Cross Pants

To say it has been a busy week would be an understatement!  On Tuesday my family and I drove to St. Louis to participate in Call Day at the Seminary (in case you missed it, I was called –officially - to serve St. Andrew as Lead Pastor!).  Then, yesterday I spend the day with our Executive Committee sharing in the vision dialogue about St. Andrew and where we are headed together as God’s people.  And then there was today’s early, early morning discussion about free will and God’s sovereignty.  To put it bluntly, I am spent.  I am cooked.  I am tired.  It has been a good week…but one that has left me drained

And yet, I needed to sit and write this article.  So imagine the scene with me.  A tired vicar.  Starbucks.  And an article that needed to be written for a deadline later today.  I had nothing in the tank.  What would I write?

And then, I looked up and saw this image:

It was a young man doctoring up his cup of morning Joe.  (And yes, I secretly took a picture of his backside as he poured cream and sweetener into his coffee!)  To be honest, at first glance I didn’t know what to make of it.  Was it disrespectful?  Is it inappropriate to wear the cross as a fashion?  Is it disrespectful to wear it on your rear end?  Is it appropriate?  Do you think the guy reflects on what the cross means when he puts the pants on or reaches for his wallet?  I don’t know…but I did.

This morning, after I got over the respect question, I thought about the reality that EVERYTHING in our lives now bears the image of the cross.  Everything!  At least everything in the life of the disciple of Christ.  It is who we are!  Everything is His!  Our families are His.  Our jobs are His.  Our land holdings are His.  Our hobbies are His.  Our clothes are His.  Our cars are His. Our wallets, purses, bank accounts, 401Ks are His.  Our relationships are His.  Everything is His!  I find it funny that people in Christian congregations get tense when the subject of tithing and finances comes up.  Why?  Is it possible that we have fallen prey to the errant belief that somehow I own or command my own stuff? 

Today, because of a simple pair of jeans and their back pocket stitching, I am again reminded that everything is God’s.  Everything is His.  And I am challenged to remember that I died…and now it is Christ who lives in me.  My life (and everything I am, everything I have) is His.  Oh, how the kingdom of God would explode if I actually lived out that reality!  Today, I am challenged to see my life and my stuff differently.  I encourage you to do likewise...

For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

Colossians 3:3