Faith Venture

There are people who seem to delight in making themselves disagreeable.

Sometimes these are leaders. “I want to be feared and disliked, because I’m focused on getting things done and that is how you do it.”

Sometimes these are evangelical Christians. They think it is a badge of honor to be disliked.

Jesus said they’d be disliked and mocked and beaten. Didn’t he.

However, the greatest growth of the Christian movement (aside from point of spear or political decree) was when its followers were the most winning. “I want what she’s having.”

They established hospitals. They established education. They served. They led by example.

Making yourself disagreeable just makes you, well, disagreeable. And you just huddle with other disagreeable people.

Better is the way of invitation and service and joy.

“We have not understood the need to chart a middle course through the shoals of extremes. Rather, we delight in subjecting ourselves to such extremes. This is not the path of (discernment).”

That quote is from a discussion of the Desert Fathers St. Anthony and John Cassian. Reading the quote took me into a deep dive both of Latin and spiritual seeking to understand. Cassian talked about discernment (the power of choosing our way with discretion-Latin discretio).

The writer of the discussion continues, “We have become saturated in ineffectual decorative feelings and activities without aim.”

I am not sure why my eyes were brought to this passage. Was it the extreme of emotions of the recently completed (thank God) political campaign season? Was it because I need a message to remind me of the need to discern the way? To remember to navigate through the shoals with a strong inner spiritual life? Not blown into the rocks of extreme emotions or aimless activities?

Reading ancient spiritual leaders reminds me always to ground myself in the spirit of God.

You say you are a Christian. You say you “believe it in your heart”.

As we watch you interact with other people and watch what you do in life, what does that say?

Children learn more from you by watching what you do than from listening to what you say.

People around you also learn more about you by watching than by listening.

Faith is not passive. Faith is an action verb.

Love is not a burning emotion that flames up then cools. Love is an action verb.

Your character builds upon a foundation of consistent actions.

Freedom and Responsibility. You cannot truly have one without the other.

When I was in graduate school, I read an analysis of freedom by Isaiah Berlin that examined freedom from positive and negative sides. You can be free to do or free from. It was an extension of an old debate between John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Am I freer independent from everyone or freer when in a community I choose?

But Víktor Frankl (Man’s Search for Meaning–if you have not read it, then read it next) talks of freedom and responsibility. You cannot be truly free if you are not at the same time living responsibly.

“In fact, freedom is in danger of degenerating into mere arbitrariness unless it is lived in terms of responsibleness.”

Sometimes I think that we forget about the responsibility part.

Who has helped you on your life’s journey? Professionally? Spiritually? Gaining maturity?

Sometimes you don’t realize it until later.

I had a teacher who was unassuming, but he taught us how to think. One of the more valuable classes I took.

Another teacher and a professor encouraged me to try things and expand.

Soccer referee mentors helped me grow and put me in big games.

Pause and reflect on those who have helped you. Say thanks.

In return, whom have you helped along the way?

Be someone who opens doors to others behind you, not one who slams the door shut.

“Life is what happens while you’re busy making other plans,” said John Lennon.

Life is what happens while you’re busy taking a selfie.

I’ve watched people for many years who visit a wonder of nature or a child’s activity and devote their attention to making a video. How often will they watch a video versus how many memories of experiencing the moment?

The beginning of a Yoga class consists of bringing students into awareness of the moment. Bringing distracted minds and tensed up bodies together for a time so that we can experience the practice and calm and strengthen and stretch.

How do we do this?

First step–breathe. Deeply. Paying attention to the exhale. It’s all in the exhale.

Come back home to the present moment.

We all know people who exalt in pointing out the sins of others. We just love those people–not!

Jesus told us not to go around judging. After all they may only have a speck in their eye while we have a log in ours.

Matthew tells us shortly after reporting that saying with another–watch out for false prophets. Don’t fall for their words, rather look at their fruit.

Someone in our small group immediately responded, “Sounds like judging to me.”

Well, yes…and no.

We do need to know whom to trust when we meet them. Jesus never told us to be naive or stupid.

There is a lifestyle involved here.

We can be the sort of person who always puts others down, calls out their sins, tells people how bad that other person is.

Don’t be that person.

We can be the sort of person who does not fall for every “pick up line” in the book. We have our eyes wide open We look past flowery or powerful language observing instead how people act and what they have done.