I was reading a book by Ted Dekker last night when I came across an interesting idea about society. The book is about a mass murderer that kidnaps a young girl. In her seemingly hopeless situation she considered that she might become a victim of Stockholm Syndrome. This syndrome is a condition in which a victim might over time become brainwashed into sympathizing with their captor despite all logical reasons to the contrary. In the context of the story the line of reasoning was apt. What caught my eye, and I would guess most people would just read over it, was one little sentence. One quote that had such weight and profundity that I had to stop and read it over and over...
"The world was suffering from Stockholm Syndrome".
As I walk through life I have wondered aloud, "What in the world were they thinking", so many times it has become almost a mantra. I see people all around making such obviously bad decisions that I am baffled. The worst part though is when anyone tries to intercede and offer better options. It seems that by placing myself in their world and trying to help I become demonized. Until I read those words by Ted Dekker I was perplexed. I knew that we live in a fallen world. I knew that our enemy had a stronghold on people. I even knew that my thinking was no longer mainstream... but I felt that if I could just shine a light onto the situation, people would be able to see and back away from that which was causing them harm. Now I see that really, their actions are a defense mechanism to insulate their psyche from the horror of what they knew as truth, but felt they could not attain... so they gave up.
I don't know the solution, but every day I will continue to try to figure it out. Maybe my logical mind has a part in God's plan. Maybe something I say to someone will be repeated somewhere else and have an impact there. Whatever it may be I just hope I never reach the point of giving up that I see in the eyes of many around me. May Gods Grace protect you and I and those that we love from this trap.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
What defines you?
Whether you like it or not, you look in the mirror, that is your problem and that is your solution.
~ William E. Bailey
Who you are to the world is not the propaganda version your pride creates. You are also not the failure that fear tries to build in your mind. Life is about trying to find contentment and peace with the middle ground.
~ Brad
Proverbs 11:2 NIV
When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.
I struggle daily with both sides of pride. Although I feel I am strongly rooted in the understanding that God loves me and walks by my side at all times, I sometimes still find myself making forays into self pity or arrogance. Hopefully as I continue this journey of life my swings between these two extremes will become fewer and shorter. We all need to learn that focusing on a relationship with Christ should become the overreaching direction of all of our thoughts and actions. Once those things fall into place we will find that the influence that the world seeks to subdue us with will dissipate like a vapor in the gentle wind of His love. These two things should be the boundaries of the path you are on.
1. Others do not have the power to define who you are or determine your attitude.
2. You are not here to judge others, but to love to the best of your ability.
I have found that people seem to feel that they have the right to bend you to their expectations and hold their love hostage to your actions in compliance with that effort. I have found that same corruption in myself . Why is it that we need everyone to feel and think and act just like us in order to achieve happiness? I believe that great insight can be gained by understanding two inherent quialities of man... We each strive to be unique and independant while at the same time we want to be accepted and loved, feeling that we belong. This friction explains many of the stresses of life. It can be overcome with the peace that comes from an understanding of the love that God has for us all... if we will just allow it to permeate who we are, to ourselves and to the world.
Matthew 6:33 NIV
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
~ William E. Bailey
Who you are to the world is not the propaganda version your pride creates. You are also not the failure that fear tries to build in your mind. Life is about trying to find contentment and peace with the middle ground.
~ Brad
Proverbs 11:2 NIV
When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.
I struggle daily with both sides of pride. Although I feel I am strongly rooted in the understanding that God loves me and walks by my side at all times, I sometimes still find myself making forays into self pity or arrogance. Hopefully as I continue this journey of life my swings between these two extremes will become fewer and shorter. We all need to learn that focusing on a relationship with Christ should become the overreaching direction of all of our thoughts and actions. Once those things fall into place we will find that the influence that the world seeks to subdue us with will dissipate like a vapor in the gentle wind of His love. These two things should be the boundaries of the path you are on.
1. Others do not have the power to define who you are or determine your attitude.
2. You are not here to judge others, but to love to the best of your ability.
I have found that people seem to feel that they have the right to bend you to their expectations and hold their love hostage to your actions in compliance with that effort. I have found that same corruption in myself . Why is it that we need everyone to feel and think and act just like us in order to achieve happiness? I believe that great insight can be gained by understanding two inherent quialities of man... We each strive to be unique and independant while at the same time we want to be accepted and loved, feeling that we belong. This friction explains many of the stresses of life. It can be overcome with the peace that comes from an understanding of the love that God has for us all... if we will just allow it to permeate who we are, to ourselves and to the world.
Matthew 6:33 NIV
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
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