Are you content with where you Went?

You know how Dove chocolates have those little philosophical sayings inside the wrapper? You get to enjoy a little something sweet while reflecting on something deep and meaningful....or you're like me and you crumple the wrapper up before remembering that you were supposed to read it and then you spend five minutes flattening it back out only to find that this deep, meaningful message wasn't so meaningful after all.

Anyways, apparently beer bottle caps are following suit. I just opened a bottle of my magic hat summer seasonal to read, "Are you content with where you Went?" (Yes, they capitalized the W on Went.) This caught my attention.

I'm not sure if it was the erroneously capitalized W or the lack of explanation in the question itself, but for whatever reason, I stood there, by the trashcan, staring at the bottle cap in my hand for a good four minutes before tossing it in. Went where? Why the capital W? Did they capitalize it arbitrarily to make me do a double-take? If so, kudos to them. It worked.

But then I started thinking of the ways to complete that question...and then many other questions began to enter my mind, all focused around one primary question - Are you content?

We spend so much time and energy focused on that question don't we? I can't check out at the grocery store without passing by O magazine exclaiming that it holds the new key to happiness. The key to being self content. The key to inner peace and endless joy. Turn on the Today show any morning of the week and some author will be touting their new book on how to find true contentment in life.

Am I content?

Yes. I am tired. I feel a little alone during the week (sigh), but I am content. I have peace. I have joy. I am trying to ignore the exhaustion this phase of my life brings and savor all the little moments with my babies. I count my blessings every day.

What is my secret? What is the key to my personal joy?

Here's my Sunday school answer: Jesus.

(Not the one that pooped on the girl in the outhouse....read my previous blog post if you are confused.)

Jesus. Such a simple answer with such complexity underneath. There is complexity to ones' personal relationship with Christ. There are things that words seem desperately inadequate to describe. Maybe that's why you don't often see Christians on the magazine covers or the tv shows letting everyone in on our little secret. We know where true joy is found! We experience the peace that only complete and utter submission to our Savior can bring!

Why aren't we sharing it?

I have felt the conviction of this question lately, as it is currently the sermon series at my church: SHARE. I have had, oh so many, countless opportunities to share my faith. On some occasions I have done so. But many I let pass me by for fear of sounding like those radical evangelicals that spout out scripture on TV but seem incapable of having a rational intellectual discussion.

But, then again, is the love of Christ rational? No. It is radical. How can I take the radical love of my Savior and reach those who prefer for things to be rational.

That is the challenge I faced the most in grad school at NYU. That's the problem with the academic elite. Intellectuals ask questions....lots of questions. Whenever I have taken the plunge and been brave enough to engage one of my non-believing friends in a religious discussion I have always walked away from it wishing I had been better equipped for the "debate." I would make one remark and suddenly would be bombarded with questions from everyone remotely close by....or at least, that's what it felt like. After a while I realized it would be much easier to just smile and nod when someone said something I disagreed with. I realized that...but those who know me, know that's not in my nature. It made for lots of interesting discussion, to put it mildly. I would often replay those discussions for months afterward wondering what I could've said differently, or searching the scripture to find that allusive verse I couldn't recall at the time. I can only hope that our talk may have planted a seed.

I pray that God will put the right people in my path and open my eyes to new opportunities to share the reason behind my joy.

Are you content?