Chinks and prices

Words are sobering when they reflect a chink in the ol' armor of our character. A CSI rerun came on, and I watched. It was interesting as most of the episodes are. At the very end of the show the last line was delivered before the credits began to roll. The words were pretty sobering, "Everyone has a price." In the case of CSI, the price was crime. But even if we move into other arenas of life, the saying still holds true.

I hate to think that I have a price. I have had some hard testing, but the thought still lingers—the price just hasn't been raised high enough. I am old enough to know where the chinks in my armor are. If I wonder why the chink is there in the first place, I think that I thwarted some arrow, that an attempt at buying me off has failed. Maybe it just means that on that occasion the price was just not raised high enough. A thought like that raises my eyebrows. I hope the One who Made me does not allow the death blow. Chinks only, please. Or that the enemy doesn't secretly know what my price is.

Words leading home

Expressions can be beautifully worded sometimes. Those expressions can make us feel that we belong, or that we have value, or that we feel gratified. But the other possibility exists. Words can be used to make us feel unworthy, despicable, and unloved. Words themselves really have no value. The attitude of the speaker, the tone of the voice, the physical presence or absence of the one giving the words are taken into account much more than the words. Many times we remember harshness or love, but cannot remember the words themselves. We remember the occasion, the expression on the face, the strength of the tone, the rapidity of the delivery, but seldom the words themselves. So, perhaps, the Giver of words would like us to use the words we utter to leave prints behind, kind prints, caring prints,warm prints, valued prints–the kind that lead the way home to Him.

Ebb and flow

What in life looks more like life than the ebb and flow of the ocean on a coastline? The usual tide in-tide out gets to be expected. The constant dull roar soon is not heard at all if you are on the coastline long. Sometimes the tide is higher than normal, especially when storms come. Some waves in a lifetime are tsunamis, but that is abnormal. Much gets washed ashore given enough time. Undertows are unseen, but strong nevertheless and have been known to cause death for non-swimmers.

Every line above has an equivalent in living life. Sometimes I write a blog when the tide is in and sometimes when the tide is out. Some of my blogs represent the stuff that gets washed up on the shoreline and sometimes it represents the dull roar that people forget to hear. Certainly the storms and tsunamis are recordable events. Hopefully, I won't drown in the undertow, but occasionally I do have to fight against it as it drags against me pulling me somewhat out to sea.

I'd say at the moment I see clouds on the horizon. At least it is just rain that's coming. Maybe it will hit as the tide comes in so that it won't be so dangerous. I'm waiting for the sunshine at high tide to bask in the sunlight and splash along the beach. Life's a beach and then you die.

Long journeys

Some motivational posters contain quotations along the lines of "All long journeys begin with the first step." Well, that helps some. All journeys are taken by putting one step in front of the next. But, then there are these really long journeys. The kind where steps are taken, but they don't necessarily lead to any destination. They are just steps.

Sometimes they are steps of evasion of coming trouble, sometimes steps of curiosity of glimpsing what could be or might have been, sometimes steps full of spring because "things are turning out right." But no matter what kind of steps—troubled steps, grieving steps, contented steps, outrageous steps, unbelivable steps—the journey is just outright long. Really long. Like L-o-o-o-o-n-g long. There aren't any motivational posters for those kinds of journeys. They are just endlessly long journeys. A good dose of Christianity doesn't even help in understanding some of these journeys. They are just long. Such is life.

I guess the proper attitude to have is that we are strangers passing through this world. To the next world I hope. I am really counting on those journeys being a lot different.

No-not in the plan

Quite often I hear that a day's activity in its entirety is planned by God. It comes in the phrase, "God's got a plan for your life," or "Absolutely nothing will happen to you today that God hasn't already planned." As much as I would like to believe that's true, and have at times tried to believe that it's true, in the end I can't really find any truth in it.

