A Year with Aslan: February 6 – Narnia, Awake!

The Lion, whose eyes never blinked, stared at the animals as hard as if he was going to burn them up with his mere stare.  And gradually a change came over them.  The smaller ones – the rabbits, moles, and such-like – grew a good deal larger.  The very big ones – you noticed it most with the elephants – grew a little smaller.  Many animals sat up on their hind legs.  Most put their heads on one side as if they were trying very hard to understand.  The Lion opened his mouth, but no sound came from it; he was breathing out, a long, warm breath; it seemed to sway all the beasts as the wind sways a line of trees.  Far overhead from beyond the veil of blue sky which hid them the stars sang again; a pur, cold, difficult music.  Then there cam a swift flash like fire (but it burnt nobody) either from the sky or from the Lion itself, and every drop of blood tingled in the children’s bodies, and the deepest, wildest voice they had ever heard was saying:
“Narnia, Narnia, Narnia, awake.  Love.  Think.  Speak.  Be walking trees.  Be talking beasts.  Be divine waters.”

I can’t begin to imagine the awe and wonder felt at the beginning of all things in Narnia – to witness the birth of everything from nothing.

I feel like I’m on the verge of an awakening – too long I’ve felt my soul has been in perpetual darkness…sleeping…dormant.  And all I want is to feel alive – to feel the awe and wonder felt at the beginning of Narnia.  To feel my blood bubble with excitement.
I want to know I’m living for something…that I’m being Jesus to people around me, yes – but that I’m also experiencing Jesus.

And it makes me sad watching the crumbling of the world around me.  Because, where can joy be when if seems that everything is falling apart?
People are hurting, morals are lost, hope is hard to find…
And it seems it’s all I see – all I feel…

And part of me wonders – where is Jesus?
Because, more and more I feel like Peter Pevensie in Prince Caspian waiting for a savior that doesn’t seem to be coming.  And I HATE that feeling…like it’s up to me to change things…because these problems seem too big…I can’t do it on my own.

I want to feel an awakening…the breath of life blowing over me…the warmth of a soul renewed.  It seems like such a simple prayer, but for so long, it seems – it’s been the cry of my broken spirit…the cry of my heart.

In our hearts, Lord, In this Nation
Awakening
Holy Spirit, we desire 
Awakening.

For You and You alone
Awake my soul
Awake my soul, and sing
For the world You love
Your will be done
Let Your will be done in me

In Your presence, in Your power
Awakening
For this moment, for this hour
Awakening

For You and You alone
Awake my soul
Awake my soul, and sing
For the world You love
Your will be done
Let Your will be done in me

For You and You alone
Awake my soul, awake my soul and sing
For the world You love
Your will be done, let Your will be done in me

Like the rising sun that shines
From the darkness comes a light
I hear Your voice and this is my Awakening

Only You can raise a life
Awake my soul
Awake my soul, and sing

 

A Year with Aslan: Good but Not Safe

You know, too often I get to feeling “safe” in my relationship with God.  I get comfortable with the idea of God as a friend, a confidant.  When things are going bad, or even with things are going good – God is the friend to go to, the friend who’s always there to listen, to understand.

But – I don’t think that’s what God wants out of a relationship with us.
He doesn’t want us getting comfortable.  He doesn’t want us asking for favors when things aren’t going the way we want, necessarily.  He doesn’t want us getting “used” to things.

Because, God’s NOT a best friend.
He is God of the Universe.  He’s the Creator of humanity, the creator of Heaven and Earth. 

He is so much more than a best friend.

A best friend is someone I confide in when I feel like my parents are getting on my nerves.
A best friend is someone I go to the movies with and then criticize for picking a bad movie.
A best friend is someone who pokes fun at the nerdy things I tend to like, but loves me anyway.

I’m not saying God can’t be that…
well – I don’t know that I’d criticize God for His taste in movies…

but God is sooo much more than that.

Yes, God wants to be invited into your life – to share in those “best friend” moments.  God wants input on what you’re wearing, or how good/bad your day has been.
Don’t ever think God doesn’t care…

But don’t get too comfortable, either.

“I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion.”
“That you will, dearie, and no mistake,” said Mrs. Beaver; “if there’s anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees knocking, they’re either braver than most or else just silly.”
“Then he isn’t safe?” said Lucy.
“Safe?” said Mr. Beaver, “don’t you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you?  who said anything about safe?  ‘Course he isn’t safe.  But he’s good.  He’s the King, I tell you.”

