This is the final post in Mere Christianity. I am planning to jump directly (in the next 5 minutes) into Screwtape Letters as I work to fulfill my requirement for my church history class. I will however be holding those posts off and posting 2 or 3 a day so that they don't become so overwhelming that that's all that's going on here on my blog (for those of you who are my faithful readers but have been enduring the "CS Lewis-athon" that I have been working on lately.
So, look for Screwtape Letters postings beginning maybe tonight but coming rather at the pace of two or three a day rather than 8 or 10 a day.
Now... enjoy Master Mentor #34...
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Chapter 33 (Book 4, Chapter 11)
As I wrap up Mere Christianity today, I think one of the things that I appreciated about CS’s writing in this book is that he never quoted a Scripture. Now, that might sound strange. But I’ve read so many books, good books defending the Christian life, but rather than arguing and presenting a solid case, the author threw out some half-baked notions (most of which were fully true… but not very well presented) and then they grabbed a Bible, Logos program or some other Bible software program and pulled out some Scripture to “back up” what the author already knew to be true.
Now, I’m not saying that the Bible can’t defend itself or that we shouldn’t go to the Bible for answers… especially to questions that are difficult. But in Mere Christianity, CS argued consistently, and forcefully in my opinion, in the direction of a life and relationship with Christ and God Almighty but without “beating people over the head” with the Bible or this verse or that verse. I kept waiting for it. I kept waiting for him to break out the Bible, quote some passages and point out what the Scriptures say but he didn’t do that.
Interesting.
In this final chapter, CS lays out what he sees as the “new man” who is already walking the earth. This man (or woman… at least I assume that CS is using the word “man” in the generic person sense) is someone who has been radically changed in a new direction by the powerful example and sacrifice of Christ. And this man has been completely swallowed up in Christ and has found his new identity in Him and Him alone.
This has been a good book. I think the last couple of chapters would have been easy to skip. But I’m glad that I didn’t. Like most of the chapters in this book, CS saved some of his best stuff for the last couple of sentences.
Jim
Showing posts with label master mentor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label master mentor. Show all posts
Friday, April 25, 2008
Master Mentor #33
Chapter 32 (Book 4, Chapter 10)
There is one thing about the human and being human that I really like… but at the same time, it also really scares me. CS talks about it in this chapter. It is the reality that no one really knows what is going on inside of a man or woman other than God and that particular person. And it’s a scary thought because I know or at least I feel like I have a pretty good idea of what’s going on inside of my head. And I’m pretty sure that God has an idea as well… in fact, he may have the most complete view of anyone. But I am grateful… many days… that others don’t see what I see inside my own head.
Today, CS talks about the difference between someone who has no relationship with God but yet seems to be nice and respectable and someone who is mean and nasty and claims to have that relationship with God. Basically, CS reminds us that it’s not our job to judge. We don’t know truly what is going on with someone else. But just because someone seems nice doesn’t mean that they don’t need a relationship with Christ. Sometimes these are the hardest to convince that they do need a relationship with him.
Jim
There is one thing about the human and being human that I really like… but at the same time, it also really scares me. CS talks about it in this chapter. It is the reality that no one really knows what is going on inside of a man or woman other than God and that particular person. And it’s a scary thought because I know or at least I feel like I have a pretty good idea of what’s going on inside of my head. And I’m pretty sure that God has an idea as well… in fact, he may have the most complete view of anyone. But I am grateful… many days… that others don’t see what I see inside my own head.
Today, CS talks about the difference between someone who has no relationship with God but yet seems to be nice and respectable and someone who is mean and nasty and claims to have that relationship with God. Basically, CS reminds us that it’s not our job to judge. We don’t know truly what is going on with someone else. But just because someone seems nice doesn’t mean that they don’t need a relationship with Christ. Sometimes these are the hardest to convince that they do need a relationship with him.
Jim
Master Mentor #32
Chapter 31 (Book 4, Chapter 9)
Wow! What a great chapter!!!
Over the last couple of weeks, what usually happens to me as I wind down a book is happening with this one: I’m looking forward to being done and moving onto the next book. But this chapter, this chapter was so wonderful in its richness and simplicity.
CS says this:
“The practical upshot is this. On the one hand, God’s demand for perfection need not discourage you in the least in your present attempts to be good, or even in your present failures. Each time you fall He will pick you up again. And He knows perfectly well that your own efforts are never going to bring you anywhere near perfection. On the other hand, you must realize from the outset that the goal towards which He is beginning to guide you is absolute perfection; and no power in the whole universe, except yourself, can prevent Him from taking you to that goal” (page 174).
CS does such a great job, in my opinion of walking that fine line between free will and predestination that plagues so many people. God is the only one who can do it in your life. But no one can stop you or force you to do it unless you desire in your heart to make it happen. Two very different attitudes there side by side in harmony with each other.
The interesting thing about this chapter is that CS is writing in terms of “whole life change.” Many people come to church because they are hoping that Jesus will ‘fix’ them or at least some aspect of their life that they seem to think is ‘broken.’ I see this all the time with students and parents in our student ministry. There are some parents who ‘drop off their students’ in hopes that we will ‘fix them up with Jesus’ and they can pick them up at graduation. But they don’t want the whole car ‘overhauled.’ They don’t want fanatic students who are completely in love with Jesus. Instead, they want students who clean their rooms, do their homework and take out the trash when asked. CS goes on to say, “I think that many of us, when Christ has enabled us to overcome one or two sins that were an obvious nuisance, are inclined to feel (though we do not put it into words) that we are now good enough” (page 175). Or at least we are better than some ‘others.’
That’s not God’s plan. That’s not what Jesus wants to do in our lives. He wants to begin in us that perfection that he will carry through into eternity. In fact, as we saw in the last chapter, God wants to create in us “little Christs” as we work our way toward the perfection that God has in mind for us. Man, what a great chapter!!!
Jim
Wow! What a great chapter!!!
Over the last couple of weeks, what usually happens to me as I wind down a book is happening with this one: I’m looking forward to being done and moving onto the next book. But this chapter, this chapter was so wonderful in its richness and simplicity.
CS says this:
“The practical upshot is this. On the one hand, God’s demand for perfection need not discourage you in the least in your present attempts to be good, or even in your present failures. Each time you fall He will pick you up again. And He knows perfectly well that your own efforts are never going to bring you anywhere near perfection. On the other hand, you must realize from the outset that the goal towards which He is beginning to guide you is absolute perfection; and no power in the whole universe, except yourself, can prevent Him from taking you to that goal” (page 174).
CS does such a great job, in my opinion of walking that fine line between free will and predestination that plagues so many people. God is the only one who can do it in your life. But no one can stop you or force you to do it unless you desire in your heart to make it happen. Two very different attitudes there side by side in harmony with each other.
The interesting thing about this chapter is that CS is writing in terms of “whole life change.” Many people come to church because they are hoping that Jesus will ‘fix’ them or at least some aspect of their life that they seem to think is ‘broken.’ I see this all the time with students and parents in our student ministry. There are some parents who ‘drop off their students’ in hopes that we will ‘fix them up with Jesus’ and they can pick them up at graduation. But they don’t want the whole car ‘overhauled.’ They don’t want fanatic students who are completely in love with Jesus. Instead, they want students who clean their rooms, do their homework and take out the trash when asked. CS goes on to say, “I think that many of us, when Christ has enabled us to overcome one or two sins that were an obvious nuisance, are inclined to feel (though we do not put it into words) that we are now good enough” (page 175). Or at least we are better than some ‘others.’
That’s not God’s plan. That’s not what Jesus wants to do in our lives. He wants to begin in us that perfection that he will carry through into eternity. In fact, as we saw in the last chapter, God wants to create in us “little Christs” as we work our way toward the perfection that God has in mind for us. Man, what a great chapter!!!
Jim
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Master Mentor #31
Chapter 30 (Book 4, Chapter 8)
I’m reading several books at the same time… aside from even my seminary books. This is a bad habit that I seem to have… starting several books all at the same time. It seems easy enough. Most books draw you in by nature. But then I find myself reading many… too many.
One that I have started recently is called “Simple Church.” It is a book written by “church growth experts” both by category and by self-proclamation. Although they are not talking about a new style of doing church, rather they are talking about doing a different style of church. This style appeals to me. Part of the idea here is that the church should be about one thing… and all of the ‘things’ that the church does should feed into that one thing. And that one thing should be making disciples. All other programs, directions or focuses need to be dropped and the current structure needs to be simplified so that people know what is expected of them next and they naturally ‘move’ in that direction.
