Seldom does a book live up to it’s hype - which is why I won’t read anything recommended by Oprah. Often the publicity of the book outruns the actual content in the book. Sometimes it would just be nice for a book to live up to the praise plastered all over the covers and splash pages.
Then there is Blue Like Jazz (Nonreligious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality) by Donald Miller. I’m hesitant to recommend the book because I’m only a 1/4 of the way through. But listen to this: If the rest of the book is anything close to the first 1/4 you are going to have to read this book. Already I have been challenged in so many ways. My thought furnace has been mightily fueled by his writing and I find it mentally engaging and stimulating. I’ve got to finish up my sermon prep for the week so I can get back to reading! Greg have you borrowed anything recently that sounds like something I would preach?
Here’s an excerpt from the book as he struggles understanding the root of various problems in this world.
The problem is not a certain type of legislation or even a certain politician; the problem is the same that it has always been. I am the problem. I think every conscious person, every person who is awake to the functioning principles within his reality, has a moment where he stops blaming the problems in the world on group think, on humanity and authority, and starts to face himself. I hate this more than anything. This is the hardest principle within Christian spirituality for me to deal with. The problem is not out there; the problem is the needy beast of a thing that lives in my chest.
These insights came to him after an afternoon of protesting in beautiful downtown Portland, Oregon. I believe the fair citizens of Portland are attempting to include protesting as an Olympic sport. His afternoon of protesting led him to the following realization.
The thing I realized on the day we protested, on the day I had beers with Tony, was that it did me no good to protest America’s responsibility in global poverty when I wasn’t even giving money to my church, which has a terrific homeless ministry. I started feeling very much like a hypocrite.
He’s addressing the tough questions relating to motives. Something we should continually be evaluating. What are the reasons behind these actions of mine?
More than my questions about the efficacy of social action were my questions about my own motives. Do I want social justice for the oppressed, or do I just want to be known as a socially active person? I spend 95 percent of my time thinking about myself anyway. I don’t have to watch the evening news to see that the world is bad, I only have to look at myself. I am not browbeating myself here; I am only saying that true change, true life-giving, God-honoring change would have to start with the individual. I was the very problem I had been protesting. I wanted to make a sign that read “I AM THE PROBLEM!”
I just find this type of honesty and candor refreshing. Thanks to Steve for the recommendation. I’ll keep you posted.
