John's Blog
The Hardest Thing to Face
One of my favorite movies is an old Robert Duvall picture called Tender Mercies. Great story of an alcoholic country western star who hits bottom hard, finds Christ and a woman who loves him, gets his life back together. Anyhow, the theme song of the film has stayed with me for years. The central line being, "The hardest thing...for me to face...Reality." Ain't it the truth? Which got me to thinking about TS Eliot's line, "Humankind cannot stand very much reality." You know how this works. Are you still praying for Haiti? What do you even remember about 9-11? You watch a film about starving children and everything in you intends to help but three weeks later it's gone. There are things about your own life you get a glimpse of - something in your thought life you'd better get a hold of, something in your marriage you'd better face, something about your health or your finances - and three days pass and it's gone. The hardest thing, for us to face, Reality. It's the old trying to find our way back into Eden thing. We just want life to be good. This RULES us. (You are aware, aren't you, of how much this rules you???) We avoid the disturbing or demanding parts of reality as a matter of daily practice. We just want life to be good. Which got me thinking about Elie Wiesel's book, "Night." It is his harrowing personal account as a Jew in eastern Europe when the Nazi's came in, and eventually sent him to concentration camp. Early in the book Wiesel describes how the Jews reacted to the encroaching Nazi threat. First, windows of Jewish businesses would be broken. "This will pass," they said. Jews were thrown out of business. "This will pass," they said. Jews were bullied and beaten. Forced to wear the yellow star. "This will pass," they said. Jews were rounded up and confined in a locked "ghetto" part of town. "This will pass." Jews were taken away, and when one escaped and returned to tell what he saw, about their brutal execution in the forest, I kid you not, the Jews said, "This will pass." They just refused to face reality. The first time I read this I thought, "Impossible! How could this happen? How could they be so naive??!" It's a good thing we don't let this happen. Especially not with spiritual warfare. We face that head on, and deal with it, daily. Or do we?
John Eldredge
Free Copies of Love and War
Let's change the world. I mean it. Let's change the world. This thing we do over here called Wild at Heart has basically one mission: rescue hearts, and thus rescue lives, and thus bring the Kingdom of God, and thus change the world. Okay, maybe thats four things, but its really all one. And the way it happens is one life to another. We don't have a big TV show or huge ministry platform or whatever. This beautiful movement happens by word of mouth. Here's where you come in. We wrote this wonderful book called Love and War, and the folks who are reading it are loving it. But very few people know about the book for some weird reason. We need help to get the word out. So, we're going to give a free copy of Love and War to our friends like you who blog, asking that you blog about the book. That way, we spread the word in the best way possible, by one heart to another. By word of mouth. If you have a blog, and you'd be willing to write about Love and War, we'd love to send you a copy. If you already have a copy, but want to blog about it, we'll send you another copy anyways, and you can pass it along to a friend. All you need to do is click here: https://wildatheart.org/blogsignup.aspx We'd also love it if you'd write a review on Amazon as part of this effort to get the word out http://snipurl.com/lwamazon By spreading the word, you rescue hearts, lives, marriages...you change the world. How cool is that?
