For Us By Us

In seventh grade, I was a tomboy. I borrowed my brother's clothes and used words like 'sweeeeeet' (with too many e's) and 'dude' and tried to teach myself how to skateboard on the weekends. {I know.} None of it stuck (thankfully), but a part of that time did - the ability to get hung up on labels. {...I know.}

I was thinking yesterday about FUBU (a clothing line that was semi-popular (?) in the late 90's/early 00's.) One of the shirts I borrowed and wore *a lot* that year was a long-sleeved black FUBU shirt that said FUBU05 on the front in bright yellow lettering.

*pretty close

I guess the running understanding is that FUBU is an acronym for 'For Us By Us', meaning, clothing made by African-Americans for African-Americans {*face palm* whoops}.

Even now when you google FUBU, one of the top results from their own website describes their line as an "urban streetwear label known for their following among rap artists." 

Since I am very much so a) not a rap artist and b) straight up glow-in-the-dark white, this grave under-assessment on my part was made all the more embarrassing that I actually wore this shirt around proudly for a year.

So why tell of this delightful snapshot... the acronym had me thinking:

{The Church and her activities are/were never meant to be For Us By Us.} 

There's an event coming up at my church, that I'm really looking forward to, and I think it's largely because it is outreach-minded... like, we exist to reach out into our communities and the world! That's the point when Jesus said He came for the sick and not necessarily for the healthy. This is not to negate the nights and programs that exist to build up the church; it's all necessary and all works together to point people to Jesus.

The second, lesser point of the FUBU story: the only label I attach to myself that gives me Worth - is Jesus. On the inside of my shirt it should just say Loved; the stitching on the back of my sheepskin boot should just say Bought Back, and nothing outside of that matters or gives me worth. If you're like me in this, say it over and over: Jesus alone gives me Worth. Whether my shirt says Mossimo or Loft; the me inside the clothes doesn't change. My price remains the same - already bought and paid for. Besides that, any label outside of 'Jesus' can be misleading. ;)

1/26 Thought: Good Gifts

A big part of January (to me) feels like 'coming down' from the holidays, which had me thinking yesterday.

{What if we viewed and shared our spiritual gifts the way kids do on Christmas?}

Track with me here - think about the joy & innocence of it all - shrieks of laughter, boxes passed back and forth, the eager expectation & glee while shredded wrapping paper ignites the atmosphere.

"Look what I got! Oh COOL, you got that?! What else is there? What is Daddy opening? Mom, did you see this!?..." etc.

This joy through shared experience... I want to believe that it can be like this for us too - but with the even better gifts God gives.

Right!?

Like, "whoa, that chick can TEACH! Have you talked to so-and-so? She gives an incredibly encouraging word... you have to talk to her!" Or "Have you seen this? God literally serves through her when she hosts parties or takes people in." He sings; she's merciful. These gifts; the potential for unity and strength within the body, and influence within the world...

...if we could just die to 'self'!

To simply bask in who God is & in what He does - in and through not just us... but others. 

To starve the envy within us that's rotting our bones {Prov. 14:30}, to stop bickering at Satan's perfectly-timed cues, and to genuinely celebrate and be happy for each other's various giftings and callings. To see how it all contributes to the Body (and to the world that needs it) - to really see these good gifts with child-like vision.

What influence could we have? How much more darkness could we push back against in this terminal world? I don't know... but the potential is promising.

The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit. Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body?  If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything? But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. How strange a body would be if it had only one part! Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.” In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary. And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect those parts that should not be seen, while the more honorable parts do not require this special care. So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad. All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it. Here are some of the parts God has appointed for the church:

first are apostles,
second are prophets,
third are teachers,
then those who do miracles,
those who have the gift of healing,
those who can help others,
those who have the gift of leadership,
those who speak in unknown languages.

- - 1 Corinthians 12:12-27

Stupid Clusters

A lot of the time around here for breakfast it's a variation of yogurt, fruit, & granola. Today it's honey Noosa, blackberries, & granola... only it ISN'T granola; it's these weird pomegranate cluster oat things from King Sooper's faking their way through some kitchen-cabinet charade as granola. Yeah.

Deception, happening right now.

So I'm sitting here trying to break these giant clumps up into real granola, pounding and chipping away with a spoon when it hits me: this is totally how it is in some of my relationships.

Hammering, chipping, pounding away, trying to make this *thing* into something it's not, and what it may never be. You can't make yourself matter to someone. At some point, you have to accept the weird-amorphous cluster chunk, bite down, chip a tooth, and let it lie.

Make the Right Choice

Something I tell my kids frequently is to "make the right choice." This usually makes my 5-year-old's eyes roll back into her head, and my 3 year old continue to cartwheel around the living room - but - just the same, I tell them: when you're fighting with your brother, when your feelings are hurt, when it's hard to share, when you don't get what you want, when you don't want to go to bed, when you have to apologize, and especially when you have to forgive ... make the right choice.

And it's not any different for us. Every day is broken into 24 hours and a thousand-fold more opportunities to... make the right choice. Like, for example, today at lunch.

Today at lunch my meal came with a drink. As usual I stared down my options at the drink tower, but this time Dr. Pepper was staring back... for a little too long if you know what I'm saying. Eventually I fought him off (creeper) and chose my first love (unsweetened iced tea), but sheesh ... let's just say it wouldn't have been weird if I had turned to the restaurant and shouted, "I chose TEA, people! I chose the TEA."

That's how temptation works though. It comes on fast, from seemingly out of nowhere, and often strong enough to where 'the right choice' is nothing more than a vague concept {and feels like a total victory when we can *actually* say no.}

We can always, always, always say no when tempted, by the strength and grace of God:

"The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure." (1 Corinthians 10:13, NLT)

The Dr. P rejection is just one example of 'the pull', and the ability to say no (or... to make the right choice).

No, I'm not going to call attention to that. No, I'm not going to say what I'm thinking right now. No, I'm not going to go to that place. No, I'm not going to text that person I have no business texting.

To make the right choice.
{... the choices that make up the days that make up a life.}

"So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." (James 4:7, NLT)

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
    do not depend on your own understanding.
Seek his will in all you do,
    and he will show you which path to take." (Proverbs 3:5-6, NLT)