Wide Margins

“When you harvest your land, don’t harvest right up to the edges of your field or gather the gleanings from the harvest.” (Leviticus 19:9 MSG)

Most airlines intentionally overbook their flights to ensure that there are no empty seats. They sell more tickets than there are seats on a flight, in case someone cancels or does not show up at the last minute. This common practice leads to a great deal of hassle for passengers and crew--but bumps up profit for the industry. 

In contrast, our local veterinarian has a habit of leaving unscheduled hours in his week for emergencies that may come up. He is more concerned about the animals he serves than about maximizing profits. This is probably not the most productive business model, but it benefits the local community.  

I have learned to emulate the local veterinarian and not the airline industry. When I plan my budget and schedule, I intentionally leave wide margins for the unexpected. I try not to harvest right up to the edges of my fields. This may seem unproductive and unambitious, but it brings me peace. Rarely do these gleanings go to waste. Somehow, the extra money always finds a need, the extra space always gets filled, and the extra energy always gets used up.  

Core Values

“By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back. So let’s keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us.” (Philippians 3:14-16 MSG)

Here is a question I have been pondering for a while:

What are my core values? 

How I spend my time, money, and energy is an indicator of what I find worthwhile. Activities, attitudes, and aspirations are not values, but they reveal what matters to me. For example, the bulk of my time and energy are invested in housework, reading, writing, learning, and running. These activities, in and of themselves, are not my core values, but they point to what is important to me. 

Housework represents caring for my family--cooking nutritious meals, keeping everything clean and sanitized, providing a nurturing space, ensuring the home is a place of security, stability, privacy, and comfort. Reading, writing, and learning have always been inherent desires within me. The craving to think deeply, to understand, to be consciously aware, to authentically express myself--is part of who I am. Tangential yearnings for silence, solitude, and privacy stem from these innate needs. Conversely, running does not come naturally to me at all. I am built to run like a chicken is built to fly. I can’t even say I enjoy running. Yet, I pursue it as an avenue to developing discipline, consistency, endurance, and resilience. These are characteristics I value highly. 

By no means do I count myself an expert in any of these pursuits, but I’ve got my eye on the goal of following my authentic calling where God is beckoning me.  I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back. I keep focused on becoming who I am created to be.

Self-Compassion

“You are precious to me, and I have given you a special place of honor. I love you.” (Isaiah 43:4 ERV)

Our first dog was with us for twelve years before she passed away. She was beautiful, gentle, and smart, but we would have cherished her even if she had been ugly and dumb.  She was not a useful dog--she couldn’t guard the house, pull a sled, hunt, or herd sheep. Yet, she was precious to our family. We took care of her without any expectations that she would return the favor. She was loved and she knew it. 

Our dogs are significant, worthy, and valued--NOT because of their usefulness, beauty, impact, contributions, or productivity--BUT because they are loved. They don’t have to do anything special to prove that they are lovable. Even when they have accidents in the house and do inappropriate things, we quickly forgive them and move on. They are not expected to be perfect, improve, or make us proud. They are precious, worthy, and cherished as is. If only we could have as much compassion for ourselves as we do for our pets. 

What would that look like? 

We would realize that we are worthy, significant, and valuable--NOT because of our usefulness, beauty, impact, contributions, abilities, talents, wealth, education, gender, race, or nationality--BUT because we are loved by God. We do not have to do anything to prove that we are lovable. When we make mistakes, we would forgive ourselves and move on.  We would recognize that we are precious, worthy, and cherished as is. 

The Mystery of God

“More and more people are seeing this: they enter the mystery, abandoning themselves to God.” (Psalm 40:3 MSG)

A Korean television series, Squid Games, has gained global popularity. While the show is dubbed into several languages, many of the cultural and linguistic nuances are lost in translation. A person who is fluent in Korean understands the material at a completely different level than others who are not. However, viewers worldwide are eager to watch and absorb whatever they can. 

Knowing anything can be multilayered. I understand technology better than the average person my age, but not at the level of a person who writes code. I know how to cook relatively well, but I’m not an expert chef. I can write a decent sentence in English, but not as well as other authors I admire. 

