The most famous Christian thinker must be a man named Paul. Paul was not content to simply mull things over, he was a man of action. He had concluded that the early followers of The Way were not only wrong but a danger to his society. He actively opposed their belief and way of life, working diligently to stop them.
Paul tells about an experience he had which changed his life and caused him to reconsider everything he believed. As Paul tells it, Jesus appeared to him in a blinding light. Ironic, isn't it, that as Paul's physical sight was taken away his spiritual eyes were opened. He later wrote: "To be physically minded is death, to be spiritually minded is life and peace."
Paul taught about Christian virtues, finishing with the big 3: faith, hope, and love. As I've considered what he said, and about the life of Jesus, here is how I think about these big three.
Hope sees it
Faith grabs it
Love gives it away
Lord, may I grow in these virtues. May I become more like Jesus.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Friday, August 24, 2007
Create it again
Sometimes you have the luxury (as I think of it, though many would disagree) of focusing on one thing at a time. Personally, I really enjoy it when you're doing something and get into the zone. You know what I mean, that place of concentration where you have pushed past the distractions and your whole self is focused on _______.
Fill in the blank with the objective of the moment - making the putt, finishing the painting, printing the tax return (ok, maybe not that), presenting your dry fly so well that a wild trout actually believes it's a bug instead of a feather-covered hook on a string.
Think about that last example. Of course it is more fun when you actually catch the fish. And that's the part everyone asks you about. But that's the external part, the physical part, the measurable result. Losing yourself in the pursuit of the goal is in some ways more deeply refreshing than attaining the goal. (So is the true refreshing the art of thinking about something other than myself? My pastor might say yes - I need to think about that part some more.)
When we think of refreshing, we tend to think of recreation. Recreation certainly is important, most would agree. After all just look at the word. Re-create, or literally, "to create again". Nothing wrong with refreshing the body, ought to be done. Probably much more often than most of us actually do it.
But I think God has been better to us than we realize. True refreshing is available all around us, every day. We don't have to go anywhere or buy any equipment or tickets. Refreshing has more to do with attitude, reorienting our internal equilibrium. An important part of refreshing of mind and of spirit, for me at least, is somehow tied to concentration. Getting to the level of focus that alters my experience of time. All of a sudden you come back to earth and realize you don't know what time it is because you have been so focused on _______. You're not sure if it has been 3 minutes or 30. To me, this brings refreshing.
The best is when our whole body, and mind, and spirit are unified in the chase. This is the ultimate place of refreshing. Interesting that God's word teaches us to live every moment like this, fully focused on loving God with everything that we are.
I would like to think about this some more, and truthfully have enjoyed the earliest moments of the day here by myself. It has been refreshing. The house is dark and I have a steaming mug of coffee. But upstairs I hear 2 year old Jack, out of bed early and embracing the day. My moments of focused concentration at an end, it is time to focus on the needs of others. Let me take this refreshing and share it with others today. Time to lay down my own agenda, time to embrace my son.
Fill in the blank with the objective of the moment - making the putt, finishing the painting, printing the tax return (ok, maybe not that), presenting your dry fly so well that a wild trout actually believes it's a bug instead of a feather-covered hook on a string.
Think about that last example. Of course it is more fun when you actually catch the fish. And that's the part everyone asks you about. But that's the external part, the physical part, the measurable result. Losing yourself in the pursuit of the goal is in some ways more deeply refreshing than attaining the goal. (So is the true refreshing the art of thinking about something other than myself? My pastor might say yes - I need to think about that part some more.)
When we think of refreshing, we tend to think of recreation. Recreation certainly is important, most would agree. After all just look at the word. Re-create, or literally, "to create again". Nothing wrong with refreshing the body, ought to be done. Probably much more often than most of us actually do it.
But I think God has been better to us than we realize. True refreshing is available all around us, every day. We don't have to go anywhere or buy any equipment or tickets. Refreshing has more to do with attitude, reorienting our internal equilibrium. An important part of refreshing of mind and of spirit, for me at least, is somehow tied to concentration. Getting to the level of focus that alters my experience of time. All of a sudden you come back to earth and realize you don't know what time it is because you have been so focused on _______. You're not sure if it has been 3 minutes or 30. To me, this brings refreshing.
