Ok, new nickname for my friend Dave. The Artist formerly known as David Cheng will now be referred to as Dave “Renaissance Man” Cheng. Why, you ask?
Well, the Renaissance Man is, “someone who becomes skilled, sometimes to greatness, in several areas. The Renaissance Man is someone who is constantly learning and mastering new skills. It's this quality that allowed fellows such as Leonardo Da Vinci to become skilled at both scientific and artistic endeavors.”
That fits Dave well. Let’s consider: He dresses well (a little deficient in the formal wear, but he’s young enough that it doesn’t matter). He’s a genius with computers. He is a good cook. He likes household activities. He has a terrific singing voice. He plays several instruments. He is a passionate and thoughtful worship leader. He has a servant’s heart. He works well with young people. He is God-centered and biblically focused in his theology. He is willing to teach, even though it’s not his favorite. He writes songs. He knows all the good websites. He uses coupons. He is one of the most perfect specimens of Christian humility I have ever met. He is a clear writer. He speaks multiple languages. He blends perfect smoothies. He is a top-notch fantasy football manager.
Perhaps MOST important, he is a good and caring friend, a (soon to be) husband to a terrific girl, and a faithful follower of Christ (in ascending order of importance, of course).
BUT I BEAT HIM 6-0 AT TENNIS YESTERDAY! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Ok, that’s neither here nor there. My point is this. It’s easy for me to be jealous of Dave, especially when I fear that I will always be a failure as a husband or father in comparison to him. But you know what? That fear of mine is terrible theology. God created us each in highly unique ways, and we need to be aware of that and USE it for His glory. For instance:
Some serve in studying and expressing biblical theology.
Some serve by helping the church’s finances.
Some serve through loving relationships and hospitality.
Some serve by loving and teaching children.
Some serve by doing websites and music videos.
Some serve through encouragement and friendships.
Some serve through meeting physical needs like health or hunger.
This is the beauty of Ephesians 4. We ALL can contribute to the Body, we all are DESIGNED to contribute to the Body, we are all COMMANDED to contribute to the Body, and therefore we MUST all contribute to the Body. It is our JOB to worship God by serving in the church and contributing to the Body, and my envy or self-detriment does not help accomplish that goal.
Dave may be the Renaissance Man, but you and I have just as much opportunity as he or anyone else does to become who God has called them to be. If I love God, I will serve Him with what He gave me… because that is why He gave it to me in the first place.
5/26/2005
5/23/2005
Scary faith/scared faith
One of the worst parts about trusting in God is the part where you have to carry that out. Samantha and I are in a very, “put your money where your mouth is” type of position right now. We (actually, being the dumb one with the big mouth, I am usually the one who spouts this stuff) talk about the importance of trusting God completely, of following His will for our lives. We tell people to get involved in their local church, and not to go somewhere because it’s easy but rather to go somewhere that you can serve. We suggest that we don’t need worldly things because whatever God gives you is enough. I am confident that God wants me at the small church I love, not at the larger church that could actually pay me.
And now I can’t find a job.
I always assumed jobs would be fairly plentiful for me. I’m fairly sharp, I know politics, I have relevant work experience. And yet… it’s not happening. And now I’m two months away from marrying the girl of my dreams and I’m not drawing a paycheck.
It’s really scary. It’s easy for me not to be scared when I’m by myself. I don’t mind half-starving, or not having furniture, or working long hours including travel and weekends, or smelling bad. I could do anything it took, and there would be no need to worry because “God” (and the fact that I look good on a resume and am convincing in interviews) would take care of everything.
But then this girl came along, and now I need to actually provide in the literal sense of the word. I need God to give me a job that is in the Lansing area, has sensible hours and schedule, pays decently, and will last for a decent length of time. I need to pay for an apartment, to pay for decent groceries, to start saving for kids and loan payments and the like… it’s a lot to take in at once.
It’s especially frustrating because this is exactly what I’ve always wanted. Family is important to me, and I’d MUCH rather be in this situation with Samantha than by myself in Washington D.C. Still… I’m really struggling not to worry.
I wish that God would look back over the many times that I did things that everyone else said was silly, but I believed He wanted me to do it. I wish he would look back and be impressed, and give me rest. I wish things were easy. Usually I don’t care about easy, because it’s just me and I LIKE taking the hard way. But suddenly, I’m made to realize that was an illusion… being alone IS the easy way for me. It’s being together with someone that’s hard. And it’s what God wants for me.
So, here we go. Once again I’m fighting back the worries that scurry around in your stomach and clog up your throat. Once again I’m ignoring the fact that this is not the best way to do things. Once again… once again I’m actually believing, rather than saying I believe, that God is real and that He’s going to take care of me and that His providential hand is a tangible thing.
I really miss the times when it was ok to be weak. And I really miss the people who are used to seeing you that way. There aren’t many left, and I’m scared all over again.
"Not act on the words of a Master?
Come, Uncle, come! Can you see all
the worlds that were and those that are
to be? Alas, and nor can I!
My heart and mind tell me to trust
His words. The victory is ours
if we can trust. However, if
you have a better plan? For if
you have, well, we must hear it now."
A serious silence filled the lofts -
they saw the shadowed face with awe
as Uther in his son announced:
"So then, prepare our soldiery,
my lords, for war, for victory!"
And now I can’t find a job.
I always assumed jobs would be fairly plentiful for me. I’m fairly sharp, I know politics, I have relevant work experience. And yet… it’s not happening. And now I’m two months away from marrying the girl of my dreams and I’m not drawing a paycheck.
It’s really scary. It’s easy for me not to be scared when I’m by myself. I don’t mind half-starving, or not having furniture, or working long hours including travel and weekends, or smelling bad. I could do anything it took, and there would be no need to worry because “God” (and the fact that I look good on a resume and am convincing in interviews) would take care of everything.
But then this girl came along, and now I need to actually provide in the literal sense of the word. I need God to give me a job that is in the Lansing area, has sensible hours and schedule, pays decently, and will last for a decent length of time. I need to pay for an apartment, to pay for decent groceries, to start saving for kids and loan payments and the like… it’s a lot to take in at once.
It’s especially frustrating because this is exactly what I’ve always wanted. Family is important to me, and I’d MUCH rather be in this situation with Samantha than by myself in Washington D.C. Still… I’m really struggling not to worry.
I wish that God would look back over the many times that I did things that everyone else said was silly, but I believed He wanted me to do it. I wish he would look back and be impressed, and give me rest. I wish things were easy. Usually I don’t care about easy, because it’s just me and I LIKE taking the hard way. But suddenly, I’m made to realize that was an illusion… being alone IS the easy way for me. It’s being together with someone that’s hard. And it’s what God wants for me.
So, here we go. Once again I’m fighting back the worries that scurry around in your stomach and clog up your throat. Once again I’m ignoring the fact that this is not the best way to do things. Once again… once again I’m actually believing, rather than saying I believe, that God is real and that He’s going to take care of me and that His providential hand is a tangible thing.
I really miss the times when it was ok to be weak. And I really miss the people who are used to seeing you that way. There aren’t many left, and I’m scared all over again.
"Not act on the words of a Master?
Come, Uncle, come! Can you see all
the worlds that were and those that are
to be? Alas, and nor can I!
My heart and mind tell me to trust
His words. The victory is ours
if we can trust. However, if
you have a better plan? For if
you have, well, we must hear it now."
A serious silence filled the lofts -
they saw the shadowed face with awe
as Uther in his son announced:
"So then, prepare our soldiery,
my lords, for war, for victory!"
5/18/2005
Definition of Pissed
This is the old definition of being pissed off.
piss off
To make or become angry.
Used in the imperative as a signal of angry dismissal.
This is the new definition of pissed off.
1. When, for some mysterious reason, the program that runs your company's phone system suddenly (like, say, in March) makes it so that A) your phone does not display the fact that you have messages from the month of March and B) your phone doesn't put calls into your voice mail after March.
2. When the above situation makes it so that you do not recieve a call from a legislator's office.
3. When the above phone call is to tell you that you have an interview with the legislator for a job.
4. When your current job is due to end in a month and a half, and the interview you missed was the job you most wanted.
Yep... under the new definition, I am DEFINITELY pissed off.
piss off
To make or become angry.
Used in the imperative as a signal of angry dismissal.
This is the new definition of pissed off.
1. When, for some mysterious reason, the program that runs your company's phone system suddenly (like, say, in March) makes it so that A) your phone does not display the fact that you have messages from the month of March and B) your phone doesn't put calls into your voice mail after March.
2. When the above situation makes it so that you do not recieve a call from a legislator's office.
3. When the above phone call is to tell you that you have an interview with the legislator for a job.
4. When your current job is due to end in a month and a half, and the interview you missed was the job you most wanted.
Yep... under the new definition, I am DEFINITELY pissed off.
5/02/2005
Again with Humility!
I had really been having a hard time lately figuring out my role as a teacher. It seems as though the things I try to say fall on deaf ears, or are too complicated, or are things only I can relate to. Thankfully, though, some good friends have been mentioning things to me recently that I taught eons ago. Recent events in their lives have made the concepts clearer, and God in His grace reminded them of something they learned long ago.
This is a tough area for me, and I know it always will be. I tend to want instant gratification… I want to see people changing their lives and being inspired and (if I’m honest) being impressed. The problem is, I start to take very godly desires (wanting to see people turn away from their selves and to God) and turn them into selfish ones. I think that’s why God always “fixes” things so that people aren’t really affected by my lessons until much later… at that point, it’s clear that God is working in them and reminding them of things for His purposes, not because I’m a clear speaker.
I’m preaching at UBC two weeks from yesterday, and I think that’s why He’s reminding me of all this. I need to be more patient, trusting that whatever work God lays out for me will be for good, no matter what the immediate results are. I just have to keep being faithful to that.
This is a tough area for me, and I know it always will be. I tend to want instant gratification… I want to see people changing their lives and being inspired and (if I’m honest) being impressed. The problem is, I start to take very godly desires (wanting to see people turn away from their selves and to God) and turn them into selfish ones. I think that’s why God always “fixes” things so that people aren’t really affected by my lessons until much later… at that point, it’s clear that God is working in them and reminding them of things for His purposes, not because I’m a clear speaker.
I’m preaching at UBC two weeks from yesterday, and I think that’s why He’s reminding me of all this. I need to be more patient, trusting that whatever work God lays out for me will be for good, no matter what the immediate results are. I just have to keep being faithful to that.
4/13/2005
Clarification
I should probably try to clarify some of my remarks from a couple posts ago. I had a friend IM me (and yes, Sachin, of course I remember you!) and point out that atheists or agnostics can live moral lives as well as any Christian. This would seem to defeat my point that moral decisions for them are infinite, so choosing a path is infinitely simple.
I acknowledge that Christians don’t have a corner on the morality market. I also acknowledge that not believing in God doesn’t necessarily give you a feeling of freedom from obligation or things you “must” do. However, I would argue that that feeling is primarily a result of religious belief. Our entire structure of law, obligation, morality, and responsibility is built on precepts that were born of religious principles. For instance, why do we have welfare? What reason is there for helping the poor?