A Year with Aslan: Day 29 – Asking for Help

I have to admit – this blogging is becoming a bit tedious – at least with trying to come up with something to say about the reading from The Chronicles of Narnia.  I mean, as much as I LOVE the writings by C.S. Lewis – I’m just not sure I can pull off 365 days worth of writing material, not even with the “thought-provoking” questions provided with every excerpt. 

Like, today’s reading was about King Tirian (The Last Battle) asking for help in his time of need (He’s been tied to a tree by a monkey’s minions – I’d say he’s pretty desperate)…pleading with Aslan to send the children to save Narnia like he’d done before…
And the question: Why do you think Tirian feels stronger after asking for help, even though there were no signs that help was coming?

How am I supposed to blog about that?  I mean, really….
And who would want to read it, considering I could come up with something to write.

I’m all for keeping my readership up – what readership I may have – but I’m not sure this is the best way to do it.
I was under the impression I needed a gimmick….a theme…something to keep this blog-thing together.  (You know the whole Julie/Julia thing – one year, 500+ recipes…BOOM she gets a book/movie deal)  Obviously I want some of that magic.  So far…this ain’t it.  At least…not for now.

I’m not sure what…if any…theme/gimmick would work for me.
I mean…seriously, I WANT to write.  I want what I have to say to be read…but I’m not finding what I have to say right now worth much…even to me.  My life is monotonous…I cashier from 4 up to 8 hours a day – with random days off which are spent attempting to avoid the public I see every other day. 
What I want to start doing with those days off???

writing more
exercising more
writing more
reading more
writing more
exercising more

You get the idea.
So, maybe this was a good start for January…it gets me in the mood for something else.  (And maybe Aslan will make his way back into my blog later – afterall, what’s a year with Aslan, if I don’t at least keep up the readings?)
But, maybe something else will work for February – it’s a short month, we’ll see how it goes.

A Year with Aslan: Day 28 – Strawberry Speaks

I kind of maybe think I’m about to breach a topic that may seem…silly – at least in the beginning.  But, I can’t imagine I’m the ONLY person to ever consider such questions….

So, here it is –

if I can manage to put it into words….

How do we know our reality is….real.

Take the color blue for instance.  How do we know it was really intended to be blue.  What if our “blue” was really meant to be “red” and this whole time we’ve been thinking the sky is blue – it’s really been red all this time.
Or, take taste for example.  How do I know what I think tastes like chicken doesn’t taste like something else to someone else.  I mean, does what I’m tasting taste exactly the same to another person??

Color and taste aside…what about beauty?

I mean, we all seem to have general, ie. widespread, opinions about what is attractive, beautiful…whatever.  We all seem to agree on the basics…slender frame, toned and fit, usually tall…eye color maybe is negotiable…but for the most part…beauty is pretty uniform. 

A clear blue sky, 70 degrees and sunshine on a beach with green palm trees = paradise.

So, who decided all of this??
And why are we so quick to follow suit when it comes to these things?
Granted…taste and color can’t really be argued at this point.  And the beach equalling paradise isn’t necessarily true for everyone.  But what about physical beauty? 
Sure, there are some that don’t value the same things as the majority…but the majority IS the majority.

Given that…
I’ve always grown up looking in the mirror seeing…average…plain…and let’s face it – UGLY Sarah.
I’m not looking for sympathy…I’m just telling it the way it is.  I don’t fit the mold of what the majority of the world calls beautiful.
I’m okay with that.  I think most would agree, I’ve not really been the girly-type anyway…so the make-up and girly clothes wouldn’t fit me anyway..

But…it gets a little complicated tonight…and all because a horse started talking.

See, in The Magician’s Nephew – the Cabby finally gets the other side of the story…
He’s seen his life…his entire existence from one side…the need to survive…
The horse tells it differently…having been the one doing all the work for so many years…

So…it’s got me wondering about the other side of my story.  And I’m not just talking about my looks anymore…
because for so long, I’ve heard the words from people around me…”you’re not ugly” – “you’re beautiful the way you are” … and, yeah sometimes they’re hard to accept, to believe.  But…I think my eyes are changing…my perspective is changing.

