Why Living in a Post-Modern Society isn’t all it’s Cracked up to Be

You and I live in a post-modern world, totally surrounded by it. I’ve been aware of it, but I have never really comprehended it. I’ve sort of just accepted it as my reality because I didn’t think I had any other choice. But now that I am a slightly more educated theologian, I actually have the wherewithal to take a stance on the matter. So here we go:

Before post-modernism there was (you guessed it) modernism. It was a simpler time when things could be defined and known and understood. It was cut and dry, black and white. We could learn things about the world around us through scientific means and reason. There was an absolute truth. There was a certain level of structure that accompanied modernism. Rules, guidelines, truth, certainty, t’s-crossed-I’s-dotted-loose-ends-tied.

But, gone are the days of certainty. Post-modernists have a new perception of truth: the reality of truth is connected with the observer; truth is meant to be self-validating; what you make out to be true is true.

So this is how we’ve found ourselves in the “equal-rights-openness-tolerance-coexist-speak-up-but-don’t-offened-anymore” awkward tip-toe dance that we all do. Does anyone have a voice anymore? Or, does everyone have a voice? Some of this “equal-rights-openness-tolerance-coexist” dance is valid, but how much is too much?

Post-modernists argue that modernists are close-minded, lacking passion and receptiveness because they are too caught up in the rules and guidelines of tradition. But I wonder, Is there a way to be both open-minded and structured? Does having your t’s crossed and your I’s dotted mean you don’t have passion? Can these two worlds of modernism and post-modernism exist together or has post-modernism won the fight?

The Church has responded to the post-modernism movement. Some have made the choice to embrace the movement. New churches have been established with services that are innovative, and dare I say, provocative. For example: communion with Coke and graham crackers or people having the freedom to carry on a conversation about any topic while others are worshiping. There is no real structure or guidelines to the content of the service because everyone is seen as "right" in whatever they do and whatever they believe. They (post-modern Churches) desire to get away from the rigid box of traditional Christianity in efforts to embrace the new society, but I think the line has been crossed.

Where is the reverence? Church is not meant to be a relaxed hour and a half of entertainment. Church should be consecrated and reflective. We are sinners coming before a holy God. Yes, there is a time for talking and fellowship – this is a crucial element of the Church, and I even believe that people can worship in more than one way. (Worship does not mean standing stiffly and mouthing the words on the screen. I won't get into my thoughts on worship right now; let's do one thing at a time.)

Do you see where I’m going with this?

Society has already compromised itself in efforts to accommodate everyone. Should the church follow suit, or is there something to be said about sticking to our guns, unwavering?

I’ve noticed this issue that my generation has with making decisions, and honestly it drives me a little crazy. I think there are two main reasons why we can’t decide:

First, without organization we can’t really make decisions. We need to have a certain level of structure and organization to see how our decision will fit in. Because post-modernism has done away with structure, we are all suffering in our indecisiveness.

Second, we believe we have the ability to pick and choose. Remember when someone was either completely Democrat or completely Republican? Either completely Calvinist or completely Armenian? Either completely against (anything) or completely for (anything)?  

I blame it on Panera’s Pick Two and other restaurants that have given us the option to take a perfectly decent menu and alter it so that it fits us. I also blame post-modernism. We believe we can pick the best characteristics to create something that appeals to our own personal values, our own perception of truth. In doing this, we are pleased, and the world around us is pleased because we aren’t saying “No” to any one way; we are remaining open.

Now, I’m just frustrated because I don’t know the answer to my original question: Is there a way for post-modernism and modernism to exist at the same time? Is there any place for someone like me – a structured-Calvinist-Bible-believin’ girl – in the post-modern world or am I going to get trampled?

Is it that we are too scared to stay with absolute truth because we don’t want our society to throw us to the dogs? Isn’t that exactly what Jesus said would happen?

If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. John 15:19

We are not of this world. We are not supposed to be loved by the world. We are not meant to bend and trade in our values for acceptance from our neighbors. We are meant to remain in Truth. One truth, not many.

So, I don’t have to feel bad about attending my traditional church service. I don’t have to feel bad for having my mind made up about my beliefs. We aren’t supposed to be fence-sitters. I don’t have to excuse myself for being a structured, rule-follower. Having your mind made up does not mean you are close-minded. Somehow, in remaining true to the more traditional standard of living (modernism), I will have love for the world around me.