Well, for one thing, we tend to have “sympathy pains” for them when we are made aware of their need. This is why commercials for international aid organizations always say, “Don’t just turn off the TV”, because they know they need to play to your sympathies. Humans naturally dislike pain, even sympathy pain, so they respond in one of two ways. Either they try to ignore the pain or they try to dispel it. Ignoring is turning off the TV or, even better, being able to desensitize and overcome feelings of guilt and sympathy. Dispelling, on the other hand, is doing things to help those who have the pain.
The principle of dealing with the pain of others by helping to dispel it is inherently religious. It assumes the dignity and worth of all people, and places a value on giving, sacrifice, and compassion. Today’s atheism, for the most part, is still infused with those types of principles, causing many atheists to have a morality that makes no sense given their worldview.
Nietzsche was great for this. He pointed out that our entire governmental and societal structure is built on religious assumptions. If we are to truly show our commitment to a scientific world devoid of the supernatural, he argued, we must reshape our entire understanding of right and wrong to fit our new understanding of the order of the universe. Rather than look to the heavens for help and guidance, we must embrace and celebrate our mortality and the futility of our existence, and through that embracing reach higher states of evolution than were ever thought possible (this race being the overmen, or supermen).
Again, this shouldn’t be taken as a criticism of the value or worth of my atheist or agnostic friends. Their love and compassion is very real, as is the quality of their character. Most of my friends in high school were non-religious, and it certainly wasn’t because I had some masochistic desire to spend time with people who wouldn’t care about me. In reality, I spent time with them because they were extremely loving and accepting towards me and my many quirks.
The reason I pointed this topic out in the first place is actually to express a certain sort of jealousy. I WISH I could choose my own morality, my own purpose, my own direction. It must be nice. I wish I could forge the kind of existence and relationships that would alter the way the world thinks. I wish I could avoid identification with a particular group and create my own way of thinking.
But I can’t. I am completely convinced of God as Truth and the Bible as His Word. There can be no turning back.
I acknowledge that Christians don’t have a corner on the morality market. I also acknowledge that not believing in God doesn’t necessarily give you a feeling of freedom from obligation or things you “must” do. However, I would argue that that feeling is primarily a result of religious belief. Our entire structure of law, obligation, morality, and responsibility is built on precepts that were born of religious principles. For instance, why do we have welfare? What reason is there for helping the poor?
Well, for one thing, we tend to have “sympathy pains” for them when we are made aware of their need. This is why commercials for international aid organizations always say, “Don’t just turn off the TV”, because they know they need to play to your sympathies. Humans naturally dislike pain, even sympathy pain, so they respond in one of two ways. Either they try to ignore the pain or they try to dispel it. Ignoring is turning off the TV or, even better, being able to desensitize and overcome feelings of guilt and sympathy. Dispelling, on the other hand, is doing things to help those who have the pain.
The principle of dealing with the pain of others by helping to dispel it is inherently religious. It assumes the dignity and worth of all people, and places a value on giving, sacrifice, and compassion. Today’s atheism, for the most part, is still infused with those types of principles, causing many atheists to have a morality that makes no sense given their worldview.
Nietzsche was great for this. He pointed out that our entire governmental and societal structure is built on religious assumptions. If we are to truly show our commitment to a scientific world devoid of the supernatural, he argued, we must reshape our entire understanding of right and wrong to fit our new understanding of the order of the universe. Rather than look to the heavens for help and guidance, we must embrace and celebrate our mortality and the futility of our existence, and through that embracing reach higher states of evolution than were ever thought possible (this race being the overmen, or supermen).
Again, this shouldn’t be taken as a criticism of the value or worth of my atheist or agnostic friends. Their love and compassion is very real, as is the quality of their character. Most of my friends in high school were non-religious, and it certainly wasn’t because I had some masochistic desire to spend time with people who wouldn’t care about me. In reality, I spent time with them because they were extremely loving and accepting towards me and my many quirks.
The reason I pointed this topic out in the first place is actually to express a certain sort of jealousy. I WISH I could choose my own morality, my own purpose, my own direction. It must be nice. I wish I could forge the kind of existence and relationships that would alter the way the world thinks. I wish I could avoid identification with a particular group and create my own way of thinking.
But I can’t. I am completely convinced of God as Truth and the Bible as His Word. There can be no turning back.
4/05/2005
Lately
If you missed that last blog, don't sweat it. It's not for the faint of heart (or the light of reading). Basically, I'm struggling with some intense philosophical and theological issues right now, and I'm going to be working on them. :-)
On a lighter note, Dave and I finally removed the stupid tree from the back yard! Chopping wood is awesome. It makes you feel quite manly, even when your hands are ringing and arms are shaking (actually, that just adds to the experience).
The job hunt is still a failure so far. I feel like such an idiot, though I suppose that's probably good for me.
The Tigers won on opening day! They're headed for the playoffs this year, I can feel it.
Have a great day! Also, I've noticed a COMPLETE lack of new nickname suggestions, which says to me that I either have a shy readership, or else I don't HAVE a readership... with the latter being the more likely. Oh well. Have a nice day anyhow.
On a lighter note, Dave and I finally removed the stupid tree from the back yard! Chopping wood is awesome. It makes you feel quite manly, even when your hands are ringing and arms are shaking (actually, that just adds to the experience).
The job hunt is still a failure so far. I feel like such an idiot, though I suppose that's probably good for me.
The Tigers won on opening day! They're headed for the playoffs this year, I can feel it.
Have a great day! Also, I've noticed a COMPLETE lack of new nickname suggestions, which says to me that I either have a shy readership, or else I don't HAVE a readership... with the latter being the more likely. Oh well. Have a nice day anyhow.
Why isn't there unity in the message?
Sometimes I just don’t get God.
It may sound funny, coming from me, but He really can be confusing. We all know the criticisms. Why does He let bad things happen? Why does he save some and not others? Why does understanding His message for us take so much work?
For me, the hardest part is seeing unity in God’s creation. I can understand that the discord in the world is our own fault; sin is a powerful thing. However, I struggle with knowing why God’s MESSAGE can seem so inconsistent.
When I was in high school, I had a hard time seeing why God allowed ignorance. If He wants to save everyone, why does He put people in situations where knowing Him is so hard? I knew many kids from abusive or dysfunctional families, or from places where the only good thing in life is having more stuff. Their minds were never challenged, and had stagnated by the time they hit high school. Where was God in all this?
Later I struggled with “contradictions” in the Bible. It wasn’t that I thought the Bible contradicted itself; in fact, I found that the so-called contradictions are very explainable to those who care. What I didn’t understand though, was why God would ALLOW things that seemed to be contradictions. If God knows every heart and can guide every pen, why were there copying errors? Why did the authors word things in a way that seemed contradictory? Why couldn’t I spend time explaining God’s love instead of defending his word?
I eventually worked my way through these struggles. Learning of predestination, God’s passion for His own glory, and the historical context of Scripture did a lot to set aside my uncertainties.
Recently, though, it’s been hitting me again.
My latest struggle has been with denominational separations.
See, there are a LOT of denominations. Plymouth Brethren, American Baptist, Southern Baptist, Episcopalian, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Methodist, Church of God, Evangelical Free, Reformed, Wesleyan, Anglican, Quaker, Pentecostal… the list goes on and on. Each denomination has its own take on church life, organization, and doctrine.
To be frank, that’s just fine with me. I’ve been listening to “leadership interviews” online recently, where some of today’s top theologians talk about issues facing the church, and they’re remarkably unified. As I listen, I am quickly able to see that many of the differences we see in the church are due either to A) Honest desires to worship and glorify God in different ways, which is fine, or B) An incorrect understanding of God and His Word, which is a problem that needs to be named and challenged.
However, there is another category that drives me nuts. If God is completely unified in purpose, direction, and control, why can those of good faith disagree so much? Why the split between dispensational and covenantal? Why the disagreements on the role of women in the church? Why can teachings of earlier Christians be so out of touch with today’s (such as Jonathan Edwards teaching that the Catholic Church is the AntiChrist and that the world would end in the year 2000)?
I’m not certain of my answer just yet. I have some different kinds of studies I want to do, in hopes that they will shed light on the subject. What is my hypothesis, though?
At this point, my atheist friends will helpfully inform me that the Bible was just made up anyways, so of course it can’t express a unified message because there was no unifying force behind it.
Some days I almost wish for that sort of a world. In the constantly changing, never-dull world of the atheist, life is just something that happens, and we may as well derive our own unique sense of purpose in the world from what we are (randomly) given. In a world like that, everything is simpler. I choose my morality, choose my direction, and choose my version of happiness. When things with Samantha get hard, I can just leave. If my political career doesn’t pan out, I can join the military. It’s like one of those choose-your-own-adventure books. You look at what is, and then make decisions about your response. It’s infinitely simple because the options are limitless.
Unfortunately, that’s not for me. A purposeless, random, uncertain world is inherently self-destructive… and frankly, is basically impossible. Only a God beyond all rules stands the test of possibility.
So, then, I’m forced to accept that my sovereign God allows dissension. My hypothesis is that he is doing this because it accomplishes His purposes. If debate restructures our thinking and sharpens our study, so much the better. If some in one place need one teaching to see God and those in another need something different, so be it.
What, then, is true? What does God really intend? What does the future really hold and what is the most loving way to get there?
And the big question: Is this a debate that should be conducted in the publicity of the square… or the privacy of the heart and community? Hmm… we may be on to something here.
It may sound funny, coming from me, but He really can be confusing. We all know the criticisms. Why does He let bad things happen? Why does he save some and not others? Why does understanding His message for us take so much work?
For me, the hardest part is seeing unity in God’s creation. I can understand that the discord in the world is our own fault; sin is a powerful thing. However, I struggle with knowing why God’s MESSAGE can seem so inconsistent.
When I was in high school, I had a hard time seeing why God allowed ignorance. If He wants to save everyone, why does He put people in situations where knowing Him is so hard? I knew many kids from abusive or dysfunctional families, or from places where the only good thing in life is having more stuff. Their minds were never challenged, and had stagnated by the time they hit high school. Where was God in all this?
Later I struggled with “contradictions” in the Bible. It wasn’t that I thought the Bible contradicted itself; in fact, I found that the so-called contradictions are very explainable to those who care. What I didn’t understand though, was why God would ALLOW things that seemed to be contradictions. If God knows every heart and can guide every pen, why were there copying errors? Why did the authors word things in a way that seemed contradictory? Why couldn’t I spend time explaining God’s love instead of defending his word?
I eventually worked my way through these struggles. Learning of predestination, God’s passion for His own glory, and the historical context of Scripture did a lot to set aside my uncertainties.
Recently, though, it’s been hitting me again.
My latest struggle has been with denominational separations.
