American Dream, it's quite a concept.
I can hear the echos of myself speaking words on this concept. In history lessons, explaining how immigrants passed through Ellis Island in search of it. My own ancestry dates back to the American Revolution. My china cabinet hosts a beloved cake plate entrusted to my care. I have been threatened upon pain and death should I allow harm to befall it. This beautiful piece rode on a covered wagon whilst my great, great grand walked beside to stake their American Dream in the wilds of the west. I think I am clearly identified to the American Dream much like a Christian knows it belongs to the lineage of Abraham, Noah, and Adam.
I have spoken the words to my children. Words identifying the cold hard facts that they will struggle to elevate themselves to an economic status equal or advanced to that of their parents. Why? Because we all know this is the reality of the 21st Century American Dream. It has slipped from it's original fingerprint of a group of pilgrims, pioneers longing to preserve their godly heritage into a selfish pursuit, elevate up an economic ladder.
But as Eric Ludy tells us in his sermon Depraved Indifference,
"You see there is a caste system in heaven, it is exactly backwards to the caste system this world actually creates. This world applauds and esteems the wealthy, the powerful and the privileged and the talented. That's not how God's system works. Jesus came and he proved it. He took the lowest spot. He was God."
The time is now to drive a stake through the heart of this evolved American Dream, this vampire. Yes, that is what it has become. A phantom that lurks in the dark and drains us of our life blood; our time, our focus, our vision. Too few of us follow the breadcrumbs to play out the logic of decisions made in pursuit of this dream. Choices are made with little thought, they are just what you do in pursuit of the American Dream. We are missing our pilgrim/pioneer spirit and we do not process our decisions to find their ultimate purpose and as David Platt points out in his book titled Radical,
"I could not help but think we have missed what is radical about our faith and replaced it with what is comfortable..... settling for a Christianity that revolves around and catering to ourselves when the central message of Christianity is actually about abandoning ourselves."There's a time to be emotional and explore feelings, give them a voice to dictate actions and then there are revelations that demand obedience and we pack those emotions into a box and get moving.
The writing is on the wall.
I will be moved.
Will you?
1 comment:
this:
...and then there are revelations that demand obedience and we pack those emotions into a box and get moving.
yes, obedience. i must stop reading, listening, learning, talking - - all without the follow through, the life change; gotta get moving.
My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. ~ James 1:19-22
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