I am convinced that there is a way to remain in the Truth while engaging with the post-modern world. I don’t think it has to be one or the other. I’m still ironing this one out. But for now, I believe it is our job to “not conform to the patterns of this world” as Paul so strongly urged the church in Rome. 

Reconciliation

I promise my blog isn’t turning into a five-point theological seminar, but this theology class just has me thinking so much and becoming downright zealous about these topics and life in general. This class has been good for my relationship with the Lord; it has ignited a spark to dig deeper.

My theology professor (who is one of the greatest men I have ever met) asked us why we feed ourselves. Well, to live and grow and be healthy, of course. Then he said, “Do you do the same for your spiritual body?” I have tight reigns on my physical body. I am so conscientious about the foods I put into my body and daily exercise and the ways I spend my time. However, my spiritual life sometimes resembles something of a tarp in a hurricane: fraying, flapping madly, but one little string remains tied down, holding on for dear life. So why would I not read my Bible daily and consult God in all things? If I am so willing to take care of my temporary earthly body, shouldn’t I be all the more willing to care for my eternal spiritual body?

Not too long ago I was standing in a worship service feeling grieved by my own sinful heart. It was a real Paul moment. You know, “For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate” (Romans 7:15). I said, “Lord, break me (of my pride, of my stubborn refusal to daily submit to Him, etc).” And He said, “Why would I break you when you are already so broken?”

I was taken aback by the question because it meant that He sees me for who I am and, in spite of who I am, He wants to come closer to me. In the past month or so He has come alongside me in the most loving way. When I deserved condemnation, He chose to refill me and teach more about love, reconciliation, and healing.

My theology class has been a pinnacle part of this deeper step into the Lord. Also, I’m reading a Donald Miller book right now, Searching For God Knows What, and it too includes theology and the gospel and I feel totally bombarded with this Truth. I have no choice but to embrace it.

Have you ever thought about the gospel and experienced an overwhelming sense of awe? Has the full magnitude ever knocked your socks off, even for a moment? I’m not wearing socks today, but if I was they definitely would have been removed. I know the gospel front and back, but every now and then I have to stop and say whoa in the most silent whisper I can offer. Today as I was sitting in class talking about Christology I was overcome with this deep love for the gospel, for God’s plan, and for Jesus’ sacrifice.

We were excavating our way through the Bible this morning coming up with verse after verse about Christology and when we got to Isaiah 53 I stopped. I’ve always read Isaiah 53 as a type of Good Friday, mournful and humbling prophecy of Christ’s death for our sins, but today I saw it in a new light.

Suddenly thoughts were spewing out of my head and I ferociously filled an entire page with hardly legible ideas while the rest of the class trudged on through the Bible.

Verse four and five are the real kickers: Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows…the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.

These words: griefs, sorrows, peace, and healed.

Yes, Jesus was the sacrifice for our sins; He was the necessary component so that we could be right before God. And God could have stopped there; forgiving our sins was enough of a gift. But while Christ was dying for our sins, God went a step further beyond cleansing. He went beyond forgiven sins, and removed our brokenness so that we could be healed and live in peace.

All our griefs and sorrows, the weights and hurts we carry around, were taken care of through His death of the cross. Our brokenness from sin and wounds caused by others – these too were taken care of on the cross. And once He removed those things, He brought peace. Calm. Freedom. Reconciliation.

I love God’s attribute of Reconciler. It is beautiful and kind and one of the most ultimate acts of love. This reconciled relationship with Him is one I can hardly grasp. It is far too large to fully comprehend, and I am humbled by His plan. Who am I to think I know best? To think I can figure out and plan life on my own? Oh goodness, Grace. Get back in line.

If God is willing to reconcile with me in my continual, daily rebellion against Him, how then can I withhold reconciliation from others in my own life? Life is far too short and far too precious to walk around unreconciled. God wants nothing more than to be reconciled with us, and He longs for unity and reconciliation among us as well. If Christ is able to forgive our very worst grievances and horrible sins against the God of the universe, who are we to not forgive small hiccups of discomfort (in comparison) caused by friends, family members, or even enemies?