See, there are a LOT of denominations. Plymouth Brethren, American Baptist, Southern Baptist, Episcopalian, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Methodist, Church of God, Evangelical Free, Reformed, Wesleyan, Anglican, Quaker, Pentecostal… the list goes on and on. Each denomination has its own take on church life, organization, and doctrine.
To be frank, that’s just fine with me. I’ve been listening to “leadership interviews” online recently, where some of today’s top theologians talk about issues facing the church, and they’re remarkably unified. As I listen, I am quickly able to see that many of the differences we see in the church are due either to A) Honest desires to worship and glorify God in different ways, which is fine, or B) An incorrect understanding of God and His Word, which is a problem that needs to be named and challenged.
However, there is another category that drives me nuts. If God is completely unified in purpose, direction, and control, why can those of good faith disagree so much? Why the split between dispensational and covenantal? Why the disagreements on the role of women in the church? Why can teachings of earlier Christians be so out of touch with today’s (such as Jonathan Edwards teaching that the Catholic Church is the AntiChrist and that the world would end in the year 2000)?
I’m not certain of my answer just yet. I have some different kinds of studies I want to do, in hopes that they will shed light on the subject. What is my hypothesis, though?
At this point, my atheist friends will helpfully inform me that the Bible was just made up anyways, so of course it can’t express a unified message because there was no unifying force behind it.
Some days I almost wish for that sort of a world. In the constantly changing, never-dull world of the atheist, life is just something that happens, and we may as well derive our own unique sense of purpose in the world from what we are (randomly) given. In a world like that, everything is simpler. I choose my morality, choose my direction, and choose my version of happiness. When things with Samantha get hard, I can just leave. If my political career doesn’t pan out, I can join the military. It’s like one of those choose-your-own-adventure books. You look at what is, and then make decisions about your response. It’s infinitely simple because the options are limitless.
Unfortunately, that’s not for me. A purposeless, random, uncertain world is inherently self-destructive… and frankly, is basically impossible. Only a God beyond all rules stands the test of possibility.
So, then, I’m forced to accept that my sovereign God allows dissension. My hypothesis is that he is doing this because it accomplishes His purposes. If debate restructures our thinking and sharpens our study, so much the better. If some in one place need one teaching to see God and those in another need something different, so be it.
What, then, is true? What does God really intend? What does the future really hold and what is the most loving way to get there?
And the big question: Is this a debate that should be conducted in the publicity of the square… or the privacy of the heart and community? Hmm… we may be on to something here.
3/30/2005
Cuteness and Depth
Samantha has a lot of cute qualities. For one thing, she has this adorable tendency to mix her metaphors. “There’s more than one way to skin a horse, Ben.” “Ben is my light and shining armor.” Another cute thing about Samantha is the way she can ask three questions in the space of ten seconds, and then look at you expectantly for an answer. She has a curious love of biting too, so you know you’re in her good graces when she’s gnawing on your shoulder. Of course, she could be doing that because you’re her flavor of the week. She has an odd tendency to eat the same food several times for a week or two, and then move on to something else for the week or two after that.
Surpassing all these in sheer cuteness, though, is the way she thinks in pictures. If I say to Samantha, “Ok, option A involves this much money, this much time, and this much effort, and option B involves this much of those same things, which would you rather do?” then it won’t mean anything, and she’ll want to know what I think (this creates loooong waiting periods whenever a menu is presented). If she gets a picture in her head, though, of what doing something would look and feel like, she’s sold.
Preparing for our honeymoon is a good example. Samantha had expressed two possibilities. In Ben language, the possibilities were a beach-type place (Caribbean) or a city (Shanghai). So, I figured we could visit Seattle and kill two birds with one stone.
Consider her reaction to my idea: “oh. That could be fun. I'm not really excited about that, though.”
Now consider what she said when she was expressing her Caribbean idea: “I can just see us relaaaxing (she puts a lot of emotion into her word pronunciation, too) in the suuun, with a gentle breeze blowing, looking at the bluuue water. ::sigh:: it would be so beautiful…” She moves her hands back and forth gently, as if the exotic scene is inches from her face.
The thing is, she wasn’t looking for just a beach and just a fun city. She had a PICTURE in her mind… a picture of, on one hand, a beautiful breezy day on a sandy island, looking out at bright blue water and surrounded by palm trees. In another, she was imagining a return to her family’s homeland of China, speaking in Chinese and shopping for authentic Asian foods and goods. Her desire for both of these ideas (pictorial visions, as I think of them) was based on the beauty of the vision, not on the technicality of “beach” and “city”. As you can imagine, Seattle is NOT on our list of possible honeymoon destinations anymore.
Samantha’s ideas have a depth and quality to them… they accept no substitutes. A beach in, say, the Caribbean is different than a beach in the US, though I could probably never appreciate it. The city life of Shanghai has far more vibrancy and significance to her than a trip to the Starbucks capitol of the world. Her ideas are special because they are deep and complete… the experience is good because all the nuances and details are good, too.
Her appreciation for completely good ideas (rather than just good ideas) is an encouragement for me in studying.
Yes, I did actually just say that.
See, if I want to seek real quality in my knowledge (especially of spiritual things), I need to have depth. I need my knowledge and ideas to be strong not just because they are good ideas (let’s have our honeymoon at a beach), but because they are backed by depth (gentle breeze, bright bluuue water, palm trees). When I discuss Calvinism, it needs to be supported by knowledge of Arminianism. When we talk about Habakkuk in class, it would be flat without a knowledge of Babylonian-Israeli history. If I want to praise God for his love and mercy, I had better also be able to praise him for suffering and discipline and wrath.
I think we all have that calling. While there’s no reason for everyone to be like me (the world has plenty of geeks already, thank you), there IS reason for Christians to seek completeness and depth. Don’t just experience God; learn about him. Don’t just have Christian friends your age; play with little kids and talk to old people at church. Don’t just accept what you’re taught; ask questions and work through a concept completely.
There’s a rumor going around that I’m smart. While I can agree that God has given me the gift of gab (also known as silver tongue syndrome), I don’t think I’m any smarter than anyone else. What I do have is a love of knowing things on a deeper level. It’s a love that helps me greatly in teaching… answering questions becomes a matter of sharing something I’ve questioned as well, rather than having a particular skill.
That’s just one area, though. For instance, I’m terrible at knowing people’s feelings or reactions to a certain idea. Poor Samantha has to put up with my callousness all the time. She, on the other hand, is much more acquainted with the range of feelings people go through when something happens. When my mom was diagnosed with cancer, Samantha already knew without even thinking about it how my sister would be feeling about it, and what my family would expect. I, on the other hand, barely had a reaction. I’ve kept such tight discipline on my emotions for so long that I’d forgotten how to allow myself to react strongly to something. Trust me, Samantha is opening THAT particular can of worms back up.
What I’m trying to say here is this; don’t just DO your life. Don’t just go to classes, study for tests, and find fun things to do with friends. Be deep. Cry with people who hurt. Question God with the toughest things you can throw at him. Struggle, fight, question, mourn. Be a deep and complete person. Why? Because you want to glorify God with your life… and God is easier to see in a warm sun, gentle breeze, and bluuue water than he is on a dinky beach in Seattle.
Surpassing all these in sheer cuteness, though, is the way she thinks in pictures. If I say to Samantha, “Ok, option A involves this much money, this much time, and this much effort, and option B involves this much of those same things, which would you rather do?” then it won’t mean anything, and she’ll want to know what I think (this creates loooong waiting periods whenever a menu is presented). If she gets a picture in her head, though, of what doing something would look and feel like, she’s sold.
Preparing for our honeymoon is a good example. Samantha had expressed two possibilities. In Ben language, the possibilities were a beach-type place (Caribbean) or a city (Shanghai). So, I figured we could visit Seattle and kill two birds with one stone.
Consider her reaction to my idea: “oh. That could be fun. I'm not really excited about that, though.”
Now consider what she said when she was expressing her Caribbean idea: “I can just see us relaaaxing (she puts a lot of emotion into her word pronunciation, too) in the suuun, with a gentle breeze blowing, looking at the bluuue water. ::sigh:: it would be so beautiful…” She moves her hands back and forth gently, as if the exotic scene is inches from her face.
The thing is, she wasn’t looking for just a beach and just a fun city. She had a PICTURE in her mind… a picture of, on one hand, a beautiful breezy day on a sandy island, looking out at bright blue water and surrounded by palm trees. In another, she was imagining a return to her family’s homeland of China, speaking in Chinese and shopping for authentic Asian foods and goods. Her desire for both of these ideas (pictorial visions, as I think of them) was based on the beauty of the vision, not on the technicality of “beach” and “city”. As you can imagine, Seattle is NOT on our list of possible honeymoon destinations anymore.
Samantha’s ideas have a depth and quality to them… they accept no substitutes. A beach in, say, the Caribbean is different than a beach in the US, though I could probably never appreciate it. The city life of Shanghai has far more vibrancy and significance to her than a trip to the Starbucks capitol of the world. Her ideas are special because they are deep and complete… the experience is good because all the nuances and details are good, too.
Her appreciation for completely good ideas (rather than just good ideas) is an encouragement for me in studying.
Yes, I did actually just say that.
See, if I want to seek real quality in my knowledge (especially of spiritual things), I need to have depth. I need my knowledge and ideas to be strong not just because they are good ideas (let’s have our honeymoon at a beach), but because they are backed by depth (gentle breeze, bright bluuue water, palm trees). When I discuss Calvinism, it needs to be supported by knowledge of Arminianism. When we talk about Habakkuk in class, it would be flat without a knowledge of Babylonian-Israeli history. If I want to praise God for his love and mercy, I had better also be able to praise him for suffering and discipline and wrath.
I think we all have that calling. While there’s no reason for everyone to be like me (the world has plenty of geeks already, thank you), there IS reason for Christians to seek completeness and depth. Don’t just experience God; learn about him. Don’t just have Christian friends your age; play with little kids and talk to old people at church. Don’t just accept what you’re taught; ask questions and work through a concept completely.
There’s a rumor going around that I’m smart. While I can agree that God has given me the gift of gab (also known as silver tongue syndrome), I don’t think I’m any smarter than anyone else. What I do have is a love of knowing things on a deeper level. It’s a love that helps me greatly in teaching… answering questions becomes a matter of sharing something I’ve questioned as well, rather than having a particular skill.
That’s just one area, though. For instance, I’m terrible at knowing people’s feelings or reactions to a certain idea. Poor Samantha has to put up with my callousness all the time. She, on the other hand, is much more acquainted with the range of feelings people go through when something happens. When my mom was diagnosed with cancer, Samantha already knew without even thinking about it how my sister would be feeling about it, and what my family would expect. I, on the other hand, barely had a reaction. I’ve kept such tight discipline on my emotions for so long that I’d forgotten how to allow myself to react strongly to something. Trust me, Samantha is opening THAT particular can of worms back up.
