Throwaway Phrases: “But As For Me And My House”

There’s a cool phrase in the Bible that shows up in the Old Testament at least a dozen times. It’s one of those things we can gloss over, but it’s woven in so persistently that the thread is undeniable.

My favorite instance is in the Book of Joshua, where he says:

“As for me and my house, we will serve The Lord.”

In other words: Y’all can go with the grain and I’m not knocking you for it and I’ll still be here to love on you, but I’m going the way of Jesus because he is THE way and it’s going to be worth it all: and even right now, it’s so totally rocking my heart out.

You can feel the line being drawn, the flag in the ground, the banner raised, the foot planted firmly to take a stand.

Not in a self-important, look-at-me, aren’t-I-so-good sort of way, but the earnest, sleeves-rolling-up, all-out for the Lord sort of way.  For the counter-cultural good, for justice, to get in the mess with people who no one else is chasing.

It’s to live a life that doesn’t make sense but makes sense at the same time.

As. For Me.

As for me, I will not use Christianity as a platform for politics.

As for me, I will admit I’m under construction and I don’t really have it all figured out.

As for me, I will not demonize people into black-and-white one-dimensional caricatures: but recognize there are layers, nuances and inner-conflicts in all of us.

As for me, I’m not playing dumb or trying to “nice” it up or faking it to make you comfortable: because this is what you get.

As for me, I’m not playing by legalistic, hyper-religious, hand-on-the-mouth rules: because my faith in Jesus has nothing to do with cursing, smoking, drinking, tattoos, music, movies, or your arbitrary standards.

As for me, I will not emotionally manipulate you by guilt, fear, and shame, and I will not use gimmicks to grab you.

As for me, I will tell you the tough truth even if you don’t like it, because I can’t stand to see you hurt yourself anymore.

As for me, I will care about the poor and hungry and homeless and enslaved and oppressed: and I will stop acting uppity about their lives like they had it coming.

As for me, I will not take my eyes off the mission over silly secondary doctrines.

As for me, I will hold to the truth of the Bible.

As for me, I will shout the name of Jesus: because he loves me and I love him, and that is how I keep my house.

— J

Originally posted here on my Tumblr.