Seventeen pallets of sod and an aching back later, I'm back in the saddle. It is unbelievable how therapeutic blogging is. Here's hoping you gain as many benefits from reading as I do writing.
It's World Series prediction time. Bill White, mayor of Houston, has encouraged all Houstonians to forego the wearing of "Sox" for the week. But if a person must wear socks, he's encouraging all Houstonians to avoid wearing "White Sox." Clever.
It's a pitching match-up for the ages. The difference could rest in the fact that the White Sox do have four solid starters, while the Astros have three. Clemens and Pettitte are battle-tested from their Yankee days. Roy Oswalt is a machine. And if Brandon Backe pitches as well in his one start against the White Sox as he did against the Cardinals, no one can sell the Astros short.
Most of the national pundits I've read and heard on talk radio are siding with the Sox, given their homefield advantage and week-long break. I'm not buying it. The White Sox team is loaded with questionable characters (A.J. Pierzynski, Carl Everett, Ozzie Guillen, even team owner Jerry Reinsdorf). On the other hand, who didn't shed a slight tear the other night when Craig Biggio broke down talking about how he couldn't wait to get home to share the joy of going to the World Series with his wife and sons?
I'm taking the Astros in six.
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One of the real beefs I have with the dominant teaching paradigm propogated at various "Schools of Preaching" is the heavy emphasis on doctrine as the only basis for unity. Now don't get me wrong -- I'm not saying doctrine is unimportant. I've just never believed doctrine saves. Jesus saves. And because Jesus saves -- and we are called to have the attitude of Jesus -- there is more to unity in local congregations that just doctrinal agreement.
For example, Paul spoke to the Ephesian church in Ephesians 4.3-6 about the doctrinal foundation for unity. Those seven ones (one Lord, one faith, one baptism, etc.) comprise the doctrinal foundation of unity. Too often in our quest to get to the doctrinal foundation, we overlook the first two verses of Ephesians 4 that speak to an equally essential aspect for unity which is attitude.
"In light of all of this, here's what I want you to do. While I'm locked up here, a prisoner for the Master, I want you to get our there and walk -- better yet, run! -- on the road God called you to travel. I don't want any of you sitting around on your hands. I don't want anyone strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere. And mark that you do this with humility and discipline -- not in fits and starts, but steadily, pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love, alert at noticing differences and quick at mending fences."
What would happen in our churches if, rather than haggling over doctrinal minutae, we would be quick to live humbly by loving even those with whom we differ? What would happen if, rather than seeking to be right, we would seek to be in relationship with one another for the sake of Jesus? What would happen if, instead of being fence contractors who separate, we would be bridge builders who foster unity?
