Is their anything in this life and world that I believe is worth dying for? I really don't know. I believe one of my biggest enemies in the season of life I am in today is indifference. And this bothers me big time. I want to care more and better. It bothers me that quite often I don't care or, if I do care, it's more an a rational level.
"So, you're going through a depression"? "Wow, I am very sorry for you (and am sort of glad that I'm doing sort of okay)". "Man, I really feel (rationally) for you". The fact of the matter is that I would like to have an emotional response but it's just not there. So, am I sick? Do I need help?
"Look, there's another 200 Iraqi's blown into eternity", "O boy, wasn't that plaincrash spectacular".
I think it has to do with the lack of relationships. 1500 people in my personal database. A mile wide, but only inch deep relationships (if that's what they are).
Jesus, whenever he SAW the crowds, His heart filled with compassion. He engaged! That was his His secret. Even God needs to overcome the distance in order to feel!
If I really want to change and cause a change in other people's life I need to decide to go deep. To really engage. I can't see any other way.
What really matters are relationships.
Epicurus (341–270 B.C), a Greek philisopher who supposedly lived for pleasure and giving in to carnal cravings, and got heaviliy critisised for it, says that matter doesn't mean a thing if you don't have friends: "it is of greater importance whom you eat and drink with than what you want to eat and drink. Because without a friend our life is feeding a lion or a wolf".
29 November 2006
16 November 2006
Patience and Pride
Of all topics I'd like to speak on, Patience would be on the bottom of the list. But, they got me to speak on the subject anyway. A high school in St. Catharines (Ontario, Canada) gave me this very topic to speak on as part of a series on character traits.
The best thing is always to start digging in the word and to my great surprise I found something that was quite revealing to me. In Eccl. 7:8 it reads "patience is better than pride". Patience with Pride as its antithesis.
So you start asking questions Why not impatience? What has pride to do with patience? How do they relate to each other.
Patience in scripture has always to do with waiting on God. It's not about doing stuff with a calm serenity, or just doing them slow.
It has to do with trust in God. Believing that He knows best, does best and is the best. Despite the many questions one might have relying on Him for the outcome. That is patience and when one comes to a point where one is able to let go and to "just trust" one will see that trust reflected in the normal day to day stuff.
Pride is abut self-reliance. Thinking and believing one knows better than God and being irritated with God about stuff that one feels should not have happened, or should have happened differently. You won't find pride and arrogance, self-reliance and stubbornness on any list of virtues or character traits one is encouraged to pursue.
It's stuff one needs to get rid of.
So how am I doing when it comes to patience? While studying I came to realize that I've learned a few things about patience. I am able to let go and allow God to be God. I don't want to dictate God how He should rule my life or how I want Him to be. He just is. And that feels good.
The best thing is always to start digging in the word and to my great surprise I found something that was quite revealing to me. In Eccl. 7:8 it reads "patience is better than pride". Patience with Pride as its antithesis.
So you start asking questions Why not impatience? What has pride to do with patience? How do they relate to each other.
Patience in scripture has always to do with waiting on God. It's not about doing stuff with a calm serenity, or just doing them slow.
It has to do with trust in God. Believing that He knows best, does best and is the best. Despite the many questions one might have relying on Him for the outcome. That is patience and when one comes to a point where one is able to let go and to "just trust" one will see that trust reflected in the normal day to day stuff.
Pride is abut self-reliance. Thinking and believing one knows better than God and being irritated with God about stuff that one feels should not have happened, or should have happened differently. You won't find pride and arrogance, self-reliance and stubbornness on any list of virtues or character traits one is encouraged to pursue.
It's stuff one needs to get rid of.
So how am I doing when it comes to patience? While studying I came to realize that I've learned a few things about patience. I am able to let go and allow God to be God. I don't want to dictate God how He should rule my life or how I want Him to be. He just is. And that feels good.
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