Integrity or …. ?

“Laws exist to fill in the gap and police the failure of character. Laws can never do what the integrity values can do; they are simply a ‘back-up’ system”.   Henry Cloud

In Jesus’ ministry this clash between integrated character and the “back-up” system of laws was starkly illustrated in Luke 13:10-17. Jesus’ integrated character and his empathy, observance of the negative and his orientation towards truth, increase and transcendence come together to deliver a result. Despite knowing the objections about his habit of healing on the Sabbath Day Jesus very publicly heals a woman inflicted with a psychological illness.

The president of the synagogue publicly lambasts Jesus for his failure to observe the law. Rob Bell suggests “when we see religious communities spending most of their time trying to convince people not to sin, we are seeing a community that has missed the point. The point isn’t sin management; the point is who we are now”.^[2]

God of Adventure

A pastor recently asked: ‘Where in the Bible do you find camping culture mentioned?’   Well, I’m glad he asked because I’ve been reading an excellent book by Bruce Dunning called ‘God of Adventure’ which establishes the biblical validity of ‘Christian Adventure Learning’, arguing a case that liminality (conscious awareness) and adventure learning combine to be one of God’s principle tools to connect with his people, challenge them, and have them participate in his redemptive purpose for his creation.

The book takes the reader through more than one hundred biblical examples of adventure learning and camping.  For example:

Risk naive

A little over a week ago was the annual Day for Daniel (Morcombe).  We were holidaying on the Sunshine Coast when Daniel Morcombe first went missing and as we were up here most years we were half involved in the story, the search posters and memorials.

But we didn’t realise the full impact of the Daniel Morcombe story on the Sunshine Coast population until we moved up here three years ago. The profile of his disappearance, and more recently the details of his grisly demise, have left a scar on the population.  The concept of helicopter parents is well-known, but it’s perhaps heightened on the Coast as parents take every precaution to button down their kids from “stranger danger“.

 

Name change

After something of an absence from blogging (long overseas trip), I’m back!  The site has a new name too – Freed Eagle.  This is a reference to my personal journey over the last 3-4 years, but also pays homage to one of my favourite verses in the bible:

But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.  They will soar high on wings like eagles.  They will run and not grow weary.  They will walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31

It’s good to be back and looking forward to sharing more.

Are Zimbabwean orphans really funny?

Orphan David on arrival

Australia’s favourite curmudgeon Peter Fitzsimons had a sly attack at Manly supporters in his column last Saturday, using Zimbabwean orphans as the punchline to his “joke”.   

TURNABOUT
My thanks to Fitzphile Sam Clough, who drew my attention to this fascinating news item: the Manly cheer squad has just returned from a trip to an orphanage in Zimbabwe.
”It was a great chance to meet underprivileged people with very little hope in life,” said Alfred Mgombo, aged six.

MY RESPONSE: