The Pain of the Clay

"But now, O LORD, You are our Father; we are the clay and You are our potter; we are all the work of Your hand."  Isaiah 64:8

"Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?"  Romans 9:21

"Daddy, make a ball for me."  That was the request of my three year old the other day, as she played with some play-doh.  So I dutifully rolled a ball out for her.  However, she noticed that there was a small "crack" in it, where it had folded over on itself, and I hadn't done an adequate job of getting rid of the "crack".  So she made me roll another one, watching as I squeezed it and pushed it, making sure that it was one solid ball, rather than just several clumps of play-doh pressed together.

At times, it seems that I find God doing much that same thing to me.  He takes this lump of play-doh or clay, and He mashes it together according to His will and design.  Now, I have never heard the play-doh scream out in pain when I've rolled it or pressed it before.  However, it does seem to me that, when God is doing that same thing in my life, it can be rather painful.

There are times in life where I think I have discovered something that looks promising, and then God shows me how He wants the thing to be formed by having me ask others about what I am considering.  Quite often, I have discovered that other people have insights or viewpoints that I had not considered, which sometimes means that the "brilliant" thing I am considering needs considerable refinement.  That is painful, especially to the ego, though I admit that it is a pain that I take rather willingly and joyfully, especially as it pertains to God's kingdom and His people.

There are other times where it seems that God is intent on pressing me in an effort for me to realize just how resiliant He created me to be.  Stringing together nights of little sleep, caring for children who suffer from illness, God has, on a few occasions, shown me just how resilient He created me to be.  I have been amazed how much I have been able to do after nights of only 2-3 hours of interrupted sleep.  The pain of the clay, but done willingly (not always joyfully) for the good of other loved ones.

Let's face it.  It hurts when God forms us.  And yet, I would dare to suggest that this is necessary pain.  How can we be the creation that He intends for us to be if we aren't open to His pressing, pushing, and pounding?  Yes, He loves us with love beyond measure, but He also intends to form us into something incredible in His eyes, and that involves us being formed.  (I actually think this is a great challenge for the men of God, and men in general.  How manly is it to run from the pain of being formed, and how much more manly is it to stand up and be formed by the God of all creation?)

The thing is, being God's vessel means letting Him do with the clay what He wants.  It may even seem that He is forming us to be a vessel of dishonorable use (maybe tomorrow I'll write about that one a bit, because it seems significant).  And you know what?  That's okay.  It's still Him forming us, and when we are formed into what He wants us to be, I dare say we will find ourselves closer to Him than if we resist His formation, even if it would save us a little pain.

The Art of Training

Proverbs 22:6--Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

It's likely that you have read this verse before.  So many Christians have looked at this verse over the ages and thought it a worthwhile one to pursue.  And so, many programs have developed around the idea.  Teach children about God, about the Bible, about their faith, and it should "stick". 

In a sense, this kind of approach is a very "modern" approach.  Now, when I use the word "modern", I don't mean a current, up to date approach.  I mean an approach that is typical of the period of time that has been called "modern" in recent years.  And the reason I suggest that this is a "modern" approach is because of the presumptions that go into the approach are ones that came to highlight the "modern" era.

So what are those presumptions?  Well, one of them presumes that, if you fill a child's mind with good things, then good things should come out of the child.  If we apply the proper knowledge and information to the child, then the child should come out right.  And yet, every single one of us can likely name a child who went through a program like Sunday School, confirmation, or some other teaching of the Christian faith, and then failed to live up to the second part of the verse above.  They departed from it.  While their heads may have been filled with good things, the good that was hoped for did not emerge.

That's why I really like the first word of the verse.  "Train."  Training is not merely learning.  Training involves far more than knowledge.  Training aims to penetrate into the entire life.  It involves what we know, as well as how we think, how we act, how we discipline ourselves, and how we actually live out what we think and believe.  Training doesn't presume that, if you put good in, good will come out.  Training presumes that you will have to actively work to bring that good to life.

One of the downsides of traditional "modern" education is that it focuses primarily on the knowledge component of learning.  In recent years, the thought of actually getting out and experiencing what we learn has started to gain much traction.  I'm actually very much in favor of such an approach.  As we actively engage our world with the teachings of our Christian faith, we'll start to see how God's wisdom applies and works within the world.  We'll see the obstacles that we have to learn to deal with, such as inherited sin, greed, selfishness, and alternative worldviews.  And as we encounter those, we then come back together to share those experiences, see what God says about them, and learn and grow with one another.

