I have to talk about Philip.
“Yet as I read the birth stories about Jesus, I cannot help but conclude that though the world may be tilted toward the rich and powerful, God is tilted toward the underdog.”
― Philip Yancey
Philip Yancey
There are MANY reasons I am ready for Jesus to wrap things up and bring Heaven to Earth, but one visit I can't wait for is sharing a cup of coffee with Philip Yancey. A mentor and hero of mine.
If you have never read a book by Philip Yancey, you need to. Reach out, and I will gladly recommend one of his 30 (+) books! He has been a primary influence on me. I continue to look to him for wisdom in our chaotic times. He leads me back to the truth; he always directs me to Jesus and His heart.
Here is one at the top of the list:
Growing up in an abusive, racist, fundamentalist home and church community, it is astounding that he would have anything to do with Jesus or Christianity. Instead, he is a revolutionary for the Gospel of Jesus and His Kingdom, founded on grace and mercy. As he embraced the daunting work of facing his past, he knew what he experienced in the name of Jesus was, in fact, NOT Jesus, so Philip set out to find Him.
Through the labor of writing, Philip has stepped into the ring, facing grief, questions, trauma, and doubts. Each book has been his battleground to overcome evil with good, and those of us who read his work have found healing and hope. Philip is an advocate for the true Gospel, the based-on-the-Scripture-Gospel (sadly, we have to make this distinction). And he shares it with a gracious and winsome voice.
If you have felt wounded by Christians, he can guide you through that kind of hurt. If you are tired of the church not addressing suffering or the other hard questions, grab one of his books. If you love the natural world and connect with God through His Creation, you will find camaraderie with him. If you value storytelling and excellent writing, you will appreciate his craft. Humble and wise, interesting and deeply thoughtful, articulate and honest. I thank God for this man.
His recent blog post (a MUST READ) highlights the long history of the tireless labor of the church amid crisis, despair, hunger, and trauma. It was so good for my soul to hear these reminders as people are leaving church by the droves, understandably. He has traveled everywhere, and over and over, he describes what Jesus called the church to represent: "A light, a city on a hill." In other countries where people are suffering starvation and sickness at levels most of us don’t have a category for, the small churches and clinics have quietly and faithfully done their work, motivated by a love for Jesus and his image-bearers.
Not interested in fanfare. Not looking for a parade in their honor. Tucked away, unknown. From the early Christians in Rome during the plague, to the Benedictine order staffing 37,000 monasteries devoted to the sick, to many of our hospitals founded by Christians and “still retaining their religious roots.” This is a good work, a SELFLESS work, not motivated by security or fame.
The reality in America is a new war zone. We feel hamstrung as we watch an administration dismantle decades of work for those in dire straits, years of organizing and executing foreign aid to millions of people and building rapport with the leaders of those countries we have been helping. Decades of stewardship for a planet that needs help, trying to withstand the wrecking ball of egotism (let's not mistake this for leadership). People are suffering, the land is suffering, and birds are suffering. We are losing the goodness of the country decision by decision. Essentially, anything a democrat has put into place is the target of thoughtless, sweeping choices. Consequential choices. We used to agree on these things. in fact, Christians should be leading the way on all of these endeavors…for the Bible tells me so.
It’s sad, these days, I no longer want to be associated with the American flag, worse, I no longer want to be associated with America. Everything has changed. We had our issues that needed to be addressed, believe me, I know, but our flag now waves a new motto: the land of comfort, greed, and safety…America, the egotistical and power-hungry.
So, here we are. Here I am. Many of us brokenhearted over the countless number of human beings neglected both in our nation and outside of our nation at our hands. A costly season. Asking the questions, “How will we rebuild?” and “How can Jesus use me?”
So I return to Philip to help me find my way in these times. To figure out how to move forward with a faith now associated with neglect for the marginalized, while securing wealth for the comfortable. I'm with Bono on this one: “The United States has been a promised land to a lot of people,” he says, “but it looks like it’s about to break that promise.”...take a few minutes to read Philip's post. You will be glad to have his influence, AND then ask me about his books! 🤓
“We must talk about poverty, because people insulated by their own comfort lose sight of it.”
― Dorothy Day