a Season for Happiness!
A Sleeper for Sure!
Folks, I have to tell you, that the Pursuit of Happyness starring will Smith and his True Life son is an amazing work. Hollywood has done it again!
If you want a movie that makes you feel warm and fuzzy through the whole thing, that leaves you with all the questions answered so that you feel complacent, yet happy, a movie that will allow you to leave the same way as when you came, DON'T GO TO THIS MOVIE!
This movie will reach down in your soul and if there is anything good inside, it will resonnate with it, driving you from the theater wondering, "What can I do?"
Friends, if you go see a movie this season, don't see the Santa Clause 3, Don't go see Dark Christmas (or whatever the heck that stupid movie is), don't see the Nativity. GO SEE the Pursuit of Happyness!
I have to tell you, I NEEDED this movie.
However, let me also say, if you are hard hearted and don't care about anyone else except yourself and your small realm of influence and small world, DON'T go. I will never forget at the end of the movie, people were clapping, people were saying, "Thank you Jesus!" And friends, yes, they were saying that in the movie theater right outside Washington, DC and the people were not from our church who were watching it together. I was shouting albeit ever as softly as I could, "Come on Jesus, that's right, win one for the little guy!"
I remember sitting there absolutely blown away. Torn in two and broken in the midst of this man's hope. This man's struggle and now this man's compassion for others. I was reminded of my guys in Atlanta when I lived and worked at the Men's Ministry at Blood-n-Fire Ministries downtown. I was also reminded of a gentle babe, lying in a manger, who came as "Immanuel."
And isn't that what Immanuel is? God with us. Going to, living in and experiencing with, so that later, we will UNDERSTAND. Over 2000 years ago, God Came Near. He came as a baby. He struggled. He felt. He hurt. He laughed. He hoped. He saw. He was tried. He was tempted. He withstood. He was bruised. He wept. He died.
And then He LIVED! Immanuel came so that the GOD of all creation could understand, could feel and would be dragged into our lives everytime HIS child felt and feels pain.
I want to become Immanuel to others now and that is what I got out of the story. I got the compassion back. It's time to go and feel and be and live with and know those whose stories are tough and wrought with trials. It's time to step out of this comfortable place in which I now live and "be" with the unlovelies, the broken, the needy, the unwanted, the dis-enfranchised, the hated.
As I now think about it. The real thing that MUST change in our church today, is ME. I MUST step out from this safe place and embrace change fearlessly. I MUST allow GOD to place me in situations where I can be open to reach people wherever I go. I need a mind change. A perspective change. A life change.
CHANGE
I believe change is in the air. It's simply GOD opening our eyes to the possibility of miracles EVERYWHERE. I don't think we need to go far to be a part of it. You don't have to start by hunting down the soup kitchen in the big city 3 hours away. It can start with the family down the road that will have no Christmas. Or how about the homeless guy on the side of the road that needs more than a couple pennies. He could use a coat, a hug, and an ear to hear.
GOD's not concerned so much about your ABILITY as HE is in need of your AVAILABILITY
I believe that the true Pursuit of Happiness is found elsewhere than money, fame and fortune. I find it every day. Every day that I live and GO and REACH and CARE. My pursuit is a different one. It's to see Jesus in the eyes of those I serve. And believe me, I DO SERVE! No matter how much money I have, (which I might say here. I have never made more than I do now. Of course, I work for one of the leading wealth management firms in the nation), I LOVE to lower myself and take on the towel to wash a few feet. It's in those brief moments I am TRULY happy. I can feel myself becoming Immanuel to someone else. Jesus steps into my flesh and shows HIS love for another.
So, when you go to the movie, don't be like the couple in front of me and when the movie finishes say, "Homeless disgusts me." Because you might have a redneck pastor just behind you that doesn't know how loud his voice is and far it carries in a movie theater that might say, "AND THAT DISGUSTS ME!" Whoops! To which you may or may not give him a bewildered look along with your boyfriend as he looks over to his wife and says, "Oops, I guess they heard me!"
And yes friends, that really happened! Do Not walk away from this movie unchanged, unchallenged or arrogant. Let it go deep inside. Find yourself in his shoes and give a shout for Jesus when the little guy wins.
And when you leave that theater, take your trash with you. Let someone else go through the door first. Say thank you to people working there. And look for your next steps to becoming the CHANGE!
That's my challenege. That's my Blessing!
That's MY CHRISTMAS PLAN! This Christmas, make a plan to make a new tradition. A tradition to be the change in your world. Keep your eyes open like a kid waiting on Santa, because you will NEVER know when you might see GOD in the disguise of the needy. Remember, "Sometimes we entertain angels unaware!"
Love you all much!
dustin
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