Training.  It means intentional work.  When St. Paul says to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, I have a suspicion that this is something of what he means.  Not that we have to work to be right with God.  God has done that completely through Jesus, the cross, and the resurrection.  But as we see just how deeply that impacts every aspect of our lives, we recognize the need for training to live that faith out daily.

Blurred Lines

While the Bible doesn't really come out and use the word "accountability", the idea of it is found throughout.  From the very first murder in human history, recorded in Genesis 4, we have that idea there.  Cain murders his brother, Abel, and when God confronts Cain about it, he asks the significant question, "Am I my brother's keeper?"  While God doesn't directly answer that question, it seems pretty clear that the answer is, yes.

So we are called to be accountable in our care for one another.  However, being the sinful human beings that we are, we can also easily overstep that line.  You have likely heard the term "micromanaging" before.  It's the idea of someone who has some level of accountability, but doesn't really trust the person who is doing the work "under" them.  Therefore, they basically step in and dictate each part of the process, and in some ways, demonstrate a lack of trust in those who are tasked with the job.

At this point, it seems like I should also mention that we Americans tend to shy away from this word "accountability."  We throw around words like freedom, but have allowed them to mean something other than what they should be.  We say freedom, but we really mean "I don't want anyone telling me how to do anything."  In other words, we don't want to be accountable to others.  They mind their business, and I mind mine, and we're all happy.  That's the basic idea, at least.

The thing is, that is not how God designed us when He created us.  Part of being in a community means that we sometimes lay aside what we want, or even what is best for us, for the good of others.  That's evident in what Jesus has done for us, and as the new life that Jesus won for us takes root and grows in us, we also work for the good of others, even if we might prefer otherwise, or if it's to our cost.

St. Paul writes it very bluntly in his letter to the Philippians.  In Philippians 2:3-4, he calls for those Christians to count others more significant than they are.  They are called to look to the interests of others, not necessarily at the expense of their own, but at least on equal footing with their own.  And yes, sometimes looking to the good of others does actually cost us, or cause us to lay aside what we would prefer for the good of others.

It's easy to blur these lines.  One of my ongoing battles is maintaining accountability without become too invasive.  It's a constant battle in our lives as Christians.

Renewing the spirit, the mind, and the body

From Acts 3:19-20, "Repent therefore and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus,..."

You haven't heard from me for a few days.  In part, this is because I have been undertaking a bit of a time of refreshing.  So often in life, we find that our particular careers and vocations make us hit the ground running, and I have experienced some of that over the past several months.  It isn't that we dislike our work, or that we find it burdensome, but rather, we discover that you can be doing something you love, but as you give your best and your all to it, every once in a while you need to have some time to just sit back and take a brief break from it.

My break is in the form of a class that I am taking.  But more than that, it's a time away from the hustle and bustle that comes with my chosen vocation (or maybe I should say the vocation chosen for me).  Time away doesn't mean that I'm uninvolved, but rather, that I take the opportunity for a bit of renewal of the mind, the spirit, and the body.  In fact, a couple of days ago, I found it very refreshing to simply sit in a church building for a time of prayer and of Bible reading.  In a way, it truly seemed as though the Spirit was doing some measure of cleansing of my mind and my spirit, which truly did cause my body to feel refreshed as well.  I hope to do that a few more times.

God's Spirit refreshes our spirits.  But more than that, I also believe that He does the same thing to our minds and our bodies.  Sometimes we need to feel the burdens of our vocations lifted for a time, to be re-invigorated for what God prepares ahead for us.  That refreshing then allows us to re-discover the joy of our vocation, as well as a greater focus.  For me, the academic portion of it also serves to sharpen my mind, which provides endless benefits when it comes to ministry.

Thinking about the word "Repent"

It's a word that I hear quite often in preaching and teaching the Bible.  It's a word that seems to strike fear into the hearts of many, and one that seems to get used quite often to frighten people who may or may not believe in the saving work of Jesus.  It can be spoken like thunder from heaven, or as a gentle whispered invitation.  It's the word repent.

From a somewhat literal standpoint, the word repent means to turn away from something.  If you are driving 75 in a 65 MPH zone, and you decide to slow down to the speed limit, you repent of your speeding.  You turn away from the activity that was against the law.  That's a very basic definition of the word, but a good one from which to begin.

