Pre-Sunday Thoughts
Okay, I have several, but Mark is sleeping (go figure- sleeping at 1:37am!) so I'll have to type quietly and slowly. And bluntly.
While preparing the Sunday school lesson for tomorrow (it's my day to teach), I had several extraneous thoughts. While not related, they are typically of a spiritual nature, so I'll post them here.
1. The Law
Psalm 19:11 says that we are warned by His statutes, and in keeping them, there is great reward.
But you see what is DOESN'T say??? It doesn't say anything about us being reconciled, justified, sanctified, or... saved.
Being good didn't provide salvation back in the OT times, either, it would seem.
Interesting.
2. Garbage in, Garbage... already there?
The other night, I was watching something on my computer that led to a string of sinful thoughts. Well, maybe they weren't sinful, but they could have been... not sure. Anyhow, the thing is, whatever it was that I was watching was TOTALLY benign. Harmless. Not wrong to watch in any way, except that it was helping to distract me from homework!
Upon viewing the same thing tonight, I remembered my issue from earlier in the week. And I developed a thought:
So many Christians worry about what they put into their bodies and minds, yet pay no attention to what already lies within them.
My bad thoughts were related to a sinful thing within me. I can't blame it on anyone else.
So many lessons we've heard on not putting garbage into your head, be it movies, music, TV, Internet, whatever. Yet so rarely do we consider that sometimes we need to consider the thoughts we allow to exist in our head unopposed.
This kind of relates to a discussion I had with a friend last night. The stuff we put in our heads is one thing, but the stuff we allow to exist there without putting up a fight is a much bigger issue, I think.
3. No Algebra in Christianity
In spite of being relatively right brain oriented, I seem to be very susceptible to seeking out perfect mathematical formulas. See, in mathematics, we know that the equal sign is the ultimate universal harmonizer. What lies to the left of an equal sign must be exactly identical, in all five dimensions, to what lies to the right. 2 is not equal to 2.000000000000000001; therefore, we cannot write 2 = 2 + 1*10^-18.
Here's the application. I try to construct... in my head, you know... formulas for life. Moreover, I try to construct formulas for my faith. I try to say X + Y = Salvation. Or [Omega.dot]crossed[theta.dot] = spiritual gifts. [Incidentally, that's a formula I've been trying to figure out since forever... what variable have I left out of my Christian equation that will result in speaking in tongues? In prophecy? In the perfect sinless existence?]
But Christianity is not a formula-driven system. In Romans chapter 7, this week's study, Paul gives no formula for properly dealing with sin and Law. That's because there isn't one.
4. Love
This one is difficult to wade through- have patience.
There's a girl here on campus... she's... difficult for me to wrap my mind around. The guys on the floor (and in classes) make much fun of her. And she seems to cause some problems for certain other people sometimes. BUT- she loves people.
No, you don't understand what I mean.
I was reading last night in Blue Like Jazz that we, as churchgoers, don't actually love people. We say we do, and we think we do, but we don't.
And you know what? The author is right.
I don't. I say I do, I think I do, but I don't.
There are people that I am too cool to love.
I know I should love them, but... those nerds. Man, those stupid nerds. The ones that CHOOSE to be weird. "Hey, if you're weird without knowing it, that's one thing. But when you CHOOSE to be different to your own detriment, then it's not my problem any more and I don't have to like you." Is that the right attitude? No.
Then, there are the people I am too 'holy' to love.
Yeah... more like, too self-righteous. These people walk around, clothed with poor choice, the evidence of their weekend written in baggy, bloodshot eyes. Choosing to be ignorant, they are. Speaking without refinement. Characterized by crude, coarse language--even when they're not cussing. I'm better than them. They choose to stay small. They prefer the life they were born into, rather than rising above it and making something of themselves. So I don't have to love them. I can avert my gaze as they walk by. I can pretend not to notice them. Wrong.
Don, the author, says that we treat love as though it's a commodity. And he's on to something there. We treat love as though it's a commodity. As though it were traded on the NASDAQ. It has a value. It's value varies. And we have to make shareholder reports, too. We do! We have to tell the congregation exactly what we have done with the amount of love we were given to pass out in this latest ministry project. We make a video to show how much love we handed out in the upward basketball program.
It's as if we're afraid we'll run out of the stuff.
Folks, love comes from the Lord. And that's just it- He never runs out. Weird, I know, but He doesn't.
Okay, goodnight.
While preparing the Sunday school lesson for tomorrow (it's my day to teach), I had several extraneous thoughts. While not related, they are typically of a spiritual nature, so I'll post them here.