Two people aren't supposed to be mad at each other or highly critical. But they are. I don't think it's part of a plan. Children aren't supposed to die young. But they do. Surely, God in his mercy doesn't control death of youth. Children aren't really supposed to learn deceit and loose living from their parents. But it happens. Did God have that planned already? Then there is the age old question that God has never really answered in the sacred book claiming Him as author. Why do the wicked prosper? Is that really what the Father that Jesus represented wants perpetuated in this sordid world?

My prayers really reflect more what Paul asked for others to pray for him about, "In your conversations with God, ask that He rescue us from people's moral morass and base living." Because others' base living is not a part of any plan!

Out of the blue sky

Two geese this morning flew right over my head and landed about 20 yards from me in the park. They came out of nowhere it seemed and they sounded motorized as they landed. I don't know why they chose to come to the park at mid-morning. One was larger; one was smaller. I was there 30 minutes and so were they. I left so I don't really know how long they outlasted me. Usually I take note of things that happen out of the ordinary like this scene. Today was no different. Were they a message to me? What did they represent? If they were a harbinger of things to come, I guess it wasn't today that something happened. But if they were a harbinger of things to come, then I probably need some time to adapt to whatever will occur.

And yes, something like this has happened to me before. Sometimes the scene means that something good will happen. More often than not, though, the sign is a portent of difficult circumstances. In that light, I don't look forward to future events. On the other hand, it's nice to be forewarned because in some circumstances, forewarned is forearmed. We warily eyed each other during the 30 minutes I was at the park. But, I can't for the life of me see the symbolism—yet. I guess that will be a topic for a future blog. In the meantime, I live each moment as it comes with peace and contentment as much as that may depend on my actions.

Constant reminding

This has been one of those days that felt like nothing was accomplished. However, as I was recounting to someone what I had done in the day, the list sounded quite productive. I get to thinking like that about my life, too. When I do take the trek down memory lane, it's not so bad and there is more productivity than I was remembering at first. I have to remember periodically that long trips start with taking the first step.

I don't know why I have to remind myself frequently that I am not a failure, that I have productive moments in life. It's certainly not attached to a poor self-esteem. It could be just a self-defense mechanism against becoming idle or lazy. Or it could come from a habit of monitoring and adjusting. It doesn't matter, I guess. I just offer to the Maker of all humanity the hours he has given me. It is He then that gives opportunities to be productive and to compound that productivity into some work of art. So be it.

A reflection on smoothing out

Spring break is a good time to reflect on many matters. One such matter is the reflection on whether one's walk through this life is decent or not. I have a lot of times looked back, usually by decades. There is regret, for sure. But there have been times when I think the direction was correct. But, there's always that gray category. Probably the actions were correct, but the attitudes were not or the clear receptions of others were not. A person would think that by making time for reflections from time to time, like the one here at spring break, one's life would smooth out over time or be more even-keeled than it is.

I think one can only see smoothness if some of the same events happen a number of times in each decade. Then, maybe one could see a smoothing out. A couple of events come immediately to mind. One of those events was a week ago. And looking at it this time, I finally see that growth can be charted. That's rewarding in a way and nerve-wracking in another way. It's nice to see that events can be reacted to differently. It's nice to see that as human beings we have the ability to monitor and adjust during the course of our whole lives. But, one growth event does not a smoothing out make. What will happen the next time or the next? Maybe 10 events with a certain reaction would reflect a smoothing out. Whatever. The first of ten is now in the record books. I'm really not looking forward to the other nine, but I know they will inevitably come. I hear the words of a book I recently translated, "So many do not have faith. But God is faithful." And so I trust that the other nine will be in line with decent living.

Thumbs up or down?

Academic types and business types don't get to be together too much. When the two worlds come together, it's many times awkward. Business types are very pragmatic. Academic types are pretty ethereal. Business types are focused on the goal or bottom line. Academic types are focused on the exploration of paths to get to a bottom line, if one exists at all. So, if the two types should ever meet, there is either a true appreciation of the other because neither could exist easily in the other one's world. Or there is World War III because they look at matters so differently that they can't agree on what is important.

