This weekend I saw the movie Julie and Julia. Afterwards I couldn’t decide if I wanted to blog or cook. Since Lee Ann and I were committed to starting a new three-day “healthy eating plan” the next day I decided to blog! French cooking will come however, in moderation, at some point in my future!
Have you ever experienced one of those times when you say something and have no idea where the thought came from? I have been teaching and preaching since I was in high school and have noticed the phenomena multiple times. Not frequently but more than enough to say rarely.
Yesterday in Bible study it happened again. We were discussing what our core Christian beliefs are and how they were formed. All of a sudden I said: “We are taught what we believe.” The impact of that didn’t hit me until Lee Ann said something at lunch. WOW, I thought, that’s profound! And it is also very, very scary.
Persons today have the capacity to be bombarded with “teachings” from so many different sources! True, John did write (1 John 2:20 "But you have an anointing from the Holy One and all of you know the truth.") which has been interpreted that the Holy Spirit is our teacher… but don't we give more credence to what we hear from parents? pastors? preachers (yes, I am a firm believer there is a difference in the two)? Bible study teachers? friends? TV evangelists? professional teachers? politicians? than from God?
It's really a wonder any one can know why they believe what they do. But oh! how important that we know the answer to that "why?" It is important because it can help us understand why we feel the wya we do about persons how are "different" than us – whether in their religious, political, lifestyle, or cultural views.
I am troubled that Christians have drifted so far from Christ's messsage. Hear Matthew 22:36-39: Teahcer, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?Jesus replied: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your sould and wiht all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.
Did you know that in 2008 there were a reported 39,000 Christian denominations? I am convinced that if their leaders preached and taught these few verses with the fervor they bring to passionate teachings and messages "against" others or that they use to proof text their distinctive beliefts, our world would be a revolutionary different place!
Thank you for joining me on my journey of grace and listening as I “think out loud” about what I am seeing, hearing, feeling, and experiencing in my daily walk.
I agree....I think that we need to focus more on the greatest commandment and let God do the rest. But for some reason we think that God must need help. Show love and let God work on building and changing through a relationship with Him. Keep writing...lookng forward to the next blog.
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