I Want To Ride My Bicycle

The godly life is like building a bike. Only it's not like building a bike. But if it helps, yeah, it's like building a bike.
I was reading Paul's letter to the Church in Rome when this parallel occurred to me. In chapter 2, verses 12-29 Paul addresses the issue of having the law vs. obeying the law. He says that those who have the law (the Jews) yet don't obey it will be judged by it. And those who don't have the law (everyone else, aka. Gentiles) yet obey it are declared righteous.
My thoughts went to Christ's parable of the two sons who were each given the same instructions. Their father tells them to go out and work. One son says he will, but never does. The other son says he won't, yet decides later to go out and work anyway. It is the second son who is praised, even though he initially dishonored his father by refusing his instruction.
As I considered further I realized that it is very much like building a bike. It could be building anything at all, really. But for the sake of this discussion let's call it a bike.
When you first purchase a bicycle they usually come with instructions for assembly. Many a man throughout the ages has rejected the manufacturer's suggestion that they follow the complimentary assembly pamphlet. And what has been the conclusion? countless bicycles, tricycles, wagons, play structures, BBQ's, tents, book shelves, and all other sorts of structures and accessories have been utterly butchered.
What pleasure will be had from a bike that doesn't work? Who is going to praise the man that built something wrong? There is no gain. There is no reward.
So what does this teach us, that if we follow the instructions we will always be right? Not quite.
Certainly there are those people who look to and follow the instructions as they form their bicycle in a sufficient manner. And of course there are people who can assemble most things without using the instructions. These two groups--whether following the written instructions intentionally or not--will get their reward. We would agree with that. That makes sense.
But there are those, are there not, who, try as they might, don't really get the instructions even when they read them? They look at the instructions just enough to make them dangerous, but the result is a mess. Or they come into it with their own ideas of how it should go, and then glance at the directions so they can say that they had.
Again I ask, what is gained from a bike that doesn't work? Who will praise a man for building something wrong?
Paul uses the image of a structure to describe a man's life in one of his letters to the Christians in Corinth.

By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation [the Gospel] as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames. (1 Cor. 3:10-15)

Here Paul is talking to people who are, without a doubt, saved. This isn't quite the issue of Jews/Gentiles or law/no law that we see in Romans. But I think the concept of living in obedience vs. living in rebellion (ie. selfishly) carries through. We have everything we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). We have the Spirit of God within us. So how are we going to keep building this house? Will we seek God's best, and in obedience build with gold, silver and costly stones--which takes more effort and comes at a higher price. Or will we try to make it on our own, pleasing ourselves, and building with hay, straw and sticks because they are cheap and easy materials? It all goes through a purifying fire in the end. Which of those materials do you think will form into a crown of righteousness?
Who will praise the man that builds a house that is burnt to the ground?
It is far better to simply obey.
May God help me and guide me in obedience to Him.