One of the most beautiful pictures of reconciliation on this earth

I’ll leave you with this: He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed.  (1 Peter 2:24)

We’re healed, people. We are reconciled. We are free. So live like it. 

The Relationship Between Theology and Rain

Even though the semester just ended last week, I am currently neck-deep in an intensive theology course. This course is normally spread over an entire semester, but I’m taking it in two and a half weeks, so you can imagine the state of my brain.

I should be reading and doing work for that class right now instead of blogging, but how can I not take a moment to write?

As much as I love debates and deep topics of theology, I tend to stray away from these conversations and instead emphasize and focus on the gospel. Often, I think Christians get too caught up in the untrivial matters instead of just focusing on Jesus. However, this class is so good because part of Christianity is the doctrine, and we need to know why we believe what we believe. It is so much fun to ask questions and spin in circles and allow my face to be contorted until the fuzzy concepts become slightly less fuzzy.

This class has my thoughts thoroughly provoked and my heart aching with confusion. Especially today when we discussed predestination verses free will and I am just left wondering Why? and feeling saddened by this potential that there may be unelected people.

One of the chapters from my reading last night spoke of God’s planning and ordaining work, and how it was viewed in the Old Testament verses how it is perceived today. In the Old Testament people could not fathom anything occurring apart from God, but today we struggle to give God recognition in the small parts of our day.

Here’s an example: Today I would say the phrase, “It is raining.” But in the Old Testament they would say, “God sent the rain.” I love that. I love the shift in perspective. It gives God all recognition and power and concludes that nothing can exist outside of God’s perfect plan. The rain doesn’t just happen on its own will; only God can send the rain.

This is already an intriguing idea to think about simply as rain, but what if the rain represented something else?

Do we acknowledge God’s hand in seemingly insignificant encounters and happenings throughout our day, or do we pass over them, hardly allowing them to impact our hearts? And it doesn’t even cross our minds that God brought it (any encounter or event) into being.

Or even further, when the rains of heartache and loss come storming through our lives, do we give God the credit in a respectful way? Do we acknowledge His allowance to send the rain - whatever it may be? I realize that this is venturing into the topic of the existence of evil in the world, and I should probably wrap this thing up before it turns into my term paper. However, I just want to say that all things given to us came through God’s hands first. The good and the bad. The beautiful and the ugly. And our only response is to acknowledge His perfect plan, even though we cannot understand it.

I am struck by our ever-present need to praise Him. To acknowledge His goodness. In choosing to overlook His provisions and plan we are disregarding His power and therefore disrespecting Him. He has actually thought through every little detail of all of eternity. He has it under control, and all things He allows will ultimately bring Him glory. We must simply praise Him.

Mother's Day

Today is Mother’s Day – a day to honor our moms, and I cannot think of a better way to honor my mother than with my words.

My mom is so good at what she does. She is a mama to many, she cooks and listens and learns. And she loves so unconditionally. Never have I experienced a love like my own mother’s.

She remembers my favorites and avoids my dislikes. She always has listening ears and is ready to give advice (even when I don't always want it). She is the glue that holds my crazy family together.

She isn’t perfect, but that’s part of what makes her so great. She never stays down for the count; that woman is a fighter. She’s not afraid to cry when she’s hurt, and she works hard to resolve conflicts.

Watching my mom laugh until she cries is one of the most beautiful images I have in my head. Her smile takes over her face, her laughter rising up from somewhere deep inside – from a well of joy that only He can provide.

My mom cares so deeply. She has always been my number one supporter in everything.

Like, that time when I thought I was going to move to New York City and she hopped on a plane with me and allowed me to drag her all over the city while I tried to “find myself.”

Or, that time when I moved to Minnesota, and she said okay and hopped on a plane and made sure I felt safe here.

My clarinet recitals – she was there for the tears and the notes and the celebrations. She has shared every single one of my blog posts. If that doesn’t scream number one fan, I don’t know what does.

She has always encouraged me to be me and has fought for me when I haven’t felt like fighting anymore. She has seen me at my very worst moments and still continues to love me.