Knowing God involves more than subscribing to a set of religious precepts. The majority of believers are content to remain at a literal understanding of Scripture. There is no shortage of charismatic pastors who are willing to provide easy-to-digest packages of literal interpretations to the masses. There are a few who go beyond the literal and perceive the metaphorical meaning in Scripture. They understand that there is more to know than what appears on the surface. Jesus taught with parables for this reason. Finally, there are those who enter into the mystery and abandon themselves to God. They immerse themselves in the unknowable and the uncontrollable. They are baptized in the mystical presence of the Spirit. 

Deep Attentiveness

“Keep your thoughts continually fixed on all that is authentic and real, honorable and admirable, beautiful and respectful, pure and holy, merciful and kind.” (Philippians 4:8 TPT)

Our local utility company offers energy inspections for homes. They send a technician to walk through the house and inspect it for leaky windows, gaps in door frames, and insulation deficiencies. Fixing these issues can conserve energy as well as save the homeowner hundreds of dollars a year in electric bills. 

Deep attentiveness is a rare phenomenon these days. Distraction has become the default setting. Retraining our brains to focus takes effort, time, and discomfort. First, we must understand the value of stillness over busyness. Then, we need to audit our lives for self-sabotaging behaviors that dissipate our energy. We might be oblivious to our ingrained habits, so an outside perspective might be helpful.  

While deep thinking can be uncomfortable, distraction can be a release from the agitation that smolders under intensity. This is why most of us prefer diversion over concentration. It is the easier choice. Fragmented attention allows us to compartmentalize and compromise. 

It will take some discipline to plug up the leaky habits and insulate our minds. We might have to pull back from our usual ways of doing things and create uninterrupted containers of time for focused work. We will have to think deeply about our values and priorities.  Keeping our thoughts continually fixed on all that is authentic and real, honorable and admirable, beautiful and respectful, pure and holy, merciful and kind requires intentional practice. 

Steadfast Convictions

“Let’s not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don’t give up, or quit.” (Galatians 6:9 MSG)

Today my husband completed his first year of streak running. The official definition of a running streak is to run at least one mile (1.61 kilometers) within each calendar day. He is now registered on the Streak Runners International registry. It has been interesting to observe the changes in his mindset over the last year.  

During the first few weeks of daily running, he was less committed to the process. He would be hesitant to run on days when he was tired, busy, or when the weather was uncomfortable. As the chain of consecutive days mounted up, he became more invested. He remembered all that he had come through thus far and refused to give up. He ran after overnight shifts at the hospital. He ran when he was sick. He ran the day after a marathon when he was in pain. He kept going, even through rain, ice, snow, heat, and storms. 

Steadfast convictions have their own momentum. Each good choice acts as a foothold in the ascent. The longer you invest in something, the less likely you are to give up on it. You have experienced unfavorable circumstances, fatigue, criticism, self-doubt--but you didn’t quit. The more obstacles you have overcome to get where you are, the more determined you become to keep going forward. Just as moral compromises can lead you down a slippery slope, noble convictions can propel you uphill. Your values and perspective are transformed. You see yourself differently: You are no longer a person who takes the easiest path. Now you choose the honorable path, even when it is hard. Once you see yourself as disciplined, consistent, unique, enduring, tough, resilient, and persevering--it takes a lot more to knock you down. 

Slippery Compromises

“Indeed, you place them on a slippery slope and make them fall to their ruin.” (Psalm 73:18 CJB)

In the last post, I discussed the effects of cognitive dissonance. Justification is one of the ways we deal with the discomfort of misaligned values and behaviors. When living up to our own standards becomes too difficult, we change our standards. We make compromises that allow us to still feel okay about ourselves. 

An immoral person conscientiously rejects morals. In contrast, an amoral person is aware of moral standards but is unconcerned about acting on them. Even those who commit the most gruesome crimes may not see themselves as immoral, merely amoral. This is how we ease the discomfort of cognitive dissonance.

