What I see in the world challenges me. Glimpses of life challenge me to think about what I see, what I know and what I believe. What I see in the world today is glimpses of many people listening to others...many others...speaking, some loudly, some with charm, others with rebellious passion. But as I peer, like a voyeur, into these provocative platitudes, I don't perceive challenge; thoughts to stimulate the hearer to think, ponder, wonder and grow, sifting through the words and ideas to see what is illuminating to the hearer. What I see is more of a a sorting; "I like this", I don't like hearing this". "These thoughts feel better."
What I see isn't necessarily the truth. That is why I wrestle with the thoughts, concepts and ideas in hopes I will, through prayerful discernment and scriptural understanding, eventually hit the mark of God's truth. But by shear definition, a blog is my opinion, not fact.
What I see is:
- People moving farther apart than working to come together. Divisive spirits control our thoughts. The desire to be right is more important that coming to a productive agreement that could move us forward. Division holds us back.
- People trying to color the world back or white. While I am not speaking of race, unfortunately, recent issues in the world have fallen in that particular arena. All police officers are not filled with fear and hate for every black person and not all people of color (any color includung white) are innocent. Life and the character of people is not black or white.
- That we like listening to the voices that confirm what we believe rather than the voices of those that challenge what we think. Politicians, pastors, friends that are "yes men" or play into our fears repeat the same pre-conceived notion we have already been telling ourselves.
- Bad behavior or mean spiritedness is tolerated in the guise of humor. "We were just teasing." Hard messages need to be served with love, not hidden within sarcastic humor in the name of satire. Making poor choices should not be written off as, "It was all in fun." Because often the consequences fall on other innocent bystanders.
- We hold everyone to our standard instead of looking how we can live up to God's standard. We forget the whole log/speck part Jesus said. In doing so we make assumptions about people that may or may not be true.
- What we think has become our god and then God is shoved into that mold. This is backwards thinking. The Lord should be our God and He should be allowed to form our thoughts. I wonder what would happen if we actually, REALLY, bounced our opinions off of Scripture. (see Sermon on the Mount)
These are just a few of the thoughts I see. Many of them I see in me. Are they in you as well. Look and see.
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