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Richard Foster made the keen observation that " The modern hero is the poor boy who purposefully becomes rich rather than the rich boy who voluntarily becomes poor." Isn't interesting how we try to recuse ourselves from the story of Jesus and the Rich Young Ruler?

Tim Russert was known as the King of Washington DC. The reason was his affable personality which wrapped around his keen love of politics, his brilliance, and his love for country and family. He loved his son Luke and wife Maureen deeply and of course his Dad, "Big Russ," whom he wrote best selling book about in 2004. Luke said that "Meet The Press" was his Dad's second son, a program that Russert took to such heights that it was the High Church of Sunday Morning Political Talk. An appearance on Meet The Press was both a rite of passage and a test of one's nerves, mind, and ambition.

"The story of the manna gathered and set aside by the Hebrews is deeply significant. It so happened that the manna rotted when it was kept. And perhaps this means that all spiritual reading which is not consumed-by prayer and by works- ends by causing a sort of rotting inside us. You die with a head full of fine sayings and a perfectly empty heart."  Julian Green Diaries [New York: Macmillian, 1955], p. 101   

Many aspiring authors, more that I could ever count, have interviewed me about how I write. There is deep intrigue as to why and how those who write many books get it done. There are some brilliant writers, but most are simply smart, courageous, or driven. If you have enough fame or money, you can write or have someone write for you. This is because of what is called name recognition, that means people know who you are, so they will buy your book. But most of the questioners are people who just have an idea and a desire to communicate with others and be validated by having it published. Most writing is never published, publishers themselves can tell you this by the 95% rejection rate at most publishing companies.

Just finished Brian McLaren's latest offering, Everything Must Change. Brian is changing, he is a moving target, he is morphing at an alarming rate. I am not sure what he believes, and I have read all his books.

He now hangs with Jim Wallis of Sojourners fame, he is very "green" as regards the environment, and he takes several shots at Republicans in his latest work. I think running with the left requires one to take a obligatory shot at George Bush and the war in Iraq.

I am not sure why moving theologically left requires one to go politically left, it does seem like a package deal. Brian is a brilliant thinker, a great writer, a warm and personable man, and asks some of today's best questions.

 I have been reading a lot lately about culture, not on purpose; it is just the raft of manuscripts that young writers send for my endorsement. I normally wouldn’t read these works, but I take them on because I benefit from their ideas. I find it funny that they want my wisdom, but then proceed in their books to tell me how much I don’t know. I’ve lost my edge, I’m yesterday’s news, I can’t possibility stay in touch with their thinking, vocabulary, ideas, methods, it is all moving faster than I do these days.

plu·per·fect (pl-pûrfkt)

adj. More than perfect

Become what God has already made you

Syndicated Columnist and Radio Talk Show Host Dennis Prager is on a quest for goodness. I recently heard him say that goodness grows one person at a time. Evil, on the other hand, can and most often does happens in mass.

While this is not an absolute, it got me to thinking about how we Jesus people try to change the world. We believe and have practiced mass evangelism, hundreds, even thousands of people have been known to "trust Christ" in a single meeting.

The wife wanted something to take care of, I volunteered, but she chose a dog. So three weeks ago our family's newest member arrived,  Annie, a two year old pure bred Coton de Tulear, which is French for cotton ball. She is about 8 pounds, with white gray markings, she is one of those little over active things that reacts to everything. She was purchased for several thousand dollars by a Cardiologist in Newport Beach. They had her flown, first class I'm sure, from Texas to her gated ocean view palace over looking the Pacific. My idea of a dog is an old hound who sits at my feet and looks up twice a day. We had to apply to rescue Annie because the Cardiologist needed one less dog, all that grooming, plastic surgery, dog massage etc. was putting pressure on his budget.

Faust was the fellow who sold his soul to the Devil. The story is a confirmation of Jesus' words, " What would it profit a man if he gained the whole world, but lost his own soul?"

To be Faustian has come to mean the hubris resident in a person whose drive is to put themselves at the center of all things. No price is too high for the lusty high one gets when even for a brief time, when all things fall at your feet.This hubris is the sure way to defeat God's purpose in one's life. We have sold ourselves out to getting our own needs met through ministry, rather than finding the joy of living for others.

I was weaned on the idea that our mission as Christians was to reach the world. Student workers would speak of " taking our school for God." Pastors spoke of "reaching our community," or missionaries would call for many to join in the world wide crusade to reach all ethnic groups.

The one thing no one really spoke about was what would it be like if everyone on a campus, in a community or a nation believed; what would life be like if everyone became a Christian? Many don't think such a discussion is relevant because the bible clearly states that the world will not be totally converted in its present configuration.

I find that on a street level most Christians think of Grace as a gift or force that at one time God bestowed on them. It was an event more than a process, a divine choice rather than something we arranged. We stenciled "GRACE" on our front walk one Christmas, people stopped, read, commented, looked toward our house as to wonder, " What kind of people live there?" We discussed it with many who stopped while we were out front. Most of them thought  of Grace as being nice, as in gracious, or giving people a break who deserve something worse.

I read a lot of stuff, some of it is helpful, most of it just clutters my mind and makes it harder to think. One of the common themes in my reading is people calling for a "New Hermeneutic." I suppose this means the one I have is worn out. I really think it means if you don't like the answers you are getting with the old one, create a new way to make the bible say what you want. The old hermeneutic is to interpret the scriptures in light of at least three criteria;

We've all been there, up to our eyeballs in the malaise that is election. No matter what road I take to a answer I can live with, I always end up in the same place, embracing the mystery. Each time I read or discuss or even think on this subject which extend far beyond my mental abilities, I must not only find an answer I can live with, but also a God I can love and respect.

A couple weeks ago the Father of the Conservative Moment, William F. Buckley died. The 82 year old icon was found slumped over his desk, he went out writing. He never seemed to stop working, the author of over 50 books was working on biography of Ronald Reagan. My sense of loss was very powerful, I teared up and had a moment. His affect on me was immense, yes I am conservative and agreed with much of his thinking. But it wasn't primarily  my love for his thought or his Spy novels or books on many subjects that attracted me to him. It was the life he lived, his passion for thought, he lived life to the full.

One of the first expectations put on me as a new Christian was the " Quiet Time."  Most of us know it as a designated period of time each day when we meet with God. I can't forget the many bromides offered up in defense of the "Quiet Time." One of the most memorable was, " The first day you skip your time you will know it, the second day your close friends will know it and the third day everyone will know it." This seems to indicate that a structured time with God each day is required for good behavior and attitude- And if you skip it, there is immediate slippage in attitude and conduct.

I decided to follow Jesus at Oral Roberts University. It was in October of 1967 when I slipped out of my bed one evening and committed my life to my God, my leader, and my teacher. I was a basketball player with a wonderful jump shot and a Athletic Scholarship, otherwise, I would of never been at such a place. I love Oral Roberts,  he did so much for me, and I love the university. I have not been what you call a Charismatic, but I learned some very good things about God there that have stayed with me.

Antony Flew is a renowned philosopher who arguably has been the best known atheist in the English-speaking world until his announcement in 2004 that he now believes in God. What makes this news outside the corridors of Oxford and Cambridge is the new rise of militant atheism. One only need browse the best sellers on the subject in the last two years. Christopher Hitchens' God is not Great, and Richard Dawkins' The God Delusion, and Sam Harris' End of Faith.