Hiding In Shame Vs. Living In Freedom

What causes shame?
The very presence of shame implies a standard. A person may be ashamed of their clothing because they recognize the standard of attire within their society. A man may be ashamed of his hobbies because of the stigma attached to those hobbies. A person may be ashamed of his actions if those actions defy the public authorities. A man may be ashamed of his sin because he sees it in light of God's righteousness.
No one likes to be exposed when they don't meet the standards they recognize. That's why we are okay with wearing whatever we want around the house, but might not want to wearing the same thing in public. That's why students don't mind bragging about their passing C's among peers, but try to avoid showing the report card to Mom and Dad.
"Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed" (John 3:19-20).
However, it is possible for a standard to exist without being recognized. Either the person does not recognize its existence, or he does not recognize it as valid. That's why tourists continue to stick out like sore thumbs in other countries. This is not to say that all standards should be recognized. There are a lot of standards that are not worth recognizing or are optional. Take a look at a high school commons during lunch and you will see a plethora of standards represented, and many of them in contradiction to each other. One has to choose which standards he will recognize as important.
There is, however, one standard which stands valid over all people, whether or not they recognize it. God's righteousness is a standard we will all face one day. Like Jesus says in the Gospel of John, men don't want to be exposed in the light of that standard because it brings a sense of shame.
Shame is fear of judgment.
The standard makes us feel shame because we are afraid of being judged according to that standard. Shame is not the judgment itself (that is condemnation).
If we all recognized the standard of God's righteousness we would be ashamed, which is why we avoid it. That is why men prefer the darkness where they feel their actions are not exposed to the light of God's righteousness. That is why men avoid God.
But Jesus came (and we are in the season of celebrating his first coming even now) to free us of that shame so that we might come to God freely and unashamed. "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law [the standard] of sin and death" (Romans 8:1-2).
This is the message of grace (a free gift that we did not deserve). We no longer have to live in hiding; in darkness. We don't have to live in a way that is followed by the phrase, "what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas." We can live righteously so that what we do in secret would only bring us honor if spoken of in public.
Are we perfect? No, but as we live openly and honestly before God he works in our lives to make us more and more like him in regards to righteousness.
"What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means!" (Romans 6:1-2) We have been freed from that life of filth and slavery. Why would we want to return to it? And on top of that there is still the standard of God's righteousness to recon with.
It is true that as Christians we are no longer condemned for not meeting the standard, and so we may approach God freely and confidently. But there is another judgment:

By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation [the Gospel; the foundation of salvation]... But each one should be careful how he builds...If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones [righteous works; living in accordance with the Spirit], wood, hay or straw [plain or worthless works; living according to selfish desires], his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day [of judgment] will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames. (1 Corinthians 3:10-15)

Notice that Paul is talking about a person who has the Gospel and is saved. Yet, even we who are saved will be judged according to how we build on this Christian life. When it comes to those things we do simply because they aren't outright forbidden in the Bible, do we really want to wager that those things are "gold, silver," and "costly stones"?
Therefore, brothers, let us not continue to walk in darkness as people who should be ashamed before God of their unrighteous deeds. But let us walk in the light, where our deeds are exposed, and we may learn to live according to the grace Paul speaks of in his letter to Titus:

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope--the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. (2:11-13)

Come, Lord Jesus, Come.

Real Lies

"The heart is deceitful above all things... Who can understand it?" (Jeremiah 17:9).

I would like to expand upon my statement in my last post. I said, "I understand that emotions are dodgy things, and not to be entirely trusted, but they are the only reality we have experienced." First I would like to explain the fallaciousness of our emotions, then I will explain the reality within those same emotions.

I think Jeremiah explains things pretty well. The heart (the poetic seat of our emotions) is a liar. Because of our emotions we perceive things that aren't there. Emotions cause us to concoct grand explanations for behavior: for our own behavior (excuses) and for the behavior of others (gossip or conspiracy theories). Emotions filter our perception of the world, distorting and subverting reality leaving us with either a dream or a nightmare. Emotions cause us to love the imperfect, judge our peers and condemn the innocent. In short, emotions deceive us.

This is not to say that emotions are bad. I am not suggesting we go the rout of the Vulcans and purge our minds of all emotion. God created us with these emotions. Granted, they have been distorted by sin, but they can be redeemed through Christ and reshaped by the Holy Spirit. For now, however, they are broken, and we should be careful not to trust them too quickly.

That being said, there is a reality behind emotions. It is not necessarily a reality of Truth so much as it is a perceived reality. Just because feelings may produce ideas and perceptions of things that don't exist does not make the actual emotions any less real.
Emotions are real things, even if they aren't founded on reality.
I have worked at a camp for the last two summers, and when working with my campers on trust exercises and encouraging/supporting each other I tell them just that; emotions are real things. It doesn't matter if you Know that your friend is safe. If your friend Feels like he isn't safe, it's as frightening and dangerous in his mind as the real thing. You had better take the situation seriously, because he is not laughing, and he needs to be able to trust you.

