Stuff

Does the person who dies with the most toys really win? Is the person who accomplishes more in life better than the person who accomplishes less? Accumulating stuff, whether it's toys or accomplishments or accolades, in the long run, doesn't matter. Living out of purpose, not preference is what's really important. Discovering your purpose, that's the trick.

My very favorite British comedies is Good Neighbors. It's about a couple of middle class people, who forsake the "rat race" to discover "it." Through the course of the series, Tom and Barbara Good discover what it's like to live life on their own terms. They also discover how much they need and love each other and their neighbors, Margo and Jerry Leadbetter. It's the relational aspects of life that are missing. People talk to each other, but people don't really know each other.

Recently, a friend sent me an email called, "Getting To Know You." It was simple questions like, "What's your favorite color?" (yellow, blue and silver were my answers) and "Which came first, the chicken or the egg?" (they're both delicious was my answer). It's amazing how little we know about each other. Jesus' example is tells us that people matter. People matter more than ideas. People matter more than theology. People matter more than "the rules" (whatever they may be).

This is what is missing from Bob Jones. They think souls are important, but, what about the people? What are they saving people from? What are they saving people to? More importantly, where does God fit into the scheme? In their zeal to produce "Christian" leaders, they have forgotten people. Can any Bob Jones students ever really develop friendships with their fellow students? Considering the amount of tattling that happens, probably not. They have set themselves up as judges of people. The intimacy of friendship could never really develop - your "friend" might turn you in. And the rewards for turning people in at Bob Jones are great: power and position.

My anger goes deep. The place took an innocent, God-fearing young man and told him that he would never be good enough. That is truly evil. The face of evil. As I work my way through all this, I can't help but feel grateful. Grateful for being saved from Bob Jones and all their evil, vindictive ways. Grateful for being saved from the pursuit of stuff. Grateful for knowing my purpose. Grateful for direction. To Bob Jones, thanks for everything, Dan Keller