On the train this morning, I was reading the last two chapters of Searching for God Knows What to prep for Wednesday’s first community group discussion. Donald Miller points out that perhaps, as Christians in America, we have become overly concerned about how we are perceived by the world. We are trying to be so cool that our acceptance by the world has become more important than showing Christ’s love. As I thought about myself, I think there is some merit to that thought. Then as I was walking to work from Union Station, I was in the mood for Switchfoot. I found the songs I heard to be oddly appropriate; although, because most of their songs are about this theme of the world lacking what only Jesus can offer and provide, it’s not a huge coincidence. Anyway, here are two of my favorite snippets from the two songs:

The Blues

Is there nothing left now?
Nothing left to sing
Are there any left who hasn’t kiss the enemy?
Is this the New Year or just another desperation?

Does justice never find you? Do the wicked never lose?
Is there any honest song to sing besides these blues?

And nothing is okay
Till the world caves in…

Awakening

Face down with the LA curbside endings
With the ones and zeros.
Downtown was the perfect place to hide.
The first star that I saw last night was a headlight
Of a man-made sky, but man- made never made our dreams collide,
Collide.

Here we are now with the falling sky and the rain,
We’re awakening
Here we are now with our desperate youth and the pain,
We’re awakening
Maybe it’s called ambition, you’ve been talking in your sleep
About a dream, we’re awakening

So that’s it. I guess it’s learning these days that ministry is more than discipleship or even having correct theology. If we don’t work to change this world by loving people, Scripture will fall on deaf eyes.