I can’t believe it!  Don’t tell me that God can’t use and redeem coffee, rocks, and Pinky and the Brain!  I had another amazing coffee connection this morning with a guy, who not only enjoys coffee like I do, but knew a lot, I emphasize A LOT about rocks- real rocks (remember two blogs back??), and also shares my admiration and appreciation for the Freudian cynicism of those classic cartoon mice, Pinky and the Brain!  Talk about an hour of  exhilarating conversation and connectivity.  Crazy good stuff!

For me at least, these increasingly, no doubt about it, God-orchestrated, moments are bringing ongoing clarification and confirmation regarding my new Colorado life!  First of all, whether it’s over coffee or not, prioritizing time to connect with people in the marketplace is simply the stuff of Jesus, Paul, and the rest of those NT types- its relational, its educational, and it’s missional.  Secondly, having a conversation with anyone who has a PhD in “rocks” , or any other field, is worthwhile time- you can learn a lot about life, about making highly calculated risks, and why having some “smarts” is just, well, smart.  And finally, a little dose of cynicism (often the underlying dynamic of the “Pinky and the Brain” episodes) is not necessarily a bad thing; since it can translate into making all of us more aware of our true motives.

On that last note, cynicism has its roots in the Greek philosophy of the 4th Century B.C. that advocated the doctrines that virtue is the only good, that the essence of virtue is self-control and individual freedom, and that surrender to any external influence is beneath the dignity of man.  I think this is perhaps why God made us with a “will”, with the ability to freely make choices, to question and pursue a journey of discovering and living “the Truth.”  Too many supposed “Christians” and churches disallow, and even rebuke people for questioning “truth” and having a less-than-convinced attitude that christians and churches all have pure and right motivations!  But isn’t the ability, the freedom, to keep on asking, keep on seeking, keep on knocking (see Mt. 7:7) encouraged by Jesus??  Isn’t this the absolute most effective and productive way for people to find Truth, to encounter Jesus, to experience life at it’s fullest??  Does it negate faith?  Absolutely not!  In fact, it only strengthens it, because the more you ask, seek, and knock, in regards to Truth and Jesus, the more you get answered, find, and have opened to you about everything Jesus, the Good News, and life eternal, is really, truly, all about!

Perhaps this is why Pinky always has to ask Brain, “What are we going to do today…?”