What is reality? Is something real because I say it is or must there be a general consensus? Must it be measurable or provable through experimentation or reasoning? More importantly, do we bend or mold our concept of reality to suit our own perception and interests? Might our egos and biases interfere with Truth because we want to believe that the world we have filtered and edited to suit our desires is real?
Biblical faith never involves denying reality, but having a right focus. Dallas Willard said,"I often define reality as what you run into when you are wrong." Our perception can be very different than what actually is and that affects our view of God. A bee thinks she is simply making honey when she is actually the reason why plants and trees have flowers and are able to reproduce.
We too are a part of something much bigger and more important than we realize. Just like the bee, we are not in charge but are essential in God's plan and design. I am not above creation, I am of creation. If God is like a locomotive- you can either try to manipulate Him and get run over, stand there and watch Him go by, or climb on without hesitation. Once on board, we can go where He leads us and encourage others.
We can only access and know about the things around us through our senses, which are limited, and so there is a level of tangible uncertainty. Out of this uncertain stimulus, our brain tries to form meaning which has been learned through limited experience. We see this happen when we look at optical illusions as we interpret images differently by how they are presented. Nevertheless, there is a realness about all that we observe.
Because of the uncertainty, we make decisions and choices which extend into creativity. This creativity in each of us is a reflection of our beautiful Creator and should be used to worship Him, not to imagine our own world. He can be glorified through traditional fine arts or stories which expound on the beauty of His character and works. Albert Einstein said, "Creativity is intelligence having fun."
The Gospel transcends culture and trendsetting. The Church is everywhere. God has given us the capacity to realize good things or hamper them. Our actions are instrumental in the outcomes of events around us and without our participation, a lot of good is potentially lost in the world. God knows all things and wants us to freely experience Him, but we must submit to His authority and discipline until He reveals the next part of His plan. There are many more eyes and so many more observers, and even the angels are watching to see what will happen next!
When we value the way another perceives something, which is where compassion and empathy begin, we can form more meaningful relationships. We don't have to agree with someone to love them, and tolerance is just a way to avoid actually loving and helping people. D.A. Carson says, "Sin is social; although it is first and foremost defiance of God, there is no sin that does not touch the lives of others." Fear prevents us from loving others. Leslie Newbigin said, "Love is infinitely more than tolerance. Tolerance requires no visible community to express it, but love does." God did not intend for us to distance ourselves or live in isolation, but Peer research shows we are more divided now than any other time in history. Unfortunately, today we consider real talk a liability while technology is making it increasingly difficult for us to feel empathy. We construct and filter reality in our own way on social networks and media platforms even though we know that the world does not look like this. The computers they run on, however, are prepared to fill the void.
In many cases, we won't make an effort to listen or compromise because we want to do the talking and try to control the situation. We sometimes even think of ourselves as more moral than God. God gave us language to allow us to work together towards common goals and express our understanding of His character and creation, and we should assume we have something to learn. This helps us experience more joy, expand our awareness and achieve more. Stephen Covey says most of us don't listen with the intent to understand, but to reply. As John Piper explains, “The really wonderful moments of joy in this world are not moments of self-satisfaction, but self-forgetfulness.” M. Scott Peck would agree that true listening requires a setting aside of one's self. If we find ourselves angry about a reply to a comment/post, getting cut off in traffic, lack of recognition at work or an unappreciative spouse- then maybe we love 'me' too much. We must, as Voltaire said, "Beware, lest in attempting the grand, you overshoot the mark and fall into the grandiose."
I am not the center of everything, but we all have a purpose and our relationships are more important than material things or brief recognition of our accomplishments. People are worth helping. Love is our greatest pursuit and it requires us to see more than what our eyes show us and really use the freedom God has given by opening ourselves up and becoming vulnerable.
The perspective from one who is decades older or younger, has unconventional opinions or who may enjoy something we find repulsive is potentially far more valuable to us than avoiding any risks we might take to learn from them. Noam Chomsky said, “If we don’t believe in freedom of expression for people we despise, we don’t believe in it at all.” Do you think God will excuse us from loving someone because they didn't engage us in conversation like we expected or the situation was awkward? It's easy to begin thinking that our choices are superior to those of others and try to evangelize for our own causes.
The American ideal has become one of individualism and 'making our own way', but self-sufficiency is ultimately a delusion. We must remember that real freedom takes love and unity. Variety is wonderful and without community, we cannot experience it. The differences of sex and culture were not intended to bring strife, but to be embraced through complementary and merciful means so that pride would be checked in individuals and nations. The most successful marriages, for instance, are those where both partners serve each other and work together as each has been gifted.
Appearance tells us nothing about a person's heart. It is unkind to define someone by their moods or how they present themselves currently or even their occupation. Sexual deviants often look and act like someone who can be trusted, and we mostly decide to vote for whoever appeals to us the most since we do not actually know them. Anyone who truly seeks God tends to look a bit weird or stand out from the activities and distractions of the world, and yet be involved deeply in the love and support of others. When meeting people who seem very different from us, we would often be pleasantly surprised by how flimsy the barrier between us actually was and how satisfying it was to overcome. The story of David & Goliath is not about them or us. It tells us that we can trust God, His will is what matters and our abilities do not. We miss out on a lot of blessings because of pride and a perception contaminated by cultural values.
Sometimes people will hurt us, but will that be what defines my life? True love is not seeking self-gratification or going along with something until things change, but looking for ways to serve others before myself regardless of whether they deserve it or will return the favor. It is not taking the easy route, but doing what is most helpful and necessary. It is why a nurse will do things that hurt now so that you will not hurt later. It is what would cause us to run into a burning building to save a helpless stranger or be subjected to pain so that another doesn't have to suffer. It's what turns into righteous anger when something we love is threatened or we witness injustice, but also feels compassion for the offender.
Simply taking care of children by providing needs and teaching them and giving them unconditional love requires personal sacrifice, deep commitment and faith that what you are doing is meaningful and worth the risk(more fulfilling than a life of self-serving). This altruism is not a genetic trait or survival mechanism, but comes from God Himself because He made every single one of us uniquely in His own image. The best example we have of love is found in Mothers and Fathers, with the greatest of these falling far short of Jesus.
He didn't create true love, He is it.
It is an action first and a feeling second- not incidental, but intentional.
We are part of a pregnant creation just waiting to be born and we are only aware of a small prerequisite part of it. All that we can see is broken and waiting for the fix is frustrating. Every day, we get closer to our full and final appearance. One day we will see the finale- the ultimate win, and it will be more than worth it. The pain will end, the sadness will leave, the stain will disappear, and the perfect and beautiful will return. The light will kill off the last of the darkness and we will be stunned by the complete wonder and amazement at all that can be seen and known about God and His masterpiece!
How many people will experience God's love through you? We can keep coming up with really good excuses as we drift in an ocean of hate, or we can do what we know in our soul to be right and experience a new level of joy and contentment that frees us from our homemade prisons. We are not simply brains in a body following a program until it breaks, but conscious souls beginning our journey with a brief probationary period before being introduced to the vast and real home of The Infinite Father God!
God's Word says we all have His light in our hearts to seek Him, He tells us to seek Him out, and that He is Love and Truth. Faith is moving as His Spirit draws and transforms us by His grace. Hope is our foundation for life because we all have a purpose and know we will soon enjoy eternal brilliance with no more troubles. Love conquers all evil and gives us unity.
We must learn to see more than just the fragmented reality around us, and ask Him to remove our blindness so we can see what He is showing us. If all we focus on are bad news, evil acts, what's going wrong, differences or imperfections, that is how our life will be defined. Lament is an appropriate response to the evil that we see, but it should make us focus on God, His goodness and the hope of a future. We must pray for righteousness- people who are compelled to show mercy, people who strive for purity of thoughts and feelings, and people who passionately desire to make peace. These are the marks of a Christian. Tim Keller said, "Only if your God can outrage and challenge you, will you know you worship the real God and not a figment of your imagination."
