge of poverty, ohhhhhhhh no, and I'm not sure how to end this thought. This is really just a work in progress.
More to come.
I hope you liked the picture of the brillo pad. Those things make me shudder. You know the way they hold onto chunks of food...gaaahagagg....ew....I'm gaggy. Ew, like egg from a pan...eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeewwwwwww.
2 comments:
Yeah, I read that book (I.R) a bit before you left, Claire. I thought there were many good things that Shane had to say...I felt convicted in a lot of ways- mostly about how ignorant I choose to be. His love for the poor is awesome.....
That being said, I didn't really like the book. Mostly because the fruit of it in my life. Now, this is personal, of course, just MY experience.....but it helped me be kinda judgy. I looked at the church and saw all that was wrong, and not in a redemptive way. I found his book pretty political and not entirely God's heart or mind....(not that I know what that is exactly) I guess to sum it up, I think this book is only a PIECE of the puzzle. If we took it as being the WHOLE, we could get pretty screwed up.
Blue Like Jazz, though, I thought was amazing!!!! I will read it over and over. A little more balanced.
Now, don't anyone lynch me for this, okay?
I think I.R. would be great to open up dialogue for us on alot of issues that Christians don't talk or even think about. It would be a great tool for that kind of thing.
Again, only my opinion.
You know what--I'm starting to totally agree with you on that. Blue Like Jazz was amazing--I couldn't put it down. But I'm having a hard time picking up I.R. because of what I mentioned before (brillos) and because his attitude kinda bugs me.
Anyway--I'll be able to form a better opinion of it when I'm finished reading it. Ha!
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