The Gospel According To Imi Lichtenfeld

Not long after the first Karate Kid movie came out in the eighties, I'm pretty sure that there was a huge epidemic of butt kickings. Let me play out the scenario for you...kid goes to movie, said kid is inspired to learn martial arts and begins to take classes at local dojo, kid learns a wide variety of katas and forms and builds a false sense of self confidence, kid gets into fight with football player thinking that he will overwhelm football player with a whirlwind of spinning round house kicks and crane form, football player slams kid to the ground and beats him senseless. Have you heard that story before?

This type of scenario is one of the reasons that the a form of martial arts called Krav Maga was created. If you have ever seen a Jason Bourne movie then you have seen many of the techniques and efficient brutality utilized in Krav Maga. This type of efficiency and simplicity is what drew me to and started me on the journey of learning this martial art. I have only been at it for about 4 months now but as I have been studying Krav Maga, I can't help but notice a correlation to the story of Jesus and the new "system" that he exemplified and taught.

To make this correlation, let me first explain Krav Maga's history and origins. Krav Maga is a fighting style that was developed by Imi Lichtenfeld in the early 1930's. Lichtenfeld had a background in boxing and wrestling but came to realize that, because of their complexity, those fighting systems in their pure forms did not translate well to a street fight scenario so he created a fighting style that was built on efficiency and natural human movement. In essence he took away all of the complicated forms and systems and created a fighting style that was compact, efficient, and highly effective which is the reason that it is being taught to special forces and law enforcement agencies all over the world. Ultimately, Imi Lichtenfeld created a fighting style that actually worked in a real fight.

And that's what makes me think of Jesus. Jesus came into a context where Judaism had become a really complex system of laws and rituals. There were very specific laws for every single minute detail of life. This system of laws was initially given by God (though this was not God's final plan for man's salvation) in a simpler form but Israel's religious leadership found a way to greatly complicate it by adding countless "fence" laws on top of laws on top of laws....basically, you had a system that was so complex that it no longer applied to real life.

....and then you have Jesus...who comes telling stories instead of implementing systems. You have Jesus talking about love and then demonstrating love by healing the societal outcasts and spending time with the city's "low lifes" and "losers"...You have Jesus simplifying the entire religious system down to two requirements.. "Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength...and love your neighbor as yourself. All of the law and prophets hang on these two commandments.." Basically, Jesus was showing us a way of living that was in line with our natural human movement, a way that works in real life...simple not sophisticated....relational not religious.

Ultimately, you have Jesus speaking and then embodying these words; "greater love has no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends...and I have called you friend". The need for salvation could not be remedied with a system...the need for salvation can only be remedied by a Savior.

Tower of Babel

This morning I watched a news report on a young man who has an incredibly powerful mind and is able to memorize massively lengthy numbers (memorized Pi = 3.141592653589..... after one look) after only seeing them once and he was able to learn Icelandic, which is one of the planet's most difficult languages to learn, in only a week. One of the things mentioned in that report is that, after monitoring and testing his brain, scientists found that the different sections of his brain worked together as opposed how most brains work where the different sections of the brain work separately from each other.

In some strange way, this news report made me think of the biblical account of the Tower of Babel where, after seeing the progress man was making in technological innovation, God caused men to longer speak the same language which brought about ensuing chaos. I wonder if that is where God simply "flipped a switch" in the mind which caused it to stop working as a cohesive unit. I have often heard that scientists have calculated that we only use about 20% of the minds capacity and there is another 80% that basically remains a mystery. Maybe there was a time where man was able utilize the full 100% of the brain's capacity and God decided to dumb men down a notch or two..

So why would God do something like that? Why would God figuratively make us function with "one hand tied behind our backs"? Did He feel threatened? Was He afraid that we might build a tower to heaven and find that He was just "the man behind the curtain"? I'm pretty sure that that is not the case...so why would God purposely shut down the potential of something that He had created?