Then I’m reading CS today. And he says this: “In the same way the Church exists for nothing else but to draw men into Christ, to make them little Christs. If they are not doing that, all the cathedrals, clergy, missions, sermons, even the Bible itself, are simply a waste of time. God became man for no other purpose” (page 171). It seems that CS may have beat the Simple Church authors to the punch. He is talking about whether or not it is difficult to be a Christian and at the same time claiming that it is both difficult and easy. But he is saying that the sole purpose of the church… the sole purpose of the Christian… is to become a little Christ. How incredibly simple. And yet so incredibly difficult.
Jim
I’m reading several books at the same time… aside from even my seminary books. This is a bad habit that I seem to have… starting several books all at the same time. It seems easy enough. Most books draw you in by nature. But then I find myself reading many… too many.
One that I have started recently is called “Simple Church.” It is a book written by “church growth experts” both by category and by self-proclamation. Although they are not talking about a new style of doing church, rather they are talking about doing a different style of church. This style appeals to me. Part of the idea here is that the church should be about one thing… and all of the ‘things’ that the church does should feed into that one thing. And that one thing should be making disciples. All other programs, directions or focuses need to be dropped and the current structure needs to be simplified so that people know what is expected of them next and they naturally ‘move’ in that direction.
Then I’m reading CS today. And he says this: “In the same way the Church exists for nothing else but to draw men into Christ, to make them little Christs. If they are not doing that, all the cathedrals, clergy, missions, sermons, even the Bible itself, are simply a waste of time. God became man for no other purpose” (page 171). It seems that CS may have beat the Simple Church authors to the punch. He is talking about whether or not it is difficult to be a Christian and at the same time claiming that it is both difficult and easy. But he is saying that the sole purpose of the church… the sole purpose of the Christian… is to become a little Christ. How incredibly simple. And yet so incredibly difficult.
Jim
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Master Mentor #30
Chapter 29 (Book 4, Chapter 7)
CS lays out a pretty good picture of the Christian life in this chapter. He begins to laying out two examples which make perfect sense by the time you finish reading this chapter. He lays out the story of Beauty and Beast in which after the girl finally kisses the Beast, she finds out that is indeed a very handsome man. The second story is one that I am not familiar with, but one in which a man wears a mask of a beautiful face, only to take the mask off and discover that his face has grown to match the mask and now he is beautiful as well.
In this chapter, CS lays out the idea that if we truly want to become all that God and Christ want us to be, we need to begin to pretend that we are and act that way. And the hope and plan is that as we do it, though hard at first, we will find becomes easier and easier as we go and we have become more and more like that which we are pretending to be.
It’s always amazing to me how my attitude affects the outcome in so many ways. There are many nights when I walk into church with a bad attitude or at least an attitude that is not looking forward to the night or is not excited by the night, only to walk out disappointed because the night wasn’t “effective” or “exciting.” But in reality, that’s exactly what I expected and that’s exactly what I got. But there have been times when walking in, I’ve thought to myself: “This is going to be incredible” and then it is. Not because of anything that I particularly did to help it. But because my outlook and attitude on the matter is different. It’s easy to be negative. Often what I find when I am negative is that other things around me seem such much more negative. But if with a positive outlook, I go in often things end up more positive.
Take for example… at the beginning of the year, I made it a goal for this year… 2008… to try to be less negative. I can just about at any time in my day find something to growl about. I tried to make an effort to not growl about those things, even if I felt negative about them or felt like growling about them. It was interesting to me that overall, as time when on, I felt less like growling about those things that we going “wrong” (in my opinion) in my life. That’s the power of having a positive outlook.
The same is true, I think, in my spiritual life. The more I “pretend” (CS’s language here) like I am a Son (again… CS’ language, not mine), the more like a Son I begin to act. That’s good advice. And I think that’s a good picture that we can all work towards.
Jim
CS lays out a pretty good picture of the Christian life in this chapter. He begins to laying out two examples which make perfect sense by the time you finish reading this chapter. He lays out the story of Beauty and Beast in which after the girl finally kisses the Beast, she finds out that is indeed a very handsome man. The second story is one that I am not familiar with, but one in which a man wears a mask of a beautiful face, only to take the mask off and discover that his face has grown to match the mask and now he is beautiful as well.
In this chapter, CS lays out the idea that if we truly want to become all that God and Christ want us to be, we need to begin to pretend that we are and act that way. And the hope and plan is that as we do it, though hard at first, we will find becomes easier and easier as we go and we have become more and more like that which we are pretending to be.
It’s always amazing to me how my attitude affects the outcome in so many ways. There are many nights when I walk into church with a bad attitude or at least an attitude that is not looking forward to the night or is not excited by the night, only to walk out disappointed because the night wasn’t “effective” or “exciting.” But in reality, that’s exactly what I expected and that’s exactly what I got. But there have been times when walking in, I’ve thought to myself: “This is going to be incredible” and then it is. Not because of anything that I particularly did to help it. But because my outlook and attitude on the matter is different. It’s easy to be negative. Often what I find when I am negative is that other things around me seem such much more negative. But if with a positive outlook, I go in often things end up more positive.
Take for example… at the beginning of the year, I made it a goal for this year… 2008… to try to be less negative. I can just about at any time in my day find something to growl about. I tried to make an effort to not growl about those things, even if I felt negative about them or felt like growling about them. It was interesting to me that overall, as time when on, I felt less like growling about those things that we going “wrong” (in my opinion) in my life. That’s the power of having a positive outlook.
The same is true, I think, in my spiritual life. The more I “pretend” (CS’s language here) like I am a Son (again… CS’ language, not mine), the more like a Son I begin to act. That’s good advice. And I think that’s a good picture that we can all work towards.
Jim
Friday, April 18, 2008
Master Mentor #29
Chapter 28 (Book 4, Chapter 6)
This chapter is a fairly simple chapter. In fact, there isn’t too much new information or much of anything to wrestle with in this chapter. This chapter is primarily a reaction to a couple of possible objections from the previous chapter.
First, in the previous chapter, CS talked about turning “toy soldiers” (i.e. humans) into “real boys” (i.e. Christians) though what Jesus did on the cross. He went on to answer the question that might arise (or did, I don’t know) as to why God didn’t just create “real boys” or make all of us into Sons of God. For which, he gave two answers. The first of which I understand, the second I struggled with a bit. The first is because he gave us free will and wanted us to have the opportunity to choose. The second is because is a matter of begetting and creating that I really didn’t get.
Second, he talked in a previous chapter how the whole human race is connected together and growing as one almost like a tree (we are connected to our parents and are a part of them, they are connected to our grandparents and part of them and so on until it is like one huge organism. In this clarification, he noted even though on one level that is true. We are all different and on one level need to remain different because that is how we were created. We are part of the whole, but we are different and have different functions.
As CS begins to wind down Mere Christianity, I am beginning to look forward to starting Screwtape Letters. It should be interesting.
Jim
This chapter is a fairly simple chapter. In fact, there isn’t too much new information or much of anything to wrestle with in this chapter. This chapter is primarily a reaction to a couple of possible objections from the previous chapter.
First, in the previous chapter, CS talked about turning “toy soldiers” (i.e. humans) into “real boys” (i.e. Christians) though what Jesus did on the cross. He went on to answer the question that might arise (or did, I don’t know) as to why God didn’t just create “real boys” or make all of us into Sons of God. For which, he gave two answers. The first of which I understand, the second I struggled with a bit. The first is because he gave us free will and wanted us to have the opportunity to choose. The second is because is a matter of begetting and creating that I really didn’t get.
Second, he talked in a previous chapter how the whole human race is connected together and growing as one almost like a tree (we are connected to our parents and are a part of them, they are connected to our grandparents and part of them and so on until it is like one huge organism. In this clarification, he noted even though on one level that is true. We are all different and on one level need to remain different because that is how we were created. We are part of the whole, but we are different and have different functions.
As CS begins to wind down Mere Christianity, I am beginning to look forward to starting Screwtape Letters. It should be interesting.
Jim
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Master Mentor #28
Chapter 27 (Book 4, Chapter 5)
Every once in a while, I find myself face to face with the reality of who I am and who Jesus is and what He has done for me. While reading this chapter tonight, that’s where I am. It’s easy, I think, to sit and speculate about Jesus’ teaching style or how he lead his disciples, to read about his actions and words and determine the meanings of both. But if he hadn’t done anything else… no healings… no teachings… no miracles… none of that… but just came and died on the cross for our sins, I think that I would still be in amazement of that.
Its hard not to read this chapter about Jesus coming to this planet… in the context of a conversation about a child’s toy soldiers coming to life… and not think about Philippians 2… “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being found in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death – even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:5-11, NIV). Those are powerful, powerful verses… “emptied”… “humbled”… “obedient”… Hard to imagine what he gave up to come down here and be one of us, one of his creation.