The slide down the slippery slope is gradual. The first time we compromise our standards, we might think: “Just this one time won’t hurt anyone. It’s not a big deal.” The next time we are faced with a similar situation, it feels easier to follow the lower standard by rationalizing: “Well, this is not much worse than the last time. It won’t make much difference now anyway...” This pattern of spiraling continues until we fall to our ruin, often taking down those around us as well.  

(Continued in the next post...)

Cognitive Dissonance

“I decide to do good, but I don’t really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don’t result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time.” (Romans 7:17-20 MSG)

Cognitive dissonance is the mental discomfort that results from the incongruities in your beliefs and behaviors. Here are a few examples: You think of honesty as a core value, but you lie sometimes. You love animals, but you eat them, too. You believe that climate change is a serious crisis, but you continue to contribute to the problem. You know that smoking is bad for your health, but you continue to do so. 

We want to do good, but we don’t really do it; we decide not to do bad, but then we do it anyway. Our decisions, such as they are, don’t result in actions. Deep within us, we sense the dissonance of incongruency. What do we do when our desires and our values are misaligned? 

Most of us find ways to justify what we want to do even when they are contrary to our beliefs. This may take some mental gymnastics.  The more we rationalize and prioritize our desires, the more pliable our values become. We hide our behaviors if we feel guilty or embarrassed. This may reduce the discomfort of public scrutiny, but it does not mitigate the sense of dissonance and shame we feel deep within our soul.

(Continued in the next post...)

Multitasking

“Better is a handful of quietness than two hands full of toil and a striving after wind.” (Ecclesiastes 4:6 ESV)

In our house, we are picky about water pressure. If the dishwasher or washing machine is running, we wait to take a shower. The diversion of water to multiple pipes reduces the flow of water along each pathway. The slight shift goes unnoticed within the appliances, but we notice the decline when standing under a showerhead. 

A similar dissipation of energy occurs when we multitask. During the past few hours, I have been doing laundry, checking notifications on my phone, replying to texts, attending to the dog, washing dishes, and wondering what I should cook for dinner--all while listening to an audiobook! Although I got a lot done, I can’t say I did any of them to the best of my ability. My attention and energy were diverted in multiple ways, thus diminishing the satisfaction of concentrating on each task. 

I decided to try something different. I put my phone on the ‘do not disturb’ setting and turned the screen off. I turned the timer on for one hour and sat still in one spot. It was difficult at first. I felt fidgety and bored. Yet, because the usual options to self-interruption were removed, I settled down. I spent the time thinking and writing. The quality of this one hour was far superior to the rest of my day. While busyness and striving may look productive, quietness has intangible significance.

 

Background Noise

“The Lord answered her, ‘Martha, my beloved Martha. Why are you upset and troubled, pulled away by all these many distractions? Mary has discovered the one thing most important by choosing to sit at my feet. She is undistracted, and I won’t take this privilege from her.’” (Luke 10:41-42 TPT)

Background noise of any sort impairs my concentration. If I am in a public space, the low hum of chatter reduces my ability to hear and process information. My brain works best in complete quiet. Knowing this, I rarely turn on music or the television while doing anything that requires focus. I drive in silence. I read in silence. I write in silence. 

The noise of worry can be equally distracting. Like a bee, it buzzes around my mind, attracting more of its kind.  Soon there is a swarm of anxieties clamoring for attention. When I am upset and troubled, I am pulled in different directions. The resulting internal cacophony blocks my ability to hear from God. 

Trust and gratitude can turn down the volume of background worry. It is a privilege to be still and focus.  The spirit is most sensitive when we live in complete trust. Keep worry to a minimum. Hand over all concerns to God. Remain constantly grateful.

Unfathomable Perspective

“Depths of purpose and layers of meaning saturate everything you do. Such amazing mysteries are found within every miracle that nearly everyone seems to miss. Those with no discernment can never really discover the deep and glorious secrets hidden in your ways.” (Psalm 92:5-6 TPT)

There are very few humans who have seen the universe from the moon’s surface. The rest of us can only imagine what they saw from that vantage point. Less than one percent of individuals are billionaires. The rest of us cannot even envision that level of wealth. Similarly, less than one percent of the world’s population finishes a marathon in their lifetime. Those who repeatedly train to run this distance, year after year, are uncommon. They have a completely different mindset that is unfathomable to the rest of the world. 

