Transforming Yet Limiting

There are things in our history that have been greatly transformational. Great leaps into growth that would not have occurred otherwise.Imagine humanity before language. While I am sure launguage did not drop into existence pre-formed and complete, the concept of language had a beginning. Language was quite robust before the concept of writing it down began to emerge. Look around at what we have become because of the universally agreed upon tenets of communication. We have taken many of these breakthroughs, some greater than others, and stacked them onto each other to create the diverse civilization we now participate in. Music is a form of emotional resonance that allows connections with others. Math is another form of language that has made our world infinately more explainable. As we combine these things we have been able to harness nature to our needs and then begin to stack those innovations up as well. Take the building block of electricity, then lighting, then computing and now the internet. People from anywhere in the world now have access to more knowledge than has ever existed. Computers can even add their algorithms together with others and calculate things that have been so complex we could not have even fathomed the concepts a few years ago.

I say all of this to propose that we sometimes we fall into the trap that assumes we know the answer to questions that still have many layers yet to uncover. Darwinism is an example of a society wide assumption, much like believing the world is flat, or drilling holes in the skull will release angry spirits, or bleeding will diminish the poisons from blood. Each of these things has some basis in fact and can be demonstrated by lining up supposedly intelligent logical arguments. That does not mean that we should rest there and call anyone who wants to continue to use speculative experimental reasoning to try to advance our knowledge, even if it goes in a direction contrary to what we might expect. Many molecular biologists who now have access to nano level models of DNA genetic sequencing have dramatically altered their views on evolution. It is looking more and more like, even at the smallest levels currently available to us, there just might be a designer. Darwin thought the cell was filled with plasma when he wrote his theory. Just because we were all taught it is "fact" while we were in school doesn't mean we need to ignorantly discriminate against those who still question it's validity. My grandparents lived in a world that accepted that black people were of an inferior race. My parents grew to accept that premise and unintentionally attempted to program me that way. Luckily there were people who worked hard to show that through Grace we should all accept each other as children of God.

I believe we will come to find that the teachings of Christ will be one of those transformational items that makes the world a better place. It has already created a world that values justice and personal worth over almost all other things. I believe that the act of faith in a God that is Omnipotent and Omnicient and Omnipresent yet personal is a step towards transforming us one at a time into beings of Grace. If we allow ourselves to accept without question or compromise all that the language of God in the Bible tells us to be, we will transform those around us and therefore the world to a higher level of love and acceptance. And even if we are greatly successful here on earth in transforming it into a kind of Kingdom of God, there will still be a limiting factor of our bodies and our minds... of time and space, that God already understands. When we die we move into a closer relationship with God where he will be able to transform us even more closely into what he has in mind for us. Eternal life, in the presence of God, with never ending love, Grace, harmony and understanding, such that could never be achieved here.

The Pride of the Party

We each go through life in some way trying to build an acceptable façade for the world that presents what we want others to think of us. Some people are frantically stacking up blocks to protect themselves while others are driving forward attempting to destroy the walls of everyone they meet. Most of us though play differing parts in this play depending on current proceedings in our existence.

I sometimes look at those traits we proactively try to bolster as honored guests at the table we are seating for life’s party. Imagine seats around a large table where you hope your invitees will be entertained and grow to love and respect you, their gracious host. Into the chairs not filled with your friends you arrange Friendliness and Joy. Tempering them, but not too seriously, enter Education and Responsibility; Next come Thankfulness and Grace, and so that no one thinks less of you a space is saved for Humility. As you weave your Talents into the guest list and arrange everyone into the perfect discussion group it seems that everything will work out splendidly. To your surprise an additional forte arrives that you really would rather not attend. But alas, it seems that Pride always shows up at the last moment to change things. Loudly he enters and announces to your newly seated guests what an enormous blessing he is bestowing on the group. So strident is his message that no one else is given much of a chance to speak. Your carefully arranged plan begins to fall away and the places you designed to give depth and character to the night are slowly replaced by empty seats. Your guests, who at first were quite impressed, are quickly becoming fidgety. Even when you finally gain control over Pride, it becomes apparent that the memory of Grace and Joy are but wisps in an uncomfortable silence. Education tries to intercede, but he now looks very similar to Pride, as do Responsibility and Friendliness. As you look into the faces of your invitees it seems they all are wearing expressions of Judgment, placed there by Pride while you weren’t paying attention.

The only way to keep Pride from ruining every get together you attempt is to be diligent in giving him no attention. It will take quite a while, and he will appear unexpectedly over and over again, but you must persist. His talent is not really a benefit. He will try to deceive you into calling him Confidence or Determination. Don’t be fooled. Talents are those things that you can use to build others up. At it’s root Pride is constantly trying to call attention, make itself important, and it normally does so by bringing others down. Don’t let this loud and overbearing houseguest ruin your life. Tell him to go visit someone else’s party.