On the flip side things that have no effect on our emotions what so ever can very easily be dismissed because it lacks the perception of reality. You can be inundated with the most powerful truth on earth--even the Gospel of Jesus Christ--and still miss the reality of its message if it does not affect your emotions in some way.
How we experience things through our emotional filter is the only representation we have of reality. That does not mean that our perceptions are reality (or truth). But the perceptions are real.
The tricky balance is then figuring out how to recognize and validate people's perceptions (including our own) without dumping truth out the window. This might be one of the reasons Christians are to live in community. With our various perspectives of God (as seen through the filter of scripture) perhaps we can help each other to have a more accurate perception of reality.

...Hi......

Humor me for a minute.
Today's discussion: Outgoing and Shy people and the ability of people to have deep and personal/intimate discussion.
Most people would agree that there are two kinds of people in our society: Outgoing people and Shy people. Let me be clear--I am not talking about introverts and extroverts. There are plenty of introverts who are outgoing, social people. And there are shy, withdrawn extroverts. I am talking about people who are more or less comfortable holding up a conversation in a social setting, and those who are more or less comfortable being a non-contributing member of the conversation (or better yet, sitting just outside the conversation).
I submit that we are all the most shy people in the world. Each and every one of us has a social equivalency to the most painfully shy person of all time. I don't want to go so far as to say the most reclusive person. There would have to be a whole different line of reasoning to support that claim, and I'm not ready for that. The kind of person I am describing is still someone who is out-and-about, but resistant to social interaction. That's the kind of person that each of us is like on a certain level.
I also submit that many of us (and perhaps most) have learned or are naturally adept in the skill of surface talk. Surface talk includes all kinds of useful, fun, engaging, pointless, and some times necessary information. Let me be clear: surface talk is a natural and necessary part of social life, and is not inherently bad.
When those of us shy people (as I hope you remember we all are) who are equipped to do so employ the skill of surface talk, we generate what I would like to call an external shell. This shell is how we present ourselves to the world. Granted, it does include more than just our social conversation. One's shell is made up of everything he does in public settings: how he walks, talks, eats, dresses, carries himself, his facial expressions, how he treats people. The shell is the public image.
For the sake of this discussion I will focus on the element of the shell that pertains only to conversation: surface talk.
What is surface talk? My concept of surface talk is defined by what it is not. Surface talk is not deep. It is not personal. It does not connect with what is really going on in the person's emotional center. You can have all kinds of meaningful and life changing conversations that stem from the mental (both logical and creative) and spiritual centers of your self, but unless those topics connect to your emotional center it is all surface talk. The reason is that how we feel (our emotional response or connection) toward something is what gives us our perception of that thing's value. If it has no emotional value (positive or negative), then it is as deep and personal as talking about the weather.
I understand that emotions are dodgy things, and not to be entirely trusted, but they are the only reality we have experienced. (I would love to explain my thoughts on this topic, but I don't want to get too sidetracked.)

What do we have so far? We are all shy people. Some of us have created a social image, but underneath that image is still the shy person. If it is the surface talk that creates the shell, then what is it that the shy person inside is keeping to himself? It is the deep, emotionally connected things that we are shy about.
I would like to point out that shy people are not mute. Shy people talk. Shy people can interact, and converse, and develop relationship with other people. It just takes time and a willingness to take a chance.
The issue is not that we never share those things which have an emotional connection for us. In all reality we each operate at different levels of sharing those things with others. Some are more comfortable than others with sharing. Some just have more experience--they have taken the risk and met with a favorable outcome. Others have taken the same risk and found only pain.

What's my point? Simply put, we aren't so different, you and I. We may interact with people differently. We may have different values. We may look different, talk different, and even treat people differently. But underneath the shell--whether it's a big, outgoing, firecracker of a shell, or a meek, church-mouse, barely above the surface shell--we have things that mean something to us, and that we hold close. We have pain, wounds, scars, and infections. We have dreams, desires, and loves. We have emotions--hidden or not--like fear, anger, confusion, hurt, and joy, comfort, longing and love.
We aren't so different. At a certain level we are all shy people who want to be known and loved, but fear being known and hurt.

