I was listening to the local Christian radio station the other day, and that was the tag line used to describe the host of one of their shows: “The poster child for God’s unconditional love.”

To be honest, I don’t actually listen to Christian radio all that much–I’m more of a Classical music guy, which contributes significantly to my nerd factor among my family members and friends. But this struck my attention: first, because I thought was kind of funny; second, because I considered appropriating it (stealing it) to use as one of those off-hand remarks I might make about myself when I’m speaking somewhere; and third, because I then began to wonder if that’s really the image we want to project.

I’m probably reading too much into it (my family members accuse me of that all the time), but I’m not sure we want to elevate our own depravity. I certainly am drawn more to someone with a humble stance (I’m a screw-up who needs God’s grace) than to an expert (God has made me perfect), especially a self-proclaimed one; so I appreciate that sentiment.

On the other hand, I wonder if this goes beyond just humility to an actual celebration of the brokenness. I mean, it’s one thing to acknowledge our sinfulness; it’s another to revel in it, right?
On the other hand, my friend and mentor Mike Yaconelli used to write and talk with this kind of posture all the time. He frequently referred to getting kicked out of Bible college, of being “just a K-mart pastor,” or of pastoring the “slowest growing church in America.” Maybe it’s because I knew him and so I realized it wasn’t just his schtick but his truly humble way of acknowledging his true need for God–or maybe I was just content with his (and my) type of “Messy Spirituality.” And maybe I need to look at that again with fresh perspective.

Or maybe I’m spinning my intellectual wheels unnecessarily and I need to find something else worthwhile to focus on.