Every person, every story, every situation, every opinion, every ideology, every place, every thought, every feeling... Everything has a context. Sometimes we need to step outside our own in order to even begin to understand another. People are not people in the context of themselves, they are themselves in the context of others. Take a glance at that somebody's life who is behaving in a way that you disagree with, or is doing something that is confusing you, saddening you or frustrating you... except this time, try not to look from your own context or perspective, but from theirs. This is possibly one of the greatest acts of humility I can think of, and one of the most admirable, because it is one of the most difficult.
This is a journey.
A continuum.
It takes effort.
And purity of heart and motive.
Encourage joy in the lives of others. That is all.
Wednesday, 30 April 2008
Thursday, 24 April 2008
Rambling about engaging with life.
I demand a revolution, but I seem to talk in code most of the time. A revolution of what, you say... of thought, motive and deed, I say.
I would say you were my sweetest downfall, but could a downfall ever be sweet? I don't know.
I wish I had somebody to blame.
I am immersed in academia, but can I use any of it really? If it eventually gets the better of me, then it was all for nothing.
Engagement is my 'word of the week'. Engage with yourself - with your deepest passion, emotion, questions, creativity, knowledge and so on. Engage yourself with life - use these aspects of self to impact the world. Engage your heart with others - we are relational people, never meant to be alone. Alone we wither away. Engage your soul with God - it's why you were made, and this is not up for ridiculous, theological arguments.
Engage, Engage, Engage.
When you stop engaging, something is wrong. Things get dark. Life gets dull. The world gets scary. We get sad. Keep engaging.
Desire drives us. Desire is difficult. Desire can be leading, and misleading. It's all about perspective.
I would say you were my sweetest downfall, but could a downfall ever be sweet? I don't know.
I wish I had somebody to blame.
I am immersed in academia, but can I use any of it really? If it eventually gets the better of me, then it was all for nothing.
Engagement is my 'word of the week'. Engage with yourself - with your deepest passion, emotion, questions, creativity, knowledge and so on. Engage yourself with life - use these aspects of self to impact the world. Engage your heart with others - we are relational people, never meant to be alone. Alone we wither away. Engage your soul with God - it's why you were made, and this is not up for ridiculous, theological arguments.
Engage, Engage, Engage.
When you stop engaging, something is wrong. Things get dark. Life gets dull. The world gets scary. We get sad. Keep engaging.
Desire drives us. Desire is difficult. Desire can be leading, and misleading. It's all about perspective.
Poem: Kingdom Come
My Child, do you love me?
Lord, You know I do.
Then feed my lambs, tend my sheep,
And believe what you know to be true.
This is no easy task I give you,
Let me tell you where to start:
You will have to let me search you,
And purify your heart.
This must be out of love for me,
Not profit for youself.
It could require great sacrifice,
But your soul will gain great wealth.
I give to you my Spirit,
And I will lead you in My Way;
From you I ask for willingness,
And a heart that will obey.
I'm letting you do my Kingdom Work
Of setting Captives free,
And discipling them in their freedom,
That they would grow in me.
I commission you to gather my flock
Underneath my Calvary Steeple;
And I equip you with peace and love,
To minister to the people.
So in, through and around you,
you will see my Kingdom Come.
And on earth just as in Heaven,
you will witness my will being done.
Lord, You know I do.
Then feed my lambs, tend my sheep,
And believe what you know to be true.
This is no easy task I give you,
Let me tell you where to start:
You will have to let me search you,
And purify your heart.
This must be out of love for me,
Not profit for youself.
It could require great sacrifice,
But your soul will gain great wealth.
I give to you my Spirit,
And I will lead you in My Way;
From you I ask for willingness,
And a heart that will obey.
I'm letting you do my Kingdom Work
Of setting Captives free,
And discipling them in their freedom,
That they would grow in me.
I commission you to gather my flock
Underneath my Calvary Steeple;
And I equip you with peace and love,
To minister to the people.
So in, through and around you,
you will see my Kingdom Come.
