Moral Muscle

“Those who think they can do it on their own end up obsessed with measuring their own moral muscle but never get around to exercising it in real life. Those who trust God's action in them find that God's Spirit is in them - living and breathing God!” (Romans 8:5 MSG)

I can be a kind, considerate, loyal, friendly, helpful person...until someone messes with me. Then I  turn defensive. I gather up my loved ones, retreat to my fortress, close the gates, pull up the drawbridge, and release crocodiles into the moat.

I want to change. I want to be a better person. I want to be patient, compassionate, forgiving, and loving--even to those who hurt me or my loved ones. However, no matter how much I try, I go back to my instinctual habits. I cannot be Christ-like on my own. No matter how much I develop my moral muscles, I am unable to get very far from my default settings. I must trust God's action in me. I must recognize that God's Spirit, living and breathing within me, will achieve what I cannot accomplish on my own.

Holy Spirit, take over.

Snobs and Hypocrites

(continued from last post)

“The integrity of the righteous guides them, but the hypocrisy of the treacherous destroys them.” (Proverbs 11:3 NLT)

Farming is one of the most honorable professions. Most farmers I know are very down-to-earth (no pun intended). I greatly admire their simplicity, honesty, and strong work ethic. Oh, and I’ve rarely met a snobby farmer, although I have met many pretentious foodies.  

“Hypocrisy is the essence of snobbery, but all snobbery is about the problem of belonging.” (Alexander Theroux)

A snob is defined as a person who imitates, cultivates, or slavishly admires social superiors and is condescending or overbearing to others. Pretension paves the way for acceptance and belonging among certain social groups. It is reassuring to feel included and esteemed, even if it is mostly fake. Snobs are never truly loved or admired by anyone. Hypocrisy is the essential lubricant that keeps these simulated relationships from grinding to a halt.

A hypocrite will put on any mask that begets applause. But the mask obscures his ability to see the truth, and it’s only a matter of time before he falls flat on his face. Integrity allows one to remain steadfast to his principles. A noble person is not easily swayed by public opinion. He remains sincere and straightforward, no matter what the cost.

Lord, help me to reject hypocrisy and have the courage to remain firm in my convictions.

The Hypocrite Games

“I do not sit with the deceitful, nor do I associate with hypocrites.” (Psalm 26:4 NIV)

When I was a child, I used to play pretend games with my cousins and friends. We would pretend to be moms to our little dolls or storekeepers selling merchandise, etc. By the time I was ten, I had outgrown these games. However, even in my forties, I am expected to participate in feigned, social relationships. In this dystopia, hypocrisy is the norm. Those who play the roles they are assigned are well-liked. Counterfeit connections are encouraged and nurtured as long as they increase one’s popularity. Awards and applause are given out for the best actors and performers.

As for me, I don’t want to play pretend games anymore. I do not even want to be a spectator of this type of farce. It’s not that I can’t, or that I don’t know how. I just refuse to participate in anything inauthentic. It’s not that I don’t care about what others think. I am actually quite sensitive. It’s just that I am unwilling to trade in my convictions for approval or admiration.

(continued in next post)

Launching Myself

“Surrender yourself to the LORD, and wait patiently for him. Do not be preoccupied with an evildoer who succeeds in his way when he carries out his schemes.” (Psalm 37:7 GWT)

The above verse goes completely against my natural instincts. I’m not the passive, capitulating type. I get aggravated at manipulators and bullies. I want to defend, speak up, and fight against anyone who takes advantage of others. Why can’t I let go and surrender everything to the Lord? Why can’t I wait patiently for HIM to sort everything out?

I am afraid to launch my little lifeboat fully into God’s unknown waters. Instead, I try to paddle my own way, while staying close to shore. I imagine that everything beyond my vision and control must be dangerous. I so want to trust God and let Him fight my battles...but my faith is weak.

I’ve tried to win this war I confess

My hands are weary I need Your rest

Mighty Warrior, King of the fight

No matter what I face, You’re by my side

When You don’t move the mountains I’m needing You to move

When You don’t part the waters I wish I could walk through

When You don’t give the answers as I cry out to You

I will trust, I will trust, I will trust in You!