John Eldredge
The Everlasting Stream
A few years ago Morgan gave the guys on the team a book called The Everlasting Stream. It sounds like a devotional, but its not, not even a Christian book. Its a book about a big city guy whose life is utterly transformed by spending time with his rural father-in-law, hunting rabbits in Kentucky with the men he has been hanging out with for more than fifty years. Its become an in-house favorite here because its description of masculine culture is so good, and so dang funny. Anyhow, last weekend I dropped into a version of the everlasting stream. I was out in Grand Junction, picking up an old Volkswagen Thing that Luke and I are going to fix up as his first car. I found the Thing on Craig's list, and was looking forward to meeting the guy selling it. He turned out to be about 70 years old, living on the rural side of town, his 5 acres covered in old tractors and stuff. As we sat inside his small farmhouse, drinking day old coffee, I found myself really enjoying this old man. Soon his two buddies showed up, and I got the idea that this is what they do every Saturday morning. Picture guys in their 70's, sitting around chain smoking Pall Malls in a single-wide. Dean is the character selling the car. Billy is his cousin. Kirby is a bit younger; I get the impression he's sort of looking after these old guys. Its right out of Second Hand Lions. Billy (to me) "You ain't drinkin his coffee are you? That's yesterday's coffee!" I look at Dean, and he sort of smiles and shrugs, "Yep...it is." This stuff is inky black and strong; it would strip grease off an engine. He has a massive urn of it. I get the impression its what they drink all day long. "So Dean," I ask, "what do you do with all these parts?" "O, I sorta fix tractors up and sell 'em." I already love this man. 70 something and his hobby is fixing tractors and selling them?! I also feel like a weenie. I hope they don't ask me what I do for a living. "O...I help people connect with their inner child." Billy "Hey, I brought you some donuts." He puts a greasy brown lunch bag on the counter. I sense this is all ritual; it has happened just this way for years. Dean "Don't look like you brought many." Billy "There's a half a dozen in there." Dean looks at the small lunchsack "Must be mighty small donuts." Billy "Their CAKE donuts, you twit." On and on it goes. I thought I'd just grab the car and blast the 5 hour drive home, but I am enjoying these old characters so much I have to linger. Billy still uses Dippity Do in his grey hair; it is swept back in a nice wave. He too is chain smoking Pall Malls. But he is also using an asthma inhaler. So, once in awhile he'll take a shot of the inhaler, put it back in his pocket, and take a deep draw on his cigarette. This whole scene is out of a movie. Kirby "You know why he has me come over, don't ya?" Looking at Dean, he continues, "cause he don't read or write. I gotta help him know where to sign the title and count the money." I have never to my knowledge met anyone who doesnt read or write. Dean just sort of shrugs his shoulders. Billy "Hey, I brought you some hydraulic fluid." I'm thinking, when is the last time I heard somebody say, "I brought you some hydraulic fluid " in a conversation, like you'd say, "Hey, I brought you a Starbucks." I am loving this. Then Kirby gets upset "What?!! I brought you some hydraulic fluid! What are you doin with all this fluid?" Dean sorta shrugs his shoulders again and sheepishly says, "My tractors leak a bit." I'm crackin up. This is the culture I spent summers in as a boy, sitting around old farm house kitchens with grey haired men from another time, another world. A world that is very attractive. They are sort of awkward in their affection for one another. But then we step outside and need to get the car out of the old barn and hook it up to a tow bar on my truck and suddenly these men are spry and nimble; they handle tools with grace and ease. They jerry-rig the whole thing so fast I just stand back and enjoy. It is a beautiful world of men that more of us could use in our own lives.
John Eldredge
Ballad of the Goodly Fere
by Ezra Pound HA’ we lost the goodliest fere o’ all For the priests and the gallows tree? Aye lover he was of brawny men, O’ ships and the open sea. When they came wi’ a host to take Our Man 5 His smile was good to see, “First let these go!” quo’ our Goodly Fere, “Or I’ll see ye damned,” says he. Aye he sent us out through the crossed high spears And the scorn of his laugh rang free, 10 “Why took ye not me when I walked about Alone in the town?” says he. Oh we drank his “Hale” in the good red wine When we last made company. No capon priest was the Goodly Fere, 15 But a man o’ men was he. I ha’ seen him drive a hundred men Wi’ a bundle o’ cords swung free, That they took the high and holy house For their pawn and treasury. 20 They’ll no’ get him a’ in a book, I think, Though they write it cunningly; No mouse of the scrolls was the Goodly Fere But aye loved the open sea. If they think they ha’ snared our Goodly Fere 25 They are fools to the last degree. “I’ll go to the feast,” quo’ our Goodly Fere, “Though I go to the gallows tree.” “Ye ha’ seen me heal the lame and blind, And wake the dead,” says he. 30 “Ye shall see one thing to master all: ’Tis how a brave man dies on the tree.” A son of God was the Goodly Fere That bade us his brothers be. I ha’ seen him cow a thousand men. 35 I have seen him upon the tree. He cried no cry when they drave the nails And the blood gushed hot and free. The hounds of the crimson sky gave tongue, But never a cry cried he. 40 I ha’ seen him cow a thousand men On the hills o’ Galilee. They whined as he walked out calm between, Wi’ his eyes like the gray o’ the sea. Like the sea that brooks no voyaging, 45 With the winds unleashed and free, Like the sea that he cowed at Genseret Wi’ twey words spoke suddently. A master of men was the Goodly Fere, A mate of the wind and sea. 50 If they think they ha’ slain our Goodly Fere They are fools eternally.