For three months I’ve been complaining about the job I have.
At least I have a job – I’m making my bills – I’m saving for a car.

And really it’s the main thing I’ve focused on for these past few months…

My grandmother is sick…she’s not getting better…
At least my grandmother is still around – is still smiling – is making small improvements –

My grandfather is a pain in the butt – is worrisome….
My grandfather is almost 90 years old – fought in WW 2 – has done the best he could – is a loving husband to an ailing wife – I’m lucky he’s still around

There are two sides to every coin…I know this.
And I guess, what I’m wanting to learn more, now…to stop viewing things from the more blurred human perspective and start looking at things from God’s perspective.

I am His child – made for a specific purpose on Earth – whether I get married or not – whether I lose the 30-40 pounds I want to lose…I’m His beloved child and nothing can change that! 

Am I only looking at things from one side?
Am I seeing one shade of blue when God is seeing the whole spectrum of colors??

A Year with Aslan: Days 25 and 26 – The Narnian Lords and Aslan Roars

Despite the 24-hour break I’ve taken from my blog, I still have little to say right now.  Fighting this cold seems to be taking all my energy at the moment.  But, feeling a little better tonight, I did take time to catch up on my Aslan reads and it’s really a combination of the two readings that seem to feed the spiritual fire…that seem to challenge me.

In the first passage, we find Shasta (in The Horse and His Boy) witnessing the Narnian procession into the Tarkaan city.  The second passage tells of the power of Aslan’s roar and the varied reactions of those who hear it – fear, excitement, wonder, danger…
And I guess taking the two passages as a whole…Shasta sees King Edmund and Queen Susan for the first time…sees Narnians free and happy.  It’s a life he longs to live, one he’s never really heard stories about until he met Bree (Talking Horse).  And it’s this sight of freedom, I think that pulls him in…and something he finally gets to experience when he meets Aslan face-to-face.

There are passages through Lewis’ stories about Aslan’s roar – how the evil White Witch hated that sound, how at Aslan’s name the Pevensie children felt wonder, excitement, and bravery…how just the name of the Great Lion can stir such emotion…but to hear to voice of the Great Lion…

And the “thought-provoking” questions at the end of these passages bring forward the question why such wide emotions may be raised by the Lion’s roar..and I think a lot of it relates back to the previous passage…dealing with the image and freedom of Narnia versus the “false religion” of the Tarkaans…
When someone knows they’re in the wrong, the voice of authority, the one capable of dishing out sentences and punishments sounds frightening and condemning.  Quite the opposite, the voice can sound quite welcome and beautiful if it’s a voice you’ve been waiting to hear all your life.
To Lucy it would be the most beautiful sound in the world.
To the White Witch, the most frightening.

So, it gets me thinking…what’s the sound of Jesus’ voice sound like to me?  Is it a judging/condemning voice?  Or is it a voice that calls me into a closer relationship?  Is it a voice, with love, that speaks to me with encouragement…
and I think it really depends on the life I’m living.
Am I living a life that’s worthy of the loving voice of Christ? 

And to be honest…a lot of this made more sense in my head…so forgive the somewhat-lack of coherent thought.  Cough syrup with codeine may be to blame!

A Year with Aslan: Day 24 – Puddleglum

In all of the Chronicles of Narnia, Puddleglum just may be one of my favorite characters.  I’m not so sure it’s his attitude that is so enduring, but his change in attitude throughout the story of The Silver Chair.  And then there’s just the eccentricity of being a marshwiggle that’s kind of cool.

But, Puddleglum is downcast and pessimistic throughout most of the story.  He continues to think the worst of every situation…the firewoods probably wet, or it will be wet because it looks like rain…or the journey’s long but it doesn’t matter because we probably won’t even make it half way…
that sort of thing.

And it’s exhausting just reading his pessimism.  I can’t imagine how exhausting it would be to actually be that pessimistic.
Although, tonight at work, I had my fair run at being Puddleglum.

