When we think about arrogant and boastful people who want to make a name for themselves we first think of those who seek great power and wealth. We think of political leaders and business executives with a competitive drive for self-propagation who will take down anything in their way to make money or get into office. But there is another form of name-making, one which is my personal struggle, and which works much more subtly. It's seeking a name for doing good. It's seeking fame for humility, as ironic as that might sound. When in circles that exalt humility and service, it's easy to lose sight of the purpose and get distracted by people's praises, and to begin to serve people for the praises, whether it be from the person being served or the people that watch. Since this is something I struggle with, here are some things I think about to cope with it:
Beauty over Receiving Praise - these are in tough competition with each other because receiving praise feels great. And I don't think there is anything wrong with saying thank you to compliments or appreciating another person for the good they do. But in terms of what the ultimate goal is, beauty trumps praise. When I am looking around and wondering how people perceive me, I am invariably unfulfilled, or at least my fulfillment is short-lived. But when I'm more intent, excited and appreciative of the beauty of seeing someone's life changed - seeing a struggling student receive an A on a test, seeing a hungry person fed, seeing a depressed person content - the joy is truly unspeakable. When the joy of seeing the kingdom come fills our minds, we will be more excited about serving each other, and our service will be more authentic.
We have been loved first - When I think of the love of Christ for me and all of humanity, the love that led him to the cross, any love I think I have for people pales in comparison. I become humbled because my love is conditional - I like to think I love people, but I'm full of judgment and envy. That is why the commandment is not only to love our neighbor as ourselves, but also to love God- because we need Jesus to change our hearts if we are to love people perfectly.
Celebrating the victory of others as they are my own - this subverts any competition or envy of success. When we see ourselves in a community of people striving for a mutual goal and hope of seeing the world filled with peace and love and wholeness, we work together and have excitement about good things happening, whether they come from us or someone else.
Rest: When I rest and reflect, I rebel against my mindset that I can be a hero and change the world myself. It is an acknowledgment that the world continues when I'm not there. Intentional rest is far from laziness. It is an active rebellion against pride.
And a verse: "Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven. So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and the streets, so that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you." -Matthew 6:1-4 (and it goes on to say the same things about the hiddenness of prayer and fasting)
So let us not seek to make a name for ourselves from wealth, power, service, sacrifice, humility, spirituality, or any other way. Let us give God the praise, because God is the one from whom love and power, and power for love, comes anyway. And let us get excited about the work God is doing, and take joy in seeing the world changed from our hands and the hands of others.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
a week in New Orleans
I returned from New Orleans a few days ago after a week-long trip with the fellows and RUF, one of the Christian fellowship groups at UVa. It was my first time going, so I was excited to finally have the opportunity to see the city.
The day after we arrived we went to the service at Redeemer Presbyterian Church, followed by a potluck lunch to which the whole church was invited. This was typical for them - meals and drinks and good company not only after church but throughout the week. We went to another potluck dinner the night before we left. But that Sunday after we ate, a few of us sat with the pastor Ray Cannata, who told story after story of the past three years in New Orleans.
As Ray was talking, one thing that he said left a significant impression on me. He said that New Orleans is a special place because it paints a bleak picture of the Fall, of brokenness, but at the same time offers a beautiful picture of hope and redemption. The people of New Orleans are continually reminded of the brokenness because most people know someone who died. In the lower 9th Ward the houses are barely touched. The FEMA trailers are going to be taken away soon, leaving people without homes. But even amidst the devastation, there is a sense of community and hope. The people are aware of each other, and of their need for each other, and they take the time to enjoy one another's company. And the rebuilding efforts have fostered a sense of community and working together. The people know that New Orleans will probably not be rebuilt for another 20 years, but they still hope and work for it. (This is all what Ray was saying).
