Winnie the Pooh character Tigger often departed by saying “TTFN” (Ta-Ta For Now). Today is a NTTW (No Time To Write) day for me. So I have gone back to the dusty electronic archives and pulled up a well received article full of grace and truth. Okay, to be honest it was published earlier and it is full of something. I hope to swing by the insight market and whip a fresh blog for next week.
Blessings, Dave
One of my favorite ancient characters is Diogenes of Sinope. Born in Turkey about 400 years before Christ, he was a student of Antisthenes (444-370 BC), who was himself a pupil of Socrates. His philosophy was “marked by an ostentatious contempt for ease, wealth, and the enjoyments of life.” Diogenes would have had a field day skewering the consumerism and materialism in modern day America. One of the things that I love about Diogenes is his moniker. The irascible philosopher was known as Diogenes the Cynic. What a great name! How cool would that be to have a title like that? It certainly is better than Diogenes of Sinope. I would gladly swap Dave of Garland for Dave the Self-Deprecating as my appellation any day.
One story relates that while Diogenes was sunning himself, the powerful and feared Alexander the Great came up to him and offered to grant him any request. “Stand out of my light,” he replied. For a man who lived in a tub that was probably all he needed at that point in time.
When asked what wine he found most pleasant to drink, Diogenes replied, “That for which other people pay.” (So I actually do think like some of the great philosophers at times). But the name Diogenes is most known to the general populace as the man who would stroll through the Agora at full daylight with a torch (or, as legend sometimes has it, a lantern). When asked about it, he would answer, “I am just looking for an honest man”.
While I part company on much of Diogenes philosophy his search for an honest man resonates with me. This will likely sound harsher than intended but sometimes I feel like taking up the lantern and going out in search of one authentic Christian. Please hold the emails about how negative and judgmental I am. I know they are out there. But what breaks my heart is how many people are not living an authentic and transparent life as followers of Jesus. That is what those outside of the body of Christ see far too often. Is that a smokescreen to avoid the question of who Jesus really is? Of course it can be. But I do not want on my ledger that I was a person that someone looked at to evaluate the Christian faith and they saw nothing. Or at least not enough to find it compelling.
That is why I would choose Dave the Self-Deprecating as my title. I am not using the definition of self-deprecating that means to undervalue one’s abilities. That would be a false humility. I am talking about being able to see and admit your shortcomings. Simply being honest and real.
I began my book When Bad Christians Happen to Good People with this disclaimer.
I am a hypocrite. I can be arrogant and selfish. I have been known to stretch, conceal, or slightly massage the truth. I am sometimes inconsiderate and insecure. I struggle with lust and impure thoughts. My ego often rages out of control, and I battle foolish pride. I can be lazy and foolhardy with my time. I get angry, petty, and ill-tempered. I am sarcastic and cynical.
I am a Christian.
That is real. I am a sinner saved by grace. The parts of Diongene’s philosophies that apply to me are summed up in these points.
- Living by personal example
- Exposing the falsehood of conventional thinking
- Exposing vice and conceit
That would be a decent road map for a follower of Jesus.
- Walk what you talk
- Share the hope that is in Jesus, not in this world
- Hold one another accountable in our walk
If Diogenes were walking around Garland with his lantern looking for one authentic Christian and ran into me…would he put his lamp down? Would his quest be complete if he encountered you?
Elise G Cortez
I have always appreciated you, Dave. You live and breathe the Gospel. I would rather believe a “battle-scarred Christian” than a theologian who pretends to have gotten his act together. ” God uses the foolish to shame the wise…” and “they that have been forgiven much love much.”
Cheryl
“Searching For An Authentic Christian”
The irony is what came to my mind when I read Dave’s post this time.
Michael, I apologize if I frightened you! I had just watched something on the internet that made me so sick. It was Gordon Robertson talking about how he laid his hands on a crippled boy and healed him and then pointed his finger at the boy’s mute sister and healed her too.
I just wish the counterfeits did not have so much power and influence, that’s all, and I wish faithfuls would look at the glaring inconsistencies and realize how they are being exploited. I wish the media would stop going to the frauds when they need someone to speak on behalf of Christians.
Pat Robertson tells us that he is a patriot, a prophet, a descendent of royalty, a strongman, and a gifted businessman. They feign holiness on his tv show for profit. They profit off of tragedy. Now the adulterer, yes adulterer, fake holyman Gordon is poised to bilk the next generation of gullible faithfuls. Pat Robertson helped his son cheat on his wife and keep the affair hidden.
I, too, am looking for an honest man and I am thankful for Dave and his website.
Michael
I’m going to assume there’s a lot of dry humor in Cheryl’s response because, if she’s being serious, I’m frightened.
Cheryl
Dave, I cannot believe how stupid you are. You have this platform, yet you chooooose to be HUMBLE? If you were smart, you could be making money off of your position as a Christian. You could be interviewed on CNN and Fox and you could be in commercials. You could be gaining power and prestige for yourself and for your family. You could be a holy prophet of God. You could use this forum to tell us, your faithful followers, all about upcoming events so we can pray and stock up on bottled water and candles, and you could be forecasting the weather for us and telling us who God is angry with. Dave, you could teach us about diet and nutrition and sexuality too. You could tell us how much weight you can leg press and you could describe your peerage to us and you could place your sons in your seat of profit and power upon your retirement. You could cover up your own sins and then smear anyone who dares to confront you with them. You could forgive us of our sins and you could have a toll free number too, Dave. You could tell us how to think, how to vote, and you could heal us of our infirmities and tell us that we should give and then you could tell us your address. You would be a millionaire in no time, and you could tell everyone to just look at what God Almighty has done for Dave Burchett! Instead of giving someone the shirt off of your back, you could charge for it….but you are not smart.