Especially knowing what he was going to have to endure. That’s where I come back around to amazement and wonder. That Jesus would be willing to do that… willing. It would have one thing to have been commanded. There are things that I do in my life not because I want to, but because I have to (most of them end with the word “meeting”). I don’t want to do them but I don’t have any other choice. But in this situation, Jesus had a choice. And he choose to come. I wonder what other ideas Jesus and God entertained before his coming… if any.
But yet, he was willing to come. As CS says… “The Second Person in God, the Son, became human Himself: was born into the world as an actual man – a real man of a particular height, with hair of a particular colour, speaking a particular language, weighing so many stone” (page 156). Wow!
Jim
Every once in a while, I find myself face to face with the reality of who I am and who Jesus is and what He has done for me. While reading this chapter tonight, that’s where I am. It’s easy, I think, to sit and speculate about Jesus’ teaching style or how he lead his disciples, to read about his actions and words and determine the meanings of both. But if he hadn’t done anything else… no healings… no teachings… no miracles… none of that… but just came and died on the cross for our sins, I think that I would still be in amazement of that.
Its hard not to read this chapter about Jesus coming to this planet… in the context of a conversation about a child’s toy soldiers coming to life… and not think about Philippians 2… “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being found in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death – even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:5-11, NIV). Those are powerful, powerful verses… “emptied”… “humbled”… “obedient”… Hard to imagine what he gave up to come down here and be one of us, one of his creation.
Especially knowing what he was going to have to endure. That’s where I come back around to amazement and wonder. That Jesus would be willing to do that… willing. It would have one thing to have been commanded. There are things that I do in my life not because I want to, but because I have to (most of them end with the word “meeting”). I don’t want to do them but I don’t have any other choice. But in this situation, Jesus had a choice. And he choose to come. I wonder what other ideas Jesus and God entertained before his coming… if any.
But yet, he was willing to come. As CS says… “The Second Person in God, the Son, became human Himself: was born into the world as an actual man – a real man of a particular height, with hair of a particular colour, speaking a particular language, weighing so many stone” (page 156). Wow!
Jim
Master Mentor #27
Chapter 26 (Book 4, Chapter 5)
CS turns to the very complicated subject of the Trinity in this chapter. His argument is somewhat difficult to grasp… as most explanations of the Trinity tend to be.
Recently I asked a group of our high school students this question, “What do you believe about the Holy Spirit?” The question was asked in an open-discussion forum in our student ministry. Part of the purpose of the time is to talk about some of those complicated questions of the Christian faith without much of an agenda in an effort to allow students to have the opportunity to defend what they believe in a public setting. The answers were interesting. They ranged somewhere on the scale between “Casper the Friendly Ghost” and a mysterious form of God. But they really weren’t sure how to describe Him or what exactly what His function. It would seem that they were reading CS Lewis in this chapter. In describing the Holy Spirit, CS says, that “this third Person is called, in technical language, the Holy Ghost or the ‘spirit’ of God. Do not be worried or surprised if you find it (or Him) rather vaguer or more shadowy in your mind than the other two” (page 153).
And CS is correct. Most Christians would have a hard time explaining the nature of the Holy Spirit. And probably for good reason. We don’t talk or teach much about the Holy Spirit, what He is and how He functions. But we should. It’s just such a hard subject to bring up. Mostly, it would seem to me, because it brings up this whole “Trinity” issue that we have and since no one knows how to explain that, we skip the time with the Holy Spirit. Which is tragic.
Jim
CS turns to the very complicated subject of the Trinity in this chapter. His argument is somewhat difficult to grasp… as most explanations of the Trinity tend to be.
Recently I asked a group of our high school students this question, “What do you believe about the Holy Spirit?” The question was asked in an open-discussion forum in our student ministry. Part of the purpose of the time is to talk about some of those complicated questions of the Christian faith without much of an agenda in an effort to allow students to have the opportunity to defend what they believe in a public setting. The answers were interesting. They ranged somewhere on the scale between “Casper the Friendly Ghost” and a mysterious form of God. But they really weren’t sure how to describe Him or what exactly what His function. It would seem that they were reading CS Lewis in this chapter. In describing the Holy Spirit, CS says, that “this third Person is called, in technical language, the Holy Ghost or the ‘spirit’ of God. Do not be worried or surprised if you find it (or Him) rather vaguer or more shadowy in your mind than the other two” (page 153).
And CS is correct. Most Christians would have a hard time explaining the nature of the Holy Spirit. And probably for good reason. We don’t talk or teach much about the Holy Spirit, what He is and how He functions. But we should. It’s just such a hard subject to bring up. Mostly, it would seem to me, because it brings up this whole “Trinity” issue that we have and since no one knows how to explain that, we skip the time with the Holy Spirit. Which is tragic.
Jim
Master Mentor #26
Chapter 25 (Book 4, Chapter 3)
CS tackles one of those mind-numbing thoughts in today’s reading. He talks about God and His relationship to time. His argument is that God is above and outside of the “time element” that we understand. He says, “Almost certainly God is not in Time. His life does not consist of moments following one another. If a million people are praying to Him at ten-thirty tonight, He need not listen to them all in that one little snippet that we call ten-thirty. Ten-thirty – and every other moment from the beginning of the world – is always Present for Him” (page 147).
What an incredibly complicated idea to grasp!!!
We are such a time driven culture. Even as I write this, I look and time is staring me in the face. There is a clock in the upper-right hand corner of my computer. If I look hard enough and catch the right angle, without moving I can see what time it is on my watch on my left wrist. Time is on my cell phone and the little calendar reminds me of upcoming special appointments that I have asked it to remind me of. There are two clocks in my office and 8 or 10 clocks of one form or another (VCR, TV, wall, alarm clocks) in our apartment. Even on my day-off, I am still thinking about the clock and making sure that I get everything done that needs to be done when it needs to be done. It is such a difficult concept to grasp the thought that we are so time-driven, but God is outside of the time equation.
In many respects, it’s an appealing thought. To think that God is not driven by the same stressful ticking that is occurring in my life. That God has time to think about each happening without being constrained by the thought that time is moving and ‘you’re wasting it.’ That is an incredible thought.
But the clock in all respects is part of our life. It’s part of who we are… although maybe not all of us. (I have a missionary friend in Africa and the clock is not nearly a part of his life as it is of mine. In fact, I would say that I have a better idea of what time of the day it is for him as he does.) I’m sure there are parts of the world where time is not an issue… simply the idea of whether it’s light outside or not and how close we are one way or the other.
As I sit and ramble… somewhat… it is such an incredible thought to think that God is outside of the time equation when we are so tightly bound up in it.
Jim
CS tackles one of those mind-numbing thoughts in today’s reading. He talks about God and His relationship to time. His argument is that God is above and outside of the “time element” that we understand. He says, “Almost certainly God is not in Time. His life does not consist of moments following one another. If a million people are praying to Him at ten-thirty tonight, He need not listen to them all in that one little snippet that we call ten-thirty. Ten-thirty – and every other moment from the beginning of the world – is always Present for Him” (page 147).
What an incredibly complicated idea to grasp!!!
We are such a time driven culture. Even as I write this, I look and time is staring me in the face. There is a clock in the upper-right hand corner of my computer. If I look hard enough and catch the right angle, without moving I can see what time it is on my watch on my left wrist. Time is on my cell phone and the little calendar reminds me of upcoming special appointments that I have asked it to remind me of. There are two clocks in my office and 8 or 10 clocks of one form or another (VCR, TV, wall, alarm clocks) in our apartment. Even on my day-off, I am still thinking about the clock and making sure that I get everything done that needs to be done when it needs to be done. It is such a difficult concept to grasp the thought that we are so time-driven, but God is outside of the time equation.
In many respects, it’s an appealing thought. To think that God is not driven by the same stressful ticking that is occurring in my life. That God has time to think about each happening without being constrained by the thought that time is moving and ‘you’re wasting it.’ That is an incredible thought.
But the clock in all respects is part of our life. It’s part of who we are… although maybe not all of us. (I have a missionary friend in Africa and the clock is not nearly a part of his life as it is of mine. In fact, I would say that I have a better idea of what time of the day it is for him as he does.) I’m sure there are parts of the world where time is not an issue… simply the idea of whether it’s light outside or not and how close we are one way or the other.
As I sit and ramble… somewhat… it is such an incredible thought to think that God is outside of the time equation when we are so tightly bound up in it.
