A View of Spirituality

What is your approach to evaluating someone as a spiritually mature Christian? Is the mature believer someone who has successfully habituated certain disciplines of the faith? Someone who practices weekly fasting, daily Scripture reading and regular tithing? Someone who doesn't go to R-rated movies unless they're about the crucifixion?

Whether you've cognitively thought about the answer to these questions before or not, you likely have a basic perception of what a developed Christian looks like on the outside. And though the Bible does point out that we will bear fruit if we are in Christ, we cannot view the Gospel as a ladder that we are all climbing. Instead, we must remember that the Gospel message is a foundation from which we came to faith and the only place we can go to lead us in the daily process of living in forgiveness (Colossians 2:6). The minute we start viewing ourselves on a spiritual continuum is the minute we begin to view ourselves as adequate before God because of our righteous acts.

In a discipleship group this week, my friend Todd outlined a simplistic way we can apply the Gospel to our sin and restore our relationship with God. In this particular area of self righteousness, it might go as follows: (1) identify the area of sin - equating the righteousnes of those around me to the good works they demonstrate. (2) unpack the root deficiency of my understanding of the Gospel that's leading to the sinful behavior - by saying there is a class of spiritually elite who've reached some certain status with God, I am rejecting the verse that says God is the author and perfector of my faith. (3) confess the sin - admit I have been inappropriately viewing God's forgiveness as being more reserved for the spiritual losers who still need it. (4) believe the Gospel - I must accept the Gospel word of forgiveness of my pride and allow it to melt away my comparative approach to holiness.

This 4 step tool can be used as a model not only in our individual appraoch to living for the Kingdom more fully but also in our approach to evangelism and our appraoch to discipleship.

Letting the Gospel Permeate my Attitude

Well, I just landed in DFW after a 39 minute flight from Austin. After I boarded my plane, I saw to my surprise that my aisle was one of the few with no other passengers. I enjoyed my moment of solitude but fully expected to be joined by another individual before the doors were closed (probably a mother with a screaming infant, knowing my luck), but no one showed. I was ecstatic - I could read in peace and in only slight discomfort (try being 6'5" and flying - it ain't exactly easy). During my quiet time, I read Philippians 1 and was humbled, "Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God...because you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the first time you heard it until now (v.3-5)". Having just been exhorted to make the Gospel be the focus of every action at a small group last night, I was ashamed at how happy I was to be sitting alone on the plane. In that moment I did not have an attitude of the Gospel, which would seek to bless others as I have been blessed. The Word is truly living and active! Praise the Lord for His continued patience with a thick-headed guy like me. Isaiah 57:17-18, "I was angry and punished these greedy people...but they went right on sinning. I have seen what they do, but I will heal them anyway! I will lead them and comfort those who mourn."

Proof of God's Existence

I was reminded of God's goodness this morning when I received this email from my wife. I only had to read the subject of it before I was smiling from ear to ear. The subject of her email was the same as that of the first email I had ever sent to her. Just to give you a little background to the story, we had never even carried on a conversation before she read that email and yet still wanted to talk to me afterwards. This unfolding of events is proof of the existence of God (or at least of His miracles).

Here's what I entitled that completely random email: "out on a limb". As I read each word of that silly email this morning my smile got bigger and bigger. At the time (Summer 2005), we were both working at Calvin College (in Grand Rapids, MI) between our sophomore and junior years of college. I had seen her a couple times (slaving away in the HR department) before realizing I had to find a way to meet her. I got her name from my cousin (who works for Calvin as well) and looked up her profile on facebook. This was during the very early days of the social media program when few folks had their profiles on "private". When I saw she was not "in a relationship", I decided I'd send her a completely random email asking her out. Here's the email that I sent to her at 3:05pm on Tuesday, May 31, 2005:

Hey there!

My name is Scott Hekman. I just went into the HR office about an hour ago or so and saw you having a blast with a couple of coworkers (a bit of sarcasm). I noticed your infectious smile awhile back when I first came in to do my tax forms with the cheery Karen Hollebeek and was intrigued. I asked around (my cousin Drew De Jonge being my man on the inside who knows everyone around Calvin) if anyone knew who you were. Drew said you were a really cool gal who he knew decently well. All that to say that I'm wondering if you'd be interested in having a cup of coffee some evening after work? I realize this is completely random and out of the blue. But what the heck, you only live once, right? I work in the Science Building this summer as a research assistant to Prof. David Wunder so I will be around for the duration. Have a splendid day, Lydia! Hope to hear from you soon.

Scott

Now you'll have to ask her exactly why she did it, but for some reason she responded to this crazy email with an affirmation. Here's her response:

Hey Scott! This is so funny and random, I don't even know what to say? haha, but thank you for the sweet email because you just added some fun to my oh-so-exciting job today. I agree that we only live once so I would love to have coffee with you sometime! I've seen you around this office with Drew a few times so maybe I'll run into you again sometime soon or if not you can call my cell phone sometime so we can actually talk. 616-402-8516. Have a good day Scott!!
-Lydia

Praise the good Lord that she had courage (or a brief lapse in her abundant good judgement) enough to take a chance on me. We've been dating since June 21, 2005 and I couldn't be more proud to be her husband. I love you, Lydia!!