Lifesigns...

I've just finshed reading Lifesigns by Henri Nouwen. I'd blog the text of the entire book if I could. It's a beautiful book that calls us to move from the "house of fear" (where we run our lives) to the "house of love" (where we live in surrender to Jesus). Here's one excerpt:

"The way of God is the way of weakness. The great news of the Gospel is precisely that God has become small and vulnerable, and hence bore fruit among us. The most fruitful life ever lived is the life of Jesus, who did not cling to His divine power but became as we are.(see Philippians 2:6-7). Jesus brought us new life in ultimate vulnerability. He came to us as a small child, dependent on the care and protection of others. He lived for us as a poor preacher, without any political, economic, or military power. He died for us on a cross as a useless criminal. It is in this extreme vulnerability that our salvation was won. The fruit of this poor and failing existence is eternal life for all who believe in him. (p.53,54)

This rings with the echo of truth. Jesus, weakness, vulnerability. We are called to follow Jesus in the path that He walked. "As the Father sent me, I am sending you." Why is it then, that we seek to be the most successful? Aren't we missing the point?