I was sent to the liquor store to give the cashier over there her 15-minute break.  Nothing unusual.  I was standing there in front of the little electric heater, actually enjoying the quiet for a bit, when the phone rang.  I’m not over there for more than a couple of minutes when this happens.  I answer the phone – it’s one of the Customer Service Managers telling me that when I get back to the main store, I’m supposed to meet with the manager.  There’s no other explanation.
So, I hang up the phone, and for the next 15-20 minutes my mind is racing with all the different scenarios.  I’m in trouble: maybe they’re “coaching” me on something…I was short on my drawer the last shift…I’ve done something completely wrong (no telling what)…
Or maybe they’re commending me for something…maybe I’ve done something right…
no, I’ve probably done something wrong and they want to talk to me about it.

I’m seriously sweating it out and finally the cashier comes back from her break and head back to the main store.  I then have to wait a few more minutes while the manager finishes some job she’s doing before she leads me to the back office.
Turns out it was just time for my 90-day evaluation. 
I’m a sold performer on the Wal-Mart team.  Good to know.  And I exceed expectations with my customer service skills.  Apparently customers have “bragged” about my cheery disposition.   

So, yeah…it wasn’t anything major.  It was, in fact, pretty uplifting. 
But, of course, when I’m reading tonight’s Narnia passage and it’s about Puddleglum’s lack of a cheery dispositiong…I couldn’t help but flash back to my afternoon at work.

It’s hard to be optimistic all the time, especially when it really does seem like everything just goes wrong anyway.
I left my job in Ohio confident that my life was going to work out one way, and I would be happy with that.  Turns out it’s been NOTHING like I thought it would be.  In fact, it’s been an adventure quite worthy of Puddleglum’s worldview. 

I didn’t get the job I thought I was going to get.
I went back to school full-time instead – definitely the high point of the last couple years.
My dog died.
I didn’t find a job before I finished my year of study.
I still haven’t found a job.
My grandmother had major heart surgery and months of complications.
My family spent Christmas in the nursing home.
Traditions are changing.
I still haven’t found a job.
I’m cashiering at Wal-Mart.

But yet…I’m not without hope…and even though my “cheery disposition” get’s dampened from time to time…it gets picked back up again, because…really, what’s the point of being negative?
I have a plan in place…and maybe God’s laughing at me…maybe it’s a plan I should’ve had in place over a year ago.  Maybe it’s just taken me this long to really come to terms with things…I don’t know.
But, I’m starting to get what James is talking about…

Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming.  See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains.  You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.  Don’t grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged.  The Judge is standing at the door!
Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.  As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered.  You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about.  The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.  James 5: 7-11

Is any one of you in trouble?  He should pray.  Is anyone happy?  Let him sing songs of praise.  Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And te prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven.  Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.  The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.  James 5: 13-16

And just because I’m facing setbacks doesn’t mean I can’t revel in the little marvels God presents me…a flock of geese flying over at sunset…a fresh blanket of snow on a day off…
Because if anything, even if there is the occasional struggle/crisis of faith, I’m not WITHOUT faith.  I’m not without God’s promises that He does have a plan for me…a purpose for me.

A Year with Aslan: Day 23 – Pleased with Nothing

So, I’ve ended my adventures in Narnia – at least I’ve actually read The Chronicles of Narnia in their entirety.  It’s a bittersweet moment – one that brought me chills of excitement, tears of joy and sadness, and a longing even more for a lion named Aslan.

And while I’ll continue to look back on Narnia, I’m looking forward to beginning my adventures in Middle Earth.  There’s something just as special about the bravery of two hobbits and a great king!

For a month now, well…23 days…I’ve lived in Narnia – having adventures with Eustace and Jill, Shasta and Aravis, Digory and Polly…and Peter, Edmund, and Lucy.  But it was a return to the Dawn Treader that my daily Aslan reading gave me tonight.  And the reminder of the boy Eustace used to be…quite unhappy with his lot on board the fine ship.

In all of these books, there seems to be a character opposed to the magic of Narnia, unwilling to open up and accept the wonder.  In the end they get their come-uppance…and it’s not really surprising…
And to be honest, I’m not really sure where I’m going with all of this…because for the past two years, I’ve been Eustace – wishing I was back where I was…not happy with the here and now.  And while, lately, I’ve felt a change…a kind of acceptance for things…I still feel that anger and resentment rising up in me sometimes.

