Adventures in the 8th Dimension of Noticing
By Steve Sjogren |
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Getting in sync with the purposes of God's kingdom means "Noticing God and Noticing people™." Buckaroo Bonsai, the iconic renaissance man of the cult film, "The Adventures of Buckaroo Bonsai in the Eighth Dimension," said, "Remember, wherever you go, there you are!" For the sake of this article I want to alter that phrase slightly and say, "Remember, whoever you meet is somewhere!"
"Uh Steve," you might say, "Buckaroo Bonsai? What does he have to say or do about following Jesus." Probably not very much. But if you will hang in there I will try to explain. From our human viewpoint, each one of us is on a journey toward or away from God. From God's viewpoint, he is always coming toward us, drawing us toward himself. For those of us who want to be part of God's conspiracy of kindness,
we need to be constantly aware that "Whoever we meet is somewhere on their journey toward God."
 Truth #1:
If we could put on “God-O-Vision” glasses to see what is really happening in the hearts of those we "notice" every day, then we would never stop planting seeds of generosity, kindness and love.
Truth #2:
The vast majority of the work of the Holy Spirit is done at a subterranean level, unbeknownst to a person.
When Jesus said the fields are “white unto harvest” he meant they are always ready for harvest.
Wheat that is "ripe unto harvest" is literally bent over with the heaviness of the grain. The green, not yet ripe grain stands erect. So it is with people. Those who walk with their heads down are far more likely to be open and ready for Jesus than those whose lives are “happy-happy, joy-joy."
Most of us are living at such a frenetic pace, it is difficult, if not impossible, to hear God. When the “inner metronome” is slowed by circumstances – an illness, injury, taking a shower, driving or incarceration, we are far more able to hear the voice of God than previously. Remember, his is the “still, small voice.”
God is making invitations to those around you constantly. He is inviting everyone you run into today to come to him. Love and invite and bring your people along to do the same.
Each person is on a unique timetable with the Holy Spirit. “How long will it take for a given person to get to the point where they realize they are being invited to follow Big God, that he is really good and that he is head over heels in love with them?”
An Unlikely Harvest
I used to pose this question to conference attendees at multiple speaking events over a certain five or six year period: "So who on Planet Earth is the most unlikely person to ever come into a living relationship with Jesus?"
Given the news coverage at the time, among the top names that popped up was, “Manuel Noriega.” The Panamanian dictator, drug lord and multi-millionaire from drug funds and many years of laundering money through the system of dummy banks he had allowed into Panama. During his reign of terror, international rights groups estimate Noriega was personally responsible for the executions of between 500 to as high as 3,000 people. As with many Third World top-level leaders, the tragic reality was, once in power the name of the game is breaking the vain promises made to the masses. The agenda becomes “How can I make myself grotesquely rich and stay in power for life – no matter what?”
In December 1989, U.S. troops invaded Panama in an attempt to bring to a close the crazy control of Noriega’s puppet government that had nothing to do with governing and everything to do with enhancing the general’s personal net worth. Within a couple of weeks, the general was captured. He was eventually tried and found guilty and was in a maximum security prison in Miami until September 9 of this year. Noriega was recently extradited to France, where he'll serve more time behind bars for drug trafficking.
In the late '80s, while Manuel was public enemy number one, I maintained that once Noriega was captured, if he was not executed, he would come to know Christ before long. Was I prophetic, or worse yet, reckless in my predictions as to what would happen with this man’s life? Neither. I simply was aware of the inclination of people’s hearts and most importantly, the heart of God as revealed in 2 Peter. “He is not willing that any should perish…” This is but one verse that speaks of the ever-seeking heart of God that searches after people.
The God that loves and seeks Manuel Noriega is also loving and seeking the barrista at your local Starbucks, the cashier at your favorite Best Buy and your local mechanic. Add a little margin in your day and take time to notice what God is doing in the lives of those your rub shoulders with. Then pray this prayer, "Holy Spirit, work through me today to show your kindness, love and generosity."
“Is anybody out there not having a good time?”
– Buckaroo Banzai (nuclear physicist, brain surgeon, rock star and comic book hero)
[By the way, I have no idea what the eighth dimension of noticing is...]
Steve Sjogren, the founding pastor of the Vineyard Community Church in Cincinnati, is on his way to plant CoastlandTampa. He is the publisher of Serve!, a monthly ezine focused on living the outward focused life. You can email him at stevesjogren@mac.com |
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