No Longer Normal

The believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the community, to their shared meals, and to their prayers. 43 A sense of awe came over everyone. God performed many wonders and signs through the apostles. 44 All the believers were united and shared everything. 45 They would sell pieces of property and possessions and distribute the proceeds to everyone who needed them. 46 Every day, they met together in the temple and ate in their homes. They shared food with gladness and simplicity. 47 They praised God and demonstrated God’s goodness to everyone. The Lord added daily to the community those who were being saved.   

--Acts 2:42-47

I have often asked myself how it is that a community had gotten to the place where they could share their resources so completely. How could they be so mutually focused?  I realized that the ‘secret’ is found in verse 42 and unpacked in Robert Quinn’s Deep Change Field Guide. 

We are used to normal.  That is the reason we call it ‘normal.’  Normal leadership tends to be driven by reacting and problem solving, by listening to others’ perceptions, by putting self interest first, and by staying in our comfort zone (DCFG 101).  We have experienced problems in the past and we assume that the good choices we once made will see us through the future.  Unfortunately, some might say, things are constantly changing.  The whole universe seems to know that we are all part of the dance to an almost inaudible song played by our Creator heard briefly in moments of Incarnation.  Whether we hear the notes or not, the rhythm pulses through every moment of every day giving life, and creation cannot help but sway.

With everything moving and changing, what was excellent yesterday has become ‘normal’ today. We replay past successes not realizing that we are now out of step with the tempo.  When things are different, we find ourselves reacting to life.  We feel that something is out of sync, so we look to the approval of others so that we know we are okay.  We even qualify the Good News by saying ,”and if we don’t first love ourselves, then how can we love others?” Our defense mechanisms shut out signals calling for change as we lie to ourselves saying things like, “I just didn’t have a choice.”

Christ didn’t come to give us life that we might be okay.  Christ gave us life that we might have abundance and joy. He gave this good news to be shared through the disciples who had lived with him for 3 years. They knew firsthand what his leadership was like. And “the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the community, to their shared meals, and to their prayers.” The believers were not worried about comfort, they were centered in the resurrection of Christ that gave meaning and purpose to their lives. In the apostles’ teaching, they would know about Jesus’ call to “love one another as I have loved you” being willing to lay down their lives for another. By being so focused on others, they could nurture trust and put the common good and welfare of others first (DCFG 103).  They had formed a creatively adaptive system which could adjust to our constantly changing world.

When we are no longer normal, can put vision and purpose before self, we find that the extraordinary is possible.  Starting with the apostles, the change would have moved throughout the early Christians as their normal lives were transformed into something so abundant that their lives overflowed to others.

May we be so transformed that the world will look at us and be amazed at the power of God’s grace that moves among us.

Grace and Peace,

Seeking Approval

While we were still weak, at the right moment, Christ died for ungodly people. It isn’t often that someone will die for a righteous person, though maybe someone might dare to die for a good person.  But God shows his love for us, because while we were still sinners Christ died for us.

--Romans 5:6-8

Why is it that we constantly are seeking approval from others?  Why do we change the way that we act because of others’ opinions?

The truth is that we want to be liked and loved and work to make others like and love us.  We have assumptions about the type of person we should be in order to fit in.  This spills over into our work, into our families, into our friendship, and even into our relationship with God.  We have a certain set of assumptions about what is appropriate and the way in which things should be done.  We know what clothes to wear, we understand the order for getting things done, and we realize that people have been doing things this way for years.

What if we were driven by something else?  What if we accepted the fact that we are loved and liked as we are.  Christ did not wait until we had completed a specific list of chores before dying for us.  God did not wait until all people were listening to send Jesus.  The Holy Spirit does not wait until we are perfect to work in our lives.  God moves and works in us where we are.  All that we must do is find a way to capture God’s vision and let it guide us.

It seems too simple, but it’s true.  Once we have captured God’s vision and understand God’s call, we can begin to work in ways that are fulfilling and powerful.  We were not created to respond to crisis after crisis.  We are not made to check off multiple items from a check list. We weren’t even created to work hard enough and accomplish enough so that we get a pat on the back when this life is through.  We are called to join Jesus in being a servant to others.  To help them embrace their God-given call in life to serve others in the name of Christ.  We are to draw others into active participation and build bridges based on trust.  We are to value and stay connected with the community.  In his “Deep Change Field Guide,” Robert Quinn calls this “the script of collective fulfillment.”  (DCFG 79).  Only 18% of leaders choose to lead in this way.  And yet it leads to high satisfaction and adaptability. 

Reading through his materials made me realize that he has discovered the Jesus model for discipleship.  We are empowered by a vision beyond ourselves and gain satisfaction that does not rely on other people.  Instead we rest secure in our relationship with Jesus Christ and experience joy in inviting others to do the same.  Everything else flows from this.  Nothing else really matters.  May we begin to see ourselves as God does and shed any assumptions that do not ring true in Scripture and in

Grace and Peace,