The "Kung Fu Hustle" God

When Paul Zahl was invested as the new president of Trinity Episcopal seminary, there was a cocktail party the night before.  The party napkins were imprinted:

Law v. Grace

Strength in Weakness

Free Will? Not

The author of the napkins encapsulated PZ's teaching of the Gospel in three short phrases that I use to analyze everything in life--my life, my family, my job, my relationships, books, movies, everything!

"Kung Fu Hustle" is one of my favorite films, because all three strands of Christian truth are woven throughout the movie.  The heroes that take on the murderous, glamorous gang come from Pig Sty Alley.  There's even a resurrection scene.  I love the movie for its amazing humor, but I love it even more because it reflects the truth of these three Christian doctrines.

The writer and producer is not a Christian--his heritage is Chinese which is even older than Christianity.  This movie, to me, is further proof of these three Christian truths, because those same truths have apparently been part of the Chinese culture for thousands of years. "Truth is truth."

As I said, I examine life through these three truths.  This morning, Debbie and I were discussing God being at work in our weakness.

Some weeks ago, I was asked to read at a church service.  No big deal, except that that sort of thing--recognition from a church body--used to fill me with pride--not a good thing for me.  So, I told them I would do it, but only if Debbie could join me.  At this point in my life, if I have anything to take pride in, it's not me, it's my wife and marriage.  But for her, we would long be divorced.  I suggested that we do it on a Sunday when there were back-to-back readings.  Such a service came up, but Debbie couldn't be present, so I went ahead and did it.

But you need to know that Debbie didn't want to do it.  She perceives public speaking to be a real weakness.  She was going to do it for me.  So, when she couldn't be present for the reading, she thanked God for getting her out of that jam!

Fast forward, a couple of months.  We're having a campaign to raise money, largely to pay off the Children's building.  I had already expressed to the Church elders that I wasn't going to give to this particular campaign.  By and large, I'm against specific fundraising campaigns.  I give money to the church towards the general fund, and they can do with it what they deem best.

Well, when Debbie realized that the money was going towards the Children's building, she decided that we needed to give.  But for the Children's building, our kids would not have been at Covenant Day School.  But for our kids being at Covenant Day School, Debbie would not have gotten into Kathy G's Bible Study (where Kathy told them on the front end: "we're going to talk about your relationship with God, not your bad marriages").  But for Kathy G's Bible Study, Debbie and I could well be divorced.  When Debbie pointed all of this out, of course we should give to this campaign.

I told one of the leaders of the campaign about Debbie's testimony, and he wanted to videotape Debbie to share with the church.  As Debbie said this morning: "I thanked God that He got me out of reading the Bible verse.  Now, He's got me giving a testimony.  God loves working in our weakness.  Thank goodness I can see the humor in it."

So, all praise to the "Kung Fu Hustle" God who uses our weakness to reveal His strength--indeed, His strength at work in us.