Sometimes it's the simplest and most spontaneous of expression which means the most.. not always the most elaborate. I can be a writer and construct a magnificent paper of thousands of beautiful words, but really, what does it matter if the idea is not clearly presented? Most is fluff and fun to put out and fun to read, but if I were to painstakingly widdle away at anything I've ever written, I bet you I could bring them all down to one or two important sentences. That's it. The rest is just my favorite way to waste your time.
Tonight was a good night after a rough morning; I don't like waking up at 5:45. Jet lag takes over and the rest of the day is kind of a blur, but sometimes it's in that weakness that inhibitions are lost and yourself is revealed. There's a liberty in exhaustion that's pretty nice really. You can say the stupidest things around people and forget about the consequences. They'll just credit it to your tiredness and general daze. Maybe that's what every day does to me eventually.
I got to the Sermon on the Mount tonight.. that's pretty solid material.
I originally thought I'd put something up about the Beatitudes.. but pastors love to preach about them because they're a gold mine and I thought some of the rest might get disregarded a little too quickly. If I ever become a ministry leader of some sort, I think I'd love to do several weeks on the Sermon on the Mount alone.. maybe even the Beatitudes alone.
I feel like the Church has been misplacing humility with modesty. My grandpa reminded me this week that "humility is not thinking less of yourself; it's just thinking of yourself less." It's not a confidence drainer, it's not an ego-shatterer; in fact, I'd reckon it's one of the most honorable and positively self-promoting activities a man can do for himself. A lot of the time, we feel that we should conceal our good works. That we should shield our quality from others in fear of making them feel less of themselves. Such thought is both an insult and a disregard to the advantageous aspects of man's competitive nature. Such thought is counter-productive at root.
However, what I'm saying has to be taken carefully. Hypocrisy obsoletes what has been done before it, which often includes the aforesaid suggestion. Prayer should not be done publicly and lengthily for the sake of attention, because when you think about what prayer really is, isn't it typically just a one-on-one conversation with God? When you make a personal phone call, do you put it on speakerphone in front of a mike to show off your conversational ability? Most likely not.. if you do, hit me up and let me come take notes. You'll help my oratory.
What I'm working towards is the suggestion of displaying the work that God has invested in our lives.. to be proud lamps into the world that deserve pedestals. There's hardly such thing as an invisible example; people follow what they see. I believe wholeheartedly that this was what Jesus was touching upon with his illustration of the light:
"You are the light of the world -- like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly father."
Matthew 5:14-16
Another common drain from Christian audacity is rebuked immediately before this passage. Look up what salty (in the sense of personality) means real fast in the dictionary. Fine, I did it for you. According to the Google Dictionary, both the second and third definitions pertain to character, language, or humor. The first refers to food.
2) "Down to earth; coarse."
or 3) "Tough, aggressive"
Do you think of Christians that way or do you think of them as goody-goody-two-shoes pacifists? Many do.
Jesus himself used this same sense to discuss our use in the world. Our impact is best promoted by a spicy personality than by a bland and peaceable example.. we're supposed to be almost more like pirates:
"You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It wil be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless."
Matthew 5:13
In other words, be more like the Grigsbies. They've got this act pretty down pat.. magnificently crafted personalities each.
Well, those are my thoughts for tonight. Two verses.. one passage.
Good day, folks!
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