I spent this weekend playing music with friends and family that you can't just assemble without some kind of ordination. There is a love and a unity that is expressed, a severe mercy, an acceptance that I haven't quite gotten hold of yet. The leader of this group, this particular group (after a fashion) has done more to give me confidence in a gift within me than probably any other one person. That may not be a fair asessment, but playing with him (music) is like a confidence inoculation. There is just something about it, his demeanor, his ability to lead from behind. There is a Christ-like quality about it. We play, he gets the accolade (I know that he wouldn't like to hear it quite that way) and he lays his reputation at our feet. I get to go because he invites me. He gets to go because of his reputation, therefore his reputation is at the mercy of my abilities, to some extent. Isn't that what Christ does- He invites us to speak out on His good name and we affect His reputation. What we do, what we are about, how we "play our music" all has an affect on His reputation. If we aren't tuned to the master, we will always be out of tune. If I preach a gospel that is not foundationally mercy and grace, I am out of tune. If I preach a legalism that stops people at the door of the church until they have entered properly, I am out of order.
We must step into the mad circle of the world in order to take ground for the kingdom. We must give the freedom to the world to act in its' nature, then to mirror its' nature in hopes that the nature would be exposed as folly, and then the world will come to the banquet for true nourishment. I'm not sure how to do that, but I'm gonna give it a try. I may be back later today, I may not. We'll just have to see if I have anything more to say or not.