What I’m trying to say here is this; don’t just DO your life. Don’t just go to classes, study for tests, and find fun things to do with friends. Be deep. Cry with people who hurt. Question God with the toughest things you can throw at him. Struggle, fight, question, mourn. Be a deep and complete person. Why? Because you want to glorify God with your life… and God is easier to see in a warm sun, gentle breeze, and bluuue water than he is on a dinky beach in Seattle.
3/16/2005
Church vs. State
I took a walk this afternoon. Life at the MHA had returned to a somewhat relaxed pace after a frantic morning of legislative meetings, and I love strolling around, looking at the wide varieties of architecture and planning. Where else can you find 50 year old churches with strong congregations and 5 year old office buildings that are 75% empty? Too, of course, I wanted to see the protesters.
Now, I should point out, these were not your normal protesters. On most Wednesdays (though not for about a month now), a group of 7 or 8 people comes out to the Capitol building (across the street from me) to protest the Iraq war. It tends to be a little odd… it’s not like Michigan’s government started the darn thing, you know? But no, this week a group of about 20 gathered around a peculiar object.
It was only about 3 and a half feet tall, and made of stone. It was blocky and unattractive, and didn’t seem to be serving any purpose. It sat on the bed of a flatbed trailer, and a set of steps allowed people to come up and look at it. The object became even stranger (in my mind) when you found out that it was brought in from Alabama and was the subject of a federal court case.
By now it is dawning on all my news junkie readers… the object was the controversial sculpture of the Ten Commandments that had been set up in the entrance of an Alabama court, and came to be a symbol of the debate surrounding the relationship between church and state in the US.
For a long time, that relationship was a major focus of my life. I devoted years of my high school career to the topic. I fought to show my classmates and teachers that my two great loves –politics and governance- were not only compatible, but mutually beneficial. I was certain that brilliant and convincing arguments would show the world that what we REALLY needed to move towards a happier life is leaders whose personal lives are governed by the unalterable standards set forth in the bible. It culminated in my senior year, when I did multiple reports on Constantine, an emperor who used Christianity as a force for strengthening and organizing the flagging Roman Empire. This was my vision for the country and for my life… to bring religion and governance together in such a way that lives would be changed, existence would be simpler, and all would be well with the world.
My life was all about Church vs. State.
In college, though, all that changed. I came to see how my pride was too great a motivation; I wanted to fight for church and state to be closer not because I wanted them to be closer, or because I wanted to honor God, but because I wanted to lead the fight. I wanted to be the one at the front lines, articulating arguments that I knew would fall on deaf ears and wildly different worldviews. It was like the question of what a general should do in peacetime; I wanted a fight so I could lead the fight, not because the fight needed to happen.
I sauntered past the Ten Commandments and continued my walk.
One of the beautiful things about walking in almost any city is the opportunity to see the same thing from multiple perspectives. When I went on a mission trip to Alaska we all got to see Mt. McKinley… but we all saw it from the exact same perspective that MOST people see it, because the distances are so great. In a city, everyone can see the same building or view from different places and perspectives. As I walked through Lansing, I stopped for a moment and admired an interesting view.
The corner I stood on was the corner of the capitol building’s property. I stood at a 45 degree angle to the cross-street, looking at the capitol building. To my left and across the street was a city block that had several sophisticated, box-like buildings. These contained the Lansing City Hall, the police station, the offices of the state representatives, the MHA, the department of civil rights, Comerica Bank, a few law firms, and the inevitable coffee shop. To my right stood a couple blocks of beautiful old church buildings; Methodist, Baptist, Episcopal, you name it. The architecture was old and creative, and gave you that sad-but-lovely feeling you get when you hear a beautiful song or watch the sun set at the end of a long day.
In the center of my vision stood the majestic capitol building, with a few people and a lectern-sized sculpture on a flatbed dotting the front lawn.
I had to ask myself: Is this where we meet? Is our destiny to show up in small numbers, protesting a world that isn’t interested in our life of absolutes? What should embarrass me more; leaders who don’t care enough to listen or Christians who don’t listen enough to let people know they care?
In my last post, I talked about the importance of being content in the place God has brought you too. That’s still true. However, I can see more and more that we are still called to be God-centered in the way we live our lives. We cannot become complacent. We are to honor Him above all… above ALL.
Do church and state meet in the middle to duke it out? No. The problem with declaring church vs. state is that we give equal honor and credibility to both. We act as though they are two evenly matched fighters (often with a slight edge for state) trying to knock each other out. We put government on the same level as God.
That can’t be for me. Some people can spend their lives walking the line between governance and public service, keeping a right perspective on public service as having a higher purpose of service to the people God has created, and so being glorifying to him. I know a man who is a policeman; his work can unquestionably be for God’s greater glory.
If I persist in looking for fights, though, I will be failing my purpose here on earth. Should we be content with where God brings us? Yes, but that doesn’t mean we should flag or become lazy in pursuing His glory. My life should always be striving to know him and honor him more; if that means that I need to give up politics, so be it.
See, my life is still about Church vs. State. This time, though, it’s about which I will honor. Will I glorify governance or service? Compromises or absolutes? Bottom lines or mercy and compassion?
I don’t know what details my life will contain, but I hope they will show that Church beats State every time. I hope they show that God’s glory was of first importance in my life. I hope they show that I served my King, rather than made myself a king through public service. I hope my life commitment displays the glory of a sovereign God.
What will you commit to?
What will your life display?
( BONUS! If you'll notice, my blogspot ends every post by saying, "The monk published this discourse at...
The thing is, monks are SINGLE! And I'm getting married this summer!
So, faithful reader, if you made it this far... please comment on what you think my new nickname should be... or at the least, what my blogspot should call me. ;-) )
Now, I should point out, these were not your normal protesters. On most Wednesdays (though not for about a month now), a group of 7 or 8 people comes out to the Capitol building (across the street from me) to protest the Iraq war. It tends to be a little odd… it’s not like Michigan’s government started the darn thing, you know? But no, this week a group of about 20 gathered around a peculiar object.
It was only about 3 and a half feet tall, and made of stone. It was blocky and unattractive, and didn’t seem to be serving any purpose. It sat on the bed of a flatbed trailer, and a set of steps allowed people to come up and look at it. The object became even stranger (in my mind) when you found out that it was brought in from Alabama and was the subject of a federal court case.
By now it is dawning on all my news junkie readers… the object was the controversial sculpture of the Ten Commandments that had been set up in the entrance of an Alabama court, and came to be a symbol of the debate surrounding the relationship between church and state in the US.
For a long time, that relationship was a major focus of my life. I devoted years of my high school career to the topic. I fought to show my classmates and teachers that my two great loves –politics and governance- were not only compatible, but mutually beneficial. I was certain that brilliant and convincing arguments would show the world that what we REALLY needed to move towards a happier life is leaders whose personal lives are governed by the unalterable standards set forth in the bible. It culminated in my senior year, when I did multiple reports on Constantine, an emperor who used Christianity as a force for strengthening and organizing the flagging Roman Empire. This was my vision for the country and for my life… to bring religion and governance together in such a way that lives would be changed, existence would be simpler, and all would be well with the world.
My life was all about Church vs. State.
In college, though, all that changed. I came to see how my pride was too great a motivation; I wanted to fight for church and state to be closer not because I wanted them to be closer, or because I wanted to honor God, but because I wanted to lead the fight. I wanted to be the one at the front lines, articulating arguments that I knew would fall on deaf ears and wildly different worldviews. It was like the question of what a general should do in peacetime; I wanted a fight so I could lead the fight, not because the fight needed to happen.
I sauntered past the Ten Commandments and continued my walk.
One of the beautiful things about walking in almost any city is the opportunity to see the same thing from multiple perspectives. When I went on a mission trip to Alaska we all got to see Mt. McKinley… but we all saw it from the exact same perspective that MOST people see it, because the distances are so great. In a city, everyone can see the same building or view from different places and perspectives. As I walked through Lansing, I stopped for a moment and admired an interesting view.
The corner I stood on was the corner of the capitol building’s property. I stood at a 45 degree angle to the cross-street, looking at the capitol building. To my left and across the street was a city block that had several sophisticated, box-like buildings. These contained the Lansing City Hall, the police station, the offices of the state representatives, the MHA, the department of civil rights, Comerica Bank, a few law firms, and the inevitable coffee shop. To my right stood a couple blocks of beautiful old church buildings; Methodist, Baptist, Episcopal, you name it. The architecture was old and creative, and gave you that sad-but-lovely feeling you get when you hear a beautiful song or watch the sun set at the end of a long day.
In the center of my vision stood the majestic capitol building, with a few people and a lectern-sized sculpture on a flatbed dotting the front lawn.
I had to ask myself: Is this where we meet? Is our destiny to show up in small numbers, protesting a world that isn’t interested in our life of absolutes? What should embarrass me more; leaders who don’t care enough to listen or Christians who don’t listen enough to let people know they care?
In my last post, I talked about the importance of being content in the place God has brought you too. That’s still true. However, I can see more and more that we are still called to be God-centered in the way we live our lives. We cannot become complacent. We are to honor Him above all… above ALL.
Do church and state meet in the middle to duke it out? No. The problem with declaring church vs. state is that we give equal honor and credibility to both. We act as though they are two evenly matched fighters (often with a slight edge for state) trying to knock each other out. We put government on the same level as God.
That can’t be for me. Some people can spend their lives walking the line between governance and public service, keeping a right perspective on public service as having a higher purpose of service to the people God has created, and so being glorifying to him. I know a man who is a policeman; his work can unquestionably be for God’s greater glory.
If I persist in looking for fights, though, I will be failing my purpose here on earth. Should we be content with where God brings us? Yes, but that doesn’t mean we should flag or become lazy in pursuing His glory. My life should always be striving to know him and honor him more; if that means that I need to give up politics, so be it.
See, my life is still about Church vs. State. This time, though, it’s about which I will honor. Will I glorify governance or service? Compromises or absolutes? Bottom lines or mercy and compassion?
I don’t know what details my life will contain, but I hope they will show that Church beats State every time. I hope they show that God’s glory was of first importance in my life. I hope they show that I served my King, rather than made myself a king through public service. I hope my life commitment displays the glory of a sovereign God.
What will you commit to?
What will your life display?
( BONUS! If you'll notice, my blogspot ends every post by saying, "The monk published this discourse at...
The thing is, monks are SINGLE! And I'm getting married this summer!
So, faithful reader, if you made it this far... please comment on what you think my new nickname should be... or at the least, what my blogspot should call me. ;-) )
2/23/2005
To celebrate the holiday the other day (Presidents’ Day), Samantha and I played our favorite game, Scrabble. It was especially exciting because we got the deluxe version, which has grooves to keep the pieces in place and spins so that you don’t have to slide the board around to see it. We worked on words and formulated strategies (such as blocking the other person from getting the good spaces; if it weren’t for my sneaky fiancé, I would have had a 42 point word!), trying to get the advantage.