John Eldredge
Cactus Flowers
It's spring break, and we are in the desert for a few days. Why? People who live at 7,000 feet don't ask. Because last week my yard got another 7 inches of snow; 3 more are due tonight. So, we ran away. To the desert. The desert was my great escape when I was living in Los Angeles. It was the only wildness you could get to in a couple hours. I spent a lot of time with God here. So did many of the early Christians. I love the beauty of the desert. Austere. Ascetic. Clean lines and simple, spare arrangements. Silence so deep your ears ring. Vastness, and in the next turn, intimate scenes. A Zen garden kind of beauty. Anyhow, I was walking this morning and found a barrel cactus with a beautiful ring of new yellow flowers around it's top, like a crown. Cactus don't bloom often; they certainly don't bloom for months and months like roses do. I love cactus. I especially love cactus in bloom. They arrest me. I'm not sure altogether why. But there is something about beauty in the midst of such harsh conditions that grabs my soul's attention. To see a circlet of flowers where there is normally a crown of thorns speaks poetic and symbolic volumes. As I walked away from my lingering look, I was wondering why the fascination with cactus flowers. The phrase came to me, "Even Here." Meaning, even here, in these conditions, where things like rattlesnakes and scorpions thrive, even here beauty asserts itself. It's sort of like nature saying, "It can be done." When life is harsh, beauty can still prevail. We need to know that. So God gives us, among many reminders, cactus flowers.
John Eldredge
St Patricks Day!
Okay, I love this holiday. St Patrick was a warrior, sent into a raging pagan country to bring a Gospel of Life and Freedom. He gave the Irish a Story that put all other stories in context; he gave a passionate people a Gospel of the heart. He captured their love of nature and helped them see the Creator's heart. He understood the spiritual battle, and equipped them to fight it. Instead of leprechauns and shamrocks, I give to you today the "Daily Prayer" of St Patrick: St. Patrick's Breastplate I arise today Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity, Through belief in the threeness, Through confession of the oneness Of the Creator of creation. I arise today Through the strength of Christ’s birth with his baptism, Through the strength of his crucifixion with his burial, Through the strength of his resurrection with his ascension, Through the strength of his descent for the judgment of Doom. I arise today Through the strength of the love of Cherubim, In obedience of angels, In the service of archangels, In hope of resurrection to meet with reward, In prayers of patriarchs, In predictions of prophets, In preaching of apostles, In faith of confessors, In innocence of holy virgins, In deeds of righteous men. I arise today Through God’s strength to pilot me: God’s might to uphold me, God’s wisdom to guide me, God’s eye to look before me, God’s ear to hear me, God’s word to speak for me, God’s hand to guard me, God’s way to lie before me, God’s shield to protect me, God’s host to save me From snares of devils, From temptations of vices, From everyone who shall wish me ill, Afar and anear, Alone and in multitude. I summon today all these powers between me and those evils, Against every cruel merciless power that may oppose my body and soul, Against incantations of false prophets, Against black laws of pagandom, Against false laws of heretics, Against craft of idolatry, Against spells of witches and smiths and wizards, Against every knowledge that corrupts man’s body and soul. Christ to shield me today Against poison, against burning, Against drowning, against wounding, So that there may come to me abundance of reward. Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise, Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me, Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me, Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me. I arise today Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity, Through belief in the threeness, Through confession of the oneness, Of the Creator of Creation.
John Eldredge
A Chance Encounter?