(Lauren Daigle “Trust in You”)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_aVFVveJNs )

Taking Back Your Peace

“If someone who promotes peace is there, your peace will rest on them; if not, it will return to you.” (Luke 10:6 NIV)

My husband and I used to go fishing at our neighborhood pond every summer. We would sit in companionable silence, enjoying the peace and stillness. Then, one summer, we had some houseguests who wanted to fish with us. They believed that every activity, including fishing, required a running commentary. They made everything into a competition--who could skip rocks better; who could cast farther; who caught the biggest fish? They thought our way of doing things was too boring. We thought their way of doing things was annoying. After that summer, fishing at the pond never felt the same. However, the experience was not a complete waste. I learned a few things about how to deal with those who thrive on theatrics:

-Don’t participate.

-Don’t give them an audience.

-Have firm boundaries.

-Distance yourself.

There are those who promote peace, and then there are others who block it at every turn. Agitators feel energized by drama. They are bored by tranquility. Even if you show them the way of peace and contentment, they will not accept it. They would rather have attention and admiration than serenity. They will suck anyone who is not firmly anchored into their egocentric vortex of turmoil. You cannot change them, but you can change the way you respond to them. You can take back your peace by refusing to participate or engage in the drama.

Hermitage Fantasies

“Make it your goal to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands.” (1 Thessalonians 4:11 NLT)

The older I get, the more I crave silence and solitude. Although most people think I am an extrovert, I prefer to be by myself than with a group of people. I’m a big fan of hermits like John the Baptist, Thomas Merton, Henry David Thoreau, and Julian of Norwich. Every so often, I fantasize about living in a cabin, near a lake, in the woods...with high-speed internet connection. I imagine myself growing and preserving my own food, reading, writing, and just sitting in contemplative silence. But, truth be told, I wouldn’t last very long in the wilderness. I’m not fond of bugs and rodents. And, even though I know I am comfortable with external silence, quieting my mind is still a challenge.

"Silence is God's first language, everything else is a poor translation. In order to hear that language, we must learn to be still and to rest in God.” (Thomas Keating)

God communicates best in silence. He communicates directly to each of us.  When we attempt to interpret and verbalize spiritual insights, a lot is lost in translation. Our minds flit about like hummingbirds from one flower to the next--looking for nourishment, but never enough to find satisfaction. Meanwhile, God sits in our midst like a bird feeder full of nectar. All we have to do is sit still and drink until we are full.

Lord, show us how to settle quietly into Your presence and absorb Your Spirit.

Take Off Your Shoes

"Take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground.” (Exodus 3:5 NLT)

This morning I walked out to my garden to get some fresh holy basil to brew tea. I usually have coffee in the morning, but today I wanted to try some herbal tea, because I wasn’t feeling well. I couldn’t find any shoes near the door, so I walked out barefoot through the grass. The grass was covered in morning dew, and the sensation of the cool, wet grass, was a bit unexpected. I felt suddenly alert, all my senses awakened.  I heard the mourning dove cooing, the crickets chirping. I saw the cobwebs glistening in the early morning light. As I bent down to pick the herbs, their pungent aroma evoked the following thoughts: Why is this plant called holy basil? Aren’t the other plants holy too? For that matter, everything around me feels holy right now--the grass, the birds, the insects, the air, me...

God surrounds us, but we are oblivious. We are so busy--occupied in our daily endeavors--that we often fail to recognize the holiness in everything. In our eagerness to make an impact, we stomp around with heavy-duty, cleated boots--making a mess of things. Because we are so intent on getting noticed by others, we fail to notice God all around us. Stop! Take your shoes off. Pay attention. You are treading on holy ground.

“Earth's crammed with heaven,

And every common bush afire with God;

But only he who sees, takes off his shoes,

The rest sit round it and pluck blackberries,

And daub their natural faces unaware.”

  (by Elizabeth Barrett Browning)