Maybe God saw where such innovation could lead when mixed with a fallen nature. What if God decided that it was too early in the history of the world for man to figure out how to make an atomic bomb? What if He clearly saw that we would, through our industry mixed with our greed, destroy our surroundings and eventually destroy ourselves long before God had deemed that time to come. Maybe He wasn't ready to watch his precious creatures die a viciously slow and painful death from cancers that were caused by chemicals and toxins that we had synthesized.

It just might be that the whole Tower of Babel incident was one more incredible act of God's mercy and kindness towards a people who were too stupid to see that they were too smart for their own good..

Flowers

A while back, I stopped into Starbucks to ...well, to simply purchase happiness. Liquid happiness. while there, a lady in her fifties walked in with flowers and gave it to one of the baristas behind the counter. She said something like "your 21st birthday is a big deal...happy birthday". and that was it and she left.

I could tell by the response of the young lady behind the counter that this lady was not a family member or a close friend or anyone else that one would expect to get flowers from on their birthday. I think the gift bearer was simply a regular customer who thought that birthdays are big deals (especially 21st birthdays). The young lady was in tears at such a sweet and thoughtful gesture.. and to be honest..I also was in tears because it was such a profoundly beautiful moment.

I don't know if the lady who brought the flowers was a christian or not, but her kindness made me realize how pitifully rare it is that christians are known for such deeds. I'm afraid that it is more common for a Starbucks employee to watch a customer who has just chewed them out at the drive through drive off with a big fat fish symbol or a lame christian bumper sticker on the back of their car. I know that there are believers out there who are an exception to that perception but shouldn't kindness be one of the most common characteristics of those who claim the name christian. Kindness is, after all, one of the fruits of the Spirit (a.k.a. expected personality traits). I think we should be people who are known for buying flowers for strangers on their birthdays (and not so that we can attach a gospel track to the flowers) just because we want to just make a big deal of their birthday in case no one else has...

Robots

I remember getting my first robot when I was a child. It basically was this really crude remote control robot that tried to walk but really just sort of wobbled back and forth. It is amazing how far robotic technology has advanced since the days of that first robotic toy (though the toy was definitely not on the cutting edge of technology even then).

Today I watched an excerpt on TED.com about robots and the seven 'species' that have recently been developed. (http://www.ted.com/talks/dennis_hong_my_seven_species_of_robot.html) It is absolutely astonishing to see the technological advances that have been made recently. The new robots can navigate over almost any terrain, they can stand up and sit down, and one particular robot can actually play the game of soccer independent of anyone controlling it remotely. One of the species utilizes a spider or crab like structure using multiple legs. Another species uses mechanics wrapped in a rubber skin and through a series of pinching and expanding movement, is able to move itself. The robotic movements of these different varieties are triggered by everything from electronic impulse to air compression to chemical reaction.

What's ironic about the future of these robots is that the inspiration for their engineering comes from very ancient design. I think the term 'species' is very accurate because all of the robots borrow the physics, motion, and mechanics of creatures already found in the natural world. Think about it, of all of the possible "out of the box" thinking and engineering that man is capable of, he is being forced to realize that the most practical and efficient engineering comes from nature or creation (which implies a creator) that has been there from the beginning.

In watching the brilliance of how the engineers had gotten each robot to move, I think about my own body and all of the amazing things that happen in just taking a step or breathing. There are movements being triggered by electronic impulse, chemical reaction, and air compression all at once... and all of that is through biological and organic means.

All of this just reminds me of how incomprehensibly brilliant God is and when comparing today's robots to the subtleties and complexity of the human body, I begin to see today's technology in a light that is not unlike the way I see that first primitive toy robot that I had as a child...

Romans 1:20For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

The Problem With "Bad Guys"

As I have watched my four year old son play with his action figures, I have realized that he is subconsciously aware of the universal "norm" that there are always good guys and bad guys. I'm not sure how my son decides who the bad guys and good guys are (he often completely disregards the suggestion of the packaging that the action figure came in that clearly tells you whether they are a good or bad guy) but within a few minutes of playing, there is a distinct separation of good verses evil and the battle begins.

