There's a dangerous spirituality out there.

I see it on both the right and the left.

I see it in myself.

It is a spirituality that serves as a mask for anger.

That's right. Some people use their spirituality as a thin veneer that barely hides their bubbling anger.

It's why some people cloak anti-homosexual feelings in religious language.

It's why others lash out against friends or family who won't get saved.

It's why we label claim politicians we don't like must not share our religious values. (You'd be shocked at the one who is the object of my anger in this regard.)

It's why preachers question the motives of other preachers who lead ministries of greater size and impact than they.

It's why we fall out with other people in our same church, usually with loud complaints about their hypocrisy.

No complaints of our own, of course.

Spirituality as a veneer for anger.

It's prevalent and it's dangerous.

Is it in you?

On a day I was supposed to read Psalm 76 for the Bible study I am teaching, I inadvertently read Psalm 73 instead.

Now I know why.

Psalm 73:25b stopped me: And earth has nothing I desire besides You.

Man. Earth has nothing.

That'll probably be a sermon series one day.

In the meantime, it helps me realize . . .

• Earth has nothing compared to God's promises.
• Earth has nothing compared to what awaits me in life after life.
• Earth has nothing that will keep me content over the long haul.
• Earth has nothing that can satisfy my deepest longings.
• Earth has nothing that will ultimately make me feel at home.
• Earth has nothing because heaven has everything.

Many years ago, Jack Hayford said this to a group of pastors in a conference I attended: "Don't worry so much about growing a big church. Grow big people, and the church will take care of itself."

Obviously, Dr. Hayford was not referring to body mass index.

He was speaking of people who are so caught by the Holy Spirit that they are able to live for something bigger than themselves.

So what does a "big person" look like? What kind of people do we want to "grow" at Good Shepherd?

A "big person" is someone who . . .

• Worships with enthusiasm
• Serves with eagerness
• Grows in their knowledge of Scripture and Christian teaching
• Consciously crosses boundaries of race and class in developing relationships
• Tithes
• Seeks the power of the Holy Spirit . . . even when that power comes in unexpected ways
• Tips well
• Treats people in the home with the same kindness as those in the church.

Have I left anything out?

Have you noticed how everyone is sorry for their sin . . . after they get caught? The repentance gear seems to kick in once the light exposes the dark places of people's lives.

Jimmy Swaggart's tears, Mark Sanford's press conference, and Ted Haggard's apology all come to mind.

But it's not only true of those who are high profile. It's true of people like me and you. We are much more likely to move away from sin only after it goes public that we are ensnared in sin.

So here's a vote for pre-emptive confession.

Tell your spouse about your addictive tendencies before they get revealed, not after.

Speak to your therapist about your issues with alcohol before you spend a night in lockup, not after.

See your pastor about your volatile temper before you lose your job, not after.

Share with your small group about your reluctance to tithe before the financial storm, not after.

Talk to your recovery group about your fears of relapse before the slip, not after.

Pre-emptive confession is honest, courageous, and liberating. After all, I John 1:9 puts it this way: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."

Psalm 63:1 begins with some familiar words: