I Want to Kick...  

Posted by Matt

…ass. There. I’ll go ahead and say it. Ass.

I say I want to kick ass on a Christian blog (intemperate though it may be) because saying “I want to kick butt,” while more polite or inoffensive to people’s sensitivities regarding vulgarity is…

…weak.

…puny.

I say “kick ass” because I intensely mean it. I want to kick it hard, enthusiastically, and in a way that changes not only myself, but those around me.

I don’t want to kick ass in a bad way, but in a good way. I want to melt face. I want to rock out. I want to be great at something.

Furthermore, I want you to kick ass. In a good way. Hard, enthusiastically, and life-changingly.

That’s why I teach. That’s why I like to talk in front of people and sort of perform for them. It’s true, I want to do an awesome job of teaching, telling stories, and providing information—but in doing so, I’m trying to offer my audience—my students—a way to consider their problems and their strengths in such a way that they realize the immense amount of hope and opportunity ahead of them.

I believe Man, while in fallen state and sinful, is capable of amazing things because of the Power God imbues him with. I believe God built you to kick ass in your own way. He didn’t build you to be mediocre, especially not in the area of your talents and skillset. He’s not looking for people made of margarine. He doesn’t want Diet Human Beings. He wants full-on caffienated, full of flavor, overflowing with soul Humans. People who are the antithesis of Splenda (c’mon, folks…it’s a substitute for good tasting sugar; do not try to convince me that it tastes the same or as good as sugar).

God wants people. He wants men and women. He knows just how imperfect you are, but not only does He love you, nonetheless, He wants to build you up to a great purpose. What do all the products in the paragraph above have in common? While they’re great, they also have their drawbacks, their inherent health risks.

The greatest health risk to Mankind today is Mankind. By the way, the greatest cure and preventative of spiritual death brought on by the horrendous scourge of Mankind is…

…Jesus, employed, enjoyed, and demonstrated by imperfect Mankind.

Back to teaching—I want to kick ass. I want to kick ass so you can kick ass. I think Jesus kicked ass (in His own, very holy and spiritual and glorious way). God, in His infinite wisdom and very poignant timing, has kicked my ass quite often in life.

How to learn to do this “ass kicking” of which I speak?

Learn. Do. Teach.

Learn, better yourself, equip yourself, arm yourself with knowledge.

Do, act, practice, try, fail, get back up, rub some dirt on it, fix the failures, try again.

Teach, help, assist, show, instruct, encourage others who are in the midst of their own trying, prepare for those who are just now starting to learn.

I’m sold out on the idea that we’re all teachers. I suck at some stuff. You rule at some stuff. It’d be great to get together so you can show me and guide me and encourage me in an area I don’t kick ass in. I’d love to do the same for you.

…rather than pulling each other down because your/my pastor has tattoos, we/you wear jeans and listen to rock music at your/my church, and you/I swear or say “sucks” or watch/read secular television/movies/books.

We all have something to learn…
…so that we can kick ass.

1 comments

jordan   says May 27, 2008 at 11:25 AM

I've always loved the idea of a world where Christians are better at their jobs than the average non-Christian...

The best:
writers, singers, artists, dancers, athletes, movie producers, teachers, doctors, scientists, soldiers, gamers (had to throw that in there)... you get the idea.

As Christians we don't all have to grow up to be Pastors, Missionaries, Evangelists, etc. As Christians we're supposed to have the power of God within us. Because of that we really should be showing the rest of the world how awesome our God is by kicking some "ass" in the areas he has gifted us in.

I agree with you. Well said.

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I'm just a suburban guy. I wish I were hardcore, I wish I were tougher, I wish I listened to cooler music, I wish I weren't a lush, I wish I had big muscles, cooler hair, and some rad tattoos, I wish I were smarter, cooler, and sexier, I wish I knew how to play guitar. Instead, I'm just a band geek, power-nerd wannabe, WoW gamer, 30 year-old dad and husband. I play french horn, I read the Vampire Chronicles as well as the Chronic-WHAT?!-les of Narnia, I like movies, but not all the snobby-artsy ones I'm "supposed" to see, and a good meal to me is Miller Lite with chicken patties topped in barbecue sauce. ...oh...and I have a big mouth.

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