"Jesus said whatever you do to the least of these my brothers you’ve done it to me. And this is what I’ve come to think. That if I want to identify fully with Jesus Christ, who I claim to be my Savior and Lord, the best way that I can do that is to identify with the poor. This I know will go against the teachings of all the popular evangelical preachers. But they’re just wrong. They’re not bad, they’re just wrong. Christianity is not about building an absolutely secure little niche in the world where you can live with your perfect little wife and your perfect little children in a beautiful little house where you have no gays or minority groups anywhere near you. Christianity is about learning to love like Jesus loved and Jesus loved the poor and Jesus loved the broken-hearted."  Rich Mullins

Struggles within our daily journey.  It's the real stuff.  Often the stuff we hide from our closest circle of friends... not that I think we should share all with all.  But when we pretend or righteously act above struggle, we separate our life's voice from the image of Christ.  We take on a different role that embraces isolation, clings to possessions in hope for peace yet feels trapped.   We in true honesty answer the question asked to Rich Mullins "are you free" the same way he does.  Silence.  

Therefore the answer his mentor replied was like to us..."then you aren't free."  The same question Jesus asks repeatedly with those he encountered, "want to be well?"  Clearly he knew even though we aren't confined by prison bars, we find ourselves Not Free.  He does want to cling to us- giving us peace midst enemies and fear.  He does want continual salvation as we die to self daily, facing the mundane experience.  Does it really make a difference?  Yes.  The answer is yes.  Love trumps all things, the law, self righteousness, piety, control-  in fact it's like Shane Claiborne quotes "we need to move all thing closer to Jesus, instead of building fences to protect and keep the in-out separate."

God is the gate keeper, holder of the keys to heaven and hell, sight giver, healer and redeemer. We need to rest in that promise- he is a keeper of his word.  He requires us to love beyond, show mercy where it's unfathomable, and walk justly for those who have no voice or legs to carry.  Be that and stop building fences to keep the 'bad' out-  we r missing the point of the Good News.