We were not designed for 89 years of trouble to preclude a Hell of our choice. We were designed to experience infinite joy and forever love, but we have to spend some time learning what that is first. We cannot appreciate the beauty of the stars without the darkness of night, and likewise, our troubles make us appreciate life. When the sun rises, we are thankful for a new day and the wonderful new things it will reveal. It is more spectacular than we can yet comprehend, and greater than anything we could choose for ourselves. What we see around us should remind us of our insignificance in creation and significance to it's Creator. We must always try to see His creation from His perspective. God is the ultimate reality!
Biblical faith never involves denying reality, but having a right focus. Dallas Willard said,"I often define reality as what you run into when you are wrong." Our perception can be very different than what actually is and that affects our view of God. A bee thinks she is simply making honey when she is actually the reason why plants and trees have flowers and are able to reproduce.
We too are a part of something much bigger and more important than we realize. Just like the bee, we are not in charge but are essential in God's plan and design. I am not above creation, I am of creation. If God is like a locomotive- you can either try to manipulate Him and get run over, stand there and watch Him go by, or climb on without hesitation. Once on board, we can go where He leads us and encourage others.
We can only access and know about the things around us through our senses, which are limited, and so there is a level of tangible uncertainty. Out of this uncertain stimulus, our brain tries to form meaning which has been learned through limited experience. We see this happen when we look at optical illusions as we interpret images differently by how they are presented. Nevertheless, there is a realness about all that we observe.
The Gospel transcends culture and trendsetting. The Church is everywhere. God has given us the capacity to realize good things or hamper them. Our actions are instrumental in the outcomes of events around us and without our participation, a lot of good is potentially lost in the world. God knows all things and wants us to freely experience Him, but we must submit to His authority and discipline until He reveals the next part of His plan. There are many more eyes and so many more observers, and even the angels are watching to see what will happen next!
When we value the way another perceives something, which is where compassion and empathy begin, we can form more meaningful relationships. We don't have to agree with someone to love them, and tolerance is just a way to avoid actually loving and helping people. D.A. Carson says, "Sin is social; although it is first and foremost defiance of God, there is no sin that does not touch the lives of others." Fear prevents us from loving others. Leslie Newbigin said, "Love is infinitely more than tolerance. Tolerance requires no visible community to express it, but love does." God did not intend for us to distance ourselves or live in isolation, but Peer research shows we are more divided now than any other time in history. Unfortunately, today we consider real talk a liability while technology is making it increasingly difficult for us to feel empathy. We construct and filter reality in our own way on social networks and media platforms even though we know that the world does not look like this. The computers they run on, however, are prepared to fill the void.
In many cases, we won't make an effort to listen or compromise because we want to do the talking and try to control the situation. We sometimes even think of ourselves as more moral than God. God gave us language to allow us to work together towards common goals and express our understanding of His character and creation, and we should assume we have something to learn. This helps us experience more joy, expand our awareness and achieve more. Stephen Covey says most of us don't listen with the intent to understand, but to reply. As John Piper explains, “The really wonderful moments of joy in this world are not moments of self-satisfaction, but self-forgetfulness.” M. Scott Peck would agree that true listening requires a setting aside of one's self. If we find ourselves angry about a reply to a comment/post, getting cut off in traffic, lack of recognition at work or an unappreciative spouse- then maybe we love 'me' too much. We must, as Voltaire said, "Beware, lest in attempting the grand, you overshoot the mark and fall into the grandiose."
I am not the center of everything, but we all have a purpose and our relationships are more important than material things or brief recognition of our accomplishments. People are worth helping. Love is our greatest pursuit and it requires us to see more than what our eyes show us and really use the freedom God has given by opening ourselves up and becoming vulnerable.
The perspective from one who is decades older or younger, has unconventional opinions or who may enjoy something we find repulsive is potentially far more valuable to us than avoiding any risks we might take to learn from them. Noam Chomsky said, “If we don’t believe in freedom of expression for people we despise, we don’t believe in it at all.” Do you think God will excuse us from loving someone because they didn't engage us in conversation like we expected or the situation was awkward? It's easy to begin thinking that our choices are superior to those of others and try to evangelize for our own causes.