Now that I’m older, I can go many days without talking to my mom. Part of that’s the time difference and part of that is the fact that I’m figuring out how to do life on my own. But every now and then I find myself in a quandary that only Mom can solve. So I FaceTime her and she's right there ready to be my mom, at any hour of the day. I am humbled that God made her MY mom.

Happy Mother’s Day, my dear Mother. I love you.

Summer

As of 11:00 this morning I have finished another round of classes. There were definitely times this year when I didn’t think I was going to make it. I regularly entertained the idea of hopping on a plane, any plane, and giving it all up. But, I made it. And I’m excited to keep going (which is a good thing, because I start a new round of classes on Monday).

Today has been full of goodbyes. I’d like to think that by now I’ve gotten pretty good at goodbyes. But for some reason these goodbyes have been sad. Not hard, just melancholy. Maybe because I’m loving more, loving harder, than other times in my life. Or maybe because I’m the one being left behind. Usually I’m the one who does the leaving; this time all my people are leaving and I’m staying on campus.

But that’s okay. I’m looking forward to a quiet summer on campus. And I’ll be here waiting when my people get back. I’ve already entered into summer mode and I feel like I’m breathing deeper and smiling wider. I love the bare feet, the wide-open windows, and the long sunsets that accompany summer.

While I was running errands with my two nanny girls this afternoon, the six-year old spoke up and said she wanted to give me directions to the bookstore. I had never been to this particular bookstore, and I could have easily pulled it up on my phone, but I decided to let her direct me. She said, “I’ll tell you if you should turn or go more forward or less forward.”

And she did. She kept saying, “More forward, more forward, more forward.” And as we approached the bookstore she said, “Okay, start going less forward.”

As much as I love spontaneity, I’m a total planner. I like to schedule and make lists and figure out the details and weigh all the possibilities before anything even happens. But I’m learning that life doesn’t really happen if you’re always planning. There is beauty in just letting things happen, not planning, just seeing where we end up. Moving more forward and less forward. It’s okay to not have everything figured out.

Earlier today I was mainly caught up in the cuteness of my little nanny-girl, but now I realize it was a trust exercise. I know I struggle with trusting people, so it’s definitely an area I could use exercise.

You don’t have to be able to see in order to trust. You just need to be able to listen.

That’s sort of the whole point of trusting, you can’t see but you’re believing that someone will follow through with what he (or she) said he would do. I trusted my nanny girl to get us to the bookstore, and she did. I’m learning to trust friends and family, and even beyond that, learning to trust God more and more. He is faithful and will do what He said He would do. All I have to do is go more forward when He tells me to and put the brakes on when it’s time to go less forward.

This is going to be a good summer, I can already tell. I have a lot of fun things planned, but I also have a lot of growing and trusting and just seeing where things go. 

Encouragement for your weekend

This morning I attended a funeral for a man I had never met. I realize this is not the most normal way to spend a Saturday morning. (The memorial service was held in our university auditorium, so I “attended” as a stage hand, which is my regular job.) The service was beautiful and made me wish I had known the man.

His name was Bill and he was a Young Life guy and a total Bob Goff. He was all about loving Jesus and loving people. He was only 60 years old and still had so much zeal. In her beautiful remembrance speech, his daughter said, He didn’t let life happen to him, he grabbed life by the horns.

A lot of times I feel like life happens to me. I feel like I’m caught in the waves as I allow myself to be continually swept under, instead of fighting to keep my head above the water. Life does happen to us; sometimes things out of our control severely dictate our life, but we can choose to “grab life by the horns” and make the most out of every situation. There is always the option of joy, no matter what.

Apparently, Bill used to say, Keep your stick on the ice.

I love that. I don’t know much about hockey. I remember the little field hockey unit in high school P.E. and I remember that I instinctively wanted to run with the stick off the ground. I missed the puck a lot and wasn’t a very good defender. 

Even with the lack of experience I still understand the principle of his quote: Always be ready; keep your head in the game. Don’t let Satan or the world come in and steal your puck, keep your stick on the ice, and keep playing. This could translate to Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus and do not stop running the race.

Life is too short to walk around with a furrowed brow. I know life is hard, people. But we are fighters, and apparently, we are hockey players too. Grab life by the horns and keep your stick on the ice!