Staying on the Hurt Line
The Epicurean philosophy, which is deeply embedded in our culture, identifies our desperate attempt to pursue pleasure and flee pain. However, looking into the Bible, we see a very different story in the model of Jesus praying in Gethsemane.
Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, "Sit here, while I go over there and pray." And talking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, "My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here and watch with me." And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will." Matthew 26:36-39
The last few days I have talked to women who are in extremely difficult situations and I find myself referring them to the concept of staying on the hurt line. What do I mean? I mean resisting the overpowering desire to move in the direction of denial and repression or to move in the direction of withdrawal and running away. The third choice? Feeling it all, deeply, but staying engaged in an emotionally painful situation because God is about accomplishing something more and He could really use our cooperation.
The hurt line I am referring to does not require a woman to stay in a situation of danger. I am talking about the amount of pain involved in a sacrificial on-going denial of self and the amount of fighting required to not give in to the natural human tendency to flee pain at all costs.
Ecclesiastes 1:18 says, For in much wisdom is much vexation, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow. Vexation is not a word we hear much today but it means trouble, distress or agitation. Why does wisdom cause distress? Because when we become wise, we can anticipate grieving. We know what can happen and we know why it is happening and we begin to mourn what lies ahead.
Because we can anticipate, however, does not mean that God intends for us to cower in our agitation and fear. All I am saying is, sometimes the best place to be in on the hurt line. It is the place of persistent obedience with the possibility of participating in a situation that may ultimately reveal the glory of God in a phenomenal manner.
After all, in Hebrews 12:2 we see that Jesus went on to endure the cross even though He despised the shame and now He is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
Oh, God give me grace to stay on the hurt line...
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
I've been thinking about aging...
Saging Instead of Aging
On my last birthday I turned 61 years old and someone sent me a card saying I am not aging but saging... I don't know if saging is even a word but I like it and I've been turning the idea over in my mind. I certainly enjoy the positive spin.
Have you noticed how most people want to live a long time, but nobody wants to get old? As the tee-shirt says, aging is not for sissies! However, since it is inevitable, I guess a healthy perspective is to recognize that being 61 years young is more hopeful than being 40 years old, especially if I am spending time actively gaining wisdom through reflection and experience.
Why pursue sage-like wisdom? The book of Proverbs in the Bible clearly instructs that acquiring wisdom is a far more worthy endeavor than obtaining earthly bling. For wisdom is better than jewels, and all that you may desire cannot compare with her. Proverbs 8:11 ESV
Darryl's definition of wisdom is making the connections between decisions & results and behaviors & consequences. Practically speaking, wisdom is saying to myself, I am not going to do that again! Pain is a terrific teacher! Whoever gets sense loves his own soul; he who keeps understanding will discover good. Proverbs 19:8 ESV
Demonstrating a desire to please God and honor Christ places a person in the distinguished company of Biblical sages. For definition sake, a sage is someone who is consistently characterized by good judgment. Wisdom rests in the heart of a man of understanding... Proverbs 14:33 ESV
So how does one "sage"? Step one is to flee the temptation to become wise in my own eyes. Again, the book of Proverbs denounces pride and arrogance as the opposite of what God desires for me. Instead, in a very straightforward manner, He instructs me to aggressively pursue wisdom with an attitude of humility. Get wisdom; get insight; do not forget and do not turn away... Proverbs 4:5 ESV
The next step is to be sure to stay on a steep learning curve. Someone has said that you can judge your age by the amount of pain you feel when you come in contact with a new idea. So, welcoming and embracing new things and gracefully adapting to them seem to be necessary to press on to sagehood.
And finally, it seems a sage is often unaware of just how much his or her life is even noticed by others. If somehow something praiseworthy happens, then it is wise to rejoice when others call attention to it and then with forgetfulness of self, quietly press on. Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips. Proverbs 27:2 ESV
So, perhaps the time has come to reflect a little on saging instead of aging. Yes, indeed! Now, there's something to think about.
On my last birthday I turned 61 years old and someone sent me a card saying I am not aging but saging... I don't know if saging is even a word but I like it and I've been turning the idea over in my mind. I certainly enjoy the positive spin.
Have you noticed how most people want to live a long time, but nobody wants to get old? As the tee-shirt says, aging is not for sissies! However, since it is inevitable, I guess a healthy perspective is to recognize that being 61 years young is more hopeful than being 40 years old, especially if I am spending time actively gaining wisdom through reflection and experience.