As we played, I had a depressing thought. Scrabble can be a lot like life. You have tons of possibilities… letters/talents of all kinds, opportunities, different things that will help you on your way. The problem, though, is that as things unfold, you have to make exceptions. Maybe things could work out perfectly… but then someone blocks you. Perhaps this terrific situation will happen and protect your lead… but then you find that the spelling is not quite right. Maybe you’ll get one great word and jump back into the lead… but then you draw four one-point vowels, and find that you’re doomed to failure (I’m well acquainted with these feelings, as Samantha usually wins. She once got 62 points on the word “sexy.” For those of you who don’t know, that’s absolutely insane.)
Lately I’ve been struggling with fears that my life will turn out that way. Instead of being able to do great and exciting things, I fear that I could end up just getting by for the rest of my life. Rather than being passionate about what I do, it’s very possible that I could lose my fire and just do the best I can with what I’m given, never fighting for more.
So often I see adults weighed down by life, frustrated and unhappy. I don’t want to end up like that. How do I avoid it?
More and more I see that the frustration people feel doesn’t come so much from their position in life… it comes from their feelings ABOUT their position in life. The happy ones are not the ones who reach the highest… they are the ones who are most content with the position they have reached. Rather than seeing themselves as a failure, they see themselves as a part of something good. On the flip side, those who think they are better than their position in life would suggest have a hard time liking themselves. They feel that they have either A) been cheated or B) failed. From that point on, they lose any sense of self-worth, and lose with it the ability to fight on.
This is a personal struggle for me because I tend to think too highly of myself. It still surprises me when I am turned down for a job, or when someone suggests that I cannot do what I feel I am supposed to do. On one hand, I need this training because it is important for me to become more humble than I am currently. On the other… is there hope?
Of course there is. God has a plan for each of us, and we fulfill a place in His Master Scheme. My job is not to have great accomplishments or to do amazing things that the world will praise me for. My job is to do what He asks of me so that the world will praise HIM for it.
I must confess, I really want to be a pastor. I mean, I REALLY want to be a pastor. I love God’s word and what it represents, I love the people it was sent for, and above all I love the God who gave it to us. I love studying what he says to us, knowing it, feeling connected to Him. I love sharing it with others. I love it when someone (be it myself or someone else) who is crying in the night finally hears the sweet words that help them out, finally receives the encouragement they’ve been so in need of. I love the idea of serving and leading a group of people to a deeper knowledge of our Redeemer.
As Samantha has been pointing out to me, though, that dream and desire is nothing if it is not of God. I am to be a Piece of His Puzzle, a carrier of His message, and servant in His house. My job in life is not to accomplish great things for God… it is to accomplish the things God asks me to accomplish. It is not for me to say where I will be 5 years from now… that choice is God’s.
That is scary for me sometimes, but I have to remember the examples I see around me. The people who do what God asks of them are happy and fulfilled. They go about their daily lives with joy and energy, and the qualities and strengths that God has given them are fully displayed. They are content, because they fit the puzzle. I can fight God, or I can accept his plan whatever it may be. The latter is the better choice, because those who do are fulfilled, while those who do not are unhappy. God’s will for us glorifies Him AND makes us happy… is he a great planner or what?
I’ve been reading a wonderful book of late called, “The Shoes of the Fisherman,” and I think this quote is pertinent:
“A man could walk only the path he saw at his own feet or that which was pointed out to him by a lawful superior. After that he was in the hands of God… And their compass was more generous, their hold more reassuring, than the hands of any man.”
Of course, finding His will is still a struggle. Even so, knowing that His plan is present and His plan will work is enough to foster trust. I need that trust, because I cannot see the entire Scrabble board of life yet. God can, though, and I need to trust that when he is done, a 62 point word will be a piece of cake.
As we played, I had a depressing thought. Scrabble can be a lot like life. You have tons of possibilities… letters/talents of all kinds, opportunities, different things that will help you on your way. The problem, though, is that as things unfold, you have to make exceptions. Maybe things could work out perfectly… but then someone blocks you. Perhaps this terrific situation will happen and protect your lead… but then you find that the spelling is not quite right. Maybe you’ll get one great word and jump back into the lead… but then you draw four one-point vowels, and find that you’re doomed to failure (I’m well acquainted with these feelings, as Samantha usually wins. She once got 62 points on the word “sexy.” For those of you who don’t know, that’s absolutely insane.)
Lately I’ve been struggling with fears that my life will turn out that way. Instead of being able to do great and exciting things, I fear that I could end up just getting by for the rest of my life. Rather than being passionate about what I do, it’s very possible that I could lose my fire and just do the best I can with what I’m given, never fighting for more.
So often I see adults weighed down by life, frustrated and unhappy. I don’t want to end up like that. How do I avoid it?
More and more I see that the frustration people feel doesn’t come so much from their position in life… it comes from their feelings ABOUT their position in life. The happy ones are not the ones who reach the highest… they are the ones who are most content with the position they have reached. Rather than seeing themselves as a failure, they see themselves as a part of something good. On the flip side, those who think they are better than their position in life would suggest have a hard time liking themselves. They feel that they have either A) been cheated or B) failed. From that point on, they lose any sense of self-worth, and lose with it the ability to fight on.
This is a personal struggle for me because I tend to think too highly of myself. It still surprises me when I am turned down for a job, or when someone suggests that I cannot do what I feel I am supposed to do. On one hand, I need this training because it is important for me to become more humble than I am currently. On the other… is there hope?
Of course there is. God has a plan for each of us, and we fulfill a place in His Master Scheme. My job is not to have great accomplishments or to do amazing things that the world will praise me for. My job is to do what He asks of me so that the world will praise HIM for it.
I must confess, I really want to be a pastor. I mean, I REALLY want to be a pastor. I love God’s word and what it represents, I love the people it was sent for, and above all I love the God who gave it to us. I love studying what he says to us, knowing it, feeling connected to Him. I love sharing it with others. I love it when someone (be it myself or someone else) who is crying in the night finally hears the sweet words that help them out, finally receives the encouragement they’ve been so in need of. I love the idea of serving and leading a group of people to a deeper knowledge of our Redeemer.
As Samantha has been pointing out to me, though, that dream and desire is nothing if it is not of God. I am to be a Piece of His Puzzle, a carrier of His message, and servant in His house. My job in life is not to accomplish great things for God… it is to accomplish the things God asks me to accomplish. It is not for me to say where I will be 5 years from now… that choice is God’s.
That is scary for me sometimes, but I have to remember the examples I see around me. The people who do what God asks of them are happy and fulfilled. They go about their daily lives with joy and energy, and the qualities and strengths that God has given them are fully displayed. They are content, because they fit the puzzle. I can fight God, or I can accept his plan whatever it may be. The latter is the better choice, because those who do are fulfilled, while those who do not are unhappy. God’s will for us glorifies Him AND makes us happy… is he a great planner or what?
I’ve been reading a wonderful book of late called, “The Shoes of the Fisherman,” and I think this quote is pertinent:
“A man could walk only the path he saw at his own feet or that which was pointed out to him by a lawful superior. After that he was in the hands of God… And their compass was more generous, their hold more reassuring, than the hands of any man.”
Of course, finding His will is still a struggle. Even so, knowing that His plan is present and His plan will work is enough to foster trust. I need that trust, because I cannot see the entire Scrabble board of life yet. God can, though, and I need to trust that when he is done, a 62 point word will be a piece of cake.
2/16/2005
Here are a few fun things that made me laugh today. Keep smiling! Hopefully I'll find time soon to be a little more interesting.
Ben
Marxists are people whose insides are torn up day after day because they want to rule the world and no one will even publish their letter to the editor.
-Mark Helprin
The Old Explorer
A young reporter went to a retirement home to interview an aged but legendary explorer. The reporter asked the old man to tell him the most frightening experience he had ever had.
The old explorer said, "Once I was hunting Bengal tigers in the jungles of India. I was on a narrow path and my faithful native gunbearer was behind me. Suddenly the largest tiger I have ever seen leaped onto the path in front of us. I turned to get my weapon only to find the native had fled. The tiger leapt toward me with a mighty ROARRRR! I soiled myself."
The reporter said, "Under those circumstances anyone would have done the same."
The old explorer said, "No, not then - just now when I went ''''ROARRRR!''''"
New Words
Each year, the Washington Post's "Style Invitational" asks readers to take any word from the dictionary, alter it by adding, subtracting, or changing one letter, and supply a new definition. Here are the 2001 winners:
Intaxication: Euphoria at getting a tax refund, which lasts until you realize it was your money to start with.
Reintarnation: Coming back to life as a hillbilly.
Giraffiti: Vandalism spray-painted very, very high.
Sarchasm: The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn't get it.
Inoculatte: To take coffee intravenously when you are running late.
Hipatitis: Terminal coolness.
Karmageddon: It's like, when everybody is sending off all these really bad vibes, right? And then, like, the Earth explodes and it's like, a serious bummer.
Prisoner’s Letters
A prisoner in jail receives a letter from his wife: "Dear Husband, I have decided to plant some lettuce in the back garden. When is the best time to plant them?"
The prisoner, knowing that the prison guards read all mail, replied in a letter: "Dear Wife, whatever you do, do not touch the back garden. That is where I hid all the money."
A week or so later, he received another letter from his wife: "Dear Husband, You wouldn't believe what happened, some men came with shovels to the house, and dug up all the back garden."
The prisoner wrote another letter back: "Dear wife, now is the best time to plant the lettuce."
Ben
Marxists are people whose insides are torn up day after day because they want to rule the world and no one will even publish their letter to the editor.
-Mark Helprin
The Old Explorer
A young reporter went to a retirement home to interview an aged but legendary explorer. The reporter asked the old man to tell him the most frightening experience he had ever had.
The old explorer said, "Once I was hunting Bengal tigers in the jungles of India. I was on a narrow path and my faithful native gunbearer was behind me. Suddenly the largest tiger I have ever seen leaped onto the path in front of us. I turned to get my weapon only to find the native had fled. The tiger leapt toward me with a mighty ROARRRR! I soiled myself."
The reporter said, "Under those circumstances anyone would have done the same."
The old explorer said, "No, not then - just now when I went ''''ROARRRR!''''"
New Words
Each year, the Washington Post's "Style Invitational" asks readers to take any word from the dictionary, alter it by adding, subtracting, or changing one letter, and supply a new definition. Here are the 2001 winners:
Intaxication: Euphoria at getting a tax refund, which lasts until you realize it was your money to start with.
Reintarnation: Coming back to life as a hillbilly.
Giraffiti: Vandalism spray-painted very, very high.
Sarchasm: The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn't get it.
Inoculatte: To take coffee intravenously when you are running late.
Hipatitis: Terminal coolness.
Karmageddon: It's like, when everybody is sending off all these really bad vibes, right? And then, like, the Earth explodes and it's like, a serious bummer.
Prisoner’s Letters
A prisoner in jail receives a letter from his wife: "Dear Husband, I have decided to plant some lettuce in the back garden. When is the best time to plant them?"