So, I'm walking across the parking lot today back towards Whole Foods. I'd finished my shopping, put the bags in my truck, but I'd forgotten a fork. To eat my lunch. Anyhow, I'm walking cross the parking lot when I hear a voice yell, "John!" I look around, don't see anyone, and keep walking. I hear, "John Eldredge?" and this time I see a guy climbing out of his car, smile on his face. He introduces himself, a Wild at Heart Boot Camp alum from two years ago. It was good to see him. "I'm leading some guys through Fathered by God!" he said. "Wow, way to go! How are things going?" I asked. Tears welled up in his eyes. "My wife is having an affair." I was devastated for him. We talked for a bit about what is going on, he held back the tears, we prayed. Then we parted. I'm still sobered by it. A chance encounter? This man doesn't even live in Colorado. I never, ever walk back into the store for a second time. It was Jesus, I know. And partly it was for this good man, so we could talk, and pray. But God was also speaking through the encounter to me...to us. Stasi and I never planned to write a marriage book, you see. It stills feels weird that we have. But I am seeing more and more that this is the Next Front in the Great War. The enemy is raging, and homes are falling. "There is evil all over her," this man I spoke with in the parking lot said. Indeed, there is. Against all of us, married or single. And so I find myself thinking about what it means to strengthen ourselves in God. We say our prayers, every day, because it strengthens us and prepares us for what may come. (I think most of us realize we must be strong in Christ for whatever may come.) What about strengthening our relationships as well? They need it, though it might not seem like they do. This man didn't think so. Not till now.
John Eldredge
A Valentine's Day Story
While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table. When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. "Why this waste?" they asked. "This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor." Aware of this, Jesus said to them, "Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. I tell you the truth, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her" (Matthew 26:6-13) Often as I move through my day, trying to navigate the whirlpools of this world, the relational, spiritual and social whitewater, I will often turn to Jesus in my heart and ask, "What do I need to do, Lord?" My question is usually fueled by some twist or turn I don't know how to handle - some test or trial, some oncoming battle. Life as usual. His response is nearly always, "Love me." That's it? Love you? That's it. That is what is most needed. For when I love God, my whole being is re-oriented, re-aligned, healed. When I love God, the internal effects are almost immediate; they are often profound. I can't hold onto that grudge, not while I am loving God with "all that is within me." I can't covet or worry or fear. When I love God, really, it changes everything. And this is why he said, start here. This is core. Love me.
John Eldredge
deep breath
It's Sunday. Stasi and I were just sitting in my office at home, talking about the fact that this is the week we start the Love and War Tour. I said, "Okay. Anything funky between us this week," (I was already feeling the funkiness, the "you don't really like me" stuff), "anything that feels weird is NOT true. It's not us. Anything that feels like diminishment this week, or accusation, is NOT true. This is a Tour week." She nodded, sighed. We both shared a sober look. Moments earlier we were checking email, and then I suggested we watch the trailer for the new HBO special on WWII in the South Pacific. It was, as those sights and sounds go, sobering. Now I'm realizing it wasn't coincidence. We wrote Love and War to rescue hearts and lives and homes and all that follows when a heart and life and home is rescued. To say we are hitting the road this week makes it sound like "just another conference." We can even get lulled into that ourselves. But it is not. This is the Kingdom of God, advancing in a war-torn world. It is beauty and life and love and hope breaking forth. I hope you'll join us. We'll be in Abilene, Austin, Orange County and Seattle this week. Tulsa, Omaha, St Louis and Charlotte in February. You can learn more and grab the cheap tickets at www.loveandwar.net. Oh, two things: Tell your family and friends! Help spread the love. And would you pray for us? After all, Love and War is far more than a cute title. Thanks!!
John Eldredge
The Theme of the New Year
Every year, on New year's Day, I try and take some time to be with God, and ask him a few questions. First thing I'll do is sanctify the coming year to Jesus. I'll pray to consecrate every day and every moment of the new year; I'll consecrate all my desires, plans, and even my calendar to him. I know too well how the pressures and demands and crises rush in to steal the days. I also know that my desires are not always what God has for me, and I don't want to rush on making plans outside of his. So, right at the start, I give the year to God. I devote it to him, dedicate it to him, consecrate it. And then, I'll ask him a question: "Jesus, what is the theme of this year?" This has proven really helpful to me, a sort of anchor, a guiding light that I return to over and over through the year. Often, I'll be starting a new journal around the first of January, and I'll write the theme of the new year on the first page, so that I see it every time I open the journal. This year, 2009, Jesus gave to me the theme of "Love." It has proven true, and been a rescue to me a hundred and one times through the year. A deeper walk of Love, a deeper experience of Love. Sometimes it was about loving others, and the theme helped me in my relationships. Sometimes it would be about the love of God for me, how I need more of it, to receive it, dwell in it. Sometimes it was about inner healing, replacing the deep things that drive me (like fear and striving) with Love. Every time I saw the theme, it was a re-orientation for me. Bringing me back to center, to what God was most especially doing this year in me. So, I'm excited about tomorrow. I can't wait to hear what Jesus has for me in 2010. I thought you'd like to do the same; see what he has for you!!
