Open mind, open ear

Like rock climbers, rodeo riders, brain surgeons and jet fighter pilots trying to land on an aircraft carrier in the pitch black of night, Christians strive to do what seems to be impossible. In their case, they strive to be "good." Humans aren't "good," no matter what Jean-Jacques Rousseau said. It was God himself who said the heart of man was "desperately deceitful and wicked above all things." Later, he said "become you therefore perfect...."

Paradox?

In Chicago we know Christians struggle to be "good," because just now we have three of our leading churches in tatters: Willow and Harvest, with pretty spectacular public implosions, and old guard Moody, much quieter, they dampened down the flames of the Julie Roys investigation last year, and no one seemed to notice or much care about the shenanigans at the top of their food chain.

One of Christians' not-so-good traits is a perpetual appetite to engage in internecine warfare. Among Christians, we have many breeds of cat, and they don't much care for the other breeds. For example, we have Emergents (let's be cool) vs Prosperity Types (let's be rich) vs dour old line Evangelicals (God is not interested in you being cool or making money but what he really wants is you to suffer to become a better Christian).

It's a triangle of trenches, all three sides dug in, with showers of artillery fire from time to time.

One of the public faces of Christianity that some like and many like to dislike is Joel Osteen, award-winning author.

I stumbled on his show last Sunday morning when I was on the treadmill doing intervals at the gym. I was watching Tennis Channel on TV8, and saw his face come on TV7. "I know his name is Joel, Joel, Joel......" I couldn't think of his last name. After some minutes, I thought I'd tune in and figure it out.

As soon as I heard his voice --- boom, OSTEEN!! Of course. I had never been his fan, but I knew who he was, I knew he was featured on 60 Minutes, etc.

The message and me connected. I kept listening. To the end. Everything he said was sound, Biblical, helpful, despite the invective hurled by his critics.

I realized God has different ministers for different people at different times in their life. One size does not fit all. Joel Osteen is unflaggingly optimistic, and in today's world, that is worth something to a lot of people, e.g., the attendees who pack out his 16,800 seat auditorium in multiple services per week, and the millions who tune in over TV.

Joel is not perfect, and I am not touting him. But give a listen with an open mind. It might rearrange the molecules in a way pleasing to both you and God.

(In the era of Identity Politics, we know open-mindedness and listening are both in short supply.)

Still.

Here it is: