Lunch Time Detective

I witnessed a hit and run accident over lunch today. A red Lincoln convertible smashed into a guy who had stumbled out of a local bar. There was blood all over the ground. The victim even looked as if he had been impaled by the car’s hood ornament. As I took in the scene with disbelief, I couldn’t help but ask myself:

Was this just a simple accident or were matters far more sinister being played out?

My lunch with Rockstar’s L.A. Noire was just another typical day in the LAPD’s Traffic Division. Another day of seeing people at their worst all the while putting the bad guys in jail. You did know that there were still bad guys out there right?

As the case progressed, the victim (the one laying in the street in the above picture) seemed like someone who had been bumped off as a matter of convenience. The convenience being a wife who wanted to hook up with another man. My lunch hour ended before I could solve the case. However, I did engage in a high speed pursuit with the driver of the Lincoln. I can only imagine the damage bill I racked up as I took out street lamps, side-swiped cars, and almost hit pedestrians. My partner, whats-his-name, was screaming at me over my driving. He apparently hasn’t lived in California too long.

Thoughts on Father Fiction: Part 1

For my 30th birthday, I was given a gift card to Barnes & Noble from my in-laws. They know that I like reading with my Nook and knew that I would be quite happy with some new reading material. One of the first purchases I made with my birthday loot was Donald Miller’s Father Fiction. In the past, I had read Miller’s Blue Like Jazz and was greatly influenced by his real thoughts about living the Christian life. So, I saw Father Fiction and decided to jump in.

In the course of my reading, today I came upon the chapter on friendship. Spanning no more than a couple of pages in length, the chapter on friendship contained a simple line that stirred something up within me. Miller writes:

We become like the people we hang out with.

Immediately, my brain went into overdrive. I found myself questioning:

  • How are my current friendships influencing me?
  • Do I surround myself with friends who lift me up or tear me down?
  • Are there any friends that are dragging me down/ keeping me from realizing my God-given potential?

I mean, there is nothing wrong with any of the friends I have. None of them are drug dealers or are engaged in questionable moral dealings that would one day lead me to prison. No, the guys I have allowed to speak into my life are solid. Many of them I have known all throughout my formative years. In a way, I am lucky to have guys like this in my life; guys who have seen me at my best and most certainly at my worst. In fact, I have always prided myself on having a “Personal Board of Directors”.

Miller continued the chapter by talking about his intentional recruitment of a group of guys to help him do life with.

A few years ago, I handpicked some guys I wanted to be friends with. I already had some good friends, but knowing you become like the people you hang around, I decided I wanted to take more responsibility for who I was becoming. I looked around and identified about four guys who didn’t know each other very well, but each of whom I wanted to be like in some way. They owned their own businesses, they were faithful to their wives, they were intelligent. I asked each of them if they would get together for breakfast on Tuesday mornings in Portland. To my surprise, each of them said yes. And so we met.

As time and life have marched forward, I have found myself separated by literally over a thousand miles from my some of my board of directors. The guys I grew up with are far away from the small part of Texas I call home. Even though we have the Internet, this has made the “doing life” part of our friendships tough.

In college, I picked up another set of friends to do life with. Guys who enjoyed deep conversations about life and were honest in giving their opinion. Upon graduation, we each went our separate ways. We do, however, still talk on the phone every few months and pick up quite easily. I love friendships like this. My friend Jon (I have many!) told me that this particular group of friends are like lone wolves. Every once in awhile we check back in with the pack but are otherwise trailblazing forward into the greater wilds. I love that rugged mental picture.

I guess where I am going with all of this is that Miller’s chapter on friendship has made me realize that I don’t have a group of guys, locally, to meet up with. If I have learned anything in life it is that finding people that you can be yourself around is hard. Good friends are hard to come by. This is why I treasure my friendships with those that have traveled along the heat-soaked roads of life with me.

Happy Place

Not sure what to write about today. Not exactly in a “happy place” in my life right now. Don’t get me wrong, everything at home is okay. Work lately though has been challenging. Not challenging on a work level, mind you, but more so in having to deal with fellow office dwellers. Each day I have to prepare myself to brace for whatever insults are about to be hurtled; for whatever gripe is made that is said to remind me of being the low man on the totem pole.

