Yesterday at Tapestry I spoke about the upside-down values of the Kingdom of God. When I got home Pam told me she was surprised that I had talked about the example of Stephen Scott, a Senior Vanderbilt baseball player. I didn’t mention the story because I had not heard it. As usual Pam was better informed that I was. Here’s a photo of why Stephen Scott would have been a good example for the upside-down values we talked about yesterday.
That’s a different set of values in action. You won the NCAA National Championship an hour ago and then you clean the dugout. Those are bizarro values in action.
The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. Luke 22:25b-26
The reason I titled this post “Remembering an Upside-Down Example” is because of a friend of mine for whom English is her second language. When talking with this friend if you say something that she wants to agree with with she will say “I remember” instead of saying “yes”. I LOVE WHEN SHE SAYS “I REMEMBER”.
The reason is that I know tons of people that will verbally ascent to something. Saying “yes” is just affirmation, but remembering implies action. When we remember the milk it means we purchased the milk that we were supposed to, not that we just thought of milk. When we remember our friends we bring them into whatever present moment we are experiencing. When we remember the bizzaro values of Jesus it means that we serve, we forgive, we love our enemy, etc. , etc. We don’t just ascent to the fact that Jesus’s kingdom has different values, we live out those values. We remember and remembering involves action.
Stephen Scott just lived out a good example of upside-down values. Now I need to remember that Christ’s kingdom involves such values. I must remember.