MY BLOG POSTS

John Piper argues that “wimpy theology makes wimpy women.” We get “wimpy theology” by choosing to let others tell us who God is rather than getting to know him for ourselves through his revelation to us, the Bible. We listen to songs about God, read books about God, we hear speakers who talk about God, and that’s good enough for us. No need to wade through the actual Bible ourselves.

But wimpy theology is dangerous. It keeps us from truly understanding our purpose here on this earth. It turns us away from Truth, it opens us up to be swayed by “every wind of doctrine” (Eph. 4:14). Wimpy theology destroys friendships, wrecks marriages. It creates self-absorbed people who train others to be as self-absorbed as they are. It is dangerous.

But it is preventable – we prevent wimpy theology by spending time in God’s word, digging into it, wrestling through the tough parts, “rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15). We prevent it by being like the Bereans (Acts 17) who examined the word of God to make sure what they were being taught was true. We don’t believe everything we hear. We saturate ourselves in the word of God so that when we are “squeezed,” His Truth comes out. And we cling to that Truth so that when false teachers try to deceive us, we immediately recognize their deception and we run from them.

The God of the Bible is worth knowing, He is worth serving. He is worth giving up everything to follow. But he is not for the faint of heart. And he is certainly not for the “wimpy.”

When I was younger, I wanted to be a famous actress – on Broadway (Hollywood is for sell-outs). But then I heard a speaker talk about how tough it is to break into theater, how aspiring actors have to live crammed together in tiny New York apartments, working as waiters and auditioning for show after show; he told us how the pay for most Broadway actors isn’t that much and how long and grueling the hours are for those actors. The speaker then said, “Only pursue acting if there’s nothing else on earth you can imagine yourself doing, if you want it more than you want anything else.”

I thought about what he said and realized that, while I love performing, I don’t have the drive needed to pursue it as a career.  I like my personal space, I’m WAY too clumsy to be a waiter, and I can barely keep my eyes open after 11:00pm. And there’s NO guarantee that I’d make it. In fact, the odds were very much against me being anything but a very tired waitress for the rest of my life.

In short, for me, acting was a hobby – something fun to do – but it wasn’t what I wanted to be. It wasn’t something I was willing to give up everything to pursue.

A lot of people I know feel about the Christian life the way I felt about acting: they like parts of it, but it doesn’t drive them. They aren’t willing to give up everything in pursuit of Christ. They aren’t willing to give up what is safe in pursuit of His calling. They are, as Kyle Idleman says, “Fans” but not “Followers.” They see Christianity as a hobby, not as a career.

But Jesus doesn’t give us that option. True followers of Christ, by definition, are all in. Serving Him and knowing Him is what we want more than anything else. No matter what. Even when life gets tough, even when things don’t go our way, even when people ridicule us. We want to know Christ make Him known and nothing else on earth matters as much as that. Not that we don’t have our moments of “What was I thinking?” or “This is NOT what I signed up for!” – we do – but we don’t give up. We don’t treat Christ like I treat theater – doing a play every 4 or 5 years, if I can fit it into my schedule.

In short, we treat Christianity, not as something we do, but as who we are. Every day, all the time, no matter what. We cling to Christ. We immerse ourselves in God’s word, we surround ourselves with God’s people, and we seek to make every word we say and every thing we do glorify Him. We are all in.

Six years ago, I wanted nothing more than to stay in Spain forever. Ten years ago, I wanted nothing more than to stay in Texas forever. Fourteen years ago, I wanted nothing more than to stay in Florida forever. I fought EACH move God had us make. I went kicking and screaming (spiritually speaking), whining and complaining (literally), questioning “Why are you doing to this to me, God? It’s not fair!!”

We don’t always get what we want.

There’s an old TV show from the 80’s, “Cheers,” that’s set in a Boston pub. This one guy came so often that, whenever he walked through the door, no matter what time of day it was or who was inside, everyone called out, “Norm!”

I wanted to be like Norm – not the heavy, middle-aged man part; but the “everybody knows your name” part.  I wanted to live in one place forever. To put down roots. To belong.

And, yet, God kept snatching me from places where I could have been “Norm” and moving me to places where nobody knew my name.

It took every one of those moves, though, for God to get through my thick skull that I DO have a place where I will get to put down roots. A place I was made to inhabit. A place I didn’t even realize I was longing for. I’m sure you already know what I’m talking about. But it took me YEARS to see it, years to understand that the longing I had to belong was a God-given longing for heaven: my eternal home. No place on earth will ever be heaven. Every place – even places as great as Florida, Texas, and Spain – pale in comparison to the home Jesus tells us he prepares for those who love him. I am to enjoy this life he has given me, but I am never to think this is “it.” This world, as Mother Teresa once said, will, in the light of heaven, seem to be “no more serious than one night in an inconvenient hotel.” It’s a nice place to visit, but…

If I had gotten what I wanted, I’d have missed that lesson. I’d have missed so many other lessons, too. God knew what I needed wasn’t what I wanted. I am grateful that he didn’t give in to my whining and complaining, that he didn’t say “Yes” to my prayers that he let us stay in Florida/Texas/Spain.

Are you there? Praying for something and not getting a “Yes”? Wanting something and getting what seems like the opposite? I feel your pain. I understand your frustration. But believe me, what we want isn’t always what we need. I am thankful God knows that, even when I am too stubborn to admit it.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ” Jer. 29:11