November 20

Day 251: Marasmus

I went to Fairbanks this week, to spend quality time with fellow Radiant pastors there. I realized it was successful, as on Tuesday we went caribou hunting, at one point realized bullets were flying over my head from other hunters who could not see me, and I'm still alive.

It was also successful, because the guys I met with were open, vulnerable, authentic in their respective realities. They were asking for insight, because they want to grow.

"Marasmus" is a term used to describe a failure to thrive. The process of maturity and advancement requires understanding that what gets put to use grows. People do not get put to use by others; they have to invest themselves in themselves.

The Second Law of Thermodynamics says that entropy increases over time. If it is a closed system. You see this in people who are not mentorable, want to be in control, and do not take the risk to learn or try new things. The desire to feel good about one's self overshadows the drive to grow. They are a closed system.

But a truism is this: there is no growth without change, and without risk - no growth without trying things you are unable at present to know or do.

But, the Second Law of Thermodynamics is not inevitable. If a system is "open," it can and will grow, if...two essential elements are introduced; constantly introduced: energy (from the outside, call it learning or doing something new) and a template (a direction, a desired outcome.)

The apostle John, late in life, wrote a letter we know as 1 John. He takes gospel life and boils it down to what seems so simple. And yet, so difficult. So risky. But comes with a desired outcome.

"And this is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as He has commanded us." (1 John 3:23)

John has just told us, to take the risk of growth requires we move beyond knowing about Jesus to knowing Jesus. That we not just believe what Jesus has said and done, and move to basing the outcome of our own lives on what He has said and done.

And...that we love each other. Not so we can get affirmation from someone else, but so we can express the character of Jesus; He who laid down His life so we could live to Him. No real love of God without real love for others.

Truly loving another person requires risk. We risk getting disappointed, hurt, even abandoned. To love someone with gospel love means we have to continually grow in our capacity and experience to love.

We have to be willing to try something we are not presently able to do. We cannot successfully attempt to love someone else unless the Spirit of Christ in us makes it happen.

Love of God; love for others requires we continue to grow in our capacities to do so. We have to grow. We are not given the option of staying pat. We either grow, or fail to thrive.

We evidence our transformed-by-the-gospel lives by love. Sacrificial, risk-taking lives. Growing in our love for Jesus and His people is essential, life giving.

He did not live a sinless life, die the death we deserved, and then conquered the grave to live forever just so we could be content with marasmus. He wants more for His children. And so must we.

-Mike Rydman, Lead Pastor, Radiant Church Juneau