Why pursue sage-like wisdom? The book of Proverbs in the Bible clearly instructs that acquiring wisdom is a far more worthy endeavor than obtaining earthly bling. For wisdom is better than jewels, and all that you may desire cannot compare with her. Proverbs 8:11 ESV
Darryl's definition of wisdom is making the connections between decisions & results and behaviors & consequences. Practically speaking, wisdom is saying to myself, I am not going to do that again! Pain is a terrific teacher! Whoever gets sense loves his own soul; he who keeps understanding will discover good. Proverbs 19:8 ESV
Demonstrating a desire to please God and honor Christ places a person in the distinguished company of Biblical sages. For definition sake, a sage is someone who is consistently characterized by good judgment. Wisdom rests in the heart of a man of understanding... Proverbs 14:33 ESV
So how does one "sage"? Step one is to flee the temptation to become wise in my own eyes. Again, the book of Proverbs denounces pride and arrogance as the opposite of what God desires for me. Instead, in a very straightforward manner, He instructs me to aggressively pursue wisdom with an attitude of humility. Get wisdom; get insight; do not forget and do not turn away... Proverbs 4:5 ESV
The next step is to be sure to stay on a steep learning curve. Someone has said that you can judge your age by the amount of pain you feel when you come in contact with a new idea. So, welcoming and embracing new things and gracefully adapting to them seem to be necessary to press on to sagehood.
And finally, it seems a sage is often unaware of just how much his or her life is even noticed by others. If somehow something praiseworthy happens, then it is wise to rejoice when others call attention to it and then with forgetfulness of self, quietly press on. Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips. Proverbs 27:2 ESV
So, perhaps the time has come to reflect a little on saging instead of aging. Yes, indeed! Now, there's something to think about.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
I've been thinking about shade...
Purposefully Planting Shade Trees
With the rise of the temperatures and the hint of a sizzling summer just around the corner, sitting in the shade with a tall glass of lemonade is mighty inviting. The concept of shade is appreciated by all the cultures of the earth, but especially here in Arizona, where we definitely feel a pressing need for shelter from the scorching rays of the sun.
Shade in Afrikaans is skakering or skadu; shade in Danish is skygge; shade in Dutch is *nuance (interesting) or schakering or *nuancering (even more interesting); shade in Finnish is varjo; shade in French is ombrage or ombre or *nuance (there it is again) or teinte; shade in German is beschatten; shade in Italian is ombra or tinta; shade in Latin is umbra and shade in Spanish is sombra. (Our English word "nuance" is derived from the French language and means slight variations in shades of color, meaning or expression.)
Shade protects, screens and hides. Sometimes shade even provides a secluded retreat from the busy affairs of the day. STOP right here and REFLECT on the last time you swayed in a hammock beneath glorious shade trees.
Did you know that some trees are grown to specifically produce shade? Did you also know shade trees not only radiate beauty and compliment their surroundings, but that they were purposefully handed down by our predecessors as a legacy?
The maxim "Someone's sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago" is credited to both Les Brown and Warren Buffett. This statement is a reminder that greatness is not found in possessions, power, position or prestige but in a thoughtful and generous model steeped in goodness, humility, service and character.
Our predecessors revered God and understood they had a responsibility to leave the world in a better place for generations to come. They read and understood that God is the source of all good things. Psalm 121:5 & 6 says, The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. They decided to imitate Him and bless our world instead of cursing it.
Today, I am faced with many choices. Instead of stripping my world in a narcissistic fashion, I would like to be remembered for planting a few glorious shade trees for the next generation. All it takes is purposeful choices. What choices will you make?
With the rise of the temperatures and the hint of a sizzling summer just around the corner, sitting in the shade with a tall glass of lemonade is mighty inviting. The concept of shade is appreciated by all the cultures of the earth, but especially here in Arizona, where we definitely feel a pressing need for shelter from the scorching rays of the sun.
Shade in Afrikaans is skakering or skadu; shade in Danish is skygge; shade in Dutch is *nuance (interesting) or schakering or *nuancering (even more interesting); shade in Finnish is varjo; shade in French is ombrage or ombre or *nuance (there it is again) or teinte; shade in German is beschatten; shade in Italian is ombra or tinta; shade in Latin is umbra and shade in Spanish is sombra. (Our English word "nuance" is derived from the French language and means slight variations in shades of color, meaning or expression.)
Shade protects, screens and hides. Sometimes shade even provides a secluded retreat from the busy affairs of the day. STOP right here and REFLECT on the last time you swayed in a hammock beneath glorious shade trees.
Did you know that some trees are grown to specifically produce shade? Did you also know shade trees not only radiate beauty and compliment their surroundings, but that they were purposefully handed down by our predecessors as a legacy?
The maxim "Someone's sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago" is credited to both Les Brown and Warren Buffett. This statement is a reminder that greatness is not found in possessions, power, position or prestige but in a thoughtful and generous model steeped in goodness, humility, service and character.
Our predecessors revered God and understood they had a responsibility to leave the world in a better place for generations to come. They read and understood that God is the source of all good things. Psalm 121:5 & 6 says, The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. They decided to imitate Him and bless our world instead of cursing it.
Today, I am faced with many choices. Instead of stripping my world in a narcissistic fashion, I would like to be remembered for planting a few glorious shade trees for the next generation. All it takes is purposeful choices. What choices will you make?
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