I have two acquaintances that are one of each. With one I have World War III every time, with the other annual bonding trips to some entertaining region of the state. One is a true friend, the other a wolf in sheep's clothing. Both profess Christianity. One accepts me as I am. The other rejects me as a heretic. When the Maker looks down and sees such a threesome, I wonder what goes on in his mind? Does he see worth and dignity? Or does he see uselessness and disgust? I guess I'll just have to ask him tonight when I walk in the park. I'm anticipating a clear answer to this one.

Not by sight

The wind is blowing a gale outside at the moment. I feel safe on the inside hearing it pummel the house. Safety is something we all count on from one day to the next. But I also know that in the case of the wind, I am safe from something I cannot see, only hear. If I were out in it, I could feel it also. Two of my senses tell me that it is windy. Most of the time I think we depend almost wholly on what we can see. In that way we can know something is happening. But there are only two other ways available to know it is windy. Sight is excluded.

Perhaps, in the other dimension, our sight is excluded. We can only know by other ways of knowing. Whether I am in tune with the other dimension might only come through a sensitivity to reading the actions of those around us or to seeing abstract ideas like kindness being given an opportunity in our own actions. The Son of Man made a comparison to the wind once. He also noted that we couldn't see it, but we could see evidence of it, which is parallel to matters of the spirit. Touche.

The other cheek

I have never understood why one person might attack another for an opinion expressed. I guess I have spent too much time in the academic world where debate is expected. Usually sides of a linguistic issue are debated, then people see evidence of both examples/counter-examples. At the end of the discussion, no one is expected to change sides. Anyone listening can weigh for themselves what the evidence is and choose to remain neutral, bring up further examples or counter-examples, side with one view or another, or be indifferent to the whole discussion. Rarely have I encountered vehemence, passion for one's view yes, but rarely vehemence with a fair amount of venom spit my way in such debates.

So, when the spit venom happens, it usually takes me off-guard. Also, usually when it happens it is rarely about the topic under discussion because I am prepared to argue the case for a position and concede the evidence given in the counter-examples or account for the counter-examples within the scope of the linguistic theory being offered. What takes me off-guard, then, is the resulting personal attack or the judgmental condescension of a person on the other side when the evidence stage of discussion is ended. What takes me completely off-guard is when a person does not engage in the debate at all, but takes the judgmental condescension/personal attack route first, without engaging in theoretical discourse at all.

Such an experience I offer to the one who can make all things work together for good. I follow the route the Master Teacher suggested, "If someone strikes your right cheek, turn the other to him also." The debate takes second chair. The lesson the Master Teacher wants seen is primary. More lives are touched by memory of a scene than by tenets in a debate. Actions over words any day of the week. Especially actions recommended by the Son of God. It is my offering. So be it.

An ancient phrase

This is the last post for the class studying 2nd Thessalonians. Previous posts have covered several aspects of the book and nearly the whole gamut for the first 11 verses of chapter 2. I wish any who have read these posts well on their spiritual journey. I end with a post on the end of the Christian's trip on the earth—Jesus' coming.

2nd Thessalonians 2.1-12 begin and end with Jesus' coming. The verses in between can be understood from a futuristic point of view, a historical view, a continuous-historical view, an event-specific view, or simply the view of good versus evil. But, no matter what came between the first and the last parts of the passage, the outside of the sandwich is consistent. The end hasn't happened. But when it does, heads will roll. Vengence will be taken. The first of the passage is a plea not to be troubled in spirit. The meaning is for the Thessalonian Christians not to give up on the Christian life or give in to the pagan lifestyle. The end of the passage means that if they would hang on, something would be done about their persecution.

