Spacesaver...

Spaces.

All of us live within a wild matrix of relational spaces. While there are four key spaces that all of us ramble about in, most of us only utilize a couple within our regular rhythm of life. And of those two-three spaces we only intentionally develop healthy relationships within one or two.

Public - 100 or more people/ work, concerts, community events, church services
Social - 25-75 people / parties, family gatherings, large classes, clubs
Personal - 5-15 people / immediate family, small groups, gangs
Intimate - 1-3 people / mentors, accountability, coffee groups, card nights, discipleship

The numbers may vary, that's not the important piece. What is important is a healthy use of space and defined relationships.

Who knows everything about you? Yes, it's awesome that your spouse does, but guys need other guys who know their strengths and weakness' etc. We need these intimate relationships that meet the deep 'one-anothers' in Scripture.

What small group are you part of? Who are you regularly sharing meals with, enjoying family time with? Who do your kids regularly get to hang out with and see you model life alongside?

What social gatherings are impacting your life and are you giving yourself to? Do you know your neighbors and hold bbq's? Is your small group a part of a larger community of 35 or so? In other words, do you have a good size spiritual family you don't get lost in.

What about the public sphere. Why is this important? To belong. Belonging to something bigger than ourselves and our spheres of influence is vital to remaining teachable and humble. The greater church is good for this: worship service, corporate teaching, greater vision, huge mission and simply the physical display of the body of Christ at large!

Spaces. We need each of them. In the last post I noted how Jesus displayed them with the ultimate goal of making disciples...the eternal use of space in action.

The Shrewd

So I'm a fan of the plots and characters of Jesus' stories. Really. In one [Luke 16:1-12] Jesus unearths a corrupt rich man (Guido) who plans on firing his villainous manager (Tiny). So Tiny immediately acts 'shrewdly' and cuts the debt of some of Guido's debtors so that he'll have a friend or two when he's on skid row.

Yeah, Guido praises him for this, I know, and this is Jesus' point to the story. Is the most righteous Son in existence condoning lying and cheating and stealing? Nope. Guido knew he was overcharging and abusing his debtors (common practice in the culture since charging interest was unlawful amongst the Jews) and Tiny knew it and abused his boss like any disciple of corruption would...two evil men in awe of how creative yet practical their villainy can be.

phronimos (gk): shrewd - to think sensibly, prudently, practically in relationships and situations

In a reverse-tipsy-upside-downsy-pulp-fictionesque-sort-of-way Jesus commends us to get creatively wise and practically shrewd with our resources by way of two shady characters.

Guido and Tiny and others around us who are only interested in the happenings of the physical world are doing a better job winning others over than most followers of the Lover of this world.

Sure, this has a little do with money but it's so much bigger than that, it also touches on our vocational and social positions, talents, gifts, material belongings, time and energy etc.

I wonder if Jesus is praising Tiny's creativity. I wonder if the Creator is teaching His disciples, you and I, that vision and risk, creativity and imagination, practical application, knowledge, spiritual wisdom and humility need to come together in beautiful and powerful ways in order to share the Son of that very Creator with Guido's world. Isn't this simply responding as Christ would, with His attitude, with His sensibilities.

Is the ultimate Counselor, our internal Spiritual Guide, capable of such creativity within the Body?

Step outside and open your eyes, breathe in.

Stroll through a museum and contemplate.

Check your heart, abilities, desires.

He is the creative Head of His church.
You are His body.
God channels vast amounts of His creativity through man.

Be that kind of shrewd.