And on earth just as in Heaven,
you will witness my will being done.
Monday, 14 April 2008
Poem: Love is Limitless, or Limited.
In the midst of the winter sunshine,
She found herself wondering one of life’s greatest questions:
“Why do we limit love?”
It seems that it can only be
In a certain place
At a certain time
With a certain person
For a certain purpose.
But is not love greater than this?
And broader, and wider, and deeper?
It incorporates so much thought,
feeling, emotion and hope.
So she put on her sunglasses and observed
the people around her.
The children, the lovers, the friends.
She found herself smiling, and in that moment,
She wasn’t so afraid anymore;
Of course the fear would return,
And the asking,
And the doubting.
But she would always treasure that moment -
when she was free from captivity.
She found herself wondering one of life’s greatest questions:
“Why do we limit love?”
It seems that it can only be
In a certain place
At a certain time
With a certain person
For a certain purpose.
But is not love greater than this?
And broader, and wider, and deeper?
It incorporates so much thought,
feeling, emotion and hope.
So she put on her sunglasses and observed
the people around her.
The children, the lovers, the friends.
She found herself smiling, and in that moment,
She wasn’t so afraid anymore;
Of course the fear would return,
And the asking,
And the doubting.
But she would always treasure that moment -
when she was free from captivity.
Poem:Down and Out
She lay on the cold pavement on Botanic Avenue,
Sometimes the Ormeau Road,
Not that the name of the road is particularly relevant.
She is known to be talking - to herself, to God, to passers by;
Nobody is quite sure who exactly.
It has been speculated by those who pay any attention at all
That there is the possibility of insanity,
Or demonic possession.
My diag-nonsense is that this is what happens when the harshness of life
has its way.
When hopes are shattered and dreams turn to nightmares.
Who the hell would want to be part of the real world
When the real world is full of shit and darkness,
And the Kingdom of Hell reigns in the lives of the lonely,
And the hurting,
She used to be a nurse, she says, amidst barking and making her idiotic noises.
She speaks of her once-was-husband.
My heart is sore listening to her.
I can't restore her life.
I can only offer a listening ear and a cup of coffee for heat and stimulation.
Often I lie to myself, saying that this is enough,
And often I lie to myself, saying that it is not.
Why does nobody see her?
And why don't they see that by not seeing her,
they are enhancing the Kingdom of Hell on earth?
She was showing me her Christmas present from little Sophie the other day.
I want to clone Sophie's heart
And put one into each bitter, idiotic human being,
And how I wish I did not sound cynical.
God bless Sophie, who God-blessed Barbara.
Oh yes, Barbara is her name, if you are interested.
I imagine, however, that you are not
Like the rest of the desensitized people.
Perhaps it's not their fault.
No-one enjoys feeling pain, and it hurts when one's eyes are exposed to reality,
But how will anything ever change if few others see like Sophie?
Sometimes the Ormeau Road,
Not that the name of the road is particularly relevant.
She is known to be talking - to herself, to God, to passers by;
Nobody is quite sure who exactly.
It has been speculated by those who pay any attention at all
That there is the possibility of insanity,
Or demonic possession.
My diag-nonsense is that this is what happens when the harshness of life
has its way.
When hopes are shattered and dreams turn to nightmares.
Who the hell would want to be part of the real world
When the real world is full of shit and darkness,
And the Kingdom of Hell reigns in the lives of the lonely,
And the hurting,
She used to be a nurse, she says, amidst barking and making her idiotic noises.
She speaks of her once-was-husband.
My heart is sore listening to her.
I can't restore her life.
I can only offer a listening ear and a cup of coffee for heat and stimulation.
Often I lie to myself, saying that this is enough,
And often I lie to myself, saying that it is not.
Why does nobody see her?
And why don't they see that by not seeing her,
they are enhancing the Kingdom of Hell on earth?
She was showing me her Christmas present from little Sophie the other day.
I want to clone Sophie's heart
And put one into each bitter, idiotic human being,
And how I wish I did not sound cynical.