Perhaps, a word that doesn't get uttered in the New Testament but once applies. Marana tha. 1 Corinthians 16.22 contains it. The expression holds both the idea that Jesus has come and will come again. That is the important part of this 2nd Thessalonian passage as well. One other Christian document contained the utterance as well, the Didache. It is mentioned there in the context of the Lord's supper. A model prayer is given giving thanks for the church and Jesus. At the end of that prayer it asks for God to gather the church from the 4 winds. Then is uttered Marana tha. So, I utter those words at the end of this study.

MARANA THA. Lord come again as you have once. MARANA THA.

The end of those against us

8 blogs have been used to try to fathom the words contained in 2nd Thessalonians 2.1-12. I suppose that all the different angles have contributed to having an informed opinion regardless of the place where one's opinion may have landed. So, I am hoping that Alexander Pope's words have been fulfilled when he wrote (found in Essay on Criticism, Part II, lines 215-218):

A little learning is a dangerous thing;
Drink deep or taste not the Pierian Spring.
There shallow draughts intoxicate the brain,
And drinking largely sobers us again.

Since I think "drinking largely" has occurred, I offer the following translation from Greek as a reflection of "drinking deep."

2nd Thessalonians 2.1-12

Brothers and sisters, we ask you, in light of Jesus Christ’s coming and our gathering to meet him, to resist being so quickly disturbed in thought or troubled in spirit. Don’t be thrown off track just because someone has been telling you that the Day of the Lord has come or has been reporting that we wrote a letter saying that. Enough time must first pass for people to abandon our teaching and show themselves for what they are–reckless and lost. They will oppose God, become arrogant and God-like, and accept people’s accolades as if they are God. I did tell you this when I was still with you, remember?

Now you can see the kind of people behind the resistance being put up against us. They have made themselves apparent. Of course, you couldn’t see this at first. But, their reckless actions won’t last forever. Now that you see them for who they are, know that these reckless people will be destroyed when Jesus comes again to show how truly flimsy their actions are. They only seem strong because Satan has enabled them to create illusions of power and sordid visions of grandeur. They are being destroyed because they won’t love the truth in order to rescue themselves. God makes available this activity of deception as a choice for those who want to believe a lie. But He punishes them for this choice and for considering wickedness good.

A translation by David Singleton
from Greek for use by Liftwords.com

The coming

2nd Thessalonians 2.1,2,8 all talk about the coming of Jesus in one way or another. At the end of first Thessalonians 4 and at the beginning of chapter 5, Paul speaks of Jesus' coming and the Day of the Lord. Perhaps, from this portion of the letter, some people in the Christian group got the idea that Jesus had already come. No one knows exactly how that could have occurred, but one scenario is that the group of Christians, known as the gnostic Christians, took the part about being children of light to mean something spiritual in nature. If one achieved mental spirituality, then something like a physical day on which Jesus would return with vengence would be out of the question. As long as one remained a child of light, then the day of the Lord would not overtake him. Only if he became a child of the dark would the day of the Lord come as a thief in the night.

So, the writer of 2nd Thessalonians takes on the gnostic Christians. He says they are deceived, reckless, very arrogant, and claim to be God actually (that would be achieved spiritually and mentally). However, since they claim to be God in such an abstract state, then Jesus could use something transparent and abstract, His breath, to annihilate them. Gnosticism was pretty much wiped out during the 2nd century AD, so Jesus' breath was all it took. Noteworthy, also is that similar beliefs were expressed in Judaism by the Essene sect. It has even been hypothesized that both Jesus and Paul had contact with this group at Qumran and espoused some of their teachings. The Essenes too disappear during the 2nd century AD.

The only drawback to the above being true is that Jesus has not come again. True, not in a final event for the world. However, at every person's single final event, his or her death, perhaps Jesus comes. At least He comes individually. So the Day of the Lord is personal rather than a cataclysmic end time. If this could be true, then the gnostic threat to Christianity was destroyed just as the author said it would be. These Christians who seemed to think of themselves outside of the law or written code were only enabled by Satan for a short time. Jesus blew his breath against this vapor of time, and the gnostics dried up and blew away.