As we read through the Bible, we come across a lot of things that God talks about when it comes to the things we do in life.  God created us to live according to a certain design.  As our creator, He knows best how we should live, and what is good for us in our lives.  And so, as we read through the Bible, we find God describing the way He created us to live.

The problem is, we cannot do that.  None of us is perfect.  God tells us that this came into being because of the entrance of sin in the world.  All of us are afflicted with that deadly disease, and none of us can surgically remove it from anyone else, or even ourselves.  But what that means is that we're going to have an impossible task when it comes to living according to God's design.

As we read through the Bible, we see quite a few instances of how God says we should live.  We also realize that we aren't doing that.  And that's where this word finds some kind of hold on us.  We realize that we are living contrary to God's will and design, and so we seek to turn away from that wrong way of living, trying to return to God's preferred "right" way.

That's a fairly narrow way to understand this word.  It happens as we come across behavior after behavior in our life that is contrary to how God created us to live.  We're constantly uncovering ways that we do not live according to God's will and design.  We cannot fully repent and return to the way that God designs. 

That's where this word also has a much larger focus.  But that will be the topic for tomorrow's blog. 

When the voice hides THE VOICE

This past weekend was an interesting one.  Over the past week or more, there have been quite a few wildfires out here in the west, and the smoke has invaded our mountain valley.  In addition, we had a large quantity of hay bales catch on fire, adding even more smoke and trapping it all inside our sheltered little valley.

This has had a dramatic effect on me.  It started with my sinuses, and then slowly worked its way down to my throat, inevitably landing in my voicebox.  Thus, over the weekend, I could hardly be heard when I spoke.  I wasn't sick or anything like that, I simply couldn't talk. 

Now, for most people, this might not be that big of an issue, but when you are in the profession I'm in, if Sunday rolls around and you can't talk, you have some issues.  After all, public speaking is part of the job description.  But as I stood before everyone and attempted my best efforts to speak, I also was reminded that it's not my voice that everyone gathers to hear.  It's God's voice that they need to hear.

I think that's one of the things that I need the occasional reminder of.  I know it sounds very simple, and yet, I have come to see that it's also a pretty challenging thing to do.  I am to be God's voice to His people.  That means that I speak what God says to His people.  When I find myself wanting to spend more time talking about things that I have a few thoughts on, I need the reminder that the people don't need to hear my thoughts.  They need to hear what God says about it.

I think most people in my profession understand this, but also find it challenging to consistently practice.  We all have our issues or topics that we enjoy spending more time on, or our personal favorite sins to rail against.  Keeping the focus off of our voice, and instead, letting God's voice be the one that shines through may seem fairly cut and dried, but my experience is such that it actually takes a lot of work to do.

In the end, this weekend served as a great reminder that it's not my voice that needs to be heard.  God's voice is the one that needs to resound.  It's His voice that needs to declare what is right and wrong, how we stand before Him as sinful and yet forgiven.  It's God's voice that needs to speak when it addresses our lives and what we do with them.  Yes, I may speak what He has to day, but when I start finding that I'm a bit too interested in the subject, or in crafting clever words to say, I need the reminder that I need to step aside and make sure that it's God's voice that rings through loud and clear, not mine.

Being a Whole Person

Physical.  Spiritual.  Mental.  Emotional.  Each of these is a vital part of how God created us as humans.  When one of these is out of line, hurt, damaged, or lacks maturity, the others are all affected.

Over the last two plus weeks, I have been sharing my thoughts on how these areas affect us as humans, but also providing some thoughts on how to grow in greater discipline in these areas.  I really need to stress that developing a greater discipline with each of these does NOT bring us any closer to earning or meriting God's grace.  God's grace will always be just that: grace, free and undeserved.  However, growing in our discipline of each of these will help us to be a more complete person, just as God created and designed for us to be.

The flip side of that coin is that we will never be able to fully mature in all of these.  First, we simply do not know what full maturity looks like, in God's eyes.  We do know that it requires perfection, which none of us are capable of.  Then, if we focus too much on one area, the others likely will suffer.  Only God can fully live these out perfectly, which He did in Jesus.

Yet, that does not take away from our desire to be a more whole, healthy person.  Doing so not only has some great benefits to us while we live this life God has given, but it also serves to help us develop greater and deeper relationships with others.  This is especially important when we think of taking the Christian message to those whose spiritual natures may truly be out of line with God.