1. The Law
Psalm 19:11 says that we are warned by His statutes, and in keeping them, there is great reward.
But you see what is DOESN'T say??? It doesn't say anything about us being reconciled, justified, sanctified, or... saved.
Being good didn't provide salvation back in the OT times, either, it would seem.
Interesting.
2. Garbage in, Garbage... already there?
The other night, I was watching something on my computer that led to a string of sinful thoughts. Well, maybe they weren't sinful, but they could have been... not sure. Anyhow, the thing is, whatever it was that I was watching was TOTALLY benign. Harmless. Not wrong to watch in any way, except that it was helping to distract me from homework!
Upon viewing the same thing tonight, I remembered my issue from earlier in the week. And I developed a thought:
So many Christians worry about what they put into their bodies and minds, yet pay no attention to what already lies within them.
My bad thoughts were related to a sinful thing within me. I can't blame it on anyone else.
So many lessons we've heard on not putting garbage into your head, be it movies, music, TV, Internet, whatever. Yet so rarely do we consider that sometimes we need to consider the thoughts we allow to exist in our head unopposed.
This kind of relates to a discussion I had with a friend last night. The stuff we put in our heads is one thing, but the stuff we allow to exist there without putting up a fight is a much bigger issue, I think.
3. No Algebra in Christianity
In spite of being relatively right brain oriented, I seem to be very susceptible to seeking out perfect mathematical formulas. See, in mathematics, we know that the equal sign is the ultimate universal harmonizer. What lies to the left of an equal sign must be exactly identical, in all five dimensions, to what lies to the right. 2 is not equal to 2.000000000000000001; therefore, we cannot write 2 = 2 + 1*10^-18.
Here's the application. I try to construct... in my head, you know... formulas for life. Moreover, I try to construct formulas for my faith. I try to say X + Y = Salvation. Or [Omega.dot]crossed[theta.dot] = spiritual gifts. [Incidentally, that's a formula I've been trying to figure out since forever... what variable have I left out of my Christian equation that will result in speaking in tongues? In prophecy? In the perfect sinless existence?]
But Christianity is not a formula-driven system. In Romans chapter 7, this week's study, Paul gives no formula for properly dealing with sin and Law. That's because there isn't one.
4. Love
This one is difficult to wade through- have patience.
There's a girl here on campus... she's... difficult for me to wrap my mind around. The guys on the floor (and in classes) make much fun of her. And she seems to cause some problems for certain other people sometimes. BUT- she loves people.
No, you don't understand what I mean.
I was reading last night in Blue Like Jazz that we, as churchgoers, don't actually love people. We say we do, and we think we do, but we don't.
And you know what? The author is right.
I don't. I say I do, I think I do, but I don't.
There are people that I am too cool to love.
I know I should love them, but... those nerds. Man, those stupid nerds. The ones that CHOOSE to be weird. "Hey, if you're weird without knowing it, that's one thing. But when you CHOOSE to be different to your own detriment, then it's not my problem any more and I don't have to like you." Is that the right attitude? No.
Then, there are the people I am too 'holy' to love.
Yeah... more like, too self-righteous. These people walk around, clothed with poor choice, the evidence of their weekend written in baggy, bloodshot eyes. Choosing to be ignorant, they are. Speaking without refinement. Characterized by crude, coarse language--even when they're not cussing. I'm better than them. They choose to stay small. They prefer the life they were born into, rather than rising above it and making something of themselves. So I don't have to love them. I can avert my gaze as they walk by. I can pretend not to notice them. Wrong.
Don, the author, says that we treat love as though it's a commodity. And he's on to something there. We treat love as though it's a commodity. As though it were traded on the NASDAQ. It has a value. It's value varies. And we have to make shareholder reports, too. We do! We have to tell the congregation exactly what we have done with the amount of love we were given to pass out in this latest ministry project. We make a video to show how much love we handed out in the upward basketball program.
It's as if we're afraid we'll run out of the stuff.
Folks, love comes from the Lord. And that's just it- He never runs out. Weird, I know, but He doesn't.
Okay, goodnight.
posted by Elmo at 11:41 PM
1 Comments:
i finally made the time to read your blog. thanks for sharing reflections on Blue lIke Jazz. strange how the book has seemed to appear out of teh grey just now; MIke Baker told me about it over a year ago; my sister bought it; you are reading it; Justin Bajema is too; two of Abby's friends recommended it to her recently.
the whole boook is confrontational to me, and that is what draws me to appreciate it. i feel related to. i feel an intimacy with Don because he gets me, and he induces me to become better.
yeah, love...it starts with tuning out of KRND and KJON. starts with controlling this self-addiction. oh wretched man that I am!
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