A Real Question

I'm a native New Englander. So all the adages apply.
I love long-necked clams. I sprint into frigid cold waves headfirst. I bleed Red Sox blood.

Us New Englanders are also said to be hard-headed, independent, and stubborn. Or maybe that's just me. We are a hard working people, up before the break of dawn. We've got clearly defined circles of trust. And we can sniff out fraud pretty easily. Which is why:

I want people to be real.
I want church to be real.

Now I am in no way here to bash the church. I adore the church and I adore my church. I would defend the church to my grave. We are a desperate people made beautiful by a Savior.

But I wonder if we're doing more alienating than welcoming sometimes.

First example, church signs. They infuriate me. In my opinion, they belittle and cheapen and shrink something so magnificent into a corny little quip. I would never enter a church, upon seeing:

Be Fishers of Men.... You catch 'em, He'll Clean 'em
A lot of kneeling will keep you in good standing.
Are you wrinkled with burden? Come on into Church for a faith lift!

Words carry a lot of weight with me. And because of that, the churchy words have gotta go also. We've got so many cliches. Stuff that no one would understand outside of sanctuary walls. Can our language be real and authentic? How can we communicate truth without alienating the vast majority?

All that being said, communicating one's faith isn't easy. I have wrecked on many attempts. I am pretty sweet at stumbling over my own words. Sometimes I sound like a salesman pawning a cheap ware. It's been awkward and fake and too driven and weird. And for that, I am sorry. So sorry. Cause my God is nothing short of breathtaking.

Which brings me to a question I unearthed the other day in a book called The Organic God, by Margaret Feinberg. This question is the reason for my rambles. My eyes immediately welled up in tears upon hearing:

"What do you love about Jesus?"

Hmmm... Now this, this is simple and yet profound. It doesn't alienate or cheapen. It invites and welcomes a response. I think this question goes well with coffee and a friend. Or a stranger. Or my Dad.

Gotta wake the kiddos up from their naps soon, so I gotta run. But I can't wait to share what I love. And even better, I can't wait to hear what you love. Anyone?

"What do you love about Jesus?"