does a bear poop in the woods?

I love this question for a couple reasons.

One, it is a great response to anyone who asks you something obvious.

Two, sarcasm is a family trait I hold fast to.

Three, the mere conjuring of the image makes me smile.

Four, poop is funny.

Here is the real reason I bring it up. Its my response to the question "will a life after Jesus be hard?"

Does a bear poop in the woods?

Yes and yes.

last night I was thinking about this in regards to a specific event in which I had zero control over. Something happened that could not be changed and could not be rectified. It just stunk (much like poop). This event is not what got me thinking, but my response. OUR response as believers to things that are difficult to swallow, yet we know we ought to for the sake of Christ. If you scroll down, I talked about this with my last entry with romans 5.2 and don't want to beat a dead horse.

Working through Romans has taken some time, but Romans 6, especially verses 15-23 are where I am at. Go ahead, read it.

Now, thats not easy is it? (which is why im blown away by the authority of Paul. in the words of my good friend josh, "The authority and confidence rests solely..solely on Christ... Paul spoke and preached nothing else"). You might say "duh" to that, however, its what gives Paul the audacity to say "having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness."

See, what we have here is an out of the frying pan into the fire scenario. We are sinners and heading for destruction, Christ says that if we sin even once we have become a slave to that sin, so there (john 8.34). So, where will my allegiance lie? myself, or God? Who will I serve? I choose righteousness. Because the slavery Paul speaks of here is voluntary. God does not lock us in once we pray the sinners prayer to a life of service and righteousness. This slavery is the blissful following of Christ and realization that anything other than a life in service to Christ is a fruitless endeavor. So what does this look like?

Say what you will about the broad spectrum of church leaders and speakers dominating the Christian landscape today. But i like Shane Claiborne. In his first book he says what may be his most famous quote, "Jesus wrecked my life." Amen brother. AMEN.

Will a life after Christ be difficult? YES. When we live in complete submission to Christ it wrecks our life, or at the very least our plans. When we pursue righteousness for the mere sake of it and not some sense of obligation or debt to Christ (read Piper's "Future Grace" for more on that idea) we get walked on. And we are forced to deal with the things in life we cannot control. To move forward and embrace Christ the next morning after we cry ourselves to sleep at night. To love those we don't want to love and be a slave to the righteousness the apostle Paul talks about. We see no better example of this than in the life of our Savior.

Jesus did not sin, right? What I love about the life of Jesus was the reason he didn't sin. He had the same temptation and desires we have, fully human remember? Whats so great about Jesus is he did not WANT to sin, because he knew what it was like to be in perfect communion with God (John1.1).

we may not experience that on this side of heaven... but man i want to try. i want to be a slave to the one thing good in this world.