Backerds

"Every decision I've ever made in my entire life has been wrong. My life is the complete opposite of everything I want it to be. Every instinct I have in every aspect of life, be it something to wear, something to eat... It's often wrong. So, from now on, I'm going to do the opposite." - George Costanza, Seinfeld.

"Whenever I’m about to do something, I think, 'Would an idiot do that?' and if they would, I do not do that thing." - Dwight Schrute, The Office.

These two characters from television get extremely close to a Christian principle without realizing it. There is an "Opposite Mentality" to the kingdom of God. Christianity flourishes when it swims upstream. Successful believers live in contradiction to conventional wisdom.

The world's way is not God's way. The world tosses failures (people who fail) onto the garbage heap of oblivion. God often brings success to someone's life right after failure. God looks for the person who is empty of himself. The world admires those who are full of themselves.

In God's kingdom, the way up is down. Jesus said, "Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted" (Luke 14:11). The world exalts the self-exalted.

The world throws a party and invites the favored among us, then waits for an invitation to a "return the favor" party. Jesus told us to invite the poor and the disabled to our shindigs (Luke 14:13-14). Those who can't pay us back. If we minister down, God will reward us up.

Think about this principle: The way up is down.

Conventional wisdom, logic, and basic human emotion says, "Hate your enemies." What does Jesus say? (Matthew 5:44)

The world tries to find the smartest, brightest, deepest thinking, and most qualified to run things. God calls preachers. Enough said.

When Jesus was asked about greatness in the kingdom of heaven, He didn't point toward the temple or the palace. He pointed toward the playground.

It's everywhere in Scripture! Take some time to see it for yourself: Proverbs 16:19, 22:4; Psalm 145:14, 146:8-9; Isaiah 57:15, 66:1-2; Luke 14:10; Romans 12:3; James 4:10; 1st Peter 5:5.

Since I started by quoting George and Dwight, let's finish with a quote from Martin: "God creates out of nothing. Therefore until a man is nothing, God can make nothing out of him." - Martin Luther.

Comfortable with doing things backwards,
Perry Crisp