My encouragement to you as I bring this series to a close is to never stop growing in health and discipline as a whole person.  It won't make you more 'godly', but I believe you will discover much more in life because of it.

Emotion, Faith, and Discipline

"Be angry and do not sin..."  Paul writes these words in his letter to the Ephesians, quoting from Psalm 4 (a Psalm that I am really familiar with, as it formed the basis of one of my doctoral papers).  That short little statement brings to mind three things which fit in with my thoughts on discipline and the various areas of life in which God desires for us to be disciplined.

First, our emotions.  As people who were created in God's image, despite losing the perfection of that image, we still share some characteristics with Him.  Our emotional being is one of those characteristics.  Yes, God's emotional state is perfect, unlike ours.  And that is why discipline is needed in our emotional well-being.  We live in full forgiveness for our inability and sinfulness in terms of our emotions, and yet, in response to God's good news, we also strive to keep from sinning in our emotions.  "...do not sin..."

Next, our faith.  As a gift from God, we believe not only in our forgiveness through Jesus and the cross, but also that God created and designed us according to His design.  What God says about our emotions is what is best for our well-being, and His divine expectation.  We aren't able to live up to that expectation, and thus cling to the forgiveness of the cross and Christ's perfect life (and perfect emotional state) as God's means of bringing us to His eternal presence, where our emotional state will be perfected completely.  And, as a response to God's gifts of grace, we then also strive to bring our emotions in line with what He says.

Discipline.  Because we are not perfect or sinless, true, perfect discipline is impossible for us.  We will deny our emotions, or at times, let them get the best of us.  As a Christian response, not out of obligation or the hope of perfection, but as a response to God's goodness and grace, we strive for emotional discipline.  And, let's face it.  Being emotionally disciplined also helps to create better relationships with our fellow man (which, incidentally, is one means in which God spreads His message of Good News!). 

So how do we become more disciplined in our emotional well-being.  Tune in tomorrow for thoughts and discussion!

Passion and Emotion

Have you ever had a conversation with someone who was truly passionate about something their life?  It's amazing to see the way their face may light up as they talk about that topic.  They show not only knowledge on the subject, but it almost seems to burn inside them, looking for a release, especially when someone shows an interest in that subject.

Passion is related to our emotional being.  And here, I don't mean passion in the way that it gets misused in general.  Today, way too much is made of passion being related to sensuality or sexuality.  By that term passion, I mean something that burns and bubbles up inside of you, something that touches you and affects you powerfully in life, something that you feel very strongly about.

When we look through the Bible, one picture is painted clearly for us.  God is a passionate God.  He deeply loves His creation.  Like the father in the parable of the Prodigal Son, God willingly forgoes dignity because of how much He loves His children, especially the ones who are His through faith.  God's passion is such that He would send His one and only Son to forgive and redeem the world from sin and condemnation.

We see that same passion in Jesus throughout His life.  He felt anger at injustice.  He was deeply moved by people who were hurting, or who recognized their need for Him.  Jesus is so passionate about us that He willingly took our sin upon Himself on the cross so that we can be His and be with Him forever.  Passion drove God to take action, and that action involved Jesus giving up His life on the cross and taking it back up again.

Passion cannot be separated from emotion.  And yet, there is a vital difference here.  Passion drives us to do what we do.  Love for a spouse drives us to please that spouse, to sacrifice for him or her.  Passion for hurting people drives some to give, and others to participate in relief efforts.  Passion drives us to accomplish more than what we may think possible in life.

Passion is a driving force in life.  Passion is tied to our emotional state.  And yet, we cannot allow our emotions to overcome our passion.  Jesus felt sorrow at the death of a friend (Lazarus), even going so far as to weep (John 11:35).  And yet, He did not allow His sorrow to distract Him from the passion of His existence, that of rescuing the world from the clutches of sin and the devil.

We could think of passion as focused emotion.  And to focus emotion means a couple of things.  First, it means that emotion is not in control, but is under control.  It also means that we utilize our emotion for that which drives us, and not as a distraction.  In other words, passion involves emotional discipline. 

What are you passionate about in life?  How do you discipline your emotional being in order to be fully passionate about it?

