"Simply have not understood who God is...."

Pg. 16 - "No human being, however good or noble, has lived up to God's expectations.  Those who claim they have, simply have not understood who God is and what He expects."

I have been  wrestling around with this quote as it pertains to mentors and young people at Jim Elliot.  Young people are looking for mentors, role models, examples to pattern their behavior and lifestyle after.  At the same time, young disciples of Jesus struggle with "religion vs. relationship", "faith vs. works", "performance based theology vs. grace & truth."

Young disciples of Jesus are struggling with the same issues I struggled with twenty four years ago when I was in high school and truth be told I am still to some degree struggling with those same issues!  (page 9): "For the longer we stand beneath the cross, the more we realize that we desperately need to have happen what happened. And either we believe that it has happened...it is finished...or we will spend the rest of our lives trying to make it happen ourselves." Pg. 16 - "No human being, however good or noble, has lived up to God's expectations. Those who claim they have, simply have not understood who God is and what He expects."

I confess to this community that too often I am concerned with making people think I can and I have lived up to God's expectations.  When I/we fail to embrace our own brokenness we involuntarily demand everyone around us to change.  This usually is carried out through exerting influence, authority, and power through a role (Teacher, mentor, administration, principal, CHRISTIAN!!!). When this happens I cease being an authentic person.  I deprive myself of grace and truth sabotaging the abundant life freely offered in Christ Jesus for a self manufactured counterfeit.  When I/we fail to embrace our own brokeness I/we fail to recognize an opportunity to grow in character and maturity.  Rather I/we continue the facade - "No human being, however good or noble, has lived up to God's expectations. Those who claim they have, simply have not understood who God is and what He expects."

Young disciples of Jesus will always struggle, but they should have mentors who are brave and courageous enough to not only tell them but MODEL to them a lifestyle that puts to death pride and image knowing that to die to those things is gain and to live is CHRIST!  

(II Cor. 12:9-10)   - But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”  Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.  That is why for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.  For when I am weak, then I am strong."

May we be a mentor community who is strong by being weak!

-Reid