"According To Their Needs"

How does one go about discovering the needs of others?
"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." (Ephesians 4:29)
Okay, that's great. I'd love to do that. I would love to live in community with others in a way that cares for their needs. The trouble I have is knowing what others need. I hardly know what I need most of the time.
Why not just ask? "What do you need right now?" That's always an option. The trouble with that--as I've encountered it--is that people don't know how to respond to that question. Even those people who would respond wholeheartedly may have trouble answering. I can't blame them, since I don't know how to answer.
You can spend time with a person. Spend enough time with them and you may gain some idea of where they are at and what they need at the moment. However, superficiality can get in the way. There are a lot of people who can talk your ear off without out saying a thing about themselves. There are even people who can talk about themselves all day long without saying anything of depth what so ever.
Then there is the issue of time. When is there time to interact with each person long enough to discover his/her needs?
This is something I'm going to have to work at for the rest of my life. It is reassuring to know that it will be worth it. I've experienced that before. But it's still going to be a lot of work. That is part of the sacrifice in loving people. It isn't just about what you give or give up. It is also the work and the thought that goes into caring for and loving people...according to their needs.

Motivation Vs. Action

Motivation: who needs it?
There is a lot of talk on a college campus about how motivated or unmotivated people feel at any given moment. "I've finally found my motivation in life," "This teacher is really motivating." Though more often than not it comes up in this context: "I just can't seem to get motivated to do this assignment," "Why can't I be more motivated," "I am so unmotivated right now."
I was talking with a friend the other day when she said something I hadn't thought about before. It was something along the lines of, "I just need to get motivated." The general response that came to mind was "why?" Who says that you need to be motivated in order to get something done, or even to start something. Who says that you can only work quickly, efficiently and enjoyably when motivated?
This term I have the fewest credits I have ever taken in a term of college. I never knew such a world existed; one in which there was time during the day to actually get things done, and there wasn't too much on your plate. It's incredible. I don't know what to do with myself...some times.
In these delightful pockets of time I have faced decisions. One of those decisions has been "work on homework now, or save it for later?" I can tell you there isn't a whole lot of motivation to cause me to start the homework right away. The assignment isn't due for two days. I have plenty of time to work on it later. Why not relax?
And yet, somehow I have repeatedly made the decision to start and complete my work well in advance. I have opted to use my free time to take care of those things that could have waited, but didn't need to wait.
This has caused me to think differently about motivation. Who says we need motivation? If we wait until we "get motivated" we'll never get anywhere. It's not about motivation, it's about decision. Just decide to act. Decide to live, to follow through, to take up the challenges set before you.
Taking action in spite of motivation--or lack-there-of--is nothing new. We've been doing this our whole lives. I'm simply talking about a perspective shift. We need to stop thinking in terms of motivated and unmotivated work. We need to start thinking in terms of recognizing, accepting and intentionally engaging the work laid out before us.
And think of this: James says we are to "consider it pure joy...when [we] face trials of many kinds" (1:2). There is a reason for every trial, every challenge that we face. Each one is a test. How are you going to approach them? No, they aren't easy and fun, and you may never feel motivated to keep going. However, "blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him" (James 1:12).
Make a decision. Take action, and know that you serve a God who stands by you and stands ready with your reward.

How Then Shall I Live?

It was hard...really hard. It was quite possibly one of the more difficult experiences of my life. At the same time it was one of the best experiences.
It's like James says: "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything" (James 1:2-4). The trials and challenges are tests, and those tests do two things.
First the trials reveal things in myself that I otherwise might not notice. On the one hand it reveals things in myself that still need some work; issues concerning my attitude, my personality, my lifestyle, my perspectives. On the other hand trials can also reveal areas of growth in my life. Those are the most encouraging times, when I'm able to see in myself how God has changed the way I respond to situations; when I respond with more patience, confidence, faithfulness.
The second thing that trials do is to further develop perseverance and other such qualities. So much growth comes from being faithful in times of trial.
All that to say, with all the challenges I faced this summer, and all the growth and change that has taken place in me, how should I live differently? What new challenges should I be pursuing?
I look forward, with fear and trembling, to seeing what God has for me this school year.
"Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens." Psalm 68:19

Thank you all for your prayers.