This is an audio version of Mike Murphy‘s Friday rumblings. This is a regular post on Facebook that I’ve turned into a podcast. I decided Mike’s words needed a wider audience. You may agree or disagree with what he says, but there is certainly much food for thought contained here. You can friend Mike on Facebook for the printed version or read it below.

Rumblings. 8.9.24 

1. “Jesus did not call his followers to defend Christianity; he called them to defend the poor, the marginalized, the oppressed, and the hurting. 

Stop being offended. Get to feeding, healing and peacemaking.” ~ Carl Rodriguez

There are those in the Christian world who seemingly can’t wait to be offended yet one more time, even if it’s much to do, about next to nothing. I think they’re addicted to being ticked off.

If that’s your addiction, please take a good, hard look at your life. And then start getting your facts straight. Don’t post rumors. Learn to apologize and delete. Quit being an embarrassment to yourself and your family. Talk to God about what’s going on in your head and heart. Ask Him to heal you. 

2. “Snowflake? Yes, I’ve heard this term, I think sociopaths use it to discredit the notion of empathy.” ~ John Cleese, Actor  

3. The MAGA standard bearer exhausts me. His entire way of being exhausts me. 

There is a joyful buoyancy to Kamala’s speech and manner.

I’ll go with joyful buoyancy over exhaustion all day, every day.  

4. “It’s not the task of the church to “Make America Great Again.” The contemporary task of the church is to make Christianity countercultural again. And once we untether Jesus from the interests of the state, we begin to see just how countercultural and radical Jesus’ ideas actually are. 

Enemies? Love them. 

Violence? Renounce it. 

Money? Share it. 

Foreigners? Welcome them. 

Sinners? Forgive them. 

These are the kind of radical ideas that will always be opposed by the principalities and powers, but which the followers of Jesus are called to embrace, announce, and enact. And the degree to which the church is faithful to Jesus and his radical ideas is the degree to which the church embodies a faith that is truly countercultural.” ~ Brian Zahnd, Postcards from Babylon

Most people of faith work hard to fit into their church culture which often doesn’t encourage free styling.  So, one goes along to get along. 

But that’s not what Jesus taught and lived out. He infuriated the Jewish religious leaders and made Rome nervous and uncomfortable.   

Most of us like meek and mild Jesus. Walk on the wild side Jesus, not so much.   

5. “My Spiritual Director said to me many years ago, “Your longing for God is your bus ticket home.” ~ Trevor Hudson

Who or what are you longing for?

6. “We’re producing more energy than ever before in this nation. We have the strongest economy in the world, …more people went to work this morning in America than at any other time in our nation’s history. So I’ve got a message for Donald Trump with all his negativity and whining: Stop trash talking America. This is the greatest country on earth, and it’s time that we all start acting like it.” ~ Josh Shapiro, Pennsylvania Governor 

I’m a Shapiro fan. He was my choice to be Kamala’s running mate but Tim Walz from MN got the nod. And I’m quite OK with that. With vigor, humor, great clarity and sincere resolve he knocked it out of the park in Philly this week.

Sal Gentile of Late Night summed it up: “Vice President Harris had a very deep bench from which to choose a running mate, but her choice of Walz seems to have been widely popular. Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Joe Manchin of West Virginia, who are usually on opposite sides of the party, both praised the choice, prompting Ocasio-Cortez to post: “Dems in disconcerting levels of array.”

Living as I do in Florida, I swear I am hearing the sounds of weeping and gnashing of teeth coming from the direction of Mara Lago. That crew has  been out maneuvered and cornered. Going forward, expect the absolute worst from them. Don’t expect a message of joyful buoyancy. 

Let the games begin. 

7. Me: Do you think I’m made in the image and likeness of God?

Anita: Technically yes, but right now you’re more like an unfinished sculpture, a little rough around the edges.      

Me: So, you’re saying “I have flaws?

Anita: Everyone does. 

Me: Do I have many?

Anita: Not a lot.  

Me:  How many?

Anita: 57

Me: Seriously?

Anita: I’m sorry. I misspoke. 58. I forgot about ‘argumentative’. 

8.  “… Three nights later, our home was bombed. Strangely enough, I accepted the word of the bombing calmly.  My experience with God had given me a new strength and trust.  I knew now that God is able to give us the interior resources to face the storms and problems of life.  

Let this be our ringing cry…that there is a great benign Power in the universe whose name is God, and he is able to make a way out of no way, and transform dark yesterdays into bright tomorrows.  This is our hope for becoming better people.  This is our mandate for seeking to make a better world.” ~ M.L. King Jr.

Hmmm. “… God … is able to make a way out of no way, transforming dark yesterdays into bright tomorrows.” That’ll preach. 

9. The saddest words in the Bible are in the book of Mark. It’s Pilate sending Jesus to his death because he wanted to “satisfy the crowd”. 

I get it. 

I know what that’s all about. 

Bet you do too. 

How many times did trying to ‘satisfy the crowd’ backfire on us? Too many times is my hunch. Way too many.

10. “Just let Jesus live His life through you.” ~ Bob Mitchell, Young Life 

That pretty much sums up what I believe my journey of faith needs to be about. I’ve still got some work left to do. But I’m making baby-step progress. And you?