Jim
Master Mentor #25
Chapter 24 (Book 4, Chapter 2)
This morning, CS begins to explain this notion that Christians have about the Trinity. And he begins to explain it in terms of lines, shapes and objects. I’m not sure that his examination is all that powerful. Mostly because we have always been able to see the objects. We can understand the objects. And since we can, it doesn’t make any sense to speculate about a time when we could only see lines or shapes.
But then he goes on to say that our understanding of God is revealed in the midst of the Christian community. He says this, “The one really adequate instrument for learning about God, is the whole Christian community, waiting for Him together” (page 145, emphasis mine). I think the word that jumped out to me there was the word ‘whole.’ By whole, does CS mean each individual ‘whole’ congregation or does he mean the ‘whole of Christianity?’ I don’t know.
It would seem that in both directions, the non-believing world is going to get a pretty skewed view of God. Local congregations are capable of incredible things. They are capable of showing God in incredible and powerful ways. They serve people… help people… make a difference in the world and the community and in individual lives. But local congregations are also capable of incredible harm. They have the capacity of hurting and maiming people like no one else on the face of the planet can. They use people… hurt people… and make people want to turn away from God in such incredible ways. I love the local church, don’t get me wrong. But I have seen more than my fair share of times when the church did some incredibly knuckleheaded things to families and people that left me shaking my head in disgust. But I have also seen the church do some things that inspired my personal relationship with God.
But on the flipside, what does the image of the whole of Christianity have on on-lookers? How many thousands of denominations do we have, all clamoring to be the ‘right’ group within Christianity? On-looking non-believers look at the church and say, “God is love. How do I know that God is love when this group who says they ‘love God’ and that group who say that they ‘love God,’ both hate each other? Its here that Jesus’ prayer in John 17:20-23… “20"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: 23I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” But maybe that’s the Restoration Movement within me (a movement founded on the principles of the Biblical pattern for church and unity among Christian brothers… but also saw it’s own group divide twice in three groups over differences).
So, I guess I would like a little clarification on CS’s meaning here. But that’s the struggle of having a conversation in a coffee shop with a fellow that hasn’t been around for 40 years. Clarification is somewhat difficult.
Jim
This morning, CS begins to explain this notion that Christians have about the Trinity. And he begins to explain it in terms of lines, shapes and objects. I’m not sure that his examination is all that powerful. Mostly because we have always been able to see the objects. We can understand the objects. And since we can, it doesn’t make any sense to speculate about a time when we could only see lines or shapes.
But then he goes on to say that our understanding of God is revealed in the midst of the Christian community. He says this, “The one really adequate instrument for learning about God, is the whole Christian community, waiting for Him together” (page 145, emphasis mine). I think the word that jumped out to me there was the word ‘whole.’ By whole, does CS mean each individual ‘whole’ congregation or does he mean the ‘whole of Christianity?’ I don’t know.
It would seem that in both directions, the non-believing world is going to get a pretty skewed view of God. Local congregations are capable of incredible things. They are capable of showing God in incredible and powerful ways. They serve people… help people… make a difference in the world and the community and in individual lives. But local congregations are also capable of incredible harm. They have the capacity of hurting and maiming people like no one else on the face of the planet can. They use people… hurt people… and make people want to turn away from God in such incredible ways. I love the local church, don’t get me wrong. But I have seen more than my fair share of times when the church did some incredibly knuckleheaded things to families and people that left me shaking my head in disgust. But I have also seen the church do some things that inspired my personal relationship with God.
But on the flipside, what does the image of the whole of Christianity have on on-lookers? How many thousands of denominations do we have, all clamoring to be the ‘right’ group within Christianity? On-looking non-believers look at the church and say, “God is love. How do I know that God is love when this group who says they ‘love God’ and that group who say that they ‘love God,’ both hate each other? Its here that Jesus’ prayer in John 17:20-23… “20"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: 23I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” But maybe that’s the Restoration Movement within me (a movement founded on the principles of the Biblical pattern for church and unity among Christian brothers… but also saw it’s own group divide twice in three groups over differences).
So, I guess I would like a little clarification on CS’s meaning here. But that’s the struggle of having a conversation in a coffee shop with a fellow that hasn’t been around for 40 years. Clarification is somewhat difficult.
Jim
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Master Mentor #24
Chapter 23 (Book 4, Chapter 1)
Here CS begins to tackle some of the issues of Theology as it relates to our relationship with God. But first, he makes the case for theology as being important. The argument that he made for the importance of thinking these things through is still true today.
Most people run in horror from the idea of Theology. They begin to get images in their heads of old guys sitting around a large table spread out with lots of books and assorted papers all of which are old and dusty and having a conversation that no one understands. But from what CS says… and I happen to agree… you can’t even bow your help to offer a simple prayer for a meal without having answered a few questions and in so participated in theology.
Recently, we have begun having theological questions as part of our youth ministry week. On Sunday mornings, we have a time in our program called “Coffeehouse.” Part of the function of Coffeehouse is to be a place for students to go and have conversation. Recently, we have begun to tackle some of the deeper theological questions like “Who do you think God is? What do you believe about Jesus? Why did Jesus have to rise from the dead? Who is the Holy Spirit and what does he do in our lives?” Then we open up the discussion to those who are present and allow them to have conversation. Most of their time is spent trying to “give me the right answer.” I keep telling them that I won’t tell them the right answers. But I guide them in the right direction. They need to arrive at the right answers through their own study of the Scriptures… which we are encouraging every week. Part of my hope is that they get so tired of questions that they begin to go looking for answers in the only place that they can truly be found: The Bible. For instance, a couple of weeks ago we talked about the Holy Spirit. Most of the answers to their questions can be started from the book of John. The hope that through encouragement, they would begin to investigate the questions and think about the answers before they are in a situation where the person asking the questions won’t be as helpful.
But as I read this chapter, in part I thought about Coffeehouse. CS says this, “Everyone reads, everyone hears things discussed. Consequently, if you do not listen to Theology, that will not mean that you have no ideas about God. It will mean that you have a lot of wrong ones – bad, muddled, out-of-date ideas” (page. 137).
He’s right. There are a lot of people that have ideas about God. Ideas that are dead wrong. But we don’t know what the right ideas are because many of us have not taken the time to ask the questions, have the conversations and find the answers. Including many students. And then, as we have heard so often, they get to college where the big, bad professors are waiting to blow down their faith house. And in part, what we have heard is true. Which is why we need to have the conversations now.
Jim
Here CS begins to tackle some of the issues of Theology as it relates to our relationship with God. But first, he makes the case for theology as being important. The argument that he made for the importance of thinking these things through is still true today.
Most people run in horror from the idea of Theology. They begin to get images in their heads of old guys sitting around a large table spread out with lots of books and assorted papers all of which are old and dusty and having a conversation that no one understands. But from what CS says… and I happen to agree… you can’t even bow your help to offer a simple prayer for a meal without having answered a few questions and in so participated in theology.
Recently, we have begun having theological questions as part of our youth ministry week. On Sunday mornings, we have a time in our program called “Coffeehouse.” Part of the function of Coffeehouse is to be a place for students to go and have conversation. Recently, we have begun to tackle some of the deeper theological questions like “Who do you think God is? What do you believe about Jesus? Why did Jesus have to rise from the dead? Who is the Holy Spirit and what does he do in our lives?” Then we open up the discussion to those who are present and allow them to have conversation. Most of their time is spent trying to “give me the right answer.” I keep telling them that I won’t tell them the right answers. But I guide them in the right direction. They need to arrive at the right answers through their own study of the Scriptures… which we are encouraging every week. Part of my hope is that they get so tired of questions that they begin to go looking for answers in the only place that they can truly be found: The Bible. For instance, a couple of weeks ago we talked about the Holy Spirit. Most of the answers to their questions can be started from the book of John. The hope that through encouragement, they would begin to investigate the questions and think about the answers before they are in a situation where the person asking the questions won’t be as helpful.
But as I read this chapter, in part I thought about Coffeehouse. CS says this, “Everyone reads, everyone hears things discussed. Consequently, if you do not listen to Theology, that will not mean that you have no ideas about God. It will mean that you have a lot of wrong ones – bad, muddled, out-of-date ideas” (page. 137).
He’s right. There are a lot of people that have ideas about God. Ideas that are dead wrong. But we don’t know what the right ideas are because many of us have not taken the time to ask the questions, have the conversations and find the answers. Including many students. And then, as we have heard so often, they get to college where the big, bad professors are waiting to blow down their faith house. And in part, what we have heard is true. Which is why we need to have the conversations now.