The best is when our whole body, and mind, and spirit are unified in the chase. This is the ultimate place of refreshing. Interesting that God's word teaches us to live every moment like this, fully focused on loving God with everything that we are.
I would like to think about this some more, and truthfully have enjoyed the earliest moments of the day here by myself. It has been refreshing. The house is dark and I have a steaming mug of coffee. But upstairs I hear 2 year old Jack, out of bed early and embracing the day. My moments of focused concentration at an end, it is time to focus on the needs of others. Let me take this refreshing and share it with others today. Time to lay down my own agenda, time to embrace my son.
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Lookin' good
This morning I'm thinking about Jesus. Not a bad place to start. Jesus is such a paradox. Fully God, yet he laid it all down. Our natural tendency is to constantly strive and work, trying to grow, to increase, to get more, have more, be more. Jesus had it all, and He laid it all down. That constantly challenges me.
Apparently it challenged Luke as well. Luke was a doctor, well-educated and presumably in the upper class of his time. Somehow Luke's attention got arrested by Jesus. Whatever plans Luke had for himself evaporated like steam from the tea kettle. Our own strivings are like that- lots of heat and energy, insides boiling, making lots of noise and demanding attention from others. But it all just evaporates as soon as it's out the door. No lasting results, nothing of value produced.
Luke records a dinner conversation Jesus had with some up and comers (Luke 11), Pharisees and experts in the law. These were good people to know. They were like Senate staffers today- maybe not the people making the speech, but the people writing the speech. Some of these people will be making the speech soon. Important people. People you would want to impress.
Jesus did make an impression on them. His words have made an impression on me. He scolded them and corrected them. These people loved to give it out, but it stung them to be on the sharp end of the stick. Jesus pointed out that they majored on things other people notice but left their own hearts untouched. They gave a tenth of their herb gardens to God but, Jesus said, neglected justice and love.
Here's what gets me: "You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone." Imagine this- you're riding in the front seat, your friend is driving. Suddenly you notice that your friend is no longer checking the road but has her nose glued to the dash board, completely focused on the speedometer. What are you doing?? "I don't want to go over the speed limit." Jesus was saying, "Hey guys, you're only watching the speedometer but you're about to drive into a bridge!"
"Keeping the rules" is fine and necessary, absolutely ought to get done. But it is the result, the by-product of a heart on fire. These guys were doing it because it was required to advance, because it would hurt their cause to be seen as not doing it. They were practicing only those things that others would notice. Jesus challenged them give their heart and attention, their full energies - to practice - something much deeper.
All too easy to focus only on those things that make us look good. Esse quam videre.
Apparently it challenged Luke as well. Luke was a doctor, well-educated and presumably in the upper class of his time. Somehow Luke's attention got arrested by Jesus. Whatever plans Luke had for himself evaporated like steam from the tea kettle. Our own strivings are like that- lots of heat and energy, insides boiling, making lots of noise and demanding attention from others. But it all just evaporates as soon as it's out the door. No lasting results, nothing of value produced.
Luke records a dinner conversation Jesus had with some up and comers (Luke 11), Pharisees and experts in the law. These were good people to know. They were like Senate staffers today- maybe not the people making the speech, but the people writing the speech. Some of these people will be making the speech soon. Important people. People you would want to impress.
Jesus did make an impression on them. His words have made an impression on me. He scolded them and corrected them. These people loved to give it out, but it stung them to be on the sharp end of the stick. Jesus pointed out that they majored on things other people notice but left their own hearts untouched. They gave a tenth of their herb gardens to God but, Jesus said, neglected justice and love.
Here's what gets me: "You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone." Imagine this- you're riding in the front seat, your friend is driving. Suddenly you notice that your friend is no longer checking the road but has her nose glued to the dash board, completely focused on the speedometer. What are you doing?? "I don't want to go over the speed limit." Jesus was saying, "Hey guys, you're only watching the speedometer but you're about to drive into a bridge!"
