“I want neither a terrorist spirituality that keeps me in a perpetual state of fright about being in right relationship with my heavenly Father nor a sappy spirituality that portrays God as such a benign teddy bear that there is no aberrant behavior or desire of mine that he will not condone. I want a relationship with the Abba of Jesus, who is infinitely compassionate with my brokenness and at the same time an awesome, incomprehensible, and unwieldy Mystery. ”
― Brennan Manning
A new mother, with a baby who refuses to sleep at night and a small child who leaves at first light for Disneyland, have opposite views of the same sunrise. It doesn't change the sunrise. It is what it is. A shelf can look totally different to a short person, than it does to a tall. Even kindness can look different to two homeless people. One may want a new set of clothes while the other says, "Am I not good enough for you?" There are so many things that play into how we see things. One child may see a parent as loving and a sibling sees that same parent as expecting too much. Maybe they are both right. Have you ever had a friend who another of your friends hated? AND they were correct in what they saw that caused them to hate, but they refused to see the brokenness or good that you saw?
I was following a facebook conversation on a page I do not agree with at all. One lady said, "Take your Bible and shove it." I froze. I could only stare at those words and wonder "All right, what kind of Christian hurt this woman and how deeply? Will she ever come out of it?" I'm sorry Lady for my brothers and sisters and their bad behavior. I pray for all those people on those pages, that they would find the One who loves them Most. They are looking for Him, they just don't know it and their vision has been messed up (probably) by those who say they have found Him.
Scripture should be the truth we all agree on, but two can read the same verse and hear two different things. As with Job, people want to find a reason they like as to why God allowed the enemy to do the things he did to Job. He was prideful or he wasn't making his kids obey, etc. What if the reason that God allowed the enemy to do those things to Job was because He knew Job would come out of it with his faith intact and a better person for it. What if the results weren't about Job, but for the enemy alone to see? What if the story in the bible for us to read thousands of years later would cause us comfort? What if we never know the reason. I have heard it said and I believe He loves us all, but He does not treat us all the same. I didn't treat my kids the same. One may need more discipline. One may need more hugs. One may need more forgiveness, direction, laughs, or spankings.
Almost two years ago, the Lord told me to give away everything. I did. Even though many said that God would never ask someone to do that, I did what He asked. I have a car and a bed and no income. I come from a town where looks and money are very important and say a lot about who you are. I have played the role where I get my hair and nails done every other week. To be honest, this was one of the hardest things I have ever done. I have learned so much. Money, things, mean nothing to me. Even things I used to enjoy don't please my eye like they used to. Some may take their spouse out to an expensive dinner occasionally as a way to say I love you, but what that meal may have done for me in the past, a burger and a meal with a homeless person or buying a burger for a broken person who needs a listening ear, does now. That is much more satisfying to me than the same meat costing much more because of the chef and the fancy table cloth. I was actually angry with God for expecting so much from me, while others around me were blessed, but now I am so thankful for all I have learned. Money, things, no longer impress me and I actually feel sorry for the fool who brags on his financial achievements while his neighbor is hungry. He is missing out on the healing that comes with ministering to another. God has taken care of me. I am always fed. I have fuel to go where He sends me. I need nothing and my "flesh wants" are dying off while my "heart wants" for others are growing.
We all get it in our heads that others need to see the true God that lives in our belief system, but that same God who never changes, may never be the same to any two of us. This can be because of my call. It could be because of the circumstances around you. It might be about someone else and not have a thing to do with us. We have to see the true biblical God for who He is, but understand that our relationship may be a little different than our sibs.
“We might be wise to follow the insight of the enraptured heart rather than the more cautious reasoning of the theological mind.”
― A.W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy
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