And I think I like to pin a lot of that anger on my brother.  I don’t know why.  Maybe because I know the kind of life I’d like to be living…knowing if I could, I WOULD.  And I see my brother, quite capable of living the life I WANT to be living and yet he does nothing with it.  He squanders all that is given to him…and I’m angry and I’m hurt.  I want nothing more than to yell at my brother, to tell him how I’m feeling, to tell him how hurtful it is to watch him continually let me down…let my family down…

but I can’t.
I think it partly goes back to what I wrote last night – would what I say be just as hurtful to him?  Would it make a difference? 

And I see my parents and I know they’re hurting as much as I am by they way he treats us.  And I know they’re faced with tough decisions…they say they’re going to act upon…and for the life of me, I hope they do – but for the life of me…I can’t step into their shoes…because as much as I can say I understand their torment, I don’t.  I see my brother continuing to mess up, continuing to disappoint, and I hear threats of action being tossed around…yet I see nothing happening.
And I almost feel like that’s more of a let down.  Because, as hard as it may be to put those words into action…it’s harder to watch the downward spiral of a brother I love and pray for daily.

What I want more than anything right now is wisdom.  I want the courage to speak my mind and heart to my brother, and to do so in a loving way.  I want my brother’s heart to remain open to the words I so want to say to him.  I want to witness a change in him.
I want to know the direction my life should take…in a ministry…in a career.  I want to quit worrying about what’s next and learn to be content in what I have.

But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; than peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.  Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.  James 3: 17-18

Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow.  What is your life?  You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.  Instead, you out to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”  As it is, you boast and brag.  All such boasting is evil. Anyone, then who knows the good he out to do and doesn’t do it, sins. James 4: 13-17

A Year with Aslan: Day 22 – Minding Our Own Business

To be honest, as much as I’m loving my daily Narnian readings, I have more to say about my reading out of James tonight – and who know…maybe I”ll find a connection between the two…

But tonight’s reading speaks about taming the tongue, or minding what comes out of the mouth, that the tongue is the fiercest weapon our body weilds…capable of bringing people to their knees. 
And I’m all for controlling what I say…because God knows I need to sometimes.  What comes out of our mouths…the words we say are a direct reflection of what’s going on in our hearts…and sometimes that freaks me out…especially when I find myself biting my tongue in anger.  Because I know what I’m thinking…and just because the words don’t come out…the thought is still there…and I don’t like the person I am when those thoughts are there.

But what about the person I am when I keep certain thoughts to myself…knowing they could cause pain if said out loud…but knowing it may be doing more harm if kept quiet?
For so long I’ve witnessed the downward spiral that seems to be my brother’s life…his way of making decisions….or not making decisions.  And it hurts to watch.  I see a relationship that needs mending…a marriage that isn’t…a sibling relationship I wish could be…
and I’m afraid to speak my mind. 
I’m afraid of what will come out – I’m more afraid, I guess, of what may come out of my brother’s mouth.  Because, while I can control mine…I can’t control his…

In tonight’s passage of Narnia – Professor Kirk advises the older siblings to mind their own business.   And maybe it’s good advice.  Maybe it’s best if I don’t stick my nose into the business of others…my brother’s business…and let him fall on his own.  Because they way he seems to be going…I honestly have to wonder how much help I can be.

I know James is talking more about minding the words of anger, hatred, and contempt that may come from the mouth.  And…those I have to work on.   I can’t imagine what God may be thinking when I’m driving sometimes, singing along with a worship song only to stop mid-chorus to yell at the driver in front of me to move a little faster…  Or when I’m frustrated with the dogs when they bark…or the cat when he gets into things…or when my routine is broken even the slightest…
My heart’s not always a pretty picture.

But, I wonder what James would say about speaking the truth…as ugly as it may be.  I wonder what Professor Kirk would say…
Because despite the words that come out, they’re not meant to cause pain, but to promote healing – and that’s got to be a good thing, right?

A Year with Aslan: Day 21 – How Do You Know It’s Not True?

Lucy never deviates from her story about finding Narnia, regardless of what her siblings think.

The thing about Lucy in this story, and I know I’m sounding more and more like a broken record, but Lucy – throughout the Chronicles of Narnia – lives out what she believes.  Her loyalty to Aslan…her faith in Aslan bleeds into her life outside of Narnia, what little insight we get into that life.

James calls all believers to put their faith into action. 