God bless Sophie, who God-blessed Barbara.
Oh yes, Barbara is her name, if you are interested.
I imagine, however, that you are not
Like the rest of the desensitized people.
Perhaps it's not their fault.
No-one enjoys feeling pain, and it hurts when one's eyes are exposed to reality,
But how will anything ever change if few others see like Sophie?
Poem: Take Every Thought Captive
Nobody could possibly understand the complexities,
The sporadic thoughts,
The illogical reasoning,
And the constant battles
Of my mind.
I have been told about the world,
The flesh,
The devil,
And God.
I feel particularly informed and observant
When it comes to each of them.
But I am helpless in the battle.
I try to wear the helmet of salvation,
But as much as it keeps danger out,
It keeps danger in.
Or else I am doing something wrong.
It is a little cage around my head.
I never was the type to easily accept anything,
Or to condemn or reject things I know nothing about.
So you see, I can't cage my mind.
It is not how I have been created.
But
I want to know the trick
To taking every thought captive.
If I could
I would capture each one with a mental net.
I want to know the method
Of taking those sporadic, illogical thoughts of mine,
And making them obedient
TO CHRIST.
Not to people.
Not to culture.
Not to churches,
Not even to theological interpretation.
To Christ.
But everyone reads with lenses and interprets accordingly,
So how is this possible?
Am I any different to the other religious ignoramuses?
I hate dogmatism.
What I know now in part,
Then I will know in full.
But until that day,
I will live to represent Him correctly,
By love, not judgement.
I will ask the questions
And I will seek the answers
Because the desire of my heart is for
The Glory of God
And the betterment of people.
The sporadic thoughts,
The illogical reasoning,
And the constant battles
Of my mind.
I have been told about the world,
The flesh,
The devil,
And God.
I feel particularly informed and observant
When it comes to each of them.
But I am helpless in the battle.
I try to wear the helmet of salvation,
But as much as it keeps danger out,
It keeps danger in.
Or else I am doing something wrong.
It is a little cage around my head.
I never was the type to easily accept anything,
Or to condemn or reject things I know nothing about.
So you see, I can't cage my mind.
It is not how I have been created.
But
I want to know the trick
To taking every thought captive.
If I could
I would capture each one with a mental net.
I want to know the method
Of taking those sporadic, illogical thoughts of mine,
And making them obedient
TO CHRIST.
Not to people.
Not to culture.
Not to churches,
Not even to theological interpretation.
To Christ.
But everyone reads with lenses and interprets accordingly,
So how is this possible?
Am I any different to the other religious ignoramuses?
I hate dogmatism.
What I know now in part,
Then I will know in full.
But until that day,
I will live to represent Him correctly,
By love, not judgement.
I will ask the questions
And I will seek the answers
Because the desire of my heart is for
The Glory of God
And the betterment of people.
Pride and barricades
Pride is a good quality, until it becomes a wall.
Love is NOT self-seeking.
I would rather seek to create springs that encourage and enable people to jump, rather than bricks that inevitabley build walls (and keep people closed in, or keep people out).
Love is NOT self seeking.