"Keeping the rules" is fine and necessary, absolutely ought to get done. But it is the result, the by-product of a heart on fire. These guys were doing it because it was required to advance, because it would hurt their cause to be seen as not doing it. They were practicing only those things that others would notice. Jesus challenged them give their heart and attention, their full energies - to practice - something much deeper.
All too easy to focus only on those things that make us look good. Esse quam videre.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
What grows?
"What you give attention to grows."
Not today, but years ago in the early morning I heard these words whispered in my heart. I began to consider, wondering about experiences I have had which would either confirm or deny the proposition. The more I considered, the more settled I became that they are true.
Is our own experience important? Absolutely. But there is a higher measurement.
Not today, but years ago in the early morning I heard these words whispered in my heart. I began to consider, wondering about experiences I have had which would either confirm or deny the proposition. The more I considered, the more settled I became that they are true.
Is our own experience important? Absolutely. But there is a higher measurement.
The Bible says what we give our attention to is very important. Our internal state is to a great extent governed by where our attention is directed. "Stop listening to instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge." Proverbs 19:27. Our financial affairs will flourish or fail based on the attention we give them. "Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds..." Proverbs 27:23
The apostle Peter considered attention one of the most important aspects of ministry. He learned ministry from paying close attention to Jesus, devoting years of his life to be with Him. Give attention to Acts 3: "And fixing his eyes on him, Peter said, 'Look at us.' So he gave them his attention..." Then "all the people saw him walking and praising God.
Consider: (1) Peter focused laserlike attention on the man he was ministering to; (2) Peter commanded the attention of the man he wanted to touch; (3) others paid attention to the miracle.
What commands our attention today? Is that something I really want to grow in my life?
Attention is the sun, our thoughts the plants. What we give attention to grows.
Monday, August 6, 2007
What's a "musing"?
Musings are defined as thoughts, contemplations, meditations. When one is musing, it can be said, you are deep in thought or contemplation.
What are our musings? The raw material of our internal conversation is not something we often spend time, well, musing over. It's early in the morning and already a parade of thoughts have presented themselves: practical considerations, the needs of those around me, work to be done, projects to be completed, threats and worryings demanding a home, ideas, reminders, hopes, dreams, possibilities. And yes, the desire for a good cup of coffee.
Our thoughts are multiple and varied, lightning bolts across our mind's horizon. Usually, we're not even aware of the millions of decisions we make regarding our thoughts. Which do we accept? Which to reject? Which do we build and pursue? It has been said that the human mind processes thought at the speed of about 50,000 words per minute. What is it that we are thinking about?
The Apostle Paul encouraged his friends at Phillipi to give their mental energies only to those things worthy of attention, thoughts that were uplifting, encouraging, and strengthening. This is not a PollyAnna approach to life; it requires the discipline of an Olympic athlete. Lord, help us to be the ruler of our musings. As a man muses, so is he.
What are our musings? The raw material of our internal conversation is not something we often spend time, well, musing over. It's early in the morning and already a parade of thoughts have presented themselves: practical considerations, the needs of those around me, work to be done, projects to be completed, threats and worryings demanding a home, ideas, reminders, hopes, dreams, possibilities. And yes, the desire for a good cup of coffee.
Our thoughts are multiple and varied, lightning bolts across our mind's horizon. Usually, we're not even aware of the millions of decisions we make regarding our thoughts. Which do we accept? Which to reject? Which do we build and pursue? It has been said that the human mind processes thought at the speed of about 50,000 words per minute. What is it that we are thinking about?
The Apostle Paul encouraged his friends at Phillipi to give their mental energies only to those things worthy of attention, thoughts that were uplifting, encouraging, and strengthening. This is not a PollyAnna approach to life; it requires the discipline of an Olympic athlete. Lord, help us to be the ruler of our musings. As a man muses, so is he.
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