Jim
Master Mentor #23
Chapter 22 (Book 3, Chapter 12)
In this chapter, CS deals with one of the most central Biblical and theological questions that I know of. This is the question that divided great men over the years as they have searched the Scriptures in pursuit of the answer. It is the question of free will verses God’s action.
Several years ago, as I read this chapter I was thinking about this, I had a student in our ministry who was extremely intelligent. He and one of the other students in my group began a “race” to read through the Bible. They would read as much of the Bible as they could and then they would meet at Taco Bell once or twice a week to discuss what they had read. As their pastor, it was actually somewhat interesting to watch. But then they began to have these questions… questions about predestination… questions about free will. And the most interesting part was that the more they read of the Bible, the more confused and troubled with this issue they became. I, as their pastor of course, allowed them to struggle through the questions on their own for the most part although we would have conversations about it often. In just about every instance of those conversations, I would play the opposite opinion that they were struggling with, just to help them see the other side as well.
Maybe they should have read this chapter from “Mere Christianity.” CS says this, “The Bible seems to clinch the matter when it puts the two things together into one amazing sentence. The first half is, ‘Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling’ – which looks as if everything depended on us and our good action: but the second half goes on, ‘For it is God who worketh in you’ – which looks as if God did everything and we did nothing” (page 131). CS is quoting Paul from Philippians 2:12-13 here. And it brings up an interesting question. Does God work in us to bring us to a point of salvation and sometimes without our help at all? Or do our actions have anything to do with our beginning and maintaining a relationship with God? To which CS would answer: “Yes.” And I think that Paul would answer the same.
Jim
In this chapter, CS deals with one of the most central Biblical and theological questions that I know of. This is the question that divided great men over the years as they have searched the Scriptures in pursuit of the answer. It is the question of free will verses God’s action.
Several years ago, as I read this chapter I was thinking about this, I had a student in our ministry who was extremely intelligent. He and one of the other students in my group began a “race” to read through the Bible. They would read as much of the Bible as they could and then they would meet at Taco Bell once or twice a week to discuss what they had read. As their pastor, it was actually somewhat interesting to watch. But then they began to have these questions… questions about predestination… questions about free will. And the most interesting part was that the more they read of the Bible, the more confused and troubled with this issue they became. I, as their pastor of course, allowed them to struggle through the questions on their own for the most part although we would have conversations about it often. In just about every instance of those conversations, I would play the opposite opinion that they were struggling with, just to help them see the other side as well.
Maybe they should have read this chapter from “Mere Christianity.” CS says this, “The Bible seems to clinch the matter when it puts the two things together into one amazing sentence. The first half is, ‘Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling’ – which looks as if everything depended on us and our good action: but the second half goes on, ‘For it is God who worketh in you’ – which looks as if God did everything and we did nothing” (page 131). CS is quoting Paul from Philippians 2:12-13 here. And it brings up an interesting question. Does God work in us to bring us to a point of salvation and sometimes without our help at all? Or do our actions have anything to do with our beginning and maintaining a relationship with God? To which CS would answer: “Yes.” And I think that Paul would answer the same.
Jim
Master Mentor #22
Chapter 21 (Book 3, Chapter 11)
I got lost quite a bit in CS’s discussion on faith today. It seemed to me that he was talking around in circles. He seemed to use too many illustrations and I got a bit confused.
But he did say something that I want to think about some more. He says, “The first step (to faith) is to recognize the fact that your moods change. The next is to make sure that, if you have once accepted Christianity, then some of its main doctrines shall be deliberately held before your mind for some time every day” (page 125).
This is one of those things that I think students miss. When they begin a relationship with God, whether its something that happens at CIY or something that happens on the weekend at church, they assume that has happened and it’s going to continue to happen. They figure that it isn’t going to require any work. Or what is some times worse, they go to an incredible week of CIY or camp or a retreat and then they come home. And the thought is: “How do I keep this feeling going?” But really, they make two mistakes. The first is that they assume that it will happen on it’s own, as if the feeling or experience of the camp, retreat or CIY happened on its own the first time. The second mistake is that it’s a feeling in the first place… and feelings change from moment to moment and are very difficult to depend on (as we have talked earlier about marriage). Then, two weeks after the retreat, suddenly they don’t “feel” like they did before and they wonder what has happened. Often, one thing that has happened is that they haven’t picked up their Bible since the day they got back. And they are just assuming that somehow those incredible thoughts about God just jumped into their mind. CS goes on to say that that kind of mindset needs to “be fed.” It needs to be fed as often as I need to be fed (and right now, I need to be fed).
CS has some good thoughts in this chapter… but I think I need to go back and reread it again and see if it makes some more sense.
Jim
I got lost quite a bit in CS’s discussion on faith today. It seemed to me that he was talking around in circles. He seemed to use too many illustrations and I got a bit confused.
But he did say something that I want to think about some more. He says, “The first step (to faith) is to recognize the fact that your moods change. The next is to make sure that, if you have once accepted Christianity, then some of its main doctrines shall be deliberately held before your mind for some time every day” (page 125).
This is one of those things that I think students miss. When they begin a relationship with God, whether its something that happens at CIY or something that happens on the weekend at church, they assume that has happened and it’s going to continue to happen. They figure that it isn’t going to require any work. Or what is some times worse, they go to an incredible week of CIY or camp or a retreat and then they come home. And the thought is: “How do I keep this feeling going?” But really, they make two mistakes. The first is that they assume that it will happen on it’s own, as if the feeling or experience of the camp, retreat or CIY happened on its own the first time. The second mistake is that it’s a feeling in the first place… and feelings change from moment to moment and are very difficult to depend on (as we have talked earlier about marriage). Then, two weeks after the retreat, suddenly they don’t “feel” like they did before and they wonder what has happened. Often, one thing that has happened is that they haven’t picked up their Bible since the day they got back. And they are just assuming that somehow those incredible thoughts about God just jumped into their mind. CS goes on to say that that kind of mindset needs to “be fed.” It needs to be fed as often as I need to be fed (and right now, I need to be fed).
CS has some good thoughts in this chapter… but I think I need to go back and reread it again and see if it makes some more sense.
Jim
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Master Mentor #21
Chapter 20 (Book 3, Chapter 10)
This morning, CS talked about hope. And he talked about hope in the context of having our minds turned to the hope of the future and the hope of heaven. Which is something that I can honestly say doesn’t have a lot of airtime in my mind. He says that we don’t talk about heaven because we aren’t “trained” to think or talk about heaven. And he’s right. We only occasionally talk about it or teach about it and it’s usually seen as the end-goal in the Christian’s life or in terms of avoiding the other place.
He said this, which caught my attention: “It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this. Aim at heaven and you will get earth ‘thrown in’: aim at earth and you will get neither” (page 119). That’s an interesting thought and I think that he’s right. Many Christians don’t think about heaven. Or we think about it in terms of “getting to heaven” or what we’ll “do there” (namely play harps and float on clouds… which CS deals with later in the chapter). But heaven just isn’t something that fills my thoughts very often. But I have a suspicion that it will today.
Later in the chapter, CS says this: “If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world. If none of my earthly pleasures satisfy it, that does not prove that the universe is a fraud. Probably earthly pleasures were never meant to satisfy it, but only to arouse it, to suggest the real thing” (pg 121). Good thoughts.
Jim
This morning, CS talked about hope. And he talked about hope in the context of having our minds turned to the hope of the future and the hope of heaven. Which is something that I can honestly say doesn’t have a lot of airtime in my mind. He says that we don’t talk about heaven because we aren’t “trained” to think or talk about heaven. And he’s right. We only occasionally talk about it or teach about it and it’s usually seen as the end-goal in the Christian’s life or in terms of avoiding the other place.
He said this, which caught my attention: “It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this. Aim at heaven and you will get earth ‘thrown in’: aim at earth and you will get neither” (page 119). That’s an interesting thought and I think that he’s right. Many Christians don’t think about heaven. Or we think about it in terms of “getting to heaven” or what we’ll “do there” (namely play harps and float on clouds… which CS deals with later in the chapter). But heaven just isn’t something that fills my thoughts very often. But I have a suspicion that it will today.
Later in the chapter, CS says this: “If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world. If none of my earthly pleasures satisfy it, that does not prove that the universe is a fraud. Probably earthly pleasures were never meant to satisfy it, but only to arouse it, to suggest the real thing” (pg 121). Good thoughts.
Jim
Monday, April 07, 2008
Master Mentor #20
Chapter 19 (Book 3, Chapter 9)
In many respects, this chapter felt like it was thrown together without much sense of definite direction. Many of CS’s other chapters have felt like there was a strong theme running through them or a central thought to tie them together. This chapter didn’t feel that way. Don’t get me wrong, there were some good thoughts in here on charity. But this chapter didn’t seem as strong as others in this book.