John Eldredge
The Utterly Unique Gift of Christmas
I love singing Christmas carols. I love what their words remind me of. Just this morning Stasi was singing a few refrains from O Holy Night and it absolutely grabbed me: A thrill of hope The weary world rejoices Something deep in my spirit said, O yes, dear Jesus, we need hope. Come for this weary world. Actually, this world is more than weary. This world is coming apart at the seams. I do not refer to the wars, the disease, the economic chaos, the human trafficking. These tragedies are blatant. Something deeper is unraveling. I wonder if you’ve felt it, too. There is a barrenness of spirit, a desolation creeping across the earth. It is the root of these outbreaks. The fabric of social life is rending, because the fabric of the human spirit is nearly worn through. You can see this in many ways. Take the explosion of Facebook – it is a grasp to stay connected. But it falls short of true community; there is no human touch, no face-to-face. Everyone is getting tattoos – they are a grasp at permanence and self identity. But they are skin deep. We know we lack substance, and we grasp for it. Into this great ache has come the latest fashion: Social concern. We know the world is weary, so we rally now to lend a helping hand. Oprah, Bill Gates, Bono – if you want to be thought well of these days, you have a cause. Toms shoes. Fair trade. Shrink your carbon footprint. Social concern is in, its hip. And it will not work. This is not the message of Christmas. God didn’t offer the shepherds a grant for their micro economics. He didn’t offer the little outcast family an apartment. He offered them a savior. He offered them himself. And with him, a kingdom. There is simply no other way to save this weary, unraveling world. Now here is my concern – it is easier to offer social consciousness and environmental responsibility than it is to offer Jesus. I am much more inclined to offer my neighbor a helping hand than tell him he needs Jesus Christ. When I get to chatting with strangers, I’d much rather they know I give to support AIDS relief in Africa than that I am a Christian author. Social concern is cool; Jesus is majorly disruptive. Now the socially concerned are mad at me. “The Bible commands us to care for the earth! To care for the poor and the oppressed!” Yes, it does. But let me ask: What is the unique contribution of Christianity to this weary world? It is obviously not social concern. It is Jesus and his kingdom. That is why the old hymn says, “Joy to the world! The Lord is come! Let earth receive her King.” No receiving of the King, no joy for the world. Now, of course we offer help. Of course we lend a hand. But Jesus said that cup of cold water is offered “in My name.” Without Jesus, social concern will not rescue this unraveling world, for it cannot address this barrenness of spirit. As C.S. Lewis said, “God cannot give us happiness apart from himself because it does not exist. There is no such thing.” Think again about the gift in the manger. God saw what the world most desperately needed, and what he chose to give us was…Himself. To care for the world is to offer Jesus Christ. This is the message of Christmas. “Let every heart, prepare him room.” Then heaven and nature will sing. Then will break the new and glorious morn. O, may it come.
John Eldredge
Today's The Day!
