Comments on: The Blind Side http://preachermike.com/2007/01/17/the-blind-side Sniffing out the work of God in the world... Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:00:54 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Cindy http://preachermike.com/2007/01/17/the-blind-side#comment-42716 Cindy Sun, 21 Jan 2007 03:08:51 +0000 http://www.preachermike.com/2007/01/17/the-blind-side#comment-42716 I wish you guys would stop fighting! As a famous American once said "Can't we all just get along?" LOL! Julie - I read and loved THE GLASS CASTLE too! Can you believe that Jeannette Walls is normal after that upbringing? I wish you guys would stop fighting! As a famous American once said “Can’t we all just get along?” LOL!

Julie - I read and loved THE GLASS CASTLE too! Can you believe that Jeannette Walls is normal after that upbringing?

]]> By: Cole http://preachermike.com/2007/01/17/the-blind-side#comment-42554 Cole Sat, 20 Jan 2007 03:12:19 +0000 http://www.preachermike.com/2007/01/17/the-blind-side#comment-42554 Of course, concerning teams with left-handed quarterbacks, it's a very different story. Ahem. Of course, concerning teams with left-handed quarterbacks, it’s a very different story. Ahem.

]]> By: Jim http://preachermike.com/2007/01/17/the-blind-side#comment-42276 Jim Fri, 19 Jan 2007 05:36:29 +0000 http://www.preachermike.com/2007/01/17/the-blind-side#comment-42276 Can't get the finger out of my own face, brother! I keep finding the less of me, the more of Jesus -- and I want it all! You are welcome in my home anytime. Can’t get the finger out of my own face, brother!
I keep finding the less of me, the more of Jesus — and I want it all!
You are welcome in my home anytime.

]]> By: justin http://preachermike.com/2007/01/17/the-blind-side#comment-42273 justin Fri, 19 Jan 2007 05:19:13 +0000 http://www.preachermike.com/2007/01/17/the-blind-side#comment-42273 i'm just asking cause its really easy (and common) for people to determine that what they do (or how much they sacrifice) is enough, and anyone with more isn't in the right. I've been on the receiving side of that before. Friends who talked behind your back because your house is bigger than his, but who doesn't know your family situation. I believe that some are called to be prophets, but being a prophet means living in a radical way (shane claiborne comes to mind). I say we do as much as we can and as often as we can and be an example, but not spend time pointing fingers at people who may or may not have a weaker faith. i’m just asking cause its really easy (and common) for people to determine that what they do (or how much they sacrifice) is enough, and anyone with more isn’t in the right. I’ve been on the receiving side of that before. Friends who talked behind your back because your house is bigger than his, but who doesn’t know your family situation. I believe that some are called to be prophets, but being a prophet means living in a radical way (shane claiborne comes to mind). I say we do as much as we can and as often as we can and be an example, but not spend time pointing fingers at people who may or may not have a weaker faith.

]]> By: Jim http://preachermike.com/2007/01/17/the-blind-side#comment-42247 Jim Fri, 19 Jan 2007 02:14:29 +0000 http://www.preachermike.com/2007/01/17/the-blind-side#comment-42247 Justin -- What would you say if I told you I lived in the chaos of Haiti and listened to gunfire in the road in front of my house most nights? What would you say if I told you I lived in Abilene, Texas in a home well below my means but I still struggle with how far separated I am from much of the suffering in my community? What if I told you I lived in Southern Africa and once payed a terrible price for my foolish risk in thinking it important that I try to more fully enter into the suffering of those who have no choice in where to live? What if all these things are true? Do I need to earn a right to speak? Like I said -- no accusations here. Just some things to think about -- mostly for me. Any sacrifices I make pale in comparison to the sacrifice made by the Christ I claim to follow. Justin –

What would you say if I told you I lived in the chaos of Haiti and listened to gunfire in the road in front of my house most nights?

What would you say if I told you I lived in Abilene, Texas in a home well below my means but I still struggle with how far separated I am from much of the suffering in my community?

What if I told you I lived in Southern Africa and once payed a terrible price for my foolish risk in thinking it important that I try to more fully enter into the suffering of those who have no choice in where to live?

What if all these things are true? Do I need to earn a right to speak?

Like I said — no accusations here. Just some things to think about — mostly for me. Any sacrifices I make pale in comparison to the sacrifice made by the Christ I claim to follow.