One of the interesting thoughts… and this is totally backed up by my personal experience… is that “good and evil both increase at compound interest” (page 117). CS, in this chapter, is talking about how as Christians, we are called to do little acts of “charity” for others. We aren’t called to do these because we “like” the person that we are doing it for. In fact, he even goes so far as to say that often liking person complicated the charity. But we ought to do little acts of charity for all of those that we find our lives. And part of that reason is that both good and evil compound. He goes on to say that’s “why the little decisions you and I make every day are of such infinite importance” (page 117). Part of the distinction that CS is trying to draw is between doing something nice for everyone because something nice has been done for us and doing something nice in hopes that someone else will notice. We ought and are called to do acts of charity for those around us because acts of charity have been done for us… namely by God.
Part of what struck me in this chapter was this idea of doing little acts of kindness, regardless of your level of appreciation, love or even “like” for a person. One of the difficult things in my life is being around people that I don’t like. If I’m upset with someone… co-worker, student, etc… I just don’t even want to be around them. But the problem is, most of the time, out of sight/out of mind doesn’t always help. And I usually find myself more frustrated with them than I was at the first. But in those occasions, when I have tried to do something nice or treat them in a way that maybe they didn’t deserve, I began to see my heart and attitude change towards them in a good way. Which seems to be exactly what CS is talking about here in this chapter. And really… isn’t that what God did for me? Didn’t he do something incredible for me before I really did anything to deserve it? Indeed, He did.
Jim
In many respects, this chapter felt like it was thrown together without much sense of definite direction. Many of CS’s other chapters have felt like there was a strong theme running through them or a central thought to tie them together. This chapter didn’t feel that way. Don’t get me wrong, there were some good thoughts in here on charity. But this chapter didn’t seem as strong as others in this book.
One of the interesting thoughts… and this is totally backed up by my personal experience… is that “good and evil both increase at compound interest” (page 117). CS, in this chapter, is talking about how as Christians, we are called to do little acts of “charity” for others. We aren’t called to do these because we “like” the person that we are doing it for. In fact, he even goes so far as to say that often liking person complicated the charity. But we ought to do little acts of charity for all of those that we find our lives. And part of that reason is that both good and evil compound. He goes on to say that’s “why the little decisions you and I make every day are of such infinite importance” (page 117). Part of the distinction that CS is trying to draw is between doing something nice for everyone because something nice has been done for us and doing something nice in hopes that someone else will notice. We ought and are called to do acts of charity for those around us because acts of charity have been done for us… namely by God.
Part of what struck me in this chapter was this idea of doing little acts of kindness, regardless of your level of appreciation, love or even “like” for a person. One of the difficult things in my life is being around people that I don’t like. If I’m upset with someone… co-worker, student, etc… I just don’t even want to be around them. But the problem is, most of the time, out of sight/out of mind doesn’t always help. And I usually find myself more frustrated with them than I was at the first. But in those occasions, when I have tried to do something nice or treat them in a way that maybe they didn’t deserve, I began to see my heart and attitude change towards them in a good way. Which seems to be exactly what CS is talking about here in this chapter. And really… isn’t that what God did for me? Didn’t he do something incredible for me before I really did anything to deserve it? Indeed, He did.
Jim
Saturday, April 05, 2008
Master Mentor #19
Chapter 18 (Book 3, Chapter 8)
Today CS takes on what he considers, and I agree, to be the biggest issue facing people as they seek to live lives and as they seek to follow God… that thing of Pride. In the midst of his discussion of pride… which is interesting because we just read several of these selections in Staff Prayer on Thursday… he states that Pride is the source of all other sins. Over the course of the chapter, he uses various examples to drive home his point. And does well at that.
But as I’m reading, I’m thinking to myself: “Am I a prideful person? Would I consider myself prideful? Would others consider me such?” I’m not sure how I would answer that. At first thought, I would say “no.” But then in saying that, am I displaying pride that I’m not too prideful of myself? At second, if I said “yes,” then am I saying so simply so that you won’t think that I’m being arrogant about not being arrogant or am I simply admitting it so that it doesn’t show up in my life?
CS wraps up this chapter with this paragraph: “If anyone would like to acquire humility, I can, I think, tell him the first step. The first step is to realize that one is proud. And a biggish step, too. At least, nothing whatever can be done about it. If you think you are not conceited, it means you are very conceited indeed” (page 104). So in many respects, CS has everyone in a bit of a “catch-22” and for good reason. If you don’t admit our pride problem… which we all have… myself include… then it means that we have a very large pride problem. And if we do admit our problem, then it means that we have a problem (and who really wants that?). But he’s right.
Earlier in the chapter, CS talks about Pride being the only sin that is competitive in nature. He states that other sins can be competitive, but it’s really only pride that is so which is behind the competitiveness of the other sins. One can say that someone is greedy. But is it really that that person is greedy or that his pride is driving him to acquire more and more until he controls all? Indeed.
I almost hate meeting other youth workers for the first time. Don’t get me wrong, I love youth workers… especially others from other churches. But I hate the first meeting. Why you might ask? Because I know that about 3 to 5 questions into the meeting, I know that there is a question coming. The question might be phrased differently depending on how old or young the other youth work is. But I know that the question will be basically: “How big is your student ministry?” And I hate the question. I hate the question because it is a comparison question. They aren’t asking how “healthy” the group is… they aren’t asking what’s going “great” right now… they aren’t even asking where you’re “struggling.” They are looking for a number. And every time, you do this you lose (according to Doug Fields… whom I happen to agree with). Because every time you do this you feel your pride problem. If my group is smaller than the group leader’s, then that leader feels pretty great about himself (especially if this is a local meeting that I’m talking about and the church is down the street from my church). If my group is larger than his group, then he or she will begin to look for other ways in which their group is “better” or else they will feel like a “failure” because their group isn’t the size of our group. And in which case, they usually start looking for another group that is smaller so they can save a little “face.” But it’s always a losing deal.
But it’s pride. And it shows up in all of the areas of life. I would dare say that it shows up in all of the areas of all of our lives from time to time. The only difference is the degree. But, in line with what “GI Joe” always used to say… “Knowing is half the battle.” Realizing that you have a problem is the first step to dealing with your problem… whether it’s alcoholism or pride.
Jim
Today CS takes on what he considers, and I agree, to be the biggest issue facing people as they seek to live lives and as they seek to follow God… that thing of Pride. In the midst of his discussion of pride… which is interesting because we just read several of these selections in Staff Prayer on Thursday… he states that Pride is the source of all other sins. Over the course of the chapter, he uses various examples to drive home his point. And does well at that.
But as I’m reading, I’m thinking to myself: “Am I a prideful person? Would I consider myself prideful? Would others consider me such?” I’m not sure how I would answer that. At first thought, I would say “no.” But then in saying that, am I displaying pride that I’m not too prideful of myself? At second, if I said “yes,” then am I saying so simply so that you won’t think that I’m being arrogant about not being arrogant or am I simply admitting it so that it doesn’t show up in my life?
CS wraps up this chapter with this paragraph: “If anyone would like to acquire humility, I can, I think, tell him the first step. The first step is to realize that one is proud. And a biggish step, too. At least, nothing whatever can be done about it. If you think you are not conceited, it means you are very conceited indeed” (page 104). So in many respects, CS has everyone in a bit of a “catch-22” and for good reason. If you don’t admit our pride problem… which we all have… myself include… then it means that we have a very large pride problem. And if we do admit our problem, then it means that we have a problem (and who really wants that?). But he’s right.
Earlier in the chapter, CS talks about Pride being the only sin that is competitive in nature. He states that other sins can be competitive, but it’s really only pride that is so which is behind the competitiveness of the other sins. One can say that someone is greedy. But is it really that that person is greedy or that his pride is driving him to acquire more and more until he controls all? Indeed.
I almost hate meeting other youth workers for the first time. Don’t get me wrong, I love youth workers… especially others from other churches. But I hate the first meeting. Why you might ask? Because I know that about 3 to 5 questions into the meeting, I know that there is a question coming. The question might be phrased differently depending on how old or young the other youth work is. But I know that the question will be basically: “How big is your student ministry?” And I hate the question. I hate the question because it is a comparison question. They aren’t asking how “healthy” the group is… they aren’t asking what’s going “great” right now… they aren’t even asking where you’re “struggling.” They are looking for a number. And every time, you do this you lose (according to Doug Fields… whom I happen to agree with). Because every time you do this you feel your pride problem. If my group is smaller than the group leader’s, then that leader feels pretty great about himself (especially if this is a local meeting that I’m talking about and the church is down the street from my church). If my group is larger than his group, then he or she will begin to look for other ways in which their group is “better” or else they will feel like a “failure” because their group isn’t the size of our group. And in which case, they usually start looking for another group that is smaller so they can save a little “face.” But it’s always a losing deal.