"Bad Guys" is such an elusive concept these days. Everybody believes that there are good guys and bad guys in this world but I'm pretty sure that everybody believes that they are the good guys and nobody believes that they are the "bad guys". So who are the bad guys? In the old "western" movies, it seems like the bad guys at least knew that they were the bad guys. Many of them wore black as if to say "I am wearing the official uniform of the bad guys because deep down in my heart I know that I am a bad guy"...but maybe that's just the movies...maybe there's never been a time where the bad guys knew that they were bad guys.

In our modern era of "a diagnosis for everything", we all have a reason for everything that we do. If I cheat on my wife, I have a sexual addiction. If I murder someone, I had a difficult upbringing and "acted out" in rage or I had to kill him/her before he/she had the chance to kill me. If I charge exorbitant prices or cheat a customer, it's because I saw everyone around me making the same kinds of compromises and it's just what you have to do to be "competitive".

The funny thing is, I'm not dismissing any of these justifications as "psychobabble" or anything like that and in many ways, we make similar decisions on a daily basis just maybe to a lesser degree. I understand how addictions and past experiences can very much influence and shape what we do today. We just all have our own reasons (in our minds) for doing what we do. But this again leads us back to the problem of "bad guys". If none of us think that we are inherently bad and have just made a few bad decisions along the way, then who are the "bad guys"? Do the "bad guys" officially become bad guys once they make the news? Did the the Tiger Woods's and the Enron's of the world become bad guys once they got caught but we're still good guys because we didn't get caught for making the same type of decisions?

Maybe the starting point for us as humans is to realize that none of us are the "good guys". I think anyone who is completely honest with his or her self has to come to the conclusion that without outside help, we really are broken inside and we are all the "bad guys". ..and maybe if we just added the word "too" to the end of our "he or she is a bad is a bad guy" judgements, we might find ourselves on the first step of our journey in becoming one of the "good guys".

Romans 3:23 (New International Version)
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

"Things I'd Go To Jail For.."

Being from the south, there is a saying that I've heard and I've actually said that goes something like this.."there's a few things I will go to jail for". Basically, that saying comes in the context of some good ole boy talking about something that someone has done to or said about his wife/girlfriend; or it might come in the context of how he is going to deal with young men mistreating his daughter when she is of "dating age". Basically, the saying implies that there are some situations that I feel so strongly about that I am willing to go to jail for my actions that may come in response to that situation.

There is a very short list of things that I would be willing to go to jail for. I'll mention a couple. Like most, if not all, men, If someone messes (and by 'messes' I mean tries to bring physical harm to) with my wife or my kids, I would be willing to go to jail for the consequences of my actions in defense of them (God forbid that situation ever happen). It's a no brainer because as a man, there is a very deep and primal anger that arises at the thought of someone bringing harm to your family.

Recently, I read a Facebook post that basically dealt with the poster's (my word for "he who posts") desire for people to stop bashing the Bride of Christ (the church). It reminded me of an area in which God has had to deal with me in the past. You see, I like to think of myself as having a "prophetic disposition" but most of the time that simply translates to me having a critical spirit. I have spoken critically about other churches and things that I observe in their methodology and I have also spoken critically and even mockingly about other believers and spiritual leaders. And just so you understand the nature of my criticism, it's very rarely "gossip" issues that I am being critical of; sometimes it's things that I feel strongly about and maybe even perceive as being unbiblical (based on my understanding and interpretation).

But, God clearly spoke to me on this issue in terms that any husband or father can understand. He basically pointed out to me those those churches and individuals that I had spoken critically of were both His Bride and His kids....and I immediately understood the seriousness of this offense.

