The winds of REFORMATION

As I have been pondering BIG THOUGHTS and DANGEROUS IDEAS over the past couple of years...I have been waiting.  Waiting for the still quiet voice of God.
And it's begun over the past couple of months...the whispers...
Reformation....reformation....reformation.
That is what I am reading, what I am seeing, what I am hearing from friends, acquaintances.
There is unrest in our souls.  Which I think is a good thing.
We are no longer okay with consumer Christianity.
Can I get a HALLELUJAH?
Whew.  That stuff wears me out, man.  And it's terrible- I am TOTALLY GUILTY of it.  Just showing up to church...not necessarily serving.  I hate it.
But frankly,  that's not the kind of serving I want to do.  I don't know what is, but I know that's not it.
It isn't that the children aren't valuable, they certainly are.  Very much so.   Hospitality is valuable, set-up is valuable.   But that's not what I am looking to do...

I have a passion to see people become who they truly are, not what the church expects them to be.
I want people operating in the fullness of their giftings, in wholeness, in joy, in perseverance, with great character and love. I want them to be the truest them in the deepest part of their essence.

I need you to be the you-iest you that you can be.

That's a heckuva sentence.

We so desperately need each other.  And we need each other to be whole- but we're a broken lot.
We come that way.
I am suspicious of anyone who says people are "born good."
These people have obviously never spent ANY time with a toddler.  I spent a few years teaching small children, and this is what I learned.  We do not need to teach anyone to be mean or selfish.  We got that down, baby.  Most kids first words include "no" and "mine."  Why should I use my words to tell you I don't like something when biting you is more effective?  You can ignore my words, but you cannot ignore my teeth.  Biting you will make you stop.  End of story.
There is a reason God makes children so cute and adorable, it's so we don't eat our young when they show their "true colors."
That is why we have to teach our children to care.  To care for themselves, for each other, for the world around them.  It's hard.  It's hard because we live in a world that teaches us that it's all about ME.  Even in the church,  God wants to bless ME.
It's true, He does, but perhaps not by giving you the American dream and everything you feel entitled to, perhaps there is a better way....
Just a thought.

But there are whispers on the wind.  Whispers of reformation.  Whispers that judging people because of their skin color is wrong.  It is SIN.  Whispers that going to church is not enough.  Whispers that want to protect children.  Whispers for equal pay.  Whispers against trafficking and slavery.  Whispers against misogyny. You can try to ignore them, but they are there.  And if you are seeking God in anyway- hopefully, you are hearing them.  These are not new whispers, by any stretch of the imagination.  They have always been there.  God loves people, ALL people.  He wants what is best for them.   God loves justice.

He does.
You think He doesn't?
You wonder, why is there abuse?  Why do we treat each other so badly?  Why is there hate?  Racism?  Injustice?  Outright nastiness?  Violence?  Why do CHURCHES and CHURCH LEADERS become power hungry and treat people like CRAP?  WHY? WHY? WHY?

WHY DOESN'T GOD DO ANYTHING ABOUT ALL THE INJUSTICE IN THE WORLD???!!!!

He did.  He does.
He created us.

Whispers of reformation on the wind....