this is one of the hardest topics for me to discuss, so im going to keep a running tab on thoughts here till i come to my own conclusion. tolstoy, ghandi, martin luther king jr., gk chesterton. and the list of pacifist's grow. this should seem like such an easy and logical decision. war= not good. death. killing. peace= contentment, stability, life. but when you have grown up in a country where the church, state, and weaponry have all blurred into the same entity it is a much harder decision to come to. there are SO MANY INTELLIGENT PEOPLE on this blog, just read through the comments! my LORD! you guys are brillant. ang said "There is a time and a place for everything, it depends on the situation." but i would like to hear the situations in which violence is necessary. defend yourself? your family? but what about war, when do we have to kill? 'one murder made a villain, millions a hero'. your right ang this is hard because i would defend my family to the death wh
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as iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.
If you have ever gotten the chance to watch a blacksmith you know that this sharpening is a full contact event. The iron needs to literally smash into each other, setting off sparks, leaving each piece marked and changed forever. If you think talking could possibly do this..well then tell me how.
I believe a speech could start a fire in us, but the iron would still just be lying there, waiting to be changed into something useful.
We are probably the most intelligent generation in history, yet given all our knowledge, we are ineffective on so many levels! Why...in action.
If you are a leader, get up and lead already, and if you need help, cry out for someone to come and pick you up out of the fire.
The more I live the more I see, we need each other, but we are getting farther away from each other. {See previous post on Modesty}
The story is yours to finish, are you going to pick up a piece of iron and form it, or are you going to let someone reform you into a tool, or are you just going to sit there talking about it? You don't need to change the entire world at all, but I bet you know someone who needs you, and someone you could learn from so you could pass it on.
Revelation 3:16
So because you are lukewarm-neither hot nor cold-I am about to spit you out of my mouth.
Heat it up and start some sparks! Get sharpening already!
Keep doing! PS, saw you in Salt Lake last night, you guys were incredible as usual :)
this blog post is a thorn in my foot.
And that is a good thing. ;)
"With the help of the thorn in my foot, I spring higher than anyone with sound feet."
-Soren Kierkegaard
So often am I the "talker" and not the "do-er." I think we are all guilty of this. We are all human and therefore imperfect.
Sometimes I feel frozen and unable to move, unable to actually do anything. :(
I don't know why or what to do about it. God help me...
No Conviction
In a world where following Christ is decreed to be a subversive and illegal activity you have been accused of being a believer, arrested, and dragged before a court.
You have been under clandestine surveillance for some time now, and so the prosecution has been able to build up quite a case against you. They begin the trial by offering the judge dozens of photographs that show you attending church meetings, speaking at religious events, and participating in various prayer and worship services. After this, they present a selection of items that have been confiscated from your home: religious books that you own, worship CDs, and other Christian artifacts. Then they step up the pace by displaying your many poems, pieces of prose, and journal entries that you had lovingly written concerning your faith. Finally, in closing, the prosecution offers your Bible to the judge. This is a well-worn book with scribbles, notes, drawings, and underlings throughout, evidence, if it were needed, that you had read and re-read this sacred text many times.
Throughout the case you have been sitting silently in fear and trembling. You know deep in your heart that with the large body of evidence that has been amassed by the prosecution you face the possibility of long imprisonment or even execution. At various times throughout the proceedings you have lost all confidence and been on the verge of standing up and denying Christ. But while this thought has plagued your mind throughout the trial, you resist the temptation and remain focused.
Once the prosecution is finished presenting their case the judge proceeds to ask if you have anything to add, but you remain silent, resolute, terrified that if you open your mouth, even for a moment, you might deny the charges made against you. Like Christ, you remain silent before your accusers. In response you are led outside to wait as the judge ponders your case.
The hours pass slowly as you sit under guard in the foyer waiting to be summoned back. Eventually a young man in uniform appears and leads you into the courtroom so that you may hear the verdict and receive word of your punishment. Once you have been seated in the dock the judge, a harsh and unyielding man, enters the room, stands before you, looks deep into your eyes and begins to speak,
“Of the charges that have been brought forward I find the accused not guilty.”
“Not guilty?” your heart freezes. Then, in a split second, the fear and terror that had moments before threatened to strip your resolve are swallowed up by confusion and rage.
Despite the surroundings, you stand defiantly before the judge and demand that he give an account concerning why you are innocent of the charges in light of the evidence.
“What evidence?” he replies in shock.
“What about the poems and prose that I wrote?” you reply.
“They simply show that you think of yourself as a poet, nothing more.”