Uncommoners have completely different perspectives than commoners. Their priorities, values, attitudes, and behaviors seem baffling to the majority. How they define joy, worthiness, goodness, beauty, and quality of life will be incomprehensible to the masses. What seems natural and rational to the 99% will be unnatural and irrational to the 1% and vice versa. 

Similarly, God’s ways are incomprehensible to most of us. Depths of purpose and layers of meaning saturate everything. Such amazing mysteries are found within every miracle that nearly everyone seems to miss. Those with no discernment can never really discover the deep and glorious secrets hidden in His ways. Thus, a sacred mindset is set apart from the common lifestyle. Those who are committed to higher pursuits will have perspectives and priorities that are unfathomable to most of the world. 

Energy Efficiency

“Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes. (Matthew 6:34 MSG) 

Energy efficiency is financially and environmentally beneficial. Thus, I try to be conscious of my consumption of electricity, water, or fossil fuels. Inattention leads to wastage and damage. Recently, I accidentally left the sliding glass door open just an inch. It was a hot day and the a/c was on. By the time I noticed it, some of the cool air in the room had seeped out. Even worse, a bunch of flies came in through that little space and buzzed around the house. It took hours of my energy to get rid of all the flies, not to mention the cost of wasted electricity. This prompted me to pay attention to other ways I might be unintentionally depleting energy. A small fridge in my garage, that had been consuming energy for years, got unplugged and cleaned out. I canceled an unessential trip. These changes saved time, energy,and money. 

Attentiveness is key to the efficient use of resources. Regular audits of our habits can reveal areas of energy wastage. For example, worrying about the future is futile. It causes today’s blessings to go unnoticed, while anxiety buzzes around ruining our peace. Regrets and resentment over the past are similarly useless. Like a fridge storing unused, old bottles, they consume energy without adding value. Limiting unessential trips into the past or the future saves energy. Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now. Rely on His help to deal with whatever hard things come up. Keep your focus on God’s presence and power. 

 

Submitting to the Spirit

“Unless a person submits to this original creation—the ‘wind-hovering-over-the-water’ creation, the invisible moving the visible, a baptism into a new life—it’s not possible to enter God’s kingdom. When you look at a baby, it’s just that: a body you can look at and touch. But the person who takes shape within is formed by something you can’t see and touch—the Spirit—and becomes a living spirit.” (John 3:5-6 MSG)

While some aspects of spiritual living come naturally to me, submission feels awkward. I think I am capable of managing my life and smart enough to make my own choices. Placing trust in an invisible God and submitting everything to Him seems like a dumb idea. 

Yet, something about this crazy notion keeps tugging at my soul. 

I sense there is something beyond the tangible world that I cannot see and touch. There is an invisible Spirit that animates the visible. Submitting to this original creation--the ‘wind-hovering-over-the-water’ creation, must be the higher path to living in God’s sphere of influence. I could continue operating from my primal nature of managing my own life and pushing my own agenda. Or, I could allow the Spirit within me to take shape and transform me. 

Revealing God

“My glory is revealed through their surrendered lives.” (John 17:10b TPT) 

I was in my late twenties when I went through my first spiritual crisis. Much of what I believed about God, religion, humanity, values, and goals came crashing down like a house of cards. I was left directionless and confused. It took me a few years to find my bearings and move through this desert experience. Somewhere along this journey, I picked up a curious idea: My purpose in life was to know God and reveal His Glory. I did not completely understand what this entailed back then. I just sensed it to be true. I wondered if this was specifically for me, or if this was some universal purpose. Either way, I felt less lost. 

Getting to know God has been a pleasant pursuit. Immersing my mind in contemplation, prayer, study, and writing comes naturally to me. I enjoy deep conversations with the Lord. Spiritual understanding and insights are exciting side benefits of this communion. 

Revealing God’s glory has been more complicated. At first, I imagined that I could merely share my experiences through writing or speaking. Yet, I have discovered that this approach is minimally effective. My life is on display much more than anything I say or write. Unless I honor God through a surrendered lifestyle, all else is moot. 

