Being the Operations Manager at Mars Hill Church I lead work parties every Monday night. This means volunteers come and I help lead them in cleaning up the church facilities to make sure it’s operational each week and for each Sunday. I try and work closely with the volunteers who come so I can get to know them more on a personal level. Sometimes, my own responsibilities make this difficult but this last Monday (1/16) I was able to have some time after the work party while waiting for my ride.
There are two faithful young women of God who come pretty much every week to help with the work parties. Not only do they volunteer 2.5 hours at these work parties but they also have their own teams that they volunteer for each week. At any rate, we got to talking about the great breweries that are available in Portland and I began talking about my passion for good beer and the art of craft brewery. I mentioned it started after I turned 21 and was able to enjoy good drink and appreciate the art and hard work that went into make such a wonderful and creative product. I told them that I enjoyed beer and other alcohol after turning 21 even though I was under contract with my university that I wouldn’t drink. (SPU didn’t allow their students to drink, 21 or not, on or off campus, until July 2010. I turned 21 August 2009). I justified my decision “biblically” by citing the authorities scripture in Romans 13:1-7 and reasoning that though I was under the authority of SPU the U.S. Government was a higher authority and THAT said I could drink at 21. So, I conveniently followed that line of reasoning all through my Junior year.
Both of the women pointed out the fallacy that was my argument and immediately exposed my sin and showed it to me. I was taken aback and tried to justify my decisions to them and attempted to help them see my line of reasoning. Oh they saw it alright and pointed out how crooked it was. I CHOSE to go to SPU and CHOSE to go to that school. I was never forced to do so and I should have followed the rules from the beginning. One of the women even compared me to Thomas Jefferson, cutting out the parts of the Bible that I don’t like but keeping the verses that are more convenient and beneficial to me.
I’ll tell you what, there’s nothing like a hot plate of humility served up in your face like that.
I was initially embarrassed and defensive but after considering what they were saying I realized they were right. I was taking advantage of God’s word for my own benefit and absolutely committing a sin in the process. It was a humble, awesome experience because it caused me to consider my actions, why I did them, and think about how I will handle similar situations in the future.
This certainly isn’t the first time I’ve been forced to question my motives and/or actions. In fact, the greatest person that helps me do so is my wife Liz. She is always coming alongside me and asking me questions about what I’m doing or why I’m doing it and really pushes me to greater things and a more Godly way of living. I truly appreciate her because of this. She’s my best friend and greatest accountability partner.
All this to say, find some wise friends and be open with them, even if you don’t want to. Question your judgement and actions but also bring others into your life to speak into it as well. Outside opinions and questions are absolutely essential in pursuing a more biblical lifestyle. You may think you’ve got everything down but try engaging with someone about your recent choices or motives. Allow them to be brutally honest with you and I guarantee it will help you in not only your relationship with them but also your relationship with God.
Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But deceitful are the kisses of an enemy. – Proverbs 27:6 (NASB)