“But what about the services I spoke at, the times I wept in church and the long, sleepless nights of prayer?”
“Evidence that you are a good speaker and actor, nothing more.” Replied the judge, “It is obvious that you deluded those around you, and perhaps at times you even deluded yourself, but this foolishness is not enough to convict you in a court of law.”
“But this is madness!” you shout. “It would seem that no evidence would convince you!”
“Not so,” replies the judge as if informing you of a great, long-forgotten secret.
“The court is indifferent towards your Bible reading and church attendance; it has no concern for worship with words and a pen. Continue to develop your theology, and use it to paint pictures of love. We have no interest in such armchair artists who spend their time creating images of a better world. We exist only for those who would lay down their brush, and their life, in a Christlike endeavor to create a better world. So, until you challenge this system and become a thorn in our side, until you die to yourself and offer your body to the flames, until then, my friend, you are no enemy of ours.”
But yet another issue is raised. What difference does it make if we're leading people to broken cisterns and not Living Water? If we eradicate poverty, cure AIDS, and stop murder, and still no one is believing in a Savior, then they're living a lie and we've worked in vain. Sometimes I think a lot of advocacy groups in Christian circles seek to bring Heaven on earth, and that is not what we've been commissioned to do. We are to bring Living Water to the thirsty, and that will allow people to better deal with the circumstance life has them in.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying to be passive and curing AIDS and poverty is a waste of time, but for this particular post I wanted to address the ultimate goal we should be pursuing.
i have always taken the saying, "acta non verba" to heart, and do my best to follow through on it. i just wish others would do same.
If I read this agree with it, and walk away...what have I accomplished?
You make a very good point in this post...now I just need to find a way to get involved in what I want to change...even if it only involves prayer or supporting others (for now).
Thanks for the convicting words.
i've been involved with invisible children for quite some time, and truly i didn't do that much in the 'field' to help them, but my friend lived in uganda and when i talked to her she proved to me that invisible children was really doing what they said they do. that reassurance made me glad that they were legitimate about their intentions and willingness to really get out there and help.
i appreciate your thoughts, and i do need to get more out there instead of dreaming and failing to do. nothing should stop me, but so many times we let dumb things prevent us.
peace.
A Franciscan Benediction
May God bless you with discomfort
At easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships
So that you may live deep within your heart
May God bless you with anger
At injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people,
So that you may work for justice, freedom and peace.
May God bless you with tears
To shed for those who suffer pain, rejection, hunger and war,
So that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and
To turn their pain into joy.
And may God bless you with enough foolishness
To believe that you can make a difference in the world,
So that you can do what others claim cannot be done
To bring justice and kindness to all our children and the poor.
Amen
i know you're usually the one to suggest the books but "the hole in our gospel" absolutely bleeds this entry and talks about our sins of omission (what we DON'T do but should) whereas our world likes to focus on our sins of commission (ones we commit like murder, adultery, etc.)
it's really sad, all this talking the talk but no walking the walk.
as to the first factor, it is our problem (though that's a very selfish reason to act but nonetheless...). it's called judgment day when God separates those who followed his commandments and let's not forget the two greatest: love God and love your neighbor. how can one love their neighbor if we can know all these stats and figures about the 2 billion poor in this world and do nothing? i don't think Jesus went around and said "see this homeless person, here? this is some bad stuff." then walked on.
as martin luther king jr. and thomas jefferson said, "don't just ask, act!"
The Keirsey test finally worked, and I'm actually a rational. I don't know if you care, but yeah, that's what I got. Hey, they're pretty good too! I noticed it yesterday when I was sitting in front of the TV thinking of nothing but my little project. Haha, cool.
I ought to have you write a column for Black Velvet each issue.
I agree that more people should do things. As I've mentioned before I'm into animal rights and I hate when a big national protest is happening that I will tell friends about it and see if they will come on the march and even though they may be vegetarian or support animal rights/be against animal cruelty, they just don't bother. How are we supposed to change the world if people just sit and do nothing? It's very frustrating when you know things can be done with action but some people do nothing. They ask how it was afterwards like they're interested and they 'care' - but why don't they put some time aside and get up and join in? It's not like they're going to get in trouble just for marching in a protest. Even little things like voting - people hate how the country or world has become but then when it's time to vote tons of people don't even bother. You can't expect a better future if you don't speak up or do something. The world needs more people who are intelligent enough to know that they are needed to do something. Even if it IS a little thing - little things are better than nothing. And the more people who do little things, the bigger the chance of a change for the better.