[ salt ]

I haven't read red in awhile.

You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet. -Jesus

If communal faith is a reality and God is releasing me from the trappings of individualism, Jesus' words are pushing me forward regardless of my:

Complacency.

Idols.

Pride.

Skewed intentions and perceptions.

If the hard truth is that this world is fallen and decayed, this salt metaphor has more impact on my life than I can grasp at this point in time.

If the richness -- the very essence -- of God's reconciliation is revealed through communities seeking to embody the image of Jesus Christ, then this world can't exist without the Church.

***

It's unfortunate that being radical is almost always associated with terrorists, zealots or diehard political activists, especially in media throughout the United States, because I think this whole salt thing may truly have to impact the way I live my life. The blinders have been stripped away by the blood, but I am still living blandly in a hungry world wanting to savor at least something.

My life can't look the same if I am trusting in the same Jesus that spoke in metaphors so long ago. Metaphors pressing for more than satisfaction in where I am or where I'm going. Words pressing for radical faith.

***

In Searching For God Knows What, Donald Miller criticizes a few televangelists who, for decades, have literally stolen money from viewers who have hoped for real answers to prayer and have given money to 'support' the ministries, only to have their prayer requests found unopened in Dumpsters.

Miller complains for awhile, but then comes to this beautiful conclusion that if God still loves and reached down to redeem even these 'radicals,' then he must not really understand the depth of redemption offered in the blood and resurrection of Jesus Christ (paraphrased and expanded upon, I think).

If God has really has revealed Himself and reached down even for Pat Robertson and Jim Bakker and Ernest Angeley (named fundamentalists, radicals, false prophets, convicts, whatever), then maybe God is calling me to look at the Gospels a little closer (okay, a lot closer) and see that Jesus was a radical, not as a messenger for specific 'programs' today, but for purpose and for belonging and becoming today.

Belonging by first hearing and responding; becoming by seeking out God through community and working for peace, witness, reconciliation and justice in this world.

***

Joe has the right idea with this sesame seed stuff, I think. I mean, who even cares about the sesame seeds anyway?

I'll still hanging onto the seeds, though, and not the seeds of the gospel, but seeds of self-interest and image and greed and rationalized 'contentment.'

I have a lot to pray and think about, and still a lot of processing to do from last week because I haven't quite done that yet. God is the most real to me when I'm being challenged, but it's still a bit frustrating.

I'm saying this through my teeth, really, but I think frustration collides with joy, and usually I am pretty taken aback by those moments.

***

I need to seek constant restoration, breaking before God to have Him really fill me with salt and light before others.

Peace,

Jessie

Check out the team blog of the Kingdom of Couches crew. A humble, talented writer, that Will Walker! He blogged recently about the notion of being 'radical.' Walker and his family live in Austin, TX! (One of my new favorite big cities. I wouldn't mind living there someday.)