have you pondered

that in the prodigal son story the father is displeased with the son who lives by the book, does everything allegedly "right", goes to church every time the doors are open, votes for justifiably-endorsed candidates, drinks only certain beverages, wears allegedly acceptable clothing, embraces (and scorns) everything a decent person "should", surmises he is aligned with his father's view toward things?

And so I wonder why there is such a glut of churches who teach, herald and embrace "right" living. Why so many say that living by the book and staying between the lines equates to favor in Father's eyes...and "righteousness".

This helps me digest why I find myself shunning that type of life, and why I am more and more embracing and savoring the unrefined, unpolished, unprofessional, unbecoming, raw, dirty, suspicious, scorned and scandalous people and things around me.

They are beautiful.

And no wonder when people scorn the unrefined, unbecoming, raw, dirty, suspicious, scandalous things about me.

Pharisees are a dime a dozen.

I don't need any dimes.


"If then you have died in Jesus to material ways of looking at things and have escaped from the world's crude and elemental notions and teachings of externalism, why do you live as if you still belong to the world? [Why do you submit to rules and regulations?--such as] do not handle [this], do not taste [that], do not even touch [them], referring to things all of which perish with being used.

To do this is to follow human precepts and doctrines. Such [practices] have indeed the outward appearance [that popularly passes] for wisdom, in promoting self-imposed rigor of devotion and delight in self-humiliation and severity of discipline of the body, but they are of no value in checking the indulgence of the flesh (the lower nature). [Instead, they do not honor God but serve only to indulge the flesh.]" (Colossians excerpt)

Let the dogs bark...the caravan is moving on.