Why I Do...What I Do

There are two ways of pursuing life; one is to hold up ideals. The other is to practice disciplines. Ideals are objects of thought that seem amazing, but are never really believed to be possible. However, a discipline is an avenue of thought, a trained knowledge. I choose to live in discipline. Many of the disciplines I hold dear are seen by many as ideals. Hope, peace, beauty, faith and love are just a few examples. I have discovered that these are not ideals, but truths that must be fought and trained for. Having hope is a difficult thought to hold on to, peace is not a lack of fighting, but a pervading calm. Beauty is everywhere, but we must train our eyes and hearts to see it. Faith is trusting that something is real, even if it seems impossible, trust is worked for, not only given. Love is far more than an emotion felt by high school sweethearts, but a conscious decision to do what is best for those dear to us.
I cannot say I hold these words dear if I do nothing to see them realized. This is why I live the life I do. Christ said that the one true religion was taking care of widows and orphans. This is a beautiful ideal, but he meant it as a discipline. Jesus set an example for life, living in community with those he loved. Community is an ideal held dear to those that call themselves Christians, but it must be a discipline. Community does not appear out of two hours of meetings, twice a week, but instead in disciplining ourselves to invest in the lives of those around us and then being vulnerable enough to let them invest in us.
I am created with the mindset to survive and thrive in the most extreme of environments. I seek out extremes, in faith and life. I must test what of my faith is discipline and what is ideal. There are many things taught to me as a child that I am only now discovering are more than ideals. For instance, perfect love casts out fear. This is a discipline I must practice, a way of knowledge that must be cultivated. Also, it works in two ways. If I accept the love God has for me, then there is nothing I should be afraid of, and, this is the most beautiful thing, if I love someone perfectly, how could I possibly be afraid them. Think of the implications of this if everyone practiced it. No one would be afraid to talk to homeless, addicted, imprisoned, abused, dying, or hateful people. If I truly love people, then how could I possibly be afraid of an act of terror? By removing fear from life it allows a mind to develop wisdom, to see clearly, not clouded by fear.
Christ said the entire old law could be stated as two things Love God, Love people. These are not ideals. They are commands, which we must be disciplined in to follow. I am not called to convert people to a western religion, but to portray a life of lived disciplines in such a way that people are drawn to the perfect love that lives within me. This place is not the west and has plenty of religion. What it needs is not a replacement faith, but love, unconditional, untheological, reckless, ridiculous Love. Meeting and getting to know Christ is not a logical process down a roman road, culminating in four laws, followed by years of sermons and translated hymns. God does not promise safety and prosperity, but eternal life and peace that passes understanding. He wants the best for us, in this world and the next. So we must work with the power he offers and the love he gives to bring safety and prosperity, but we cannot preach these as results of faith. Instead, we must teach the cultivation of certain fruits, love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control. When these are cultivated, there will be safety and prosperity. None of this can be separated into systems, that is logic bred from Greek thinking, and Jesus was not a Greek, but a Jew, an Asian, an eastern thinker. In the east life is viewed as holistic, body and spirit integrated. Jesus was that exactly, God and Human integrated, you cannot separate his humanity from his spirituality, and we are called to be Christ-like, the very meaning of Christian. Just as actions are both physical and spiritual. Giving is not only a physical transaction, but showing someone they have value, a very spiritual need.
Here is the longing of my heart, to meet physical as well as spiritual needs. I hope to introduce those I love to my eternal Creator, but the agenda is Love, nothing more, nothing less.