Slumdog Millionaire

My wife and I just saw Slumdog Millionaire. It received the best picture of the year Oscar at the Academy Awards. Slumdog deserved it; it's an excellent film. It's multi-dimensional. In large part, it's a love story. Slumdog is set against the backdrop of India's emerging role as a player in global economics and techno-culture. In addition, it's about humanity's incessant determination to divide people into classes and to remind the "lower" classes that they are deemed inferior.

Why do we do that? Yeah, yeah...I know all the historical and sociological theories that explain why that happens. I know the economic forces that conspire to create the need for massive unskilled and economically dependent population groups. I've even seen how people conjure up complex theologies that justify those who are privileged and powerful and vilify those who are disenfranchised. Beyond all that crap, at the very heart and soul of us as a species, seriously - why do we do that? Why do we have to have those who are "valuable" and those who are expendable? Why do we inevitably fall into that, no matter where we are historically or geographically? Even our grand experiment of democracy on this continent couldn't avoid slave quarters, ghettos, Jim Crow laws, etc.

Not that most folks listen to us, but evangelicals would say that's further evidence of what is known as Original Sin. Separated from God by our own design, we organize ourselves into a construct that is anything but Godly. Faith in Jesus Christ is a revolutionary thing. That's probably why genuine, life-changing, non-domesticated Jesus-following has caused so much trouble throughout history. The Gospel dares to claim that God sees all human beings on an equal plane. We are fallen, but deeply loved, and declared completely worthy of salvation and transformation, regardless of our humanly determined status. For example, the Church of England of the 1700's regarded the growing class of industrial workers as ignorant, immoral, generally inebriated, and unworthy of the Church's attention. John and Charles Wesley saw them as sons and daughters of God, worthy of God's love and salvation. That got them kicked out of most Anglican churches, but it got a lot of people into the living Body of Christ.

The Gospel isn't just a private, ticket-to-heaven thing. It's political. Anyway, see Slumdog Millionaire. It's worth it. I'll see you around the next bend in the river.

What Gain is Worth the Pain?

Anyone who is or ever has been an athlete is likely at some point to hear this cliche from a coach; "No pain, no gain." Being something of a practical person, I would change that into a question. "What gain is worth pain?" When you think about it, avoidance of pain keeps a lot of things from happening. Diets die because of the discomfort that comes with changing eating habits. Healthy bodies don't happen because of the pain that comes with moving from a sedentary lifestyle to an aggressively physically active lifestyle. Dreams don't come about because of the hard work necessary to actualize them. Churches won't move out of ingrown stagnancy, because the changes necessary to move outside of comfort zones appear too painful. We naturally avoid pain. Accepting pain because of a yet to be actualized gain some not come naturally or easily.

That makes this time of the year all the more impacting for those in relationship with Jesus. Traditionally, the 40 day period of time leading up to Easter is known as "Lent." Among other things, the season of Lent invites us to realize the resolute commitment with which Jesus made his way to Jerusalem, knowing that the pain of death awaited him there. What gain could possibility be worth abandonment, the bone-and-metal-studded Roman whip, and the agonizing, ripping execution by crucifixion?

For Jesus, the answer the that question was and is disarmingly clear.

You are the gain, worth that pain.

You think about that. I'll see you around the next bend in the river.