James 2: 14-17
What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds?  Can such faith save him?  Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.  If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?  In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

In the same way that faith shouldn’t be without action – good deeds alone isn’t going to get you into Heaven.  So many times, people are commended for the things they do during their lifetime – the charities they work for, the kindness they showed…but it only gets a person so far.

In Lucy, in this scene…in every story…we see a complete character – a girl who puts what she believes into action.  Her faith in Aslan is what keeps her going in Prince Caspian – and her attitude reflecting her faith, allows her to act accordingly to keep her family together.

People know something is real…something is true because of the evidence provided.  The fate of criminals is decided by evidence that they did what they’ve been accused of.  Thomas needed proof that Jesus was who He claimed to be following the resurrection.  People need proof….faith doesn’t always come easily.  So, we know something is real…something is true because of what we see.

Peter and Susan didn’t believe Lucy until the went into Narnia themselves….Edmund too.
The professor believed all along because he’d been to Narnia before.

So, how are people today, Narnia aside, how are people today supposed to truly believe in a Jesus they’ve never seen?
When people of faith live out that faith actively, Jesus CAN be seen.

So, what are YOU doing to be Jesus today?  What are YOU doing to make your faith visible?

A Year with Aslan: Day 20 – Awakening Evil

*beware of the ramble * in my head it all makes sense*

I think it’s kind of funny that in order for good to be recognizable in the world, there has to be bad.  There has to be something to judge it by…if you get what I’m saying.  Like – you wouldn’t know the goodness of winning if you hadn’t lost at one point or another.

We get to the point in The Magician’s Nephew were Digory and Polly awaken the Queen of Charn – Jadis.  If you’ve read The Chronicles of Narnia you know Jadis becomes the White Witch in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe responsible for the long winter in Narnia.  She’s the incarnation of evil in these stories.  She has no heart for what is good, only what is self-serving and powerful.  She uses people to get what she wants…and what she wants is more power.

We only know she’s truly evil because we have something to judge her by – or someone – Aslan.  We know Aslan’s heart is for peace and tolerance…so it makes sense that Jadis, being quite the opposite, is bad.

It’s kind of funny thinking about the connection between this passage and the passage I read out of James (James 2: 1-13) and some things that happened today at work.
This particular passage out of James’ letter talks about showing favoritism – condemns favoritism.  it warns the reader to leave the judging to God, that to show favoritism is sinful…and illegal according to the law (the Jewish law, the law of God).
And, it does connect with the passage from The Magician’s Nephew, I promise – it’s just kind of roundabout way.

See, tonight at work (and most nights really) I had a thought, a thought I’m not necessarily proud that I had.  It was an abstract thought…more of an attitude I tend to have.  A man came through my line tonight – a perfectly nice, polite man – that smelled so bad I nearly suffocated from holding my breath.  Had I not held my breath,  I feared I would’ve thrown up…it was seriously that bad.  It was so bad, I continued to smell him hours after waiting on him…
It’s not an exaggeration.

And it’s like this passage in James – do you take the man at his appearance…do you judge him for what he looks like and refuse to love him, serve him, witness to him?  The answer (to me) is an obvious no.
The time I spend with people going through my line is minimal.  Five – ten minutes at the most, depending on the size of their orders.  I have a chance to be Jesus to these people – and if I’m scoffing inwardly at the way their dressed, or the way they smell, or the lack of healthy food their buying with their food stamps, I’m missing out on prime Jesus time with them.
I can’t treat people differently – as hard as it is sometimes.

And this whole favortism…judging thing…connected back to Narnia.  It’s kind of like this…we know good because we know bad.  Like, if Jadis hadn’t been brought into Narnia…would the sweet sound of Aslan’s voice, be as sweet?
I’m getting the feeling like it sounds like I”m condoning the bad stuff…I’m not.  Had it not been for the temptation in the Garden, this wouldn’t even be an issue.  The bad/evil wouldn’t exist – or maybe it would’ve just found another way into the world….????
I don’t know…but you know, of the bad stuff that’s happened in life…I’m not talking evil…I’m just talking rotten luck…I don’t think I’d change it.  I mean, losing really does make winning that much sweeter.
As for the evil (crime, injustice, immorality)…yeah, I could do without that.  But, as long as it exists…I can be an example of the good.  I can be Jesus in the darkness, and maybe…hopefully shed a little light on life for someone else in the dark – no matter what they look like…