Solomon tells us that “a happy heart is good medicine and a cheerful mind works healing” (Proverbs 17:22, AMP ). God undoubtedly has a sense of humor; we need only look at some of the animals He created (it’s hard not to smile at the sight of a hippo, a monkey, or a puppy). Or think of some of the married couples you know: don’t you think God was smiling at the wedding as He looked ahead to the interaction of the wildly different personalities that will be living together?Posts Tagged ‘Paul’
let God bring the change
The next chapter in Murray’s Humility opens with this quote from Thomas à Kempis:
Be not angry that you cannot make others as you wish them to be, since you cannot make yourself as you wish yourself to be.
Doesn’t that just stop you in your tracks?
We started our fall small group last night, and we’re doing Emerson Eggerichs’ Love and Respect, a wonderful teaching on marriage. As I prayed yesterday about what to say by way of introduction, three things came to mind, with this quote very much in the mix:
humility and confidence: the secret to Dan-free living
9th in a series on humility
I’m high maintenance; “Dan” takes a lot of work. And I suspect you could probably say the same of yourself (I promise it won’t hurt too much to say aloud just once, “I’m high maintenance”). In being focused on meeting my needs, maintaining my sense of myself, protecting my rights and privileges, I’m neither resting nor peaceful. Nor am I particularly happy, because I’m constantly getting tromped on. My wife offends me, one of the kids hurts my feelings with a comment about my weight, a driver cuts me off or gets in my way, somebody’s kids annoy me while I’m shopping at Wal-Mart: I go through my day irritated that the world doesn’t cater to me.
I have experienced some moments of Dan-free living, and they were quite enjoyable, actually. Moments of not being concerned with me but with others or with the task at hand. Teaching is generally that way for me. I simply go and do; I’m not worried about how I look or sound or whether I’m coming off as smart and professorial. I enter fully into the moment and have a great time. And I’ve discovered in those moments that a grace is there that makes up the deficiencies and fills in the gaps. If — When — I make a mistake, I simply acknowledge it, laugh at myself, and keep going. Teaching in those times is effortless (and great fun!).
Here’s the secret with my teaching…
we regard no one…
Over at kendallball.net, Greg has taken John Donne’s “No man is an island” concept and pushed the issue of self- and group definition to consider how the Christian sees himself in relation to the rest of humanity:
In Jesus we are called to be new creations, and perhaps part of this new creation is the cultivation (through certain practices) of the idea that I am a part of the continent of humanity… Maybe then we will shift our focus from ourselves and become builders of peace, seekers of justice, and lovers of all mankind. Those sorts of things just don’t seem possible as long as we’re deriving our self-identity from a source other than our status as children of God and followers of Christ.
I think the Apostle Paul’s teaching about new creation is worth considering here…
Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version ®, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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