Things We Can Learn From Terrorists

There are some things that we can earn from terrorists! Like how to organise into small, multiplying cells (there have been a few papers on this since 9/11 including some work by Alan Hirsch). How to operate under the radar of giants like the US military. The importance of training. Small is beautiful. How to funnel anger into a cause. etc.

But there apprears to me to me a bigger one for Christians to observe and reflect on for ourselves. The shadow side of the glory that these people are striving for. These guys who have been caught this week in Australia were allegedly half way towards blowing up something important- maybe we wil never know what. But they got so wrapped up in their mission and their obscure and dangerous understanding of Islam that some interesting things stayed in their lifestyles.

I don't know if you noticed it but those young men who attacked the camerman were wearing Nike and Addidas clothes with their logos clearly on display as a fashion statement! So here we have angry young men who 'hate' the West but adore its' high priests! They probably ate at McDonalds for breakfast! And their leader was welfare dependant! That's right the guy who is allegedly leading these people into a right against the West is being funded by John Howard's Centrelink... I guess even a suicide bomber has to eat!

So we should reflect as Christians about the things that get in the way as we conduct our lives, that seem hypocritical to our message. There are plenty of examples... The current image in the world that Jesus is best represented by Republican voting morals crusaders. Our own over-concern with image (the external, rather than the presence of the Holy Spirit dwelling in us - the internal). Anyone who preaches a message that Christianity can make your life easy and that there will be no more problems - 'Jesus will fix it'. People who get so wrapped up in the mission of their church that they forget about the mission of God (thinking that both missions are necesarily the same thing). etc.

There are plenty! Let's learn something from these dangerous fanatics!

Great Funeral!

‘Life wasn’t meant to be easy’, said Malcolm Fraser. I often think that those who present a glitzy Christian message filled with beautiful, successful people and lots of financial prosperity have missed the best that God has for us. This week I had one of those reminders of the nature of what joys that the Gospel can bring.

I led a funeral service. It was a great time. I hope mine is like that! There were lots of family and friends who had come to farewell a loved 85 year old lady whose body had finally given out. But as I presented to the assembled congregation a summary of her life you couldn’t miss the tough times that had been there: Growing up in the Mallee as a child of a WW1 soldier-settler, a husband who died 43 years ago (that’s half her life without him), constant battles with depression and mental illness, The Great Depression, WW2 and regular financial jeopardy, were just some things on the list!

But here we were at the end of this lady’s life and there was nothing but celebration in the church. Memories, love, stories, laughter, warmth and gratefulness for having known her were the feelings that day. As the Mastercard advertisement says: “PRICELESS!”

So if things are tough at the moment, don't discount God's presence in that. He might not have wanted it to be like is it but that doesn't mean that he isn't there in it. Look for the nature of the Gospel... find it... it's about.