Emotions and God's Word

Okay, quick, what is the shortest verse in the Bible in English?  It consists of two words.  Give up?  It's John 11:35. 

What's so amazing about that?  It's descriptive of an event that we don't see very often.  A man cries.  I think back to movies I've seen, such as "A League of Their Own", with Tom Hanks acting as the manager of a women's baseball team during WWII.  The one line that stands out from that movie is, "There's no crying in baseball." 

What does God's Word have to say about the role emotions play in our life and in our faith?  The reality is, it doesn't really address this particular question.  It talks a lot about people and their feelings and reactions, but if you are looking for some kind of systematic way of understanding emotions, the Bible doesn't really give that to us.

One thing that the Bible does make clear, though, is that there is a place for emotions, and for a rather wide range of them.  Jesus wept.  Jesus was moved deeply.  Jesus was angry.  And we see these same things in God, which shouldn't be a surprise, since Jesus and God are one and the same essence.  God is saddened by His people.  God is deeply moved, enough so to send His Son as our rescuer from His wrath at sin and the condemnation that our sinful life deserves.  God has anger, especially at sin, but also at such things as injustice and lack of compassion.

However, God also does not simply react when these emotional states strike.  They never overcome His faithfulness toward us, nor does He act rashly toward us because of a powerful emotion.  God still controls His thinking and His actions, even in the grip of powerful emotions.

Emotional Discipline

Over the past few weeks, I've been giving my thoughts and some biblical themes on the subject of discipline.  We've looked at physical, spiritual, and mental discipline, and now I'm moving into the final area for this discussion: emotional discipline.

In a general sense, do you have control over the emotions you feel in life, or do they have control over you?  I ask this as a general rule, since we all have times in our lives where emotions come on strong and hold sway over us.  Those times are not part of today's discussion.  What we're talking about is life in general.  Are you easily distracted from the everyday tasks at hand because your emotions get the better of you?  Or, on the other hand, do you approach life as though emotions have no effect whatsoever on what happens? 

I would suggest that neither extreme is healthy, nor is it according to the fashion in which God created us as humans.  We aren't to be swayed by whatever emotion strikes us, as though our whole life is lived based upon our moods and how things strike us.  Neither are we to approach life as though our emotions are something to be discarded and set aside (I believe this is a faulty assumption that comes out of the enlightenment, which seeks objectivity above all, and then fails utterly at it).  God created humans with emotion, though He did not create us in such a way that our emotions are to be the determining factor for how we live our lives.

Which end of the spectrum do you tend to fall toward?  How has this been a good thing in your life, and how has it also worked to create difficulties? 

Physical, Spiritual, and Mental Discipline: Tying Them Together

Over the last several posts, I've spent a lot of time on these three.  Before moving us into the fourth area of discipline (emotional), it seems like it would be good to bring these three we've looked at all together.

As we look at the way we operate as humans (the way God created us to be), we recognize that we cannot easily divide ourselves to talk about one part of what we are as though it doesn't affect the rest.  When our bodies hurt, we often have a difficult time concentrating, and those moments also tend to bring us to low points spiritually.  On the other hand, when we introduce greater health to one of these areas, it has a tendency to spill over into the others, as well.  (I've noticed this in that my running has helped to sharpen both my thinking and my spiritual disciplines.) 

That's the tie that these three have together.  When we are unhealthy in one area, it's likely to affect the other areas too.  I can't really think of a greater example of this than what you can see on the TV show, "The Biggest Loser".  Often you see the contestants breaking into tears at what might seem minor things, but it's because they are crashing through the mental or spiritual barriers that have often led to their lack of physical discipline.  Breaking through those barriers is tough, and often should not be done alone, and yet, as we find the strength to do so, we suddenly start to see a better picture of the whole person that God created us to be.

I have to admit that discovering where we are unhealthy in these areas is not often easy, nor is it painless.  Uncovering and then confessing our areas of unhealthiness or weakness will never be easy, much less the task of overcoming it.  And the reality is, we will never fully overcome any of these while we live in this imperfect, broken (i.e. sinful) world.

Yet, God gives us means in our life and in our battle to strengthen these areas of life.  Dealing with these also provides a reminder to just how great life will be in His kingdom when all these areas of life are brought into perfect alignment as we live with God forever, through faith in Jesus.