The prisoner, knowing that the prison guards read all mail, replied in a letter: "Dear Wife, whatever you do, do not touch the back garden. That is where I hid all the money."
A week or so later, he received another letter from his wife: "Dear Husband, You wouldn't believe what happened, some men came with shovels to the house, and dug up all the back garden."
The prisoner wrote another letter back: "Dear wife, now is the best time to plant the lettuce."
2/02/2005
There's this thought I have every few days or so, and today I thought I'd share it.
I win.
Ha! In the midst of all the frustration and worries of life and career choices, friendships, family, whatever else... I win!
Why, you ask? Because I'm marrying Samantha, of course!
Ok, so this is pretty sappy, I know. But I really am excited. Think about it. Wouldn't you be? You wait your whole life to find out if you can be that special to someone, to find out if you have what it takes. You dream about what they'll be like... and then one day, you realize someone even better than that cares about you too.
Samantha is the yin to my yang (or is it the other way around?), the sweet jam to my sticky peanut butter, the offensive line to my quarterback, the smile when I frown, the infastructure to my society (ok, so that impresses only me, but hey, it's my blog). She's a warm spot in front of the fire, a strong shoulder to lean against, a big hug when you're lonely, and (most importantly) a person who will bring you closer to God whether you want to know Him better or not. Heh, metaphors are fun.
She's adorable, and you know what? I win, cause she's mine (and I'm hers, for all you PC junkies out there).
Now, I'm not saying other people CAN'T win. Dave and Lindsay, Stevo and Jan, Brian and Sara, etc... these people all won, as well.
So did Aunt Ellen and Big Bob, two of my favorite single people in the world.
"Winning", really, isn't so much about getting the great girl, though I did do that. Winning is about becoming who God wants you to be. What's MOST exciting about Samantha, besides her heart-stealing smile, is that she represents a milestone in my life of choosing to follow God. Only a few times in my life have I been absolutely, 100% certain about God's will for a non-moral question in my life. High School choice, tennis vs. Bible study, college choice, fellowship choice, ending a relationship... these are the few times I've known without a doubt. Samantha is the most recent (and biggest) of these decisions.
A lot of times, we're afraid of seeking God's will, because we think he'll give us something we don't want, or that we'll be unhappy if we lose control. However, time and time again I've found that regardless of the material impact of our choices, choosing God's way always is the happier decision.
Follow God. You, too, can win.
I win.
Ha! In the midst of all the frustration and worries of life and career choices, friendships, family, whatever else... I win!
Why, you ask? Because I'm marrying Samantha, of course!
Ok, so this is pretty sappy, I know. But I really am excited. Think about it. Wouldn't you be? You wait your whole life to find out if you can be that special to someone, to find out if you have what it takes. You dream about what they'll be like... and then one day, you realize someone even better than that cares about you too.
Samantha is the yin to my yang (or is it the other way around?), the sweet jam to my sticky peanut butter, the offensive line to my quarterback, the smile when I frown, the infastructure to my society (ok, so that impresses only me, but hey, it's my blog). She's a warm spot in front of the fire, a strong shoulder to lean against, a big hug when you're lonely, and (most importantly) a person who will bring you closer to God whether you want to know Him better or not. Heh, metaphors are fun.
She's adorable, and you know what? I win, cause she's mine (and I'm hers, for all you PC junkies out there).
Now, I'm not saying other people CAN'T win. Dave and Lindsay, Stevo and Jan, Brian and Sara, etc... these people all won, as well.
So did Aunt Ellen and Big Bob, two of my favorite single people in the world.
"Winning", really, isn't so much about getting the great girl, though I did do that. Winning is about becoming who God wants you to be. What's MOST exciting about Samantha, besides her heart-stealing smile, is that she represents a milestone in my life of choosing to follow God. Only a few times in my life have I been absolutely, 100% certain about God's will for a non-moral question in my life. High School choice, tennis vs. Bible study, college choice, fellowship choice, ending a relationship... these are the few times I've known without a doubt. Samantha is the most recent (and biggest) of these decisions.
A lot of times, we're afraid of seeking God's will, because we think he'll give us something we don't want, or that we'll be unhappy if we lose control. However, time and time again I've found that regardless of the material impact of our choices, choosing God's way always is the happier decision.
Follow God. You, too, can win.
1/28/2005
Stonewashed Worship
Churches are striving to appear 'authentic'—like the rest of consumer culture.
Andy Crouch | posted 09:00 a.m.
In the final years of the 20th century, Levi Strauss & Co. stopped selling denim.
I know this because I remember denim from my childhood. When my mother brought home jeans from the store, they were thick slabs of dense cotton. The first thing we did was throw them in the wash, hoping to soften them enough to be wearable by the first day of school. After half a dozen washings they began to yield, but even months later they still turned the rinse water blue.
Then some enterprising managers discovered they could charge a premium for jeans that had been put through an industrial-strength version of our home routine. Throw some abrasive rocks into the wash, and the jeans could arrive on store shelves looking like they had been lovingly worn for years. So what if they had been pumice-pummeled to within an inch of their useful life? Stonewashed jeans were a huge hit.
I've been thinking about the days of board-like denim as I hear people describe their longing for an "authentic" church.
Authenticity is the watchword of a generation that is suspicious of squeaky-clean, franchise Christianity. Last month I spoke at a young, thriving church that describes itself as "real church for real people." I could understand the appeal of that phrase.
Church, and church people, can often seem unreal. Among my personal unreal church experiences was the megachurch service where we were invited to turn to the stranger next to us and "share a deep personal need in the next two minutes." Then there was the heartwarming, personal account of a minor miracle that I heard from two different preachers, speaking in the first person, on two separate occasions.
But our longing for "authenticity" also bears a suspicious resemblance to the latest plot twist in the story of consumer culture: the tendency to rapidly replace the squeaky-clean franchise with the "authentic" franchise. The leather seats in our sport-utility vehicle caress our stonewashed jeans as we put some blues-tinged pop on the radio and drive to the local Joe's Crab Shack. It's a ramshackle dive that you might think would fall down any minute, if you hadn't seen it being built just eight months ago by a speedy professional crew that travels around the country building Joe's Crab Shacks.
Not in the mood for shellfish, especially 1,200 miles from the nearest ocean?
Just down the road is the Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, a homey, weathered place where a welcoming fire emanates from gas nozzles. On the walls at Cracker Barrel hang nearly 1,000 pieces of Americana, lovingly collected and restored to a suitably worn appearance. Each one has a bar code.
To paraphrase the Epistle to the Hebrews, I do not have time to tell about the freshness of the salsa picante at the unassuming burrito joint wholly owned by McDonald's, or the rustic pleasures of the Italian grill where concertina music floats through the air, and good, simple wine is poured from oaken casks. Nor do I have the budget. But all of these experiences, as much as they improve on the chain restaurants of a few decades ago, only reinforce consumer culture's latest trend: the good life, the "authentic" life, is available for purchase, and all the hard work has already been done.
So we connoisseurs of the authentic go shopping for a church, and our senses are well-tuned. We may discern it in the heartfelt break in a song-leader's voice, in the not-too-pretty edge on an electric guitar, in flickering candles or in ancient forms of prayer lifted from liturgies hither and yon.
We are human, and human beings have never shaken off the sense that everything true participates in a tradition. But we are also Americans, and Americans are impatient. We'd like our church authentic, and we'd like it authentic when we first put it on.
Down the road is a sanctuary where the stained glass is a bit tacky, the prayers are formal, and an uncomfortable number of the people are old. They've been singing the same songs for decades now, hymns that sound stiff and unyielding at first. Downstairs is a food pantry that opened for business when faded denim was a sign of need, rather than ease.
We walk in, uncertain of where we should sit. The regulars make room and hand us a hymnbook. We hold it—heavy, thick, and unfamiliar—in our hands. Its cover is threadbare at the edges. We open it and try to sing along.
Churches are striving to appear 'authentic'—like the rest of consumer culture.
Andy Crouch | posted 09:00 a.m.
In the final years of the 20th century, Levi Strauss & Co. stopped selling denim.
I know this because I remember denim from my childhood. When my mother brought home jeans from the store, they were thick slabs of dense cotton. The first thing we did was throw them in the wash, hoping to soften them enough to be wearable by the first day of school. After half a dozen washings they began to yield, but even months later they still turned the rinse water blue.
Then some enterprising managers discovered they could charge a premium for jeans that had been put through an industrial-strength version of our home routine. Throw some abrasive rocks into the wash, and the jeans could arrive on store shelves looking like they had been lovingly worn for years. So what if they had been pumice-pummeled to within an inch of their useful life? Stonewashed jeans were a huge hit.
I've been thinking about the days of board-like denim as I hear people describe their longing for an "authentic" church.
Authenticity is the watchword of a generation that is suspicious of squeaky-clean, franchise Christianity. Last month I spoke at a young, thriving church that describes itself as "real church for real people." I could understand the appeal of that phrase.
Church, and church people, can often seem unreal. Among my personal unreal church experiences was the megachurch service where we were invited to turn to the stranger next to us and "share a deep personal need in the next two minutes." Then there was the heartwarming, personal account of a minor miracle that I heard from two different preachers, speaking in the first person, on two separate occasions.
But our longing for "authenticity" also bears a suspicious resemblance to the latest plot twist in the story of consumer culture: the tendency to rapidly replace the squeaky-clean franchise with the "authentic" franchise. The leather seats in our sport-utility vehicle caress our stonewashed jeans as we put some blues-tinged pop on the radio and drive to the local Joe's Crab Shack. It's a ramshackle dive that you might think would fall down any minute, if you hadn't seen it being built just eight months ago by a speedy professional crew that travels around the country building Joe's Crab Shacks.
Not in the mood for shellfish, especially 1,200 miles from the nearest ocean?
Just down the road is the Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, a homey, weathered place where a welcoming fire emanates from gas nozzles. On the walls at Cracker Barrel hang nearly 1,000 pieces of Americana, lovingly collected and restored to a suitably worn appearance. Each one has a bar code.
To paraphrase the Epistle to the Hebrews, I do not have time to tell about the freshness of the salsa picante at the unassuming burrito joint wholly owned by McDonald's, or the rustic pleasures of the Italian grill where concertina music floats through the air, and good, simple wine is poured from oaken casks. Nor do I have the budget. But all of these experiences, as much as they improve on the chain restaurants of a few decades ago, only reinforce consumer culture's latest trend: the good life, the "authentic" life, is available for purchase, and all the hard work has already been done.
So we connoisseurs of the authentic go shopping for a church, and our senses are well-tuned. We may discern it in the heartfelt break in a song-leader's voice, in the not-too-pretty edge on an electric guitar, in flickering candles or in ancient forms of prayer lifted from liturgies hither and yon.
We are human, and human beings have never shaken off the sense that everything true participates in a tradition. But we are also Americans, and Americans are impatient. We'd like our church authentic, and we'd like it authentic when we first put it on.
