Brian Dolleman's Blog

I read something the other day from graphic designer Jonathan Lawrence…

He said, “Remember, you’re not here because you’re like everyone else. You’re here because you’re you.”

I love it. Uniqueness and Unity are not opposite qualities.

It’s not one at the expense of the other.

It’s not one or the other.

Quoting Jonathan Lawrence again, “When you’re part of a team, you can’t worry about what part you play. Just play. The best idea wins, no matter where it comes from. And it’s your job, as a member of that team, to help execute that idea to THE BEST OF YOUR ABILITIES.”

This reminds me of some phrases out of Ephesians chapter 4 in the Message Bible…

“You were all called to travel on the same road and in the same direction.”

“Stay together—both outwardly and inwardly.”

“But that doesn’t mean you should all look and speak and act the same.”

“Each of us is given his own gift.”

You are here because you’re you.

And we need YOU…

The real you—the you who is uniquely graced and gifted by God.

(picture below is a print by Jonathan Lawrence)

When I was in elementary school, I noticed how some of the middle school kids were getting braces.

For whatever reason, the ones I noticed all seemed to be cool, popular kids.

I wanted to be like them…

So I wanted braces too.

I bent a paperclip and fashioned it into a homemade retainer.

Funny, huh?

Sometimes we try so hard to fit in, be popular, and look like a cool kid.

We copy and emulate. We want to blend in and we do our best to not stand out.

Ephesians chapter 4 has this big section of verses about unity. It says things like…

“You were all called to travel on the same road and in the same direction.”

“Stay together—both outwardly and inwardly.”

“You have one faith, one God.”

Then it says something fascinating…

“But that doesn’t mean you should all look and speak and act the same.”

“Each of us is given his own gift.”

This is big. And I don’t think people understand it.

Being unified and being unique are not opposites.

It’s not one or the other… unique OR unified.

It’s not one at the expense of the other…

Not unity AT THE EXPENSE OF uniqueness, or uniqueness AT THE EXPENSE OF unity.

It’s unique AND unified. That’s what God has for us.

We’re working together—serving the same God, on the same mission.

We’re on the same page.

We’re one.

AND we’re uniquely gifted, graced, and empowered by God.

We’re not copying and emulating.

We aren’t afraid to stand out.

We are unified and unique.

I just got back from a vacation in Iceland.

Sound weird? I think it probably does… but we loved it.

One of my favorite pictures from our trip is of the Hallgrímskirkja.

Huh? The what?

Yeah, Icelandic words are difficult (and that one is actually pretty small and easy compared to others).

Anyway, the Hallgrímskirkja is a church.

It’s the most iconic, recognizable building in Reykjavík—the capital city of Iceland.

And it’s one of those places “you just have to visit” when you’re there.

The architecture is unique. The building definitely stands out in the city—it captures your attention.

For about $4.00 you can take the elevator up to the 20th floor of its tower and enjoy the incredible views of downtown Reykjavík.

What I’ve just described to you… that’s what this church, the Hallgrímskirkja, is known for.

Look it up on Wikipedia. There’s no discussion about ministry or outreach or children or young people.

When you’re in Iceland and you hear people describe the Hallgrímskirkja, you get the sense that its $4.00 elevator to a scenic view is what it’s all about.

Paul the Apostle, writing to the Ephesians, said, “I beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God.” (Ephesians 4.1 NLT)

Somehow, I doubt the Hallgrímskirkja’s calling or purpose was really to provide an elevator service for scenic views.

But the church is still there. It exists. It’s open for business. And money comes in every day.

People know about it—not for its calling or purpose—but for something else.

This can happen in our lives too.

We can be present. Existing. Functioning. Taking in money.

People might even know about us—not for our calling or purpose—but for something else.

This is why Paul begged…

“Lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God.”

It’s about more than being present, existing, functioning, and taking in money.

It’s about purpose and calling—God’s design and plan for our lives.

Don’t be like the Hallgrímskirkja and its elevator.

Live for something more.

You are blessed with purpose!

Lead a life worthy of your calling—for you have been called by God.

When I was 16, I was the proud owner of a 1980 Mustang.

I should clarify—that’s the really ugly Mustang, not a cool one. It was a faded yellow color, with plenty of scrapes, dents, and marks. Basically, it looked like a bruised banana…

But it was my first car and I was happy to have wheels.

I took my girlfriend (Shari Overby) on a date to Armando’s Pizza in Renton.

On the way back to her house, the Mustang’s stick shift froze between second and third gear—right in the middle of an intersection. The car was stuck in neutral and I couldn’t do anything about it.

Other cars started honking at me. I was stressed and embarrassed.

I didn’t know what to do, but I had to do something…

So I got out of the car, asked Shari to sit in the driver’s seat and steer—while I pushed the car.

There was another problem—we could only go uphill and there was no place to pull off the road. On one side, there was a big curb and a sidewalk, and the other side had a rounded curb with an island or a median.

Shari asked where I wanted her to steer car.

I didn’t have time to think. I just answered, “Up on the median.”

Then I pushed.

I pushed the car uphill, trying to get as much speed as possible so the momentum would keep the car going when it hit the rounded curb.

To my surprise, the front tires made it onto the median!

I kept pushing. Soon, the whole car was off the road and sitting on that island.

Shari was impressed. I was impressed.

Honestly, I didn’t think I was strong enough to do it.

Back then, I weighed 132lbs and was as tall as I am now (I was skinny).

So, I discovered something that day: I’m stronger than I thought.