Thankfully, this metaphor breaks down (as does every spiritual metaphor at some point) because I also am both the Bride of Christ (as a man I'll never fully understand that concept on this side of eternity) and a child of God. How all that works, I don't know but what I do know is that I definitely don't want to be the guy badmouthing the wife and kids of God Almighty and be the cause of Him making any form of "things I'd go to jail for" statement (and here is the part where the metaphor implodes completely because of the ridiculousness of the thought of God uttering any kind of southernism...especially that one).

What if Bible Studies Were Badges?

Recently, I was in a conversation with a fellow pastor on our staff and he was sharing with me something that a mutual friend of ours had said in a conversation with him. She basically asked "what is up with you suburbanites and your quiet times?".

He responded, "what do you mean?"

"Well, I read the bible once and I closed it and I knew what I needed to do."

Basically, what she was saying was that she didn't see the need to read anymore until she had first acted on what she had already read...and for most of her adult life, she and her husband have chosen to live among the poorest of the poor in the inner city ministering and embodying the Gospel in that environment.

I'm not sure that I am in complete agreement with all of the implications of her statement of "I read it once" (and I am pretty sure she was just making a point and has read the Bible multiple times throughout her journey) but there is a poignant truth in what she is saying and I want to follow that trail for a moment.

In our present Christian culture we have access to some amazing Bible study resources. We have seen great men and women of God such as Henry Blackaby and Beth Moore publish incredibly insightful resources to help us further understand God's word. But, one possibly dangerous mindset that I have observed in myself and in others, is a badge mentality where if we were wearing our Christian uniform, it would be covered with all of these badges that show which bible studies we have completed and subtly, we would take great pride in our vast array of badges. We would have the "Experiencing God" badge prominently displayed on our sleeve and our "Purpose Driven Life" badge hanging off of our shoulder and our chest would be pimped out with a wide mix of Beth Moore and Max Lucado badges...

But here's the problem with badges. If I was in the military and I am wearing an "Expert" level rifle badge, then I am expected to be highly competent with a rifle and be able to fully act on all that the badge implies (marksmanship, assembly and disassembly, maintenance, etc.). If I am wearing the "Airborne" badge then it can be safely assumed that I have jumped out of a plane countless numbers of times and have mastery over every aspect of jumping out of a plane (jumping, landing, shoot preparation, shoot packing, etc.). And If I am to have the privilege of wearing a "Ranger" badge then I can be relied on to be able to and have had experience in carrying out any expectation of a highly elite soldier (the list is too long...think Rambo) and there would be a deep respect for what I have had to endure in order to wear that badge.

What if those same expectations were put on us? What if the accountability that we are held to rises with each Bible study that we have completed? I'm not sure if that's the case but it does make me wonder if I should go back and re-read some of the things I've read to make sure that I am actually trying to live out what I have read.

Here's the thing. I am not in any way being critical of the bible studies that have been written by people like Beth Moore and Henry Blackaby and based on what I know of them and their incredible integrity and honesty, they are only able to publish those Bible studies because they themselves have lived the content more than any of us realize. In many ways, those bible studies really are their own personal badges of testimony to what God has walked them through.

I also don't think we need to stop utilizing the Bible studies and more importantly, we never need to stop studying the Bible...but, maybe we need to lower the quantity of our intake in the same way that you would stop taking as many vitamins because most of them are just passing through and out the body because the body can only absorb so much at a time.

Maybe we should slow down and really chew on how we can live out the information that we now have. I know that for me, there's a lot of Bible studies that I have checked off of my list and stuck on my chest as one more badge I've earned when in truth, I couldn't tell you half of what the content of the Bible study was much less know that I have proficiently acted on the knowledge that I gained from it. I know I'm under grace and I'm so thankful for that but I also know that we as believers will still be held accountable for what we know and what we did with that knowledge....I'm thinking it would probably would wise for me to take some (maybe all) badges off of my uniform of pride and just ask God to help me to get better at acting on what I already know..