Losing All Influence

The American government has been cutting funding in several areas. These are choices that come with both savings and costs. One cost is a loss of influence. Defunded programs that survive will be free of government pressure. It's true of the Church, too. When we cut ourselves off from the world, we lose influence.

Bakers influence dough by adding yeast. It's a choice: hardtack or soft sandwich bread. Significantly, Jesus chose this as an instructive metaphor for how his kingdom spreads. One caveat: God's pressure is love, not mammon.

Pro- / Anti-

What follows these prefixes for you? Try not to use broad, general terms. Choose words or phrases that are precise. Where are the boundaries or limits? What are the red lines? Who is included and who's not? What exceptions apply?

Then, how might Jesus phrase it? This is one good exercise for identifying our Sovereign and tribe.

Reelfoot Lake

I once lived near this picturesque lake, a wound in the earth caused by a massive earthquake in the early 1800s. Earthquakes, glaciers, volcanoes, and mining activities leave scars behind. We have our scars, too. But these divots, depressions, pits, and valleys can become refreshing pools of grace. We feel the violence that caused them. But maybe others can find something beautiful there, something they're drawn to.