“Oh, I didn’t realize that would take you so long.” – Spoken to me in front of a client. Embarrassing.

Being at the bottom, the support structure of the office, is not always easy. This is especially true when you work for a smaller firm. While company size can often dictate a wider assortment of tasks, size can also mean working in closer quarters with others. Familiarity breeds contempt, right?

During this season of my life, I think that God is trying to teach me perseverance and patience. I just have to keep in mind that this is not forever. I won’t forever have to deal with a phone-slamming boss and a co-worker that seems hell-bent on proving something.

Amplify

I went to bed last night not feeling well. My stomach was in an absolute state of ruin. I had eaten nothing that should have upset it and yet there I was, sick. I awoke this morning still not feeling well. This has only served to amplify the happy thoughts I have towards my current occupation. Sometimes though it does get old being stepped on all the time; sometimes you just want to step back.

Matthew 3 via Highway 80

Last week, I led a Bible study, with my church, at the local rescue mission. From the week prior, we had decided on continuing on to Matthew 3. So I dove into the chapter and came up with the following from my studies.

Matthew 3

John the Baptist Prepares the Way

1 In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea 2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” 3 This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah:

“A voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.’”[a]

4 John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. 5 People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. 6 Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.

7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. 9 And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 10 The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

11 “I baptize you with[b] water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with[c] the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

The Baptism of Jesus

13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. 14 But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”

15 Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented.

16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

First, you’ll notice that the sections are divided under two subject headings:

  1. John the Baptist Prepares the Way
  2. The Baptism of Jesus

I was immediately struck by the thought of, just who is John the Baptist? Where did he come from? What is his relation to Christ? This caused me to search out John the Baptist’s story throughout the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John). Which led me to come up with the following outline:

  • Luke 1:5-25 (The birth of John foretold to his father. John’s father is made mute.)
  • Luke 1:39-45 (John leaps in his mother’s womb when he is near a pregnant Mary)
  • Luke 1:57-66 (John is born and his father can speak again.)
  • Luke 3:7-18 (John preaches like Christ, which is to say counter-culturally and with authority.)
  • Luke 3:20 (John is locked up in prison.)
  • Luke 7:18-23 (Even though John baptized Christ, he doubts who Christ is, and sends his disciples to confirm it.)
  • Finally, Mark 6:17-29 (Tells the story of how John died due to the whims of a woman.)

What we learn about John the Baptist is:

  • He was not apart of the religious elite. However, his Dad did serve as a priest for a time. So perhaps John knew some of the Pharisees and Sadducees talked about in 3:7.
  • He was an outsider. Proof that God can use anyone/ usually uses those deemed socially “undesirable” to further His message.
  • He was one who laid the groundwork for Christ’s counter-cultural teachings.
  • He was one who was raised up for a season to do God’s work. Very interesting that Christ knew about John being in prison and yet he did nothing to come rescue him. Christ knew that John would die and yet did nothing. Shows that our plans are not always God’s plans.
  • He was also one who doubted who Christ was…which reminded me Christ’s disciples doubting who He was.

As I was reading through a study Bible, I came across a note that talked about John’s clothing/ eating habits (Matthew 3:4). The note said that John’s clothing/ eating habits were something that was common at the time among poor people (I always thought the guy was just strange!). Another interesting note that I read was in regards to baptism:

Did John invent baptism? (3:11)

No, but John’s baptism, however, was unique. After Judah’s exile to Babylon in 586 B.C., Jewish rabbis used baptism as a rite of cleansing. John redefined this sacred use of water as a one-time public sign of repentance.

As I read about Christ’s baptism, one word came to mind, obedience. Jesus did not have to be baptized by John but did so to “fulfill all righteousness”.

In the end, John the Baptist was a guy just like you or me. God chose to use him for His glory and lay the groundwork for His Son. You and I, as Christians, are called to continue that mission of laying the groundwork for Christ until His return. May it be soon.

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