A Moment With Mullins

"Christianity is not about building an absolutely secure little niche in the world where you can live with your perfect little wife and your perfect little children in your beautiful little house where you have no gays or minority groups anywhere near you. Christianity is about learning to love like Jesus loved and Jesus loved the poor and Jesus loved the broken."   -Rich Mullins

The late Rich Mullins did not just preach mercy and grace; he lived them out in his everyday life.  He spent his final 5 years living on the Navajo reservation in Tse Bonito, New Mexico to teach music to children. He and fellow Ragamuffin Mitch McVicker lived in a hogan at the reservation until his death.  The profits from his tours and the sale of each album went to his church, which divided it up, paid him the average salary in the U.S. for that year, and gave the rest to charity.  Rich was also a major supporter of Compassion International.  He was devoted to not only following Jesus, but to living as closely as possible to way Jesus told us to live.  That did not make him perfect, as he would have been the first to tell you.  But in everything he did, Rich tried to let mercy lead.  He and his buddy Beaker wrote the song Let Mercy Lead for Aiden, the infant son of dear friends.  In it they tried to impart the amazing love of God, and also how hard it can be to carry that love into our world- but also how incredible life can be when you do.  The chorus challenges us all:

Let mercy lead 
 Let love be the strength in your legs

And in every footprint that you leave

There'll be a drop of grace

If we can reach

Beyond the wisdom of this age

Into the foolishness of God

That foolishness will save

Those who believe

Although their foolish hearts may break

They will find peace

And I'll meet you in that place

Where mercy leads

We live in a "What's in it for me?" kind of world.  So many of the things Jesus taught are indeed considered to be foolish.  Mercy, forgiveness, grace, peacemaking, tolerance and a love for "the least of these" are viewed as weaknesses.  We have to reach beyond the wisdom of men to find that which we seek.  Today consider what it would mean in your life to "reach into the foolishness of God."  Peace be with you!

Because of Jesus,