Down the road is a sanctuary where the stained glass is a bit tacky, the prayers are formal, and an uncomfortable number of the people are old. They've been singing the same songs for decades now, hymns that sound stiff and unyielding at first. Downstairs is a food pantry that opened for business when faded denim was a sign of need, rather than ease.
We walk in, uncertain of where we should sit. The regulars make room and hand us a hymnbook. We hold it—heavy, thick, and unfamiliar—in our hands. Its cover is threadbare at the edges. We open it and try to sing along.
1/26/2005
|
Your Dominant Intelligence is Linguistic Intelligence |
 You are excellent with words and language. You explain yourself well. An elegant speaker, you can converse well with anyone on the fly. You are also good at remembering information and convicing someone of your point of view. A master of creative phrasing and unique words, you enjoy expanding your vocabulary. You would make a fantastic poet, journalist, writer, teacher, lawyer, politician, or translator. |
1/19/2005
Ok, two fun things for today. First, a columnist from the NY Times that I wrote a letter to (different writer from the letter on Job that I put in my blog) put my letter in his blog! Very exciting. You may need a membership to www.nytimes.com to see it, but they are free to obtain. If you go to the opinion article section, and then go to the "Kristof Responds", you can see it. Here is what it shows on his website.
Ben, who identifies himself as a conservative who disagrees with me but generally enjoys my column, writes with a general comment about this blog:
I am troubled, though, by the way you manage the reader response page. Once in a while you post letters written by thoughtful conservatives who raise concerns or arguments with your positions. More often, you post rants written by extremists. I certainly apologize for how frustrating it must be to deal with these nut jobs, but I don't think you advance intelligent debate and discussion by posting them on your site to show how stupid they are and then dismissing them with a clever comment... The conservative movement has its fair share of wild ones, but these aren't the driving force behind the average conservative's worldview any more than insane members of the left are of yours. Were you to use your reader response page for intelligent debate, I imagine you would obtain far more credibility with the many thoughtful and open-minded members of the conservative right.
Actually, Ben, I am on the lookout for intelligent, thoughtful responses, and I try to post them. The problem is that those whacko emails I post — those really are representative. Now, it is true that I tend to focus on the blog on criticisms rather than praise. The email coming in tends to be of two types: “You’re a hero” and “You’re an idiot.” I don’t tend to share the compliments, both because it would be immodest and because they would be of little interest to anyone but my mother. I also think that one of the press’s problems is a perception that we’re arrogant and unresponsive and aloof, and I think one way to counter that is to engage critical readers. So I look for tough criticisms but also intelligent, well-informed ones. The reality is that a large number of emails coming in, from both left and right, are not noted for their thoughtfulness, coherency or printability. Frequently they advise me to perform impossible acts.
Also, today I wrote a "test" for Beth Martin's fiance... and yes, I sent it to him! I'm excited for them, I think he sounds like a terrific guy and a strong Christain. Still, I felt it was necessary to tease him a bit, so I sent this letter.
Dear Sir,
It has come to our attention that you intend upon marrying one of the noblest and most upright women God has seen fit to place upon this earth. This is an area of severe concern for us, as perfection can easily be ruined by… well, by your average guy.
Therefore, we require you to pass, with flying colors and impeccable credentials, the following exam. Some questions will seem straightforward and serious to you. Rest assured; they are. Some questions will seem goofy and/or humorous. They are not. This is a reflection of the fact that you are still quite young, and it would be in your best interests to take them seriously. If at any time you feel the questions are unfair, it would be best not to let us know, as it is grounds for initiating KHF (Kill Her Fiancé) operations. KHF operation commencement is our prerogative, to be initiated at any time for any reason we feel is pertinent. We suggest you tread lightly.
1) State your name, your testimony, and your reason for desiring marriage.
2) Please proceed to http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes1.htm and take the test you find there. Report the four-letter result.
3) List your three main reasons for wanting to marry Beth.
4) List three reasons she should even consider marrying you.
5) List three important people you identify with and why. These should be people famous enough that their biographies can be found on the Internet.
6) List three influential people in your life, including how they influenced you.
7) List your three most preferred methods of death should you answer a question wrongly.
8) Please discuss what your response will be the first time "Uncle Dan" talks your children into streaking through the streets of Little Lake, Michigan without clothing.
9) Please list three things you will do within one year of marriage to honor Beth’s mother. (Hint: At least one of these should be nomination for sainthood. Just a suggestion)
10) Name all the sports that are more fun, challenging, and competitive than Ultimate Frisbee. (if you desire to live, this list should be VERY short)
11) If your life's work could be anything you want, what would it be?
12) How long are you planning on being married? Circle one.
"Permanently" "Forever" "Till death do us part" "None of the above…Initiate KHF Operations!"
13) Explain your views on men and women’s roles in the church.
14) List three or more favorite books.
15) List three or more favorite authors.
16) Give your favorite passage of Scripture with brief explanation.
17) What is the best kind of sermon?
18) How many children do you want in your family?
19) Briefly explain your major, why it interests you, and what you hope to use it for.
20) True or True (circle one). Monty Python: Search for the Holy Grail is a work of great genius.
21) Explain your views on predestination.
22) When finished, return the completed exam to bbartlett@mha.org Read Proverbs 31, Isaiah 58, and Ephesians 1:15-23. Close the Bible, thank God for your good fortune, and have a wonderful day!
p.s. KHF operatives work closely with KHH (Kill Her Husband) operatives, so please proceed with caution for at least the next 70-80 years.
Heh, actually this is a sorta cool quiz for ANYONE to take... if you want to, feel free to take it yourself (if a question doesn't pertain to you, ignore it) and send me the results! bbartlett@mha.org
Have a great day!
Ben, who identifies himself as a conservative who disagrees with me but generally enjoys my column, writes with a general comment about this blog:
I am troubled, though, by the way you manage the reader response page. Once in a while you post letters written by thoughtful conservatives who raise concerns or arguments with your positions. More often, you post rants written by extremists. I certainly apologize for how frustrating it must be to deal with these nut jobs, but I don't think you advance intelligent debate and discussion by posting them on your site to show how stupid they are and then dismissing them with a clever comment... The conservative movement has its fair share of wild ones, but these aren't the driving force behind the average conservative's worldview any more than insane members of the left are of yours. Were you to use your reader response page for intelligent debate, I imagine you would obtain far more credibility with the many thoughtful and open-minded members of the conservative right.
Actually, Ben, I am on the lookout for intelligent, thoughtful responses, and I try to post them. The problem is that those whacko emails I post — those really are representative. Now, it is true that I tend to focus on the blog on criticisms rather than praise. The email coming in tends to be of two types: “You’re a hero” and “You’re an idiot.” I don’t tend to share the compliments, both because it would be immodest and because they would be of little interest to anyone but my mother. I also think that one of the press’s problems is a perception that we’re arrogant and unresponsive and aloof, and I think one way to counter that is to engage critical readers. So I look for tough criticisms but also intelligent, well-informed ones. The reality is that a large number of emails coming in, from both left and right, are not noted for their thoughtfulness, coherency or printability. Frequently they advise me to perform impossible acts.
Also, today I wrote a "test" for Beth Martin's fiance... and yes, I sent it to him! I'm excited for them, I think he sounds like a terrific guy and a strong Christain. Still, I felt it was necessary to tease him a bit, so I sent this letter.
Dear Sir,
It has come to our attention that you intend upon marrying one of the noblest and most upright women God has seen fit to place upon this earth. This is an area of severe concern for us, as perfection can easily be ruined by… well, by your average guy.
Therefore, we require you to pass, with flying colors and impeccable credentials, the following exam. Some questions will seem straightforward and serious to you. Rest assured; they are. Some questions will seem goofy and/or humorous. They are not. This is a reflection of the fact that you are still quite young, and it would be in your best interests to take them seriously. If at any time you feel the questions are unfair, it would be best not to let us know, as it is grounds for initiating KHF (Kill Her Fiancé) operations. KHF operation commencement is our prerogative, to be initiated at any time for any reason we feel is pertinent. We suggest you tread lightly.
1) State your name, your testimony, and your reason for desiring marriage.
2) Please proceed to http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes1.htm and take the test you find there. Report the four-letter result.
3) List your three main reasons for wanting to marry Beth.
4) List three reasons she should even consider marrying you.
5) List three important people you identify with and why. These should be people famous enough that their biographies can be found on the Internet.
6) List three influential people in your life, including how they influenced you.
7) List your three most preferred methods of death should you answer a question wrongly.
8) Please discuss what your response will be the first time "Uncle Dan" talks your children into streaking through the streets of Little Lake, Michigan without clothing.
9) Please list three things you will do within one year of marriage to honor Beth’s mother. (Hint: At least one of these should be nomination for sainthood. Just a suggestion)
10) Name all the sports that are more fun, challenging, and competitive than Ultimate Frisbee. (if you desire to live, this list should be VERY short)
11) If your life's work could be anything you want, what would it be?
12) How long are you planning on being married? Circle one.
"Permanently" "Forever" "Till death do us part" "None of the above…Initiate KHF Operations!"
13) Explain your views on men and women’s roles in the church.
14) List three or more favorite books.
15) List three or more favorite authors.
16) Give your favorite passage of Scripture with brief explanation.
17) What is the best kind of sermon?
18) How many children do you want in your family?
19) Briefly explain your major, why it interests you, and what you hope to use it for.
20) True or True (circle one). Monty Python: Search for the Holy Grail is a work of great genius.
21) Explain your views on predestination.
22) When finished, return the completed exam to bbartlett@mha.org Read Proverbs 31, Isaiah 58, and Ephesians 1:15-23. Close the Bible, thank God for your good fortune, and have a wonderful day!
p.s. KHF operatives work closely with KHH (Kill Her Husband) operatives, so please proceed with caution for at least the next 70-80 years.
Heh, actually this is a sorta cool quiz for ANYONE to take... if you want to, feel free to take it yourself (if a question doesn't pertain to you, ignore it) and send me the results! bbartlett@mha.org
Have a great day!
1/18/2005
Some thoughts for today...
If you haven't yet, PLEASE read the Peter Principle. It's an absolute riot.
Never in the history of sports commentary has a columnist been proven so right. Please check out Tuesday Morning Quarterback on www.nfl.com in relation to the Colts-Patriots game.
I would love your comments; do you personally prefer carpeted or hardwood floors in your bedroom?
Finally, ask yourself this question: In my growth as a person, what has educated me the most? And what is it about myself that responds so well to that kind of learning? Next, think of ways to use that knowledge.
Later!
If you haven't yet, PLEASE read the Peter Principle. It's an absolute riot.
Never in the history of sports commentary has a columnist been proven so right. Please check out Tuesday Morning Quarterback on www.nfl.com in relation to the Colts-Patriots game.
I would love your comments; do you personally prefer carpeted or hardwood floors in your bedroom?
Finally, ask yourself this question: In my growth as a person, what has educated me the most? And what is it about myself that responds so well to that kind of learning? Next, think of ways to use that knowledge.
