Wise Old Owl

We all know this expression and if you’re like me; you picture an owl sitting on a branch, perhaps wearing glasses that are sliding down a bit on his/her nose, big eyes, alert, awake, and occasionally a “HOO, HOO” will come from that branch. In my mind’s eye I picture this same owl always looking, always watching, occasionally speaking, more often then not just poised and ‘controlled’. I imagine he/she has read the daily and world news that morning and is prepared and versed should the need arise for comment.

I’m trying to maintain this image for myself in many ways. I don’t always succeed because beneath the ‘wise not-so-old owl’ demeanor is one-part leopard and one-part laughing hyena preparing in the wait.

You should realize by now, if you’ve read any of my ranting and rambling, that I feel PASSIONATE about some things and only mildly MOVED by others, rarely do I feel apathy and NEVER do I feel NOTHING.

This week in the midst of my own re-design I was challenged by the ‘Tuesday Toss-up’ over at GiBee’s place. She is not only one of my first and favorite ‘reads’, she is quickly becoming a dear, dear friend and someone with whom I would be comfortable taking my shoes off (unless they were covering disgustingly stinky feet) and letting my hair down, (unless it was armpit or leg hair…no offense to the Europeans, it just makes me itchy) and just being totally ME in all my imperfections. It is what I would call a ‘make-up free zone’ kind of friendship.

Do you think this is one of the BLUE-MEN wives? You get the picture! I gotta BE ME! I am picturing this:


Wow, that was quite a tangent…


So the article she referred readers to, generated much comment and discussion. I read the article, and comments, and the whole thing woke me up at 5:00 a.m. this morning because apparently God wasn’t done dealing with me on the subject…so you, my captive audience…well I guess you’re not captive….but enthralled…okay not enthralled…and if you’re just here cause you googled a picture of a duck or ‘blue men’ sorry, leave now, it doesn’t really relate.

With the article I also reflected on some current reading. I have been reading another of Pastorman’s books by Mark Driscoll called “The Radical Reformission” (reaching out without selling out) and the author (founding pastor of Mars Hill Fellowship in Seattle) has questions at the end of each chapter and one of those questions is what prompted this post and the early morning internal alarm.

The chapter is called “Shotgun Wedding to Jesus”. You can imagine how enlightening and HILARIOUS it is, but the questions at the end, address the reading material in a REAL way.

It starts off fairly benign with questions asking: ‘what do you think are your most cumbersome sins for which Jesus died to make you a Christian?’ or ‘Which people have sinned most grievously against you, and how has Jesus enabled you to forgive them? Then he slaps you upside the head with this question: ‘In what ways are you self-righteous?’ BAM! Upside the head!

So I thought back to my own comments about the article and the comments of others and I’ve just got to say I thank GOD that when I was first introduced to Jesus that I wasn’t around people like some of us. While I no longer look at Jesus as “all play and no work”, I do continue to SEEK and FIND the loving, grace-filled, mercy-offering, sin-seeking, leader that only He can be.

It seems sometimesthat sadly the more “mature” we become in Christ and by mature I mean well read and ‘closed off’, the more standoff-ish and selective and judgmental we become. I have to repent to God daily for these thoughts and WORDS that come and go freely from my own head and mouth. I will say this in closing: While I will not ‘water-down’ the gospel with regards to the absolute truth of love, I will attempt to ALWAYS remain open enough to others to HEAR them speak and research facts on my own before I find them guilty and unworthy and face the same judgment above.

The owl has spoken!

Happy Friday!