In the modern world we seek conveniences constantly. This or that will make our lives convenient. We place conveniences as an absolute good.
We often wonder why the world around us is falling apart. In part it is because dealing with the problems around us is inconvenient until the problems affect us.
The Christian message comes and tells us that what is of real significance and that the significance will be a great inconvenience to our lives. We are called to be like the man who found a pearl of great value in his field and sold everything he had to get the field.
We often find that this or that keeps us from the gospel or this or that good thing. We are always people of excuses. We do not like the truth about ourselves--it is inconvenient. This is the issue; we often make up excuses because that is the easy path.
We are always too busy to do this or that but never too busy to spend three hours playing golf or watching sports every Saturday. Christianity is a religion of joy.
True joy is fellowship with God, but true joy comes with a cost. Sometimes true joy pushes into our lives and displaces some temporal joys which are getting in the way.
You see Christianity in no way suggests that joy, even joy in the world, is wrong. But it calls for priorities and sees the need to at times act even when it is inconvenient.
Showing posts with label convenience. Show all posts
Showing posts with label convenience. Show all posts
Monday, September 8, 2014
Sunday, August 31, 2014
Truth and Convenience
At times truth is inconvenient. We find that truth can make us go out of our way or force us to do things we do not wish to do.
We often like to have things our way. But truth is not dependant on our personal preference. We often act as if truth is based upon what we like. This is not totally wrong as the golden rule exists upon the principle of doing to others what you would like done to yourself.
But often we find that the truth of things and what we like are in tension. The tension may be major or minor but often the tension needs to exist by accepting that what we like and what is true are not in agreement.
Often when we accept this we find that our mind comes to see why the truth found in scripture is correct. We see things from a limited perspective and through a cultural lens. We do not see the big picture.
We are often too close to the problems of life to adequately understand reality. We often make inferences from examples in life which do not follow.
It is easy from our limited perspective to not grasp the ultimate significance of things. We live in the moment and often cannot see what will happen past tomorrow.
Often we question the wisdom of God based on what we see today. We of course lack the eternal perspective of God who sees everything in our lives from start to finish and how our lives weave in and out of the lives of others.
Sometimes we do not like truth because we forget that not everything is about us. We forget that sometimes it is better to serve than to be served. Sometimes it is better if others have it their way and we do not get our way but we usually lack the perspective to understand this.
We often like to have things our way. But truth is not dependant on our personal preference. We often act as if truth is based upon what we like. This is not totally wrong as the golden rule exists upon the principle of doing to others what you would like done to yourself.
But often we find that the truth of things and what we like are in tension. The tension may be major or minor but often the tension needs to exist by accepting that what we like and what is true are not in agreement.
Often when we accept this we find that our mind comes to see why the truth found in scripture is correct. We see things from a limited perspective and through a cultural lens. We do not see the big picture.
We are often too close to the problems of life to adequately understand reality. We often make inferences from examples in life which do not follow.
It is easy from our limited perspective to not grasp the ultimate significance of things. We live in the moment and often cannot see what will happen past tomorrow.
Often we question the wisdom of God based on what we see today. We of course lack the eternal perspective of God who sees everything in our lives from start to finish and how our lives weave in and out of the lives of others.
Sometimes we do not like truth because we forget that not everything is about us. We forget that sometimes it is better to serve than to be served. Sometimes it is better if others have it their way and we do not get our way but we usually lack the perspective to understand this.
Wednesday, July 9, 2014
True Love is Unconditional
True love is unconditional. Often we find in the world and church love which has a condition.
You find people who love those that love themselves. They love family and friends as an extension of themselves.
You see love is like an extension of a business deal. Love is based on utility or convenience or some other good.
There is truth in this sort of love, but if falls short of Christian love. Christian love is love which continues despite human logic.
You see in a sense to the world Christian love seems irrational, because it loves even when love does not make sense. Jesus laid down his life for us while we where still enemies.
You see in life true Christian virtue is of a different type than the virtue of the world because it goes farther. Lewis said that the issue with our desires is not that they are too strong but that they are too weak.
It is often true. Christianity is a religion which tells us that we care too little and are too concerned about the small details. You see we miss the point of life so often.
We see this or that tiny thing as important when it has no importance and miss the great realities of life at work around us.
You find people who love those that love themselves. They love family and friends as an extension of themselves.
You see love is like an extension of a business deal. Love is based on utility or convenience or some other good.
There is truth in this sort of love, but if falls short of Christian love. Christian love is love which continues despite human logic.
You see in a sense to the world Christian love seems irrational, because it loves even when love does not make sense. Jesus laid down his life for us while we where still enemies.
You see in life true Christian virtue is of a different type than the virtue of the world because it goes farther. Lewis said that the issue with our desires is not that they are too strong but that they are too weak.
It is often true. Christianity is a religion which tells us that we care too little and are too concerned about the small details. You see we miss the point of life so often.
We see this or that tiny thing as important when it has no importance and miss the great realities of life at work around us.
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