Know God

“Eternal life means to know and experience you as the only true God.” (John 17:3a TPT)

When someone buys a house and announces it will be their ‘forever home,’ I’m surprised at their certainty. For the first three decades of my life, I moved around frequently. My sense of home was reduced to the structure I resided in at the moment. Instability and uncertainty were ingrained into my psyche. Fortunately, the last two decades have been different. I have had the privilege of living in the same home, putting down roots, knowing my neighbors, and being known by them. Stability feels satisfying, meaningful, and peaceful. I do not take this blessing for granted.  

The phrase ‘eternal life’ conjures up fuzzy images of an afterlife in heaven, angels playing harps, and humanesque souls in white robes. What if eternal life is accessible to the living? Humans have a natural craving for that which is real, unperishable, and everlasting.There is nothing more sustaining than knowing God and experiencing His understanding. Our search for meaning and purpose is satisfied by dwelling in His presence.

Popular Tracks

“The market is flooded with surefire, easygoing formulas for a successful life that can be practiced in your spare time. Don’t fall for that stuff, even though crowds of people do.” (Matthew 7:13 MSG)

Medical doctors usually follow one of two popular tracks. Private practice is the path to wealth and independence. An academic career, on the other hand, usually pays less. However, it can lead to promotions, power, influence, and prestige. A physician who has the opportunity to pursue power, status, or money--but opts out of these common career tracks is seen as unambitious. 

The world is filled with wide, crowded paths to culturally defined success. Materialism, power, fame, influence, and status are all popular tracks that many aspire to travel. Those who opt out of these common avenues are often deemed directionless. 

Jesus would not have been considered successful by the people of his time. He chose to go off the beaten track. He hung out with the poor and neglected. He did not accumulate material wealth, power, or influence. He failed to optimize his opportunities. He refused to monetize his talents. Instead, He blazed a new path of love, humility, simplicity, faith, and compassion. The path of Christ is narrow. It is neither easy nor popular. However, it is the most meaningful way to live.

Actions Matter

“My people sit at your feet and seem to hang on your every word, but they never apply those sacred instructions to their own lives. For they act as they speak—with lustful desire—and think only of how they’ll make a profit.” (Ezekiel 33:31 VOICE)

Have you ever wondered how people can watch a newsworthy event on television and come to completely different opinions? Or how, during a court trial, jury members are presented with the same evidence yet disagree on the verdict? Humans have a tendency to give more weight to evidence that confirms pre-existing beliefs while scrutinizing information that opposes preconceived notions. We evaluate information from a biased perspective. This allows us to arrive at preferred conclusions that justify our choices. 

Here is a personal example. Hawaii is one of my favorite places to visit. I know the long flights from my home to these islands contribute to the climate crisis. If I think about this too much, it ruins my vacation. Instead, I justify what I want to do by recycling, eating a vegetarian diet, and driving less. Yet, the impact of all my environmentally conscious behavior cannot erase the damage of one long-haul flight. 

I read and watch documentaries about all sorts of topics. Any new information that requires me to reevaluate my lifestyle or ideology is met with skepticism. I am willing to make small allowances and minor changes, as long as they don’t mess with my ‘sacred cows’ of desires and comfort. I think of myself as an informed person who makes right choices. In order to minimize the cognitive dissonance, I block out uncomfortable data points. Like most humans, I hang on to beliefs that align with my desires and shrug off the rest. 

 

Responsive Behavior

“Though they understand, they will not respond.” (Proverbs 29:19 NIV)

What is the difference between reacting and responding? 

I do not like it when my dog jumps up on me. I know he is being playful, but he is large enough to make me lose my balance. Whenever he jumps, I immediately tell him to ‘get off’ in a loud voice. The instinctive emotion I feel is the reaction. Expressing my feelings out loud is not an adequate response. I have to turn my body and stop interacting with him. If I play along and allow my dog to jump on me--it does not matter what I say, how often I say it, or how loud my voice is. My dog has been with me long enough to understand what I want,  but he does not respond to mere words. My responsive behavior is what makes the difference. 