]]> By: justin http://preachermike.com/2007/01/17/the-blind-side#comment-42192 justin Thu, 18 Jan 2007 20:22:39 +0000 http://www.preachermike.com/2007/01/17/the-blind-side#comment-42192 jim... where do you live, just for clarification purposes. jim… where do you live, just for clarification purposes.

]]> By: Amy http://preachermike.com/2007/01/17/the-blind-side#comment-42187 Amy Thu, 18 Jan 2007 20:07:03 +0000 http://www.preachermike.com/2007/01/17/the-blind-side#comment-42187 Oh.my.goodness. Did I miss something? Oh.my.goodness. Did I miss something?

]]> By: Jim http://preachermike.com/2007/01/17/the-blind-side#comment-42178 Jim Thu, 18 Jan 2007 19:32:38 +0000 http://www.preachermike.com/2007/01/17/the-blind-side#comment-42178 No accusations here. Just something to think about. What is it that we fear? No accusations here. Just something to think about.
What is it that we fear?

]]> By: adude http://preachermike.com/2007/01/17/the-blind-side#comment-42143 adude Thu, 18 Jan 2007 15:39:22 +0000 http://www.preachermike.com/2007/01/17/the-blind-side#comment-42143 Jim, So, just to clarify, do you think it is possible for people to be salt and light in the Memphis area while living in Germantown, Collierville, or Olive Branch? And you beleive that in order for me to fulfill God's calling on my life, my daughter and wife need to live in fear? Jim,

So, just to clarify, do you think it is possible for people to be salt and light in the Memphis area while living in Germantown, Collierville, or Olive Branch?

And you beleive that in order for me to fulfill God’s calling on my life, my daughter and wife need to live in fear?

]]> By: clint http://preachermike.com/2007/01/17/the-blind-side#comment-42139 clint Thu, 18 Jan 2007 15:23:23 +0000 http://www.preachermike.com/2007/01/17/the-blind-side#comment-42139 I believe God can use us no matter where we live if we are willing. It is interesting though that Jesus left a wealthy effluent heaven and moved to a poor denigrated earth in order to bring us home. Which it seams to me Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy accomplished. Circle complete. I believe God can use us no matter where we live if we are willing. It is interesting though that Jesus left a wealthy effluent heaven and moved to a poor denigrated earth in order to bring us home. Which it seams to me Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy accomplished.

Circle complete.

]]> By: Mike http://preachermike.com/2007/01/17/the-blind-side#comment-42060 Mike Thu, 18 Jan 2007 09:32:32 +0000 http://www.preachermike.com/2007/01/17/the-blind-side#comment-42060 Josh - No. Had no idea. Thought it would be a discussion about (1) football, and (2) the larger issues of missional living amid such great disparity (using the Tuohys model as a hopeful spark). Josh - No. Had no idea. Thought it would be a discussion about (1) football, and (2) the larger issues of missional living amid such great disparity (using the Tuohys model as a hopeful spark).

]]> By: Jim http://preachermike.com/2007/01/17/the-blind-side#comment-42058 Jim Thu, 18 Jan 2007 07:32:50 +0000 http://www.preachermike.com/2007/01/17/the-blind-side#comment-42058 Grew up in Memphis. Harding Academy graduate. Racism is rampant in Memphis -- it is dishonest to describe it any other way. I still struggle to overcome all the way subtle ways that a legacy of racism influences my life. Confession is a good start. Perhaps God does call me to put my family's safey on the line in order to follow Him (at least by our usual standards of safety). Maybe God wonders why my children are entitled to a first rate education while their brothers and sisters have to be satisfied with dangerous substandard schools. We satisfy ourselves with the hope that we can be rescuers of these communities without the commitment and risk of being fully invested members of these communities. I believe that we are deceived. Jesus moved in to our neighborhood. By a lot of standards that didn't work out too well for him. Grew up in Memphis. Harding Academy graduate. Racism is rampant in Memphis — it is dishonest to describe it any other way. I still struggle to overcome all the way subtle ways that a legacy of racism influences my life. Confession is a good start.

Perhaps God does call me to put my family’s safey on the line in order to follow Him (at least by our usual standards of safety).

Maybe God wonders why my children are entitled to a first rate education while their brothers and sisters have to be satisfied with dangerous substandard schools.