The Apostle Paul prayed for us (the church) saying,
“I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his spirit.” (Ephesians 3.16 NLT)

He concluded this prayer with,
“All glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” (Ephesians 3.20 NLT)

I think we tend to underestimate our strength and capacity to handle the challenges in front of us.

We often feel as if we’re not strong enough.

I want you to know something today…

YOU’RE STRONGER THAN YOU THINK.

You can handle the challenge.

You’ll make it through.

God is giving you strength on the inside.

He can do more than we could ever imagine—and He’s working in us and through us.

Because of Him, you’re stronger than you think.

If you’re on a sports team, it matters…

Your teammates either count it against you or to your credit.

They feel like you either deserve to be on the team, or you deserve to go.

Concerning themselves, they believe they worked hard to get there and earned their place on the team.

They tell stories about you—like, “He’s only on the team because his dad is friends with the coach.”

They constantly compare. They keep score. They tally the stats. They keep track.

If you’re on a sports team, it matters how you got there…

And it matters how you perform if you’re gonna stay there.

In God’s Kingdom and God’s House it’s different.

“This kingdom of faith is now your home country. You’re no longer strangers or outsiders. You belong here, with as much right to the name Christian as anyone. God is building a home. He’s using us all—irrespective of how we got here—in what he is building.” (Ephesians 2.19 MSG)

Did you catch that?

YOU BELONG HERE.

You belong in God’s family, in God’s house.

You are part of what He is building and doing, regardless of your past.

He’s using us all—IRRESPECTIVE OF HOW WE GOT HERE.

I love that.

Your past isn’t the defining issue…

And quite frankly, your performance isn’t the defining issue.

It doesn’t matter how you got here.

You’re here now.

And you belong.

I grew up watching Sesame Street.

One of the reoccurring learning segments on the show was “One Of These Things Is Not Like The Others.”

Remember it? The song went…

One of these things is not like the others,
One of these things just doesn’t belong,
Can you tell which thing is not like the others
By the time I finish my song?

Three of these things belong together
Three of these things are kind of the same
Can you guess which one of these doesn’t belong here?
Now it’s time to play our game.

The point of the lesson was to help kids identify the differences between shapes.

Unfortunately, many of us go through life singing that song about ourselves—feeling like we are the one not like the others…

The one that doesn’t belong.

In God’s Kingdom—in the church, we need to unlearn this Sesame Street lesson.

In God’s Kingdom—in the church, the lesson is: YOU BELONG.

You belong. You fit. You’re wanted and needed.

You have a place, by design, in God’s house.

In Ephesians chapter 2, Paul describes how Jesus tore down the wall separating the insiders from the outsiders.

“Instead of continuing with two groups of people separated by centuries of animosity and suspicion, he created a new kind of human being, a fresh start for everybody.” (Ephesians 2.15 MSG)

It’s no longer “one thing is not like the other.”

It’s now “YOU BELONG.”

“This kingdom of faith is now your home country. You’re no longer strangers or outsiders. You belong here, with as much right to the name Christian as anyone. God is building a home. He’s using us all—irrespective of how we got here—in what he is building.” (Ephesians 2.19 MSG)

Did you catch that?

YOU BELONG HERE.

You belong in God’s family, in God’s house.

You are part of what He is building and doing, regardless of your past.

One of these things is not like the others?

Not in God’s house…

You belong, we belong.

Who would you give a second chance?

How about Chris Brown? Mel Gibson? Casey Anthony? Mike Tyson? Monica Lewinsky?

There is an organization called POTSC (People of the Second Chance)…

They are a community of second chancers committed to unleashing radical grace everyday—in every moment, for everyone. POTSC are advocates for mercy over judgment.

In 2011, they ran a campaign called “Never Beyond.” They made limited edition prints (posters) representing well-known historical, current, and fictional characters who have harmed society. The campaign engaged people with the question, “Who Would You Give A Second Chance?”

These posters draw on themes of forgiveness, grace, and what a pathway to a second chance looks like. Their point: we’re never beyond a second chance.

Do you remember the Monica Lewinsky scandal?

Of course you do. It’s what you think of when you hear her name.

Did you know she recently got a master’s degree in social psychology?

Did you know that she has also been a fashion designer—owning and operating a handbag company?

At the start of 2000, Monica began appearing in commercials for Jenny Craig. It was a $1 million endorsement deal. Despite her desire to return to a more private life, she took the deal—needing the money to pay off legal fees. The choice of Lewinsky as a role model ended up being controversial for Jenny Craig, and a number of its franchises switched to an older advertising campaign. The company stopped running the Lewinsky ads by February and paid her only $300,000 for her involvement.

I read that in 2005, she sold her handbag company and moved to London because “she could not escape the spotlight in the U.S., making both her professional and personal life difficult.”

Even though the scandal happened 15 years ago, it was impossible for Monica to get a second chance or a fresh start—not in this country anyway…

But that’s not how God’s Kingdom works.

With God, it’s A FRESH START FOR EVERYBODY (Ephesians 2.15 MSG).

What a blessing! We get a second chance, a fresh start, a new beginning.

This is Good News.

It’s Good News we receive—gladly.

It’s also Good News we must give—generously.

What am I saying?

I’m saying we need to give others (famous, infamous, and unknown) a second chance.

“No longer, then, do we judge anyone by human standards.” (2 Corinthians 5.16 GNT)

With God, it’s a fresh start for everybody—even Monica Lewinsky.

That’s how He rolls—and now that’s how we roll too.