I have noticed similar patterns in my interactions with other humans. When someone says or does something obtrusive, I feel manipulated. It messes with my sense of agency and balance. Verbally expressing my emotions rarely seems to make a difference. Though the others may understand how I want to be treated, they continue their default behavior. Their response reveals their lack of respect. What happens next is up to me. Do I just keep repeating the words I have already spoken in different ways? Do I continue to play along and participate in these power games? Or, do I turn away and stop engaging with those who continue to disrespect boundaries? My responsive behavior is what makes the difference. 

Overwork

“People leave this world no better off than when they came. All their hard work is for nothing—like working for the wind. Throughout their lives, they live under a cloud—frustrated, discouraged, and angry.” (Ecclesiastes 5:16-17 NLT)

It is apple season in my region. For the past few weeks, I have been picking and processing apples. I have given away bags of them to friends and neighbors. I’ve made apple muffins, pies, and sauce. I have a freezer full of sliced apples for the winter. Yet, there is still more fruit on the trees. Since I am uncomfortable with wastefulness, I keep working. I am tired, and I have plenty of other things I need to do. 

My desire for productivity can lead to overwork. I set high expectations for all that I can accomplish. At the beginning of each day, I may plan to do ten different things. By noon that list will grow to twenty. Inevitably, there will be a few things I did not get around to doing. These unfinished tasks leave me feeling frustrated and discouraged. 

What if I intentionally skipped doing a few tasks that are not absolutely necessary? Homemade applesauce is nice, but it is not imperative that I use up all the apples. Similarly, there are other tasks I do each day that are not essential. If I examine my workload thoughtfully, I notice that much of what I do is habitual--and it is hard to change routines.

Feeling productive and useful brings a certain satisfaction while overwork leads to exhaustion. Simplicity requires thoughtfulness. Just as I declutter my home of unnecessary things, I may need to examine and eliminate some non-essential tasks each day to make time for rest. 

Tripping on Delusion

“We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity.” (2 Corinthians 10:4-5 MSG)

I used to tie my shoelaces in the standard way--a basic knot plus a pretty bow. It was presentable and polished. Unfortunately, this method led to my shoelaces coming undone regularly. I wouldn’t notice the unraveling until I tripped over my own laces. It wasn’t until I became a runner that I learned a secure way of tying my shoelaces. Now, after I double knot my laces, I tuck all the loose ends in securely. This is not an attractive look, but it works. I can run an entire marathon without my shoelaces coming untied. 

Maintaining appearances requires us to live by the standards of the world. Our social standing is laced together by ambition, pretensions, manipulations, and shame, tied together in a pretty bow of cultural compliance. When our delusions unravel and trip us up, we go back to repeating what is familiar--presenting one polished illusion after another. 

There is a better way.

We can confront the barriers of deception, tucking every loose thought, emotion, and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. This may look weird, because it doesn’t fit worldly standards. The natural realm is filled with fabricated mansions of human machinations. Dismantling long-held defensive mechanisms takes dynamic strength. We cannot do this on our own. We must access the Spirit’s wisdom and power to tear down barriers against truth. 

 

Scattered Attention

“Fill your thoughts with heavenly realities, and not with the distractions of the natural realm.” (Colossians 3:2 TPT) 

 

My attention span seems to have shrunk in the past decade. This absentmindedness cannot be blamed on aging. I have developed a strong craving for amusement and find myself seeking out distractions. I will plan to give my focused attention to a task, but I get pulled away by my phone. I know this is dumb. It’s like if I were at the gas station to get a fill-up, but instead of inserting the nozzle into the tank, I just looked around and sprayed gasoline in random directions. It is a complete waste of resources!

 

My attention muscles have atrophied from disuse. I have to make a concerted effort to retrain them. I need to take an inventory of all the ways I self-sabotage--of all the numbing diversions and distractions I use. Weaning myself off this steady diet of amusements will take time and discomfort. Once I have kicked this addiction to diversions, I must learn to fill my thoughts with heavenly realities and not with the distractions of the natural realm.