Our Barista Took A Dip In The Fountain Of Life

So Jennifer and I were grabbing coffee in Nashville this weekend (well, technically I was grabbing coffee and she was grabbing tea), and when we handed over the cash to the double nose-ringed, funky-haired barista, Jennifer looked at her and said, “You look like Rachel McAdams with edge.”

The girl was elated.

She looked at Jennifer and said, “That might be the best compliment anybody’s ever given me!” She then went around telling all of her coworkers about it.

As we walked away, I said something to Jen about how nice it was that she said that. She told me she’d made a resolution: When interacting with someone, she’d make a point of saying any good things that popped into her head.

Score one for that resolution.

It’s much easier to think nice things and keep your mouth shut. It’s much better to share those thoughts with the people that inspired them.

I don’t think it’s the whole picture, but I think this kind of thing is a part of the truth of Proverbs 10:11—“The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life.”

Hey, righteous people—let’s get some folks wet.

How The Church Is Like A Disease Ward

God’s big on community.

He wired a thirst for it into our hearts. He centered the Christian faith around it. You want a Father? Sure-but he makes sure you get brothers and sisters, too.

I suppose there are a lot of reasons for this. But I like the one a mentor of mine pointed out at lunch recently.

He said, “Every person we see who lives humbly and lovingly is just one more piece of evidence that we can live that way.”

Yep.

It’s so energizing to live up close to people who get it. Radical generosity, huge faith, unflinching holiness, sacrificial love—it’s all contagious.

And the closer people are, the more quickly contagious stuff spreads.

Welcome to the church—the perfect place to spread a God virus.

Agreed?

The Day Jesus & Moses Had A Conversation

There are a few moments in history I’d pay some good money to have witnessed.

Jesus’ transfiguration is one of them.

I preached about it yesterday, and in my preparation came across a really cool detail. When Moses and Elijah appear and begin talking with Jesus (while Peter, James, and John watch, flabbergasted), Luke says they talk about Jesus’ coming “departure.” Luke was talking about the crucifixion. But the word he uses for “departure” is actually the word exodus.

This, of course, was a topic with which Moses was familiar.

After uncovering this, I found a beautiful paragraph by William Barclay exploring this connection. Barclay talks about how the Exodus was this moment when God’s people adventured into the unknown, required to trust completely in God’s power and care. The way would be beset with trouble. But the end would result in glory.

What a perfect description of what Jesus was headed for.

His wilderness would be a cross. His immediate future was an abyss of uncertainty and dread, so that proceeding would demand full trust in his Father. The way would be difficult.

But the end would result in glory.

And in an incredible, momentary, face-to-face conversation, Moses helped Jesus to see this.

I’m so glad he did.

Really? That’s a Command?

We’re in a series on generosity right now at Henderson and last Sunday’s lesson was the fluff one of the series: being generous with praise. Now, hey—it’s good to encourage people.

But come on.

This is extra credit stuff, right? It’s for the people who are wired that way anyway—like a friend of mine (let’s call him “Nate”) in college. He was like Barnabas’ long lost brother. My roommate climbed an old water tower near campus with this guy one time and said that Nate was climbing behind him shouting, “You’re doing great, brother! Keep it up! Come on, brother! You can do it!”

It was a water tower. Not Mount McKinley.

But that was Nate—wired to encourage. Predestined to praise. He couldn’t help it and you couldn’t stop him.

And that’s fine for him. Encouragement can be his thing—it doesn’t have to be mine.

Right?

Nope. During Daniel’s great lesson on this subject this weekend, I was a little startled at the fact that encouragement is an explicit command from God. I guess I knew that already, but the un-optional-ness of it really struck me.

God says in no uncertain terms, “Hey—this is something you need to do. It’s an imperative.” And He says it more than once:

• “encourage each other” (1 Thes 4:18)
• “encourage one another and build each other up” (1 Thes 5:11)
• “encourage the timid” (1 Thes 5:14)
• “encourage one another daily” (Heb 3:13)

Of course, I can personally testify to the value of encouragement. So many times, through an encouraging word from someone at a critical time, God has given me exactly what I needed to keep going a little bit further.

I never feel like it’s a big deal when I give it to others. But I often feel like it’s a huge deal when others give it to me.

So hey—you’re online. Go facebook somebody and tell them they’re awesome.

Even if they’re just climbing a water tower.