It was encouraging to hear that churches represent 80-90% of the rebuilding efforts. This is a comforting reminder when I start to wonder if the Church cares about restoration and redemption and rebuilding communities. This proves that it does. I of course was self-conscious of going down for a week without really knowing about the situation, taking picture after picture on a voyeuristic drive-by relief vacation. But the people were so welcoming! They wouldn't stop thanking us for coming. It was amazing because they get a rebuilding group from out of town just about every week.
A few more details: We stayed at Camp Hope, which is a dormitory-style camp that houses about 800 people, packed into rooms on cots, with cold showers. We began building a house with habitat for humanity. Our project leader was a guy named Mike who used to be a film student at USC where one of my close friends from Cape Town, Walter Glass, was a student. And He knew him!! Small world. We got to go down to the French Quarter, and we went to Bourbon St. and Frenchman St. to see some great music! I love the music, art, and food in NOLA. It's all interesting - every store and restaurant.
When we were returning we were thinking about how we can make the trip valuable beyond one mere week of visiting. We were thinking about how we might take NOLA home with us. One thing that Ray mentioned was that brokenness and hope is everywhere - it was in New Orleans before Katrina - but what Katrina did was expose it. Brokenness and hope is everywhere, it's just harder to see in other places like Charlottesville. So one thing that I hope to take away is the truth that New Orleans revealed, that this world is a fallen place. But amidst that fallenness, when we work together there is hope - not sentimentality, but a hope where people are appreciating and serving each other and things are actually changing.
If there's any way to put pictures up on this, I'll try to do that.
The day after we arrived we went to the service at Redeemer Presbyterian Church, followed by a potluck lunch to which the whole church was invited. This was typical for them - meals and drinks and good company not only after church but throughout the week. We went to another potluck dinner the night before we left. But that Sunday after we ate, a few of us sat with the pastor Ray Cannata, who told story after story of the past three years in New Orleans.
As Ray was talking, one thing that he said left a significant impression on me. He said that New Orleans is a special place because it paints a bleak picture of the Fall, of brokenness, but at the same time offers a beautiful picture of hope and redemption. The people of New Orleans are continually reminded of the brokenness because most people know someone who died. In the lower 9th Ward the houses are barely touched. The FEMA trailers are going to be taken away soon, leaving people without homes. But even amidst the devastation, there is a sense of community and hope. The people are aware of each other, and of their need for each other, and they take the time to enjoy one another's company. And the rebuilding efforts have fostered a sense of community and working together. The people know that New Orleans will probably not be rebuilt for another 20 years, but they still hope and work for it. (This is all what Ray was saying).
It was encouraging to hear that churches represent 80-90% of the rebuilding efforts. This is a comforting reminder when I start to wonder if the Church cares about restoration and redemption and rebuilding communities. This proves that it does. I of course was self-conscious of going down for a week without really knowing about the situation, taking picture after picture on a voyeuristic drive-by relief vacation. But the people were so welcoming! They wouldn't stop thanking us for coming. It was amazing because they get a rebuilding group from out of town just about every week.
A few more details: We stayed at Camp Hope, which is a dormitory-style camp that houses about 800 people, packed into rooms on cots, with cold showers. We began building a house with habitat for humanity. Our project leader was a guy named Mike who used to be a film student at USC where one of my close friends from Cape Town, Walter Glass, was a student. And He knew him!! Small world. We got to go down to the French Quarter, and we went to Bourbon St. and Frenchman St. to see some great music! I love the music, art, and food in NOLA. It's all interesting - every store and restaurant.
When we were returning we were thinking about how we can make the trip valuable beyond one mere week of visiting. We were thinking about how we might take NOLA home with us. One thing that Ray mentioned was that brokenness and hope is everywhere - it was in New Orleans before Katrina - but what Katrina did was expose it. Brokenness and hope is everywhere, it's just harder to see in other places like Charlottesville. So one thing that I hope to take away is the truth that New Orleans revealed, that this world is a fallen place. But amidst that fallenness, when we work together there is hope - not sentimentality, but a hope where people are appreciating and serving each other and things are actually changing.
If there's any way to put pictures up on this, I'll try to do that.
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