But it’s pride. And it shows up in all of the areas of life. I would dare say that it shows up in all of the areas of all of our lives from time to time. The only difference is the degree. But, in line with what “GI Joe” always used to say… “Knowing is half the battle.” Realizing that you have a problem is the first step to dealing with your problem… whether it’s alcoholism or pride.
Jim
Friday, April 04, 2008
Master Mentor #18
Chapter 17 (Book 3, Chapter 7)
In CS’s discussion about forgiveness today, he takes on the notion of “loving one’s neighbor as themselves.” In this midst of the conversation, he says something very interesting:
“Remember, we Christians think man lives for ever. Therefore, what really matters is those little marks or twists on the central, inside part of the soul which was going to turn it, in the long run, into a heavenly or a hellish creature. We may kill if necessary, but we must not hate and enjoy killing. We may punish if necessary, but we must not enjoy it. In other words, something inside us, the feeling of resentment, the feeling that wants to get one’s own back, must be simply killed. I do not mean that anyone can decide this moment that he will never feel it any more. That is not how things happen. I mean that every time it bobs its head up, day after day, year after year, all our lives long, we must hit it on the head. Its hard work, but the attempt is not impossible. Even while we kill and punish we must try to feel about the enemy as we feel about ourselves – to wish that he were not bad, to hope that he may, in this world or another, be cured; in fact, to wish his good.” (page 107-108)
One thing that always seems to be struggled with is applying this principle of “loving your neighbors” to the act of war. As I listen to Christians… some of which are preachers and ministers… talk about how terrible ‘war’ is and how it is opposed to this idea of loving our neighbors, I often wonder how they come together. CS has, in my opinion, found that middle ground that applies in both situations.
But he has, as it would seem to me, found the area that is somewhat unrecognizable to others. I cannot by looking at someone other than myself tell what is in their heart. I cannot tell by looking at someone else whether or not there is hatred in their heart. And sometimes I cannot tell if there is indeed hatred in my heart. But it does seem reasonable to make the attempt at “killing” that which is within me that hates.
Jim
In CS’s discussion about forgiveness today, he takes on the notion of “loving one’s neighbor as themselves.” In this midst of the conversation, he says something very interesting:
“Remember, we Christians think man lives for ever. Therefore, what really matters is those little marks or twists on the central, inside part of the soul which was going to turn it, in the long run, into a heavenly or a hellish creature. We may kill if necessary, but we must not hate and enjoy killing. We may punish if necessary, but we must not enjoy it. In other words, something inside us, the feeling of resentment, the feeling that wants to get one’s own back, must be simply killed. I do not mean that anyone can decide this moment that he will never feel it any more. That is not how things happen. I mean that every time it bobs its head up, day after day, year after year, all our lives long, we must hit it on the head. Its hard work, but the attempt is not impossible. Even while we kill and punish we must try to feel about the enemy as we feel about ourselves – to wish that he were not bad, to hope that he may, in this world or another, be cured; in fact, to wish his good.” (page 107-108)
One thing that always seems to be struggled with is applying this principle of “loving your neighbors” to the act of war. As I listen to Christians… some of which are preachers and ministers… talk about how terrible ‘war’ is and how it is opposed to this idea of loving our neighbors, I often wonder how they come together. CS has, in my opinion, found that middle ground that applies in both situations.
But he has, as it would seem to me, found the area that is somewhat unrecognizable to others. I cannot by looking at someone other than myself tell what is in their heart. I cannot tell by looking at someone else whether or not there is hatred in their heart. And sometimes I cannot tell if there is indeed hatred in my heart. But it does seem reasonable to make the attempt at “killing” that which is within me that hates.
Jim
Thursday, April 03, 2008
Master Mentor #17
Chapter 16 (Book 3, Chapter 6)
In CS’s last chapter, he dealt with the issue of sexuality. This chapter, he turns to a somewhat expected topic when he talks about marriage. Which is similar to me talking about how to parent teenagers because CS is not married (or at least wasn’t married at the time of this writing by his own admission). (And it’s not that I don’t know anything about teenagers, their culture, trends or their lifestyles… because I do. It’s that I’m not sure that I can give practical advice on how to parent a teenager to the parents of teenagers since I have none of my own to try out my ‘theories.’) But his discussion of marriage is interesting.
First, he focuses his discussion on the idea of the promise behind marriage. Which I think is an excellent place to focus. He even goes so far as to dispute on several occasions the popular notion floating around in culture that marriage is all about feelings and how I respond to them. Instead, he focuses on the commitment aspect of marriage and how we ought to maintain that aspect in light of the fact that “feelings” change from time to time. (His example… my situation… this morning I felt hungry. After I had breakfast, I no longer felt hungry. Feelings change. But my commitment to my need to eat regularly continues regardless of whether I feel hungry at this moment remains.) I feel that this promise aspect of marriage is something that is currently lacking in Christian circles. I don’t feel, in terms of divorce situations, that we remind people of the fact that they made a commitment before God, their friends and themselves. Now, I am speaking of the majority of divorce cases in which one or the other “chooses” to get a divorce. I totally recognize that there are a group of situations in which one person had no choice in the matter or in which case, divorce was the only viable solution (marital unfaithfulness and infidelity, abuse, etc). But in many cases that I am aware of, someone or both gave into a “feeling” that they were experiencing or not experiencing and wanted to experience some more. CS compares this idea of helplessly falling in love to “something quite irresistible; something that just happens to one, like measles” (page 101). Good comparison.
But he also discusses the idea of Christians trying to impose their views of marriage and divorce on their unbelieving neighbors and their society. Which to me is absurd but it happens all the time. We somehow expect that those who aren’t Christians or don’t believe in God to live and act like those who do. Which is just crazy to me. And yet the way of enforcing that those who aren’t Christians act like those who are Christians is that we should make laws so that they “have” to like Christians. Again, absurd. Rather we ought to set the standard and then challenge people to live up to that commitment by making the commitment to honor God with their whole lives.
Good thoughts on marriage… from a guy who hasn’t ever done it.
Jim
In CS’s last chapter, he dealt with the issue of sexuality. This chapter, he turns to a somewhat expected topic when he talks about marriage. Which is similar to me talking about how to parent teenagers because CS is not married (or at least wasn’t married at the time of this writing by his own admission). (And it’s not that I don’t know anything about teenagers, their culture, trends or their lifestyles… because I do. It’s that I’m not sure that I can give practical advice on how to parent a teenager to the parents of teenagers since I have none of my own to try out my ‘theories.’) But his discussion of marriage is interesting.
First, he focuses his discussion on the idea of the promise behind marriage. Which I think is an excellent place to focus. He even goes so far as to dispute on several occasions the popular notion floating around in culture that marriage is all about feelings and how I respond to them. Instead, he focuses on the commitment aspect of marriage and how we ought to maintain that aspect in light of the fact that “feelings” change from time to time. (His example… my situation… this morning I felt hungry. After I had breakfast, I no longer felt hungry. Feelings change. But my commitment to my need to eat regularly continues regardless of whether I feel hungry at this moment remains.) I feel that this promise aspect of marriage is something that is currently lacking in Christian circles. I don’t feel, in terms of divorce situations, that we remind people of the fact that they made a commitment before God, their friends and themselves. Now, I am speaking of the majority of divorce cases in which one or the other “chooses” to get a divorce. I totally recognize that there are a group of situations in which one person had no choice in the matter or in which case, divorce was the only viable solution (marital unfaithfulness and infidelity, abuse, etc). But in many cases that I am aware of, someone or both gave into a “feeling” that they were experiencing or not experiencing and wanted to experience some more. CS compares this idea of helplessly falling in love to “something quite irresistible; something that just happens to one, like measles” (page 101). Good comparison.
But he also discusses the idea of Christians trying to impose their views of marriage and divorce on their unbelieving neighbors and their society. Which to me is absurd but it happens all the time. We somehow expect that those who aren’t Christians or don’t believe in God to live and act like those who do. Which is just crazy to me. And yet the way of enforcing that those who aren’t Christians act like those who are Christians is that we should make laws so that they “have” to like Christians. Again, absurd. Rather we ought to set the standard and then challenge people to live up to that commitment by making the commitment to honor God with their whole lives.
Good thoughts on marriage… from a guy who hasn’t ever done it.