Later!
1/10/2005
Here is a letter I wrote today to William Safire, an opinion writer for the New York Times. He wrote an article about how the book of Job (and, presumably, Christians or Jews) would respond to the hundreds of thousands of deaths that resulted from the tsunami. As you'll see, I disagreed with his interpretation. Go to www.nytimes.com if you want to see his article, but it will probably be gone by tomorrow. If you know nothing about me and my understanding of God, this is a pretty good starting point.
Dear Mr. Safire,
Thank you for your recent article on Job, and what the book has to say about suffering. It means much to the Christian community when those who are in position of influence take the time to consider how we approach the world.
However, I think it is a mistake to approach the Bible as Spinoza did, reading a certain portion without understanding the larger scheme of the work. I believe you missed the point of the book.
Throughout the Bible, we are shown that life is not about a moral code, nor is it an all-out love fest (though those are both elements of the larger point). Instead, the Bible teaches us what it is to glorify God.
The famous play JB outlines what most humans believe to be an impossible roadblock to a Christian understanding of God by suggesting that if God is good, he is not all-powerful. If he is all-powerful, he must not be good.
The problem here is that humans have arrogantly assumed that they have complete knowledge of what is good and what isn't. They are making the case that God is either uncaring, by allowing large amounts of pain when he could prevent it, or that he is weak. They assume pain is inherently bad according to their personal moral code, and that God must live up to it to be worthy of their interest.
Job shows us that this argument is not the point. In the beginning of the book, Job is a good guy. He doesn't break any rules, he is "blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil" (Job 1:1) God allows Satan to test him, but note that he does not tell Satan what the end result will be. Clearly, God has more in mind for Job than some cosmic bet. God is teaching Job something.
Near the end of his time with his friends, a young man makes some observations that God does NOT correct in the end. Apparently, they are true. This young man, Elihu, makes some of the most important summarizing arguments of the book in chapters 32-37. His points, along with God's statements, make it clear that God does not want moral perfection from us. He wants to be WORSHIPPED. God is teaching Job that he needs to be seeking and worshipping God, not just obeying his rules.
As Elihu says, "God is exalted in his power, who is a teacher like him? Or said to him, 'you have done wrong'? Remember to extol his work, which men have praised in song. All mankind has seen it, men gaze on it from afar. How great is God-beyond our understanding! The number of his years is past finding out." (Job 36:22-26)
In another place (Job 35:3-8) Elihu points out that your righteousness or lack therof doesn't add anything to God or take anything away… it affects only us. Instead, we should be worshipping.
After God's statements, all of which point to his cosmic value and worthiness of worship, Job's reply says it all.
"My ears had heard of you, but now my eyes have seen you." (Job 42:5, emphasis mine) Job now realizes that "being good" isn't enough. Suffering is there because God allows it. He allows it because it is a part of what must be done (and only an all-knowing God could know what must be done) to gain the worship of his creation.
Where would worship of a powerful God be without fear of His power? Where would joyful worship be without pain to oppose it? Who would worship God through his plan of salvation if there were no death to be saved from?
Many have struggled with the question of whether something is good because God does it, or whether God does it because it's good. This is a hard question because the former perpetuates chaos and we don't feel as though the latter has been shown to be true. The correct answer, though, is neither. Something is good because it glorifies God. Therefore, God does those things that glorify Himself, because there is no other good in the universe. He is bound by the need to honor himself, because the Truth is that He is deserving of it, and God cannot avoid doing what is right due to false humility or a desire to look good in our eyes.
Christian theology is built on these principles. It cannot be approached in the same way as Islam or modern-day Judaism, because goodness isn't a meeting of the standard. Goodness is worship for the only One who CAN meet the standard.
Thank you, again, for your thoughts on this important and emotionally hard issue. I continue to appreciate your articles and your contributions to society.
Sincerely,
Ben Bartlett
Dear Mr. Safire,
Thank you for your recent article on Job, and what the book has to say about suffering. It means much to the Christian community when those who are in position of influence take the time to consider how we approach the world.
However, I think it is a mistake to approach the Bible as Spinoza did, reading a certain portion without understanding the larger scheme of the work. I believe you missed the point of the book.
Throughout the Bible, we are shown that life is not about a moral code, nor is it an all-out love fest (though those are both elements of the larger point). Instead, the Bible teaches us what it is to glorify God.
The famous play JB outlines what most humans believe to be an impossible roadblock to a Christian understanding of God by suggesting that if God is good, he is not all-powerful. If he is all-powerful, he must not be good.
The problem here is that humans have arrogantly assumed that they have complete knowledge of what is good and what isn't. They are making the case that God is either uncaring, by allowing large amounts of pain when he could prevent it, or that he is weak. They assume pain is inherently bad according to their personal moral code, and that God must live up to it to be worthy of their interest.
Job shows us that this argument is not the point. In the beginning of the book, Job is a good guy. He doesn't break any rules, he is "blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil" (Job 1:1) God allows Satan to test him, but note that he does not tell Satan what the end result will be. Clearly, God has more in mind for Job than some cosmic bet. God is teaching Job something.
Near the end of his time with his friends, a young man makes some observations that God does NOT correct in the end. Apparently, they are true. This young man, Elihu, makes some of the most important summarizing arguments of the book in chapters 32-37. His points, along with God's statements, make it clear that God does not want moral perfection from us. He wants to be WORSHIPPED. God is teaching Job that he needs to be seeking and worshipping God, not just obeying his rules.
As Elihu says, "God is exalted in his power, who is a teacher like him? Or said to him, 'you have done wrong'? Remember to extol his work, which men have praised in song. All mankind has seen it, men gaze on it from afar. How great is God-beyond our understanding! The number of his years is past finding out." (Job 36:22-26)
In another place (Job 35:3-8) Elihu points out that your righteousness or lack therof doesn't add anything to God or take anything away… it affects only us. Instead, we should be worshipping.
After God's statements, all of which point to his cosmic value and worthiness of worship, Job's reply says it all.
"My ears had heard of you, but now my eyes have seen you." (Job 42:5, emphasis mine) Job now realizes that "being good" isn't enough. Suffering is there because God allows it. He allows it because it is a part of what must be done (and only an all-knowing God could know what must be done) to gain the worship of his creation.
Where would worship of a powerful God be without fear of His power? Where would joyful worship be without pain to oppose it? Who would worship God through his plan of salvation if there were no death to be saved from?
Many have struggled with the question of whether something is good because God does it, or whether God does it because it's good. This is a hard question because the former perpetuates chaos and we don't feel as though the latter has been shown to be true. The correct answer, though, is neither. Something is good because it glorifies God. Therefore, God does those things that glorify Himself, because there is no other good in the universe. He is bound by the need to honor himself, because the Truth is that He is deserving of it, and God cannot avoid doing what is right due to false humility or a desire to look good in our eyes.
Christian theology is built on these principles. It cannot be approached in the same way as Islam or modern-day Judaism, because goodness isn't a meeting of the standard. Goodness is worship for the only One who CAN meet the standard.
Thank you, again, for your thoughts on this important and emotionally hard issue. I continue to appreciate your articles and your contributions to society.
Sincerely,
Ben Bartlett
1/07/2005
Just some short thoughts for now...
Quick video game update... Dave gave me a THOROUGH thumping last night in Mario Tennis, and then went on to defeat me in ESPN 2k5 as well! He is clearly not as demoralized as I thought. No more NY Jets for me... I'm going back to the Lions.
Also, guess what happened two years ago today? I was in Washington DC, on the phone with a certain adorable Asian... and I asked her out! That's right, today is the two year anniversary of asking Samantha to be my girlfriend. Of course, now she's my fiance, so within about 6 months or so we'll have a REAL anniversary to celebrate. How quickly life changes... and how lucky I am!
Final thought. Why don't they have a Quiznos in downtown Lansing, for crying out loud?
Quick video game update... Dave gave me a THOROUGH thumping last night in Mario Tennis, and then went on to defeat me in ESPN 2k5 as well! He is clearly not as demoralized as I thought. No more NY Jets for me... I'm going back to the Lions.
Also, guess what happened two years ago today? I was in Washington DC, on the phone with a certain adorable Asian... and I asked her out! That's right, today is the two year anniversary of asking Samantha to be my girlfriend. Of course, now she's my fiance, so within about 6 months or so we'll have a REAL anniversary to celebrate. How quickly life changes... and how lucky I am!
Final thought. Why don't they have a Quiznos in downtown Lansing, for crying out loud?
12/29/2004
Here are a couple of excellent articles I read today. I strongly suggest you check them out, even though they're a bit long. Start with this one, which discusses how we're creating a nation of wimps.
http://cms.psychologytoday.com/articles/pto-20041112-000010.html
Next, read this one, which discusses the underlying trends that support the kind of music that is so popular these days.
http://www.policyreview.org/dec04/eberstadt.html
Can you see where we're headed? Educate yourselves, folks. As a leading philospoher wrote this past month,
"Admittedly, history does not provide many examples of the revival of liberal democracies that turned against their founding principles in culture and morality... The Church and the promise it bears and anticipates will increasingly be posited, not by our choice, against this (present day) constitutional order. That may well be the future; and for that future we must be braced, and work to equip the next generation for heroic fidelity."
Can you see it? Dear friend, please have the openness and the courage to see and know what is.
http://cms.psychologytoday.com/articles/pto-20041112-000010.html
Next, read this one, which discusses the underlying trends that support the kind of music that is so popular these days.
http://www.policyreview.org/dec04/eberstadt.html
Can you see where we're headed? Educate yourselves, folks. As a leading philospoher wrote this past month,
"Admittedly, history does not provide many examples of the revival of liberal democracies that turned against their founding principles in culture and morality... The Church and the promise it bears and anticipates will increasingly be posited, not by our choice, against this (present day) constitutional order. That may well be the future; and for that future we must be braced, and work to equip the next generation for heroic fidelity."
Can you see it? Dear friend, please have the openness and the courage to see and know what is.
12/21/2004
I read an interesting article today by, of course, A.W. Tozer. It was called the Tragedy of waste, and discusses how we use the grace we have been given. He says that we have been given three key things by God; time, money, and talents. We have also been givin opportunities to use those three things. Someday we will be judged before God... how important is it that we take those opportunities, regardless of the cost? What are we building and saving for, anyways?
Sometimes I'm frustrated because I feel as though my job is a waste, and that I could be doing more for God doing something else. However, whatever the job situation may be, I have lots of opportunities to serve him within the life I lead. It's important that I take those, and make the most of them. It's important that my life is always glorifying God, no matter what I'm doing. I need to use my time, money, and talents to praise his name here on earth.
Sometimes I'm frustrated because I feel as though my job is a waste, and that I could be doing more for God doing something else. However, whatever the job situation may be, I have lots of opportunities to serve him within the life I lead. It's important that I take those, and make the most of them. It's important that my life is always glorifying God, no matter what I'm doing. I need to use my time, money, and talents to praise his name here on earth.
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