Connecting Mental and Spiritual Discipline

Hey, all, sorry that I took yesterday off.  Since we are on the theme of discipline, I realized that I needed to discipline myself in having a day to let my mind actually rest a bit.  But we're back on track today.

The connection between mental and physical discipline has been covered greatly in other arenas (I have to say that one of my favorite "quotes" is from the ever wise Yogi Bera, who said something along the lines that playing baseball is 90% mental, and the other half is physical.  Yogi's math continues to elude even me!).  Basically, a part of the rigor of physical discipline is to have the mental capacity to endure through it, to push yourself.

But what about mental and spiritual discipline?  That line hasn't been discussed so much.  Sure, there are books out there talking about the need for prayer, or to read the Bible, but overall, I would dare say that most of us don't make a clear connection with our mental and spiritual discipline.

My last post was about Jesus and how He does indeed care about how we think and what we think.  I want to add to that today with some words from Paul.  "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things."  (Philippians 4:8)  It seems that Paul is directing the Philippians to think about those things in life which are in line with what God has revealed about Himself.  God is truth.  God is honorable.  God is just, and so on.  And so, when we see those reflections of God in this world, we are to think of them, because they guide us back to the God who created such things.  Spending our time thinking about fruitless, useless things serves only ourselves.

How well do you do in life with focusing on the things that reflect God in the world?  As you see those, do you think of the God who created such things in that way?  That's where the realm of mental discipline begins to interact with our spiritual discipline.  As we recognize God's hand, we are led to Him, giving thanks and praise for what He has done and continues to do.  So today, as you see that which is good, just, honorable, etc., may it bring your thoughts back to the God who sends such reflections into our world.

Mental Discipline and Jesus

"Then the disciples came and said to [Jesus], 'Why do you speak to them in parables?'  And he answered them..., 'This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.'"  Matthew 13:10, 13

How is your thinking a reflection of your relationship with Jesus?  Most of us likely don't give a lot of thought to the way that we think.  Over the years, we have been taught in various ways, in school, in life, and the content of what we have been taught has also shaped what we think. 

It is very intriguing to me that Jesus taught quite often using parables.  In fact, as I read through the Gospels about Jesus' life, one thing seems to come up quite regularly in Jesus' teaching.  He rarely gives a straight-forward answer.  Instead, He makes people think, and in doing so, forces them to come to the conclusion that He desires.  For example, when the paralyzed man is brought to Him by his four friends, Jesus announces that the man's sins are forgiven.  That's hardly why the friends brought him to Jesus.  Knowing the thoughts of the religious leaders in the room, that only God can forgive sins, Jesus challenges them with a question.  Which one is easier to do from an earthly, human standpoint: tell the man to get up and walk, or announce that his sins are forgiven.  Of course, the religious leaders could not answer that it's easier to have the man get up and walk.  They would be exposed when he didn't.  So the answer would be to announce that his sins were forgiven.  After all, who can see sins forgiven?  It's not obvious to us humans. 

That's when Jesus brings in the hammer to the argument.  Here's how you will know who I am.  Then He told the man to get up and walk, and he did.  Jesus could have answered their thoughts by saying, "Hey, I'm God, I can do this."  Instead, Jesus worked in such a way to challenge their thinking, so that they arrived at the same conclusion on their own. 

Jesus is dearly concerned with how we think.  He doesn't want to simply spoon feed the answers to life to us, but for us to give thought to the mysteries of life, and to recognize how everything, in the end, points back to Him.  Good and bad, plenty and need, all parts of life eventually guide our thoughts back to the One who has rescued us from sin, death, and Satan.

Speak Before You Think? I Think Not!

One of the regular tasks I have in my career is to work with 7th and 8th grade students, teaching them about some of the more important components of the Christian faith.  As part of our classes together, we spend a good deal of time reading the Bible and simply trying to figure out what it says.

Every once in a while, we will finish reading a section of the Bible, and I will ask the students what they just read.  It always amazes me when they give an answer that is completely unrelated to the Bible reading we just completed.  I really try to stress to them that pre-packaged answers, given without thought, do no one any good.

Yet, I have experienced that more than just in working with these young people.  I am constantly amazed at how few people really seem to think before they speak.  There seems to be an amazing lack of discipline when it comes to putting thoughts into words.  I've been part of conversations that seem to go all over the place, with no rhyme or reason on how the person got to the next subject.  Yes, I recognize that we all make some kind of connection with our thoughts in our mind, but that seems to be exactly the thing that I'm talking about.  It seems that we should think about that thought, and its place in the conversation, rather than just blurting it out.