Jim
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Master Mentor #16
Chapter 15 (Book 3, Chapter 5)
CS and I were having a great conversation about sex until the end of the chapter. Often, in reading this book, I find myself curious about the direction of CS’s conversation until the last couple of paragraphs and then it suddenly becomes clear what he is driving at.
This chapter was different. The whole course of the chapter, I found myself getting what he was saying and agreeing as we went along. He discussed sex in this chapter. And more importantly, he discussed the Christian virtue of chastity (of waiting for sex until marriage and then faithfulness to that person throughout life).
Part of what I liked about this chapter is that he was discussing one of the topics that bothers most people in the church. Most Christians have the idea that sex is “dirty” and “not something to be taught in church.” And on both accounts, in my opinion and from what I’ve seen in the Bible, they would be wrong. The Bible talks about sex, how it should be handled and what is the right way to view sex and sexuality. And I love to teach on this subject to students. Mostly because students also share that opinion that sex isn’t something to be talked about in church.
Then CS said something that I really disagree with. In the very last paragraph of this chapter, CS seems to make the case that although sex and sexual sins are bad, they aren’t the worst of sins. On one side, I agree with what he is saying. Most people have the idea that if they mess up sexually, they have messed up completely and beyond all repair. That simply isn’t true. Sexual sin like all other sin is capable of forgiveness. God can and will forgive you, even if you mess up sexually. That shouldn’t give you license to do so, but it should give you hope that if you have tried and failed, it’s not over for you.
But in my experience with people… both students in the church, those I have had conversations with and my own experience… sexual sin can be some of the most damaging and long-lasting of any sin. The ghosts and memories that linger can be extremely difficult to eliminate. CS even goes so far as to say that sins of pride, patronizing and hatred are worse sins than sexual mistakes and I simply don’t agree with that.
Sexual sins, like other sins, can be forgiven. But they also leave deep and lasting scars that don’t heal as easily and in many cases, remain with you for your entire life.
One thing that I did find interesting about this chapter, was in CS’s discussion of his culture and it’s obsession with sex and sexuality on its posters, movies and advertisements. If he thought his culture was saturated with sex, he should see our culture in 2008!!!
Jim
CS and I were having a great conversation about sex until the end of the chapter. Often, in reading this book, I find myself curious about the direction of CS’s conversation until the last couple of paragraphs and then it suddenly becomes clear what he is driving at.
This chapter was different. The whole course of the chapter, I found myself getting what he was saying and agreeing as we went along. He discussed sex in this chapter. And more importantly, he discussed the Christian virtue of chastity (of waiting for sex until marriage and then faithfulness to that person throughout life).
Part of what I liked about this chapter is that he was discussing one of the topics that bothers most people in the church. Most Christians have the idea that sex is “dirty” and “not something to be taught in church.” And on both accounts, in my opinion and from what I’ve seen in the Bible, they would be wrong. The Bible talks about sex, how it should be handled and what is the right way to view sex and sexuality. And I love to teach on this subject to students. Mostly because students also share that opinion that sex isn’t something to be talked about in church.
Then CS said something that I really disagree with. In the very last paragraph of this chapter, CS seems to make the case that although sex and sexual sins are bad, they aren’t the worst of sins. On one side, I agree with what he is saying. Most people have the idea that if they mess up sexually, they have messed up completely and beyond all repair. That simply isn’t true. Sexual sin like all other sin is capable of forgiveness. God can and will forgive you, even if you mess up sexually. That shouldn’t give you license to do so, but it should give you hope that if you have tried and failed, it’s not over for you.
But in my experience with people… both students in the church, those I have had conversations with and my own experience… sexual sin can be some of the most damaging and long-lasting of any sin. The ghosts and memories that linger can be extremely difficult to eliminate. CS even goes so far as to say that sins of pride, patronizing and hatred are worse sins than sexual mistakes and I simply don’t agree with that.
Sexual sins, like other sins, can be forgiven. But they also leave deep and lasting scars that don’t heal as easily and in many cases, remain with you for your entire life.
One thing that I did find interesting about this chapter, was in CS’s discussion of his culture and it’s obsession with sex and sexuality on its posters, movies and advertisements. If he thought his culture was saturated with sex, he should see our culture in 2008!!!
Jim
Master Mentor #15
Chapter 14 (Book 3, Chapter 4)
CS begins this chapter by turning to a discussion of what the “Christian idea of a good man (or woman I would assume) is – the Christian specification for the human machine.” And he has a discussion of the choices that we make and how that affects who we are as people. Then he says this:
“People often think of Christian morality as the kind of bargain in which God says, ‘If you keep a lot of rules I’ll reward you, and if you don’t I’ll do the other thing.’ I do not think that is the best way of looking at it. I would much rather say that every time you make a choice you are turning the central part of you, the part of you that chooses, into something a little different from what it was before. And taking your life as a whole, with all your innumerable choices, all your life long you are slowly turning this central thing either into a heavenly creature or into a hellish creature: either into a creature that is in harmony with God, and with other creatures, and with itself, or else into one that is in a state of war and hatred with God, and with its fellow creatures, and with itself.”
In my estimation, CS is right on with this. Many people do have the notion that being a Christian or a follower and lover of Christ, means that you have to do this and that and that other thing (i.e. go to church, be nice, give your money at the church when they pass the plate, hat or bag depending on where you go and an assortment of other things). But it would seem to me that each decision that I make either turns me a little bit more and more toward God or away from God.
When I get up the morning, I am faced with however many hundreds or thousands of decisions. Brush my teeth or not? Shower or not? Breakfast or not? And then I leave for work and I have a hundred more decisions. Which way to work? Randall? Peck? What kind of music? Should I listen to a podcast? And each of those decisions while trivial may bring me closer to God or further away from God. Even a simple decision like brushing my teeth means that I am taking care of the body that God has given me so that it can continue to serve me and I can continue to serve God with it long into my life. A simple decision like listening to music or a podcast could have a huge impact on my day. Maybe I would listen to a daily devotional podcast that at some point come up in my day and prepare me to handle it better. Or maybe by listening to a specific type of music, I am more prepared for the day.
And I realize that in the midst of all of these things, it’s easy to get lost. It’s easy to drive yourself with all the possibilities. My hope and prayer is that God is somehow leading my decisions and helping direct me into a path that leads me to making decisions that bring me a little bit closer to Him. That I would make decisions that would bring me into more harmony with the Creator of the universe, my fellow man (and women) and with myself.
Good stuff.
Jim
CS begins this chapter by turning to a discussion of what the “Christian idea of a good man (or woman I would assume) is – the Christian specification for the human machine.” And he has a discussion of the choices that we make and how that affects who we are as people. Then he says this:
“People often think of Christian morality as the kind of bargain in which God says, ‘If you keep a lot of rules I’ll reward you, and if you don’t I’ll do the other thing.’ I do not think that is the best way of looking at it. I would much rather say that every time you make a choice you are turning the central part of you, the part of you that chooses, into something a little different from what it was before. And taking your life as a whole, with all your innumerable choices, all your life long you are slowly turning this central thing either into a heavenly creature or into a hellish creature: either into a creature that is in harmony with God, and with other creatures, and with itself, or else into one that is in a state of war and hatred with God, and with its fellow creatures, and with itself.”
In my estimation, CS is right on with this. Many people do have the notion that being a Christian or a follower and lover of Christ, means that you have to do this and that and that other thing (i.e. go to church, be nice, give your money at the church when they pass the plate, hat or bag depending on where you go and an assortment of other things). But it would seem to me that each decision that I make either turns me a little bit more and more toward God or away from God.
When I get up the morning, I am faced with however many hundreds or thousands of decisions. Brush my teeth or not? Shower or not? Breakfast or not? And then I leave for work and I have a hundred more decisions. Which way to work? Randall? Peck? What kind of music? Should I listen to a podcast? And each of those decisions while trivial may bring me closer to God or further away from God. Even a simple decision like brushing my teeth means that I am taking care of the body that God has given me so that it can continue to serve me and I can continue to serve God with it long into my life. A simple decision like listening to music or a podcast could have a huge impact on my day. Maybe I would listen to a daily devotional podcast that at some point come up in my day and prepare me to handle it better. Or maybe by listening to a specific type of music, I am more prepared for the day.
And I realize that in the midst of all of these things, it’s easy to get lost. It’s easy to drive yourself with all the possibilities. My hope and prayer is that God is somehow leading my decisions and helping direct me into a path that leads me to making decisions that bring me a little bit closer to Him. That I would make decisions that would bring me into more harmony with the Creator of the universe, my fellow man (and women) and with myself.
Good stuff.
Jim
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