We satisfy ourselves with the hope that we can be rescuers of these communities without the commitment and risk of being fully invested members of these communities. I believe that we are deceived.

Jesus moved in to our neighborhood. By a lot of standards that didn’t work out too well for him.

]]> By: adude http://preachermike.com/2007/01/17/the-blind-side#comment-42053 adude Thu, 18 Jan 2007 05:51:12 +0000 http://www.preachermike.com/2007/01/17/the-blind-side#comment-42053 I just moved to Memphis. I will be purchasing a home in Olive Branch. I am seriously concerned about the racial and poverty issues of Memphis. I am not moving to Olive Branch because I am white or rich. I am moving so my daughter can go to a decent public school and I can not have to fear for my family's safety. Does this mean i am not being salt and light? Does God call me to put my family's safety on the line in order to follow him? Does God want my daughter to have a second rate education so that I can live near the problem? Or does God want me to find ways to impact that culture, regardless of where I live? Generalizing those who live in East Memphis, Collierville, Germantown, and Notheast Desoto County as simply "white flight" doesn't work. The church I attend is made up of majority caucasian, wealthy people. They are generally concerned with the state of the Memphis area. They are working/serving in some of the worst area's to be salt and light. They are not passive, self involved believers just because they live in these areas. I think the situation is far to complicated to generalize. I just moved to Memphis. I will be purchasing a home in Olive Branch. I am seriously concerned about the racial and poverty issues of Memphis. I am not moving to Olive Branch because I am white or rich. I am moving so my daughter can go to a decent public school and I can not have to fear for my family’s safety.

Does this mean i am not being salt and light?

Does God call me to put my family’s safety on the line in order to follow him?

Does God want my daughter to have a second rate education so that I can live near the problem?

Or does God want me to find ways to impact that culture, regardless of where I live?

Generalizing those who live in East Memphis, Collierville, Germantown, and Notheast Desoto County as simply “white flight” doesn’t work. The church I attend is made up of majority caucasian, wealthy people. They are generally concerned with the state of the Memphis area. They are working/serving in some of the worst area’s to be salt and light.

They are not passive, self involved believers just because they live in these areas.

I think the situation is far to complicated to generalize.

]]> By: justin http://preachermike.com/2007/01/17/the-blind-side#comment-42047 justin Thu, 18 Jan 2007 04:50:13 +0000 http://www.preachermike.com/2007/01/17/the-blind-side#comment-42047 well dang it... the elders are schmucks. chris is power hungry and wants to make highland the c of c bellevue. screw them. I guess I'm stupid for trusting that these men were trying to do what God wanted them to. well dang it… the elders are schmucks. chris is power hungry and wants to make highland the c of c bellevue. screw them. I guess I’m stupid for trusting that these men were trying to do what God wanted them to.

]]> By: Luke D http://preachermike.com/2007/01/17/the-blind-side#comment-42046 Luke D Thu, 18 Jan 2007 04:46:02 +0000 http://www.preachermike.com/2007/01/17/the-blind-side#comment-42046 Kerry, You are right; there are way more than 100,000 people in the metro area, but the different parts of the metro area are very distinct from each other. According to the 2000 (figures have changed, but you said "late 90s") census, Fayetteville had a population of 58,047, 5.11% of them being African-American. That's hardly a stunning percentage, but it is approximately 10 times more than the 300 you cited. If anything, Fayetteville has historically been considered a haven for African-Americans in NW Arkansas when they weren't welcomed elsewhere. Fayetteville has many problems, but being notably racist is not one of them. I realize that this is not the central issue being discussed here and apologize for going off topic; I just wanted to contest the misinformation that was being spread about my beloved hometown. Kerry,

You are right; there are way more than 100,000 people in the metro area, but the different parts of the metro area are very distinct from each other.

According to the 2000 (figures have changed, but you said “late 90s”) census, Fayetteville had a population of 58,047, 5.11% of them being African-American. That’s hardly a stunning percentage, but it is approximately 10 times more than the 300 you cited.

If anything, Fayetteville has historically been considered a haven for African-Americans in NW Arkansas when they weren’t welcomed elsewhere. Fayetteville has many problems, but being notably racist is not one of them.

I realize that this is not the central issue being discussed here and apologize for going off topic; I just wanted to contest the misinformation that was being spread about my beloved hometown.

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