Because I have no television… and I’m too lazy to go somewhere else and my computer can’t handle video very well, I’m just sitting here, writing.

Small group Bible study was on Luke 13:22-30.  The Narrow Door.  It was a pretty good discussion, one that needed to happen by this point in the year.  You always need a Bible study on salvation whenever there is a new small group and new members.  It’s just… right.

Anyway!  One of my friends said something that really clicked with me.  She said that the door is narrow, and we can’t fit through it with all the baggage we’re carrying.  And immediately my mind drifts back to an old Simpsons episode where Homer wants a soda from the vending machine but he has no money.  He reaches in, twists his arm in a weird position, and finally, with no room to spare, he grabs the can.  But then he gets stuck.  He pulls as hard as he can and I think at one point he begins to gnaw at his shoulder (and later he gets his other hand stuck in another vending machine).  All this time, Marge is waiting for him because they planned on going to some fancy thing.  I don’t remember what.

Well, this story gets redeemed when the firemen are about to cut the vending machines open to get Homer’s arms unstuck.  And one of the firemen ask him, “You aren’t just holding onto the soda, are you?”  The next scene cuts to Homer embarrassingly rubbing his arms and walking away as the firemen laugh at him.

But how simply agonizing is this allusion?  We are trapped in this world.  And I don’t know if we think we need to be satisfied in an earthly manner or if we think we need to somehow make ourselves bigger and ‘measure up’ to salvation, but the fact is that the way we are, there ain’t no way we will fit through that door.  Sometimes, you just need to let go.

The next portion of the Bible study involved knowing people.  Like Jesus says to some people “I never knew you.”  What constitutes knowing a person?  And I thought of the time a year ago when I was walking back from the Natural History building after MCB.  It was about four thirty on Wednesday, and the quad was fairly empty.  It was cloudy and it was chilly.  I was listening to my iPod and passing the entrance to Noyes when I passed a girl.  I did not really notice her, but for some reason I turned around about two steps later, and she did, too.  She kind of raised her hand, and I returned the gesture.  For the life of me, I felt like I had met her before, but I did not remember her name!  And it bugged me for the rest of the day.  Where did I know her?  Most likely from CFC.  Maybe I sat by her in church one day and we shook hands or something.  What if I did not know her, but we just both looked familiar to each other?  Then the worst thought… what if she knows me and my name but I don’t know her or her name?  That would be awkward.  “Oh, Hi, Steve!  How are you?” … “Oh!  Hi… … … um… finehowareyou [walk away as soon as possible]?”  Maybe I pride myself in my memory.  Just a random thought, but it got me thinking how much I really know people.  If they were in trouble, would I want to help?  Or would they want my help?  Or would I be invited to a party they hosted?  Just because I conveniently sit at the same table as them at lunch, does it mean I know them?  Apparently not to Jesus, in this passage.

The Last big thought I’m putting here is actually something that came from the first question in Bible study.  The instructions read “Write a Kingdom résumé…” or, more simply, list your qualifications for getting into heaven.  I actually thought of my friend, Elmo.  And softball.  When the softball league I ‘coach’ in was being set up, we had a live draft of the players.  Since everyone had not played together and did not know all of the people in the draft, we had them rate themselves a number between one and five, five being the best, list their positions and if they had a glove or not.  Here’s what Elmo wrote:

Rate Yourself: 0 [notice how we said 1-5.  He rated himself a zero]

Position:  Nowhere

Do you have a glove?  No

… I’m pretty much useless

So there you have it.  His qualifications for being drafted.  But I still took him pretty high.  Do you know why?  Firstly, I knew him.  I knew he was pretty sarcastic, and even though he says he’s useless, he is a pretty good athlete.  Secondly, I got to know his character over time.  To tell the truth, sometimes I want to have him play first base, second base or the outfield, but he plays catcher.  He’s willing to take one for the team.

And it has payed off.  Our team has so many outs recorded at home because he can field his position.  I have him hitting near the bottom of the lineup (where I also dwelt at the beginning of the season) and I remember so many clutch hits and patient at-bats where he either drove me in or moved me up to the next base.  He took an elbow to the face last game and did not complain.  He always has a sense of humor and he lifts the team up.  I really enjoy having him on my team.

But how does this fit in with my Kingdom qualifications?  It doesn’t, really.  I… should write down exactly what Elmo wrote down.  Except I mean it.  I am pretty much worthless.  Almost a team liability.  I have no equipment, no training, no faith, no anything that does not come from God.  He gave it all for me.

Sometimes we have to realize that we are nothing; that everything needs to be gone; that nakedness is the key.  Because if we’re wearing anything – whether it be something just to cover our shame or lavish furs or a crown of pride on our head or feet fitted with shoes that are prone to rush to evil… we no longer fit.  We want to say that we own something or that we are something apart from God, which is so untrue.  We have to go in just like how we were created, naked.

How simple.  We don’t have to do anything, think anything or own anything.  We just have to trust.  Shoot… we don’t even have to open the door!  He’s holding it open.

So go naked.  I dare you.

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