Recently I needed to submit a short bio for a church bulletin.
Annika, my 8 year old granddaughter was with me as I sat down to type
it up. I decided to seek her perspective on who I am, so I asked her
how she would describe me to this church.
Her response was enlightening and so much better than anything I would have come up with. Thus the conclusion of my bio read, “According to my 8 year old grand-daughter I am fun-weird, a good talker and a good actor.” Actually the weird part didn't surprise me. I often tell them it is a great thing to be a little weird. You wouldn't want to be so boring as to be described as, “normal.”
I don't come from a culture that necessarily values weirdness, so I have had to practice it a bit, but I find it delightfully fun to be set free from “fitting in” or being “normal.” I remember my introduction to valuing foolishness. It came as we were counselors at Camp Manitoqua back in the early 70's. (Yikes!) Rev. Harold Korver was the camp director at the time and would often encourage us as staff to go out and be “fools for Christ.” So I put on a robe of foolishness and saught to live into this freedom that Jesus gives us: go against the grain of culture, push the edges of acceptable behavior in a Christlike way. Jesus did it all the time. It got him killed. Not everybody will know what to do with us either.
One of my new favorite authors is Mark Batterson (remember? The Circle Maker). I was excited when I got to the chapter, The Importance of Looking Foolish, in his book, In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day. Here he quotes I Corinthians 1:27, God deliberately chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise.
He also sights a study that found, “98% of children between the ages of 3 and 5 score in the genius category for divergent thinking (thinking outside the lines). Between ages 8-10 the number drops to 32%. By the time kids are teenagers, it drops down to 10 percent. And only 2 percent of those over 25 scored in the genius category for divergent thinking. According to John Putzier the solution to this intellectual conformity and creative atrophy is “Tapping your natural weirdness.” Love it!!
I think it is important for us to remember that it was thinking outside the religious lines that got Jesus into trouble, and just might get us there too. It helps me to hang out with the most joyous, free-spirited, loving, Christ-followers I can find.
I know that if I am true to our calling of bringing light and life into our lost and broken world I need to tap into that freedom and natural weirdness that Jesus brings me. I am more fun to be around if I'm not so worried about myself or what people think of me. I can focus on making others feel comfortable and welcome when I am comfortable with who God has made me. I am able to do more good when I don't worry about doing something wrong.
And do you know what? Not everybody is going to like me or understand me...and that is ok.
Her response was enlightening and so much better than anything I would have come up with. Thus the conclusion of my bio read, “According to my 8 year old grand-daughter I am fun-weird, a good talker and a good actor.” Actually the weird part didn't surprise me. I often tell them it is a great thing to be a little weird. You wouldn't want to be so boring as to be described as, “normal.”
I don't come from a culture that necessarily values weirdness, so I have had to practice it a bit, but I find it delightfully fun to be set free from “fitting in” or being “normal.” I remember my introduction to valuing foolishness. It came as we were counselors at Camp Manitoqua back in the early 70's. (Yikes!) Rev. Harold Korver was the camp director at the time and would often encourage us as staff to go out and be “fools for Christ.” So I put on a robe of foolishness and saught to live into this freedom that Jesus gives us: go against the grain of culture, push the edges of acceptable behavior in a Christlike way. Jesus did it all the time. It got him killed. Not everybody will know what to do with us either.
One of my new favorite authors is Mark Batterson (remember? The Circle Maker). I was excited when I got to the chapter, The Importance of Looking Foolish, in his book, In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day. Here he quotes I Corinthians 1:27, God deliberately chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise.
He also sights a study that found, “98% of children between the ages of 3 and 5 score in the genius category for divergent thinking (thinking outside the lines). Between ages 8-10 the number drops to 32%. By the time kids are teenagers, it drops down to 10 percent. And only 2 percent of those over 25 scored in the genius category for divergent thinking. According to John Putzier the solution to this intellectual conformity and creative atrophy is “Tapping your natural weirdness.” Love it!!
I think it is important for us to remember that it was thinking outside the religious lines that got Jesus into trouble, and just might get us there too. It helps me to hang out with the most joyous, free-spirited, loving, Christ-followers I can find.
I know that if I am true to our calling of bringing light and life into our lost and broken world I need to tap into that freedom and natural weirdness that Jesus brings me. I am more fun to be around if I'm not so worried about myself or what people think of me. I can focus on making others feel comfortable and welcome when I am comfortable with who God has made me. I am able to do more good when I don't worry about doing something wrong.
And do you know what? Not everybody is going to like me or understand me...and that is ok.
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