In fact, I would dare say that mental discipline begins with the skill of listening.  Our society and culture has become much more oriented toward speaking rather than listening.  Developing the discipline of listening to what the other person says is one of the first steps toward building a greater mental discipline.

Today, when you find yourself in conversation with others, I suggest that you listen intently to what they are saying, and then focus the conversation on what they are talking about, and not the brilliant idea or thought that just popped into your head.  I truly believe that the first step of developing greater mental discipline is simply to listen to the other person, and then, to follow their lead.  Try it, and if you'd like to share your experience, I would love to listen to you and hear all about it!

Mental Discipline

Over the last few posts, I have been giving thoughts on spiritual and physical discipline.  Hopefully I've been able to show how these disciplines are interrelated to one another and how they affect each other.  Believe me, much more could be said on each of them.

However, there are also other kinds of discipline which we could make use of in our life.  The next one deals with the way we think.  In particular, I am intrigued by a couple of Bible verses on this matter.

"We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ."  2 Corinthians 10:5

"Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts."  Psalm 139:23

Does God care about how I think about things?  Based upon these two verses, the answer clearly seems to be a resounding "Yes!"  The way we approach our thinking tells a lot about us.

Now, here is where I have to admit to one of my pet peeves.  I really, really, really dislike what I call "sloppy thinking."  I realize that this covers quite a bit of ground, so perhaps I should first explain what I mean.

Have you ever talked with someone whose thoughts seemed to flit from one topic to the next with no pattern whatsoever?  I think of this as A.D.D. of the mind.  To me, it seems that such a person isn't disciplined in how they think.  They just go with whatever pops into their heads, regardless of if it fits the conversation or not.

I also have to admit that I really have a hard time when people say they believe something, but don't really know why they believe, or haven't thought through what they believe.  To me, that demonstrates a laziness in terms of thinking.  I really enjoy the give and take of someone who has clearly thought about the topic, even if they strongly disagree with me.

Perhaps in writing out these pet peeves of mine, you start to see what I mean when I speak of the discipline of the mind.  Tomorrow I'll write a bit more about what this really is, and how it ties in with our spiritual and physical discipline.

Another word on Physical Discipline

"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize?  So run that you may obtain it.  Every athlete exercises self-control in all things.  They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.  So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air.  But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified."  Paul, in 1 Corinthians 9.

Does your body control you, or do you control your body?  That seems like a simplistic kind of question.  I also don't know that there is a correct answer, as though it should be an either/or question.  In some ways, our body does control us.  When we get hungry, our body tells us that it requires food.  When our eyes droop and our limbs are tired, our body controls us by telling us to get some rest.

Yet, there are other times when we control our bodies.  We may find ourselves craving a bag of potato chips, but know that it isn't the best thing nutrition-wise.  Or we know that our body will protest a bit when we step up our exercise routine, but in the end, it will adapt and grow in its fitness level.  (Again, we have to listen to our body so that we don't hurt ourselves, but we will also find that our bodies tend to like the stage where they are at and don't really want to push limits.) 

Paul puts a different perspective on this, in my mind.  He doesn't answer my question above so much as he makes us think about the reason for controlling/disciplining our bodies.  Are we doing it (or failing to do it) for ourselves, or do we have some greater purpose with our bodies?  If we look upon our bodies as something that is mine, to do with what I want, we will likely find that our bodies control us more than we control them.

However, if our bodies are given to us for a higher purpose, or if we have a reason or cause which brings requirements upon our bodies, then we are more likely to keep them under better control.  For example, I like to run.  But I also don't run for the sake of running.  Running helps prepare me for my calling as a pastor.  I'm better able to serve God and His people when my body is in good shape.  When I lead worship, I don't have to huff and puff to get through the hour or so.  My fitness plan is designed for fun, yes, but the larger picture is that it better enables me to serve my God, which is much higher than any personal goals I may set for myself.

The great thing is, God also seems to allow a great deal of enjoyment as I do that in service to Him.  I've ran a few races along the way, and have enjoyed them very much.  Finishing half-marathons feels good.  Getting a good time in a 5K brings joy.  And yet, even then, the reason they feel so good is because those things are also working for a purpose higher than myself.  And that gives me a reason to keep up the discipline.

