So, Veritas Fellowship has been partnering with Soli Deo Gloria for about 9 months now. We actually attend Sunday morning services at Soli Deo Gloria on 4th and Pedernales. I lead the music and occasionally preach (I actually preach this coming Sunday on Luke 19:11-27 , The Parable of the Ten Minas). I’ve enjoyed the experience so far, but have recently had to repent of a sucky attitude.

Wait… I need to back up a bit.

So, God tells me to help plant this church in Austin and I’m excited because I’m breaking away from my past arrogance and being challenged to move away from legalism and start to think missionally and incarnationally (yeah – I know, but they’re the best words I can come up with at 1:00am – I think I have another blog post that attempts to define those… if not, ping me and I’ll write one up).

The irony of this is that if you’re prone to arrogance and legalism, you are also prone to manufacture new rules for every situation. My natural tendency is to try and create a lens through which I can view the world (and this includes people). While there are aspects of this that are natural and might even be considered healthy… the danger lurking within is massive.

As Christians, we are supposed to be led by the Spirit. So, if the lens through which we view the world is the Scripture, then we are viewing it rightly. Unfortunately for me, I usually don’t find this to be good enough. Some things end up looking blurry and, in my photoshopped world, I want everything crisp and in focus with absolute clarity. So, in the areas where the lens is blurry, I try to “help” by creating a framework of rules. Ack. While the rules I create don’t necessarily go against scripture… they are impotent in comparison.

Why is this? Because we don’t get clarity in this life for every detail. The lens of scripture is supposed to be blurry sometimes! I know that sounds wrong… but it’s absolutely true. You don’t think so? While the Bible is filled with all we need for life and godliness… it is not always detailed. For example, a good friend is going through an incredibly rough time… you have good reason to suspect this is self-inflicted – do you show tough love or do you hold their hand? The Bible does not give a clear answer (might be time for hand-holding, might be time for a swift kick in the rear)… you’re going to have to be (wait for it) led by the Spirit. Yep, that’s right, you’re gonna need faith. (So, if you’re thinking that the “needing faith” part makes it clear… you’ve, uh, totally missed the analogy.)

So, when we create rules to “help” Scripture so we can provide a nice framework for our lives… we might actually be damaging our ability to have faith because we, far too often, end up replacing Scripture with this framework of our own making. Dangerous, costly, stupid, and, yes, arrogant.

Okay… what was I talking about? Right… my own arrogance.

So, we’ve been partnering with SDG… but my attitude has been we’ve been helping SDG – not partnering with them. After all, we’re our own church, right? We have a very specific vision for the Montopolis area (which doesn’t include 4th and Pedernales). So, this is David’s show and I just do what I’m asked to do. Man, I suck.

Lo and behold, next Sunday (the 31st) is Serve Austin Sunday. A few weeks ago when I heard about this, I had absolutely no interest in it whatsoever. (!!?) I mean, all we’re doing is reaching out to a neighborhood I’m not specifically called to, you know? I got other stuff to deal with and this is David’s church and not mine – so this is his deal, right? (Wow… I really suck!)

Do you see what I did… for the sake of a vision, I created a new framework – one that didn’t include 4th and Pedernales (or David for that matter). Even though I serve there – even though I show up every Sunday and lead God’s people in songs for His glory… I don’t think I’m called there? Lord forgive me for my arrogance.

God does not put us somewhere for our glory. We are not called to serve somewhere by accident. Our placement is always purposeful and always intentional. We must be ever-intent, ever-listening, ever-patient to see and hear and join in to whatever God is already doing. Remember, God didn’t bring us to a certain place so that we could do something… nope, He brought us there to participate in what He’s already doing.