The Body of Christ

Lectionary Reading

1 Corinthians 12:12-26
Psalm 33:10-21
Luke 12:32-40

Tithe Poem

“Every human wish dream that is injected into the Christian community is a hindrance to genuine community and must be banished if genuine community is to survive. He who loves his dream of a community more than the Christian community itself becomes a destroyer of the latter, even though his personal intentions may be ever so honest and earnest and sacrificial.”
- Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together

“The more I love humanity in general, the less I love man in particular...I have often come to making enthusiastic schemes for the service of humanity...yet I am incapable of living in the same room with anyone for two days together, as I know by experience.”
- Dostoevsky, The Brothers Karamazov

The Tyranny of Idealism | Deeper Roots 1 (God’s Vision for the Church)

I met my ideals late last night. 
They let themselves in at the door
and filled my house—the bedroom, the couch.

Each carried my bearing, 
but different and proud. 
One prayed at my desk 
wearing brown monkish robes. 
One read Dostoevsky 
and stared into space. 
One reclined in a tank top 
after a hard-labor job. 
One chopped kale in the kitchen 
and was tan, lean, and blonde.

They wouldn’t leave 
and I didn’t insist. 
I liked watching them. 
Maybe I'll change 
by just watching.

My wife woke up and called me insane. 
I was heartbroken she wasn’t confused 
about who was who, even for a second.