The Car Salesman's Story

Jesus had only one face. When we show different sides of ourselves to different people, we become two-faced at the very least. When we lack integrity, we find ourselves being several people, depending on the circumstance. We subdivide our lives and justify our differing value systems based on the context. Our character becomes a product to be sold. We become personality salesmen rather than people of substance.

Once Kim was considering buying a red car. It was amazing how quickly the salesman began to share with us his story of how his wife was at first apprehensive when he bought her a red car, but overnight she came to love it. Kim, in her unflappable way, looked at him and said, “If I was considering a blue car, would it have been a blue car your wife had come to love?” (p. 72)

--From Uprising: A Revolution of the Soul by Erwin Raphael McManus

Proud, Arrogant . . . Llamas??

In South America the llama serves as the cultural metaphor for pride. To keep a heard of llamas corralled, you don’t even need a fence. All you need is one rope circling around the herd to keep them enclosed. Just by placing it at a height beneath the head and base of the neck, the llamas are secured in this makeshift pen. Rather than stooping beneath the rope, the llamas stand tall, but remain captive. They either refuse or are physically incapable of bending their necks, and thus are seen as a symbol of arrogance. (p.61)

--From Uprising: A Revolution of the Soul by Erwin Raphael McManus

Mesmerized by Imitation Waterfall

“You cannot follow Jesus and remain the same. The journey itself will change you forever—not only your priorities, but your passions. It alters not only your direction, but your desires. It transforms not only your actions, but your values. It makes you just like Christ and unlike anyone else. It is nothing less than leaving the fake for the real. There is great risk in abandoning the artificial in pursuit of the authentic. Yet if we’ve never known the real thing, it is easy to understand why we are mesmerized with the best versions of the imitation.

Over the years we’ve developed a wonderful friendship with a family in New Zealand. Some of the Crawford clan recently crossed the ocean to enjoy our place here in Los Angeles. I remember when I took them to Downtown Disney. I eagerly brought them to one of my favorite spots, where a miniature waterfall produces a soothing sound as it works its way over rocks into a small pool. I have to admit I was a bit thrown back when Phillip’s response was a somewhat non-responsive, ‘Come to New Zealand, and we’ll show you the real thing.’ What did I expect from residents of Middle Earth?

I realized my appreciation was shaped by the context in which I live. In comparison to a city filled with endless concrete, even a façade of the natural gained my admiration. From their vantage point, even the most beautiful expression possible from the skilled hands of men was inadequate in comparison to the majesty of the awe-inspiring work of God.

As strange as it may seem, to discover what it really means to be truly human, the only one we can turn to is God. In all of our efforts, rather than confess that we have lost our way, we have set the course of our lives on a misdirected view of greatness. We have chosen to build facades and to build them on foundations of sand, which leads us back to where we began.” (p. 34-35) See Matt. 7:24-27

--From Uprising: A Revolution of the Soul by Erwin Raphael McManus