Physical Discipline

We humans have a tendency to equate discipline with some form of physical activity.  We watch professional athletes who have to discipline their bodies in order to be able to perform the tasks of their sports.  Runners need to discipline themselves in running and in diet.  Football players need to discipline their bodies in terms of strength and endurance.  The list could go on and on.

In other words, discipline seems like something only for the elite.  If we are not elite, then discipline seems to be less of a worry.  So we don't watch what we eat as closely as we probably know we should.  We don't get the exercise that our doctors would tell us is really good for our bodies.  We don't say no to the huge dessert after dinner.  We have a tendency to think that discipline only applies to the elite, not to someone like us.

And yet, God gives us frequent reminders in His Word about the need for discipline (and, yes, physical discipline) in His Word.  He reminds us that He is the one who has given us our bodies as a gift from Him.  He is the one who has purchased and redeemed our bodies and souls through Jesus and the cross, and so our body is not our own.  Not only is it God's creation, it is God's, period.  And how often would we treat a treasured possession that someone else left in our care like we treat our bodies?

Now, I recognize that physical discipline is not the end-all, anymore than is spiritual discipline or emotional discipline or mental discipline.  God's grace shown to us in Jesus is the end-all.  And so we don't engage in discipline in order to better prepare us for God's grace.  After all, grace is undeserved.  Instead, we respond to God's goodness and grace by applying discipline into our lives.

Physical discipline takes on a new meaning when we think about it as a response to God's grace and gifts to us.  Instead of being a harsh taskmaster, it becomes an expression of love for the God who has given all for us.  And maybe that is a key for us.  Instead of thinking of discipline as a punishment, we can think of it as a grateful response to God's love shown to us. 

A Quick Look at Physical Discipline

Yesterday I wrote about the connection between our physical and spiritual natures.  With that in mind, I want to put down a few thoughts on "paper", so to speak.

I honestly had not really given physical discipline a great deal of thought growing up.  That is, until I took up running as a means of fitness.  That's when I started to realize the connections between regular exercise, eating, resting, and the like.  When you eat a pizza the night before a run, you shouldn't be surprised to feel really sluggish.  On the  flip side, a really healthy pasta dish may seem like it gives you hours of energy, especially when combined with good hydration and a regular fitness schedule.

What happens to our physical bodies greatly affects our spiritual nature.  In my career, I've seen people bent over with pain whose spirit simply seemed to give out on them.  I've seen how the lack of care for our physical bodies can also lead to an overall spirit of disgust or a lack of satisfaction in life.

St. Paul gives us the reminder that our bodies are not our own.  God has created our body, given it to us as a gift, and created it to work within certain boundaries.  Therefore, it stands to reason that taking care of this gift from God would be something that He would desire, as well as a good way to simply feel better about ourselves.

The Physical and the Spiritual

It's a statement that I hear from time to time.  It goes something like this.  "What I do with my body doesn't affect my soul/spirit."  You hear it from those who claim that such actions as sex are merely physical actions, with no effect whatsoever on their spirit or soul.  And yet, the sad thing is, they could not be more wrong.

God created us as both physical and spiritual creatures.  If you read Genesis chapter 2, you find that God formed the man out of the dust of the earth, but that didn't make him a living creature.  It wasn't until God breathed the breath/wind/spirit of life into him that he became a living creature.  (And yes, the Hebrew word used there has multiple meanings, which I believe God did intentionally!)  God's Spirit/breath gave the man life, and so we find that man has a physical and a spiritual nature.

That shows us that anything that happens to us involves both our physical and our spiritual natures.  If you stub your toe, your physical body hurts, and your spiritual nature gets angry at whatever you stubbed your toe on.  Think of it.  Your body doesn't get angry.  Your spirit is what gets angry.  And by that same token, when someone hurts you spiritually (a hurtful remark or the ending of a relationship), our bodies reflect the hurt that our soul has taken on.

That also means that, when it comes to disciplining ourselves, the connection between the physical and the spiritual remains.  For example, we can pray at any time and in any place.  But when we go down on our knees, bow our heads, and close our eyes, the posture affects the spiritual conversation with God.  Or, if we are physically exhausted, how easy is it to focus on our Bible reading for the day?

Over the next few days, we'll look a little more deeper at the inter-connection between our physical and our spiritual natures, and how discipline in both natures affect one another.