Monday, July 14
YAWP
“I sound my barbaric YAWP from the rooftops of the world”The above is from Walt Whitman and quoted in an amazing scene in the movie Dead Poet’s Society.
We just finished a short two-week series at Crossings on YAWP, (the sound more than the word)
I see in the life of Jesus as a definite ‘calling to sound our barbaric YAWP’…especially when you define ‘barbarian’ as 'uncivilized, rude, & uncultured', it’s hard to miss Jesus yawping throughout His life.
"He went to the wrong places, said the wrong things, and worst of all, let just anyone into the kingdom. Jesus scandalized an intimidating, country-club religion by opening membership in the spiritual life to those who had been denied it." (Mike Yaconelli)
I think one of my greatest fears in the Crossings community, perhaps my greatest, is that we will slowly become civilized and domesticated in our faith. That we will forget the call to the story of God is a story of adventure, a thrilling ride full of wild dreams and excitement…and that we will become an institution instead of a movement.
That great theologian, Mickey (from the Rocky movies), put in this way to Rocky after he had lost to Clubber Lang in Rocky III…”The worst thing happened that could happen to any fighter, you got civilized.”
May we, as a community of faith, never become civilized…
Mark Nelson at 8:14 AM 1comments
1 Comments
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at 10:18 AM
Style and Sass said... What a great series and teaching! We really enjoyed it!