Well, Stasi and I have been up for most of the night. Not because of excitement (today is a big day!). Not because we ate too many bratwurst (they were really good, especially with mustard). The reason was attack. The spiritual warfare in our home and bedroom last night was palpable. You could feel the presence of evil. After a few rounds of prayer, we did get to sleep. Sometime after 3am. It's a compliment, really, in a back-handed way. The enemy is freaking out. And well he should be. Well he should be. Today is the official launch of Love and War! Stasi and I wrote the book in the spirit of, "What would we say to help other couples find their way through the minefields of marriage to something really beautiful together?" This is not a book of principles. We do not present ourselves as marriage "experts." I don't enjoy those kinds of books, frankly. This is a field report from a man and woman, both very human, of what we have learned. We think you're going to LOVE it! We KNOW it's going to be very helpful! So we hope you'll grab a copy for yourself, and give a dozen to couples you know for Christmas. I mean, what better gift? "Here is hope and healing and joy and a battle plan for your marriage. Things will never be the same!" That is why the enemy is freaking out :) O, and don't forget to join us tonight for the webcast! 7pm Mountain Time. Log on at http://livestream.com/WaterBrookMultnomah. Let's go save some lives!
John Eldredge
One Week from Today!!!
December 15 is a big day for Stasi and me. It's the release date for Love and War, our new book! We're also doing a live webcast that day. We've been looking forward to this for a long time! Our hope and longing and earnest prayer is that God uses this in a HUGE way. To help marriages. And to draw folks into the beauty of this Gospel. We know the book has the power to. Our marriage has been rescued by all that we write about, all that we divulge. It certainly is the most vulnerable book we've ever written. A couple weeks ago I was reading in Augustine, when I ran across the phrase "a new song of deliverance," and the Spirit grabbed me, and said, "This is what Love and War is - a new song of deliverance!" Wow. Now that has hope written all over it. Join us in this move to rescue hearts. Here's what you can do: Pray for us! Log on to the webcast next Tuesday, December 15 at 7pm mtn time. Here's the link: http://livestream.com/WaterBrookMultnomah. Give Love and War to your friends. Hey, it's Christmas time. Perfect. I ran into a young man a week ago who said, "My wife and I were praying, and we felt God wanted us to give Love and War to the married couples we know, for Christmas. It feels like a risk, because we are only newly married, and the budget is tight, but we sensed this is what God wanted us to do." They ordered 15 copies to give away. How cool is that?! How loving. And how powerful for the Kingdom. Those homes are going to be singing a new song of deliverance! That's what it's all about. That's the work of the Kingdom. Join us!!
John Eldredge
The Best Present I could ask for
Well, we crossed the threshold into Advent on Sunday. As my thoughts have been turning towards the Advent season, and the coming of Christmas, I found myself thinking about gifts I would like to give, and gifts I would like to receive. After a good bit of meandering, I landed on what I most want to ask from God, the greatest gift he could give me. Himself. That's what I want. That's what I most need. I thought of something CS Lewis wrote: "God cannot give us happiness and peace apart from himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing." All else that I long for is either found in God, and only good in him, or, I can do without if I truly have God. This is really the greatest gift we could ever receive. Then my thoughts turned to some dear souls who live with diminished views of Jesus and the gospel he preached. I see how sad their experience is, how limited, even bound, and again I found myself realizing what an enormous gift it is to have God as he really is, have his gospel as it really is. The torment of misunderstanding can be awful, as those who live under the common Christianity-as-guilt know very well. As do those who live without his nearness, or counsel, or deliverance. To know God truly, to have him truly is the only life there is. Which then led me to something I'd read recently in MacDonald (this is how my quiet times go, one thought leading to another): "The God and Father of Jesus Christ could never possibly be satisfied with less than giving himself to his own." That is what I want. This is what I'm asking for. O Jesus, give us yourself, as you truly are.
