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in some ways, alcoholics anonymous does church better than the church does church. there’s something about the honesty…the transparency…the brokenness…the declaration of powerlessness…and the cry for help…that totally resonates with my understanding of how we are supposed to do church.
you may, or may not, know that the foundation of aa is built on twelve steps. i’ve been thinking about step number twelve tonight:
Having had a spiritual awakening as a result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.
you see, the greatest strength…and the ultimate goal… in the twelve step program is found in giving it away. anybody in aa learns from the very beginning that the only real value of the program is built on the concept of caring for others…being there for others…listening to others…holding others accountable…teaching others…bearing other’s burdens…and giving your life for others.
mmm….sounds familiar.
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. Galatians 6: 9-10
honestly, there are some days that i grow weary. there are days of discouragement and frustration. i’m sure that is just as true for you, as it is for me.
but we just need to press on. some days we just need to suck it up and push through. there is good that needs to be done and we need to give as it has been given to us. freely.
hey… nobody ever said that following jesus was going to be easy.
a side note: i’m totally pumped about teaching on sunday morning. even more than usual. i’ve got a brand new insight into a really familiar passage that i’ve studied since my childhood. looking forward to finding out if you can see what i see.
sorry. i hate it when they do those stupid teasers on the nightly local news stations…to get you to watch the news.
apparently, the shoe fits.
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