This is FAKE REALITY - it isn't a photo ... it's a 3D "photorealistic" render. You might want to reach out and stroke the carpet or smell the flower, but you can't, because they're faked.
I can't get away from this right now - KEEP IT REAL AT ALL COSTS - vulnerable, genuine, open, truthful. There is a cost to being real in our Christian communities - we might be misunderstood, taken for a ride, taken advantage of, gossiped about, badmouthed for daring to tell it like it is ... but the cost of peddling spiritual fakery is so high in eternal terms, it doesn't bear thinking about.
Someone might walk into a church next Sunday, needing to touch eternity, seek comfort, find hope, belonging, connectedness, meaning ... will they find the real thing?
I've heard it said that Henri Nouwen's writings were like "memos to himself" - he wrote about where he longed to be, not what he had already attained (also Paul in Phil 3). Same for these last 3 posts ... am still a fearful beginner when it comes to take steps into keeping it real as a leader.
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such a warning to us in our 'lively' (or whatever churches.
Your question about the visitor, made me extend your imagery. Such a person would want a safe, comfortable place to sit but a fake (or surface) sofa, like yours in the picture would be hard with no give.
Posted by: Caroline | August 25, 2006 at 03:31 AM