John Eldredge
imotives 2: things I would not be caught dead doing
singing onstage before a live audience getting a pedicure wearing a clown suit to the next Wild at Heart retreat having my personal journals read aloud at the National Religious Broadcasters Convention yodeling on Oprah in a tutu There are certain things that simply strike fear into our hearts when we given them even a passing thought. The fear is gut level. It has nothing to do with what is rational. It is primal. You have your list, and I have mine. Just to make sure you are tracking with me, jot a few down. Begin your list. “You could never pay me to…” fill in the blank. Wear your pajamas to church. Roller blade in a Speedo through the mall. Grow a neck beard. C’mon. Fess up. You have your list. We like to think of ourselves as above this stuff. We are free from the opinions of others. We are secure. We are no slaves to fashion. We find our identity in Christ. That is, unless we are asked to do several of the things on our “list.” In the next ten minutes. Can you sense the fear leap up? “There’s no way. I’m not gonna do it.” This fear runs deep in the human race. It is ancient. Genesis 3:10 stuff, the fear of exposure. It is far more powerful than we like to admit. It is the origin of every fig leaf and fashion trend. It’s what gives power to culture, by the way. And peer pressure. We long to be praised. We dread exposure. I’m convinced that until we have a healthy appreciation of how deep this actually runs in us, we won’t have a true grasp on our motives. I long to be esteemed. I have an allergy to being laughed at. Now yes, we might point to pop culture or some group and say, “That has no power over me. I don’t care what they think.” That may be true. You won’t get gages in your ears. Or you won’t wear a tie. But you have a group that you do care what they think. Very much. (The irony, of course, of the “rebels” in every generation, the punkers or grunges or goths is that while they give the finger to society they carefully dress and speak and act to impress the one group they do care about. They desperately want to fit in.) We flatter ourselves. But the truth is, we know exactly what our particular group esteems, what they consider utterly distasteful, and we play to the crowd. Or at least, do our best not to stand out. (University professors typically do not wear cammo to commencements). The same fear drives us. This is no cause for shame. But it does beg a little humility, and honesty. Our fig leaf is not quite as noble as we assume. It cracks me up how much I think about this, while pretending not to think about it. I am about to order a pair of shoes on line. I know what I like. I also know what my peers would think was cool, and, more importantly, what would invite quite a bit of grief. Can you guess which shoes I am not going to buy?
John Eldredge
i Motive
Most of you have probably seen by now the commercials comparing the Mac to the PC. “Hello. I’m a Mac.” “And I’m a PC.” (If you haven’t, you can watch them on the Apple website.) They are funny; they are clever; and they are absolutely brilliant. The Mac is hip, laid-back, dressed for the times, tolerant, “authentic,” the ultimate postmodern. The PC is awkward, dressed for the office climate of the 50’s, goofy, overweight, fumbling, and clearly not authentic. C’mon now, admit it – you want to be the Mac. Even if you don’t own a Mac or ever care to own a Mac, in that commercial, you want to be the Mac. Who wants to be the idiot? Let me back up. Let’s begin with motives. I was just reading a passage in the Gospel of John, how many of the Jewish leaders actually did believe in Jesus, “But because of the Pharisees they would not confess their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved praise from men more than praise from God” (12;42-43). It is a very human passage, so true to life. Think high school peer pressure. I mean, c’mon. You know it’s true. Look at everybody jumping on the “Green” bandwagon. Green is in, Green is enlightened, Green is the cause de jour. Every corporation from coffee to cars now sells itself as Green. Huh. They didn’t do this five years ago. How come they’re suddenly touting their Green credentials now? Do you honestly think this is all in the humble interest of a better world? Then why don’t they just do it, and not tell anyone about it? (Isn’t that what Jesus said, in the Sermon on the Mount?!) So, motives are essential, and motives are often shall we say, questionable. According to Jesus, anyone wanting to pursue a true life, anyone wanting to live with integrity and authenticity has got to be honest about their motives. This is core to his teaching. Back to the Mac ads. Surely you are aware what a powerful motive “wanting to be liked” is. It shapes what you wear every day. The way you talk. The way you present yourself to the world. What you say. What you won’t say. How you want to be seen. Your opinions. This defined high school. Did you really simply wear whatever you wanted and say whatever you wanted when you went to school? Heaven’s no; you’d have been eaten alive. Cast out. We made sure we dressed like and spoke like and held the opinions of the group we wanted to be part of. It might have been the jocks, the cool kids, the academic crowd. Regardless of the details, we all lived a very calculated life. We still do. Good grief, the Jewish leaders in John 12 choose fear of man over confessing Christ. “What people think of me” is a VERY powerful motivator. Thus the brilliance of the ads. In the powerful riptide of current opinion, laid-back is in; uptight is out. Tolerant is in; dogmatic is out. Enlightened is in; holding onto old ways is out. This goes way beyond computers. It shapes our theology, our politics, our values. It is shaping you more than you know. Call it i motives.
John Eldredge