The American ideal has become one of individualism and 'making our own way', but self-sufficiency is ultimately a delusion. We must remember that real freedom takes love and unity. Variety is wonderful and without community, we cannot experience it. The differences of sex and culture were not intended to bring strife, but to be embraced through complementary and merciful means so that pride would be checked in individuals and nations. The most successful marriages, for instance, are those where both partners serve each other and work together as each has been gifted.
Appearance tells us nothing about a person's heart. It is unkind to define someone by their moods or how they present themselves currently or even their occupation. Sexual deviants often look and act like someone who can be trusted, and we mostly decide to vote for whoever appeals to us the most since we do not actually know them. Anyone who truly seeks God tends to look a bit weird or stand out from the activities and distractions of the world, and yet be involved deeply in the love and support of others. When meeting people who seem very different from us, we would often be pleasantly surprised by how flimsy the barrier between us actually was and how satisfying it was to overcome. The story of David & Goliath is not about them or us. It tells us that we can trust God, His will is what matters and our abilities do not. We miss out on a lot of blessings because of pride and a perception contaminated by cultural values.
Sometimes people will hurt us, but will that be what defines my life? True love is not seeking self-gratification or going along with something until things change, but looking for ways to serve others before myself regardless of whether they deserve it or will return the favor. It is not taking the easy route, but doing what is most helpful and necessary. It is why a nurse will do things that hurt now so that you will not hurt later. It is what would cause us to run into a burning building to save a helpless stranger or be subjected to pain so that another doesn't have to suffer. It's what turns into righteous anger when something we love is threatened or we witness injustice, but also feels compassion for the offender.
Simply taking care of children by providing needs and teaching them and giving them unconditional love requires personal sacrifice, deep commitment and faith that what you are doing is meaningful and worth the risk(more fulfilling than a life of self-serving). This altruism is not a genetic trait or survival mechanism, but comes from God Himself because He made every single one of us uniquely in His own image. The best example we have of love is found in Mothers and Fathers, with the greatest of these falling far short of Jesus.
He didn't create true love, He is it.
It is an action first and a feeling second- not incidental, but intentional.
We are part of a pregnant creation just waiting to be born and we are only aware of a small prerequisite part of it. All that we can see is broken and waiting for the fix is frustrating. Every day, we get closer to our full and final appearance. One day we will see the finale- the ultimate win, and it will be more than worth it. The pain will end, the sadness will leave, the stain will disappear, and the perfect and beautiful will return. The light will kill off the last of the darkness and we will be stunned by the complete wonder and amazement at all that can be seen and known about God and His masterpiece!
How many people will experience God's love through you? We can keep coming up with really good excuses as we drift in an ocean of hate, or we can do what we know in our soul to be right and experience a new level of joy and contentment that frees us from our homemade prisons. We are not simply brains in a body following a program until it breaks, but conscious souls beginning our journey with a brief probationary period before being introduced to the vast and real home of The Infinite Father God!
We must learn to see more than just the fragmented reality around us, and ask Him to remove our blindness so we can see what He is showing us. If all we focus on are bad news, evil acts, what's going wrong, differences or imperfections, that is how our life will be defined. Lament is an appropriate response to the evil that we see, but it should make us focus on God, His goodness and the hope of a future. We must pray for righteousness- people who are compelled to show mercy, people who strive for purity of thoughts and feelings, and people who passionately desire to make peace. These are the marks of a Christian. Tim Keller said, "Only if your God can outrage and challenge you, will you know you worship the real God and not a figment of your imagination."
We were not designed for 89 years of trouble to preclude a Hell of our choice. We were designed to experience infinite joy and forever love, but we have to spend some time learning what that is first. We cannot appreciate the beauty of the stars without the darkness of night, and likewise, our troubles make us appreciate life. When the sun rises, we are thankful for a new day and the wonderful new things it will reveal. It is more spectacular than we can yet comprehend, and greater than anything we could choose for ourselves. What we see around us should remind us of our insignificance in creation and significance to it's Creator. We must always try to see His creation from His perspective. God is the ultimate reality!
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