Mahatma Ghandi says, "Be the change you want to see in the world." I want to see people loving each other without conditions. I want to see differences set aside. I want to see lonely people embraced. I want to see homeless people treated like actual human beings and NOT looked down upon. I want to see them spoken to, joked with, helped. I want to see people who do not fit into the 'status quo' accepted. I want to see the notion of the status quo abolished, and the ideas of 'normal' and 'abnormal' abandoned. I want to see narrow-minded people try their best to at least see situations from other angles, including myself with certain things. I want to see people enter journeys of self-discovery without fear. I want to see people desire to build their friends up, not tear shreds off them. I want to see cycles of destruction broken. I want to see the hungry fed. I want to see the naked clothed. I want to see captives set free. I want to see individuals choose to PROTECT, not abuse and destroy the hearts of others. I want to see people actually loving themselves and appreciating who they are rather than playing games of comparison and falling short. I want to see people encouraged regarding what they are passionate about. I want to see a better shift towards equal opportunities. I want to see strongholds broken. I want to see an end to domestic violence, child abuse, animal abuse, manipulation in the workplace, manipulation in general, mind games. I want to see people communicating more. I want to see atmospheres created where people are able to feel safe enough to be open and real. I want to see more appreciation of art, poetry, music and other creative and beautiful aspects of this world. I want to see Fair Trade become a way of trading, not a seperate sect. I want to see more 'free thinking' (at least as free as possible) and less indoctrination. I want to see more selflessness. I want to see a greater percentage of humanity being prepared to turn the other cheek. I want to see people (particularly those with 'religious convictions') be more willing to live in the gray areas and not be so determined to define everything as black or white. I want to see humanity learning from each other's differences, not bickering over them. I want to see Chruch denominations wise up. I want to see an end to reality TV exploitation. I want to see self-loathing countered and reversed. I want to see the suicide rate dropping. I want to see people TALKING about their struggles/issues. I want to see healthy control mechanisms developed and practiced. I want to see people realising their potential, and i don't want to see others blocking that realisation with insults. I want to witness more servant hearts in play. I want to see more functioning relationships. I want to see greater levels of committment. I want to see promises kept. I want lies to cease. I want to see humanity attempt to slow down/prevent global warming. I want to see healing processes (physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually) entered into without fear and developed. I want to see all children have a childhood. I want people to take the important things seriously, and know when to relax. I want to hear and experience more laughter. I want people to take off their masks. I want less pretense and more exposure. I want people to have reason to want to get out of bed in the morning. I want less corruption. I want people to experience a purposeful life - life in all abundancy. I want all of this and so much more. I realise that i need to be willing and prepared to be part of the change. I want to be the change i want to see in the world. I can only answer for myself. Call me an idealist and see if i care.
Love is NOT self seeking.
Love is patient and kind. It does not envy or boast and it is not proud. It does not delight in wrongs, but rejoices with the truth. It is not self-seeking. LOVE IS UNCONDITIONAL.
Love is NOT self-seeking.
I would rather seek to create springs that encourage and enable people to jump, rather than bricks that inevitabley build walls (and keep people closed in, or keep people out).
Love is NOT self seeking.
Mahatma Ghandi says, "Be the change you want to see in the world." I want to see people loving each other without conditions. I want to see differences set aside. I want to see lonely people embraced. I want to see homeless people treated like actual human beings and NOT looked down upon. I want to see them spoken to, joked with, helped. I want to see people who do not fit into the 'status quo' accepted. I want to see the notion of the status quo abolished, and the ideas of 'normal' and 'abnormal' abandoned. I want to see narrow-minded people try their best to at least see situations from other angles, including myself with certain things. I want to see people enter journeys of self-discovery without fear. I want to see people desire to build their friends up, not tear shreds off them. I want to see cycles of destruction broken. I want to see the hungry fed. I want to see the naked clothed. I want to see captives set free. I want to see individuals choose to PROTECT, not abuse and destroy the hearts of others. I want to see people actually loving themselves and appreciating who they are rather than playing games of comparison and falling short. I want to see people encouraged regarding what they are passionate about. I want to see a better shift towards equal opportunities. I want to see strongholds broken. I want to see an end to domestic violence, child abuse, animal abuse, manipulation in the workplace, manipulation in general, mind games. I want to see people communicating more. I want to see atmospheres created where people are able to feel safe enough to be open and real. I want to see more appreciation of art, poetry, music and other creative and beautiful aspects of this world. I want to see Fair Trade become a way of trading, not a seperate sect. I want to see more 'free thinking' (at least as free as possible) and less indoctrination. I want to see more selflessness. I want to see a greater percentage of humanity being prepared to turn the other cheek. I want to see people (particularly those with 'religious convictions') be more willing to live in the gray areas and not be so determined to define everything as black or white. I want to see humanity learning from each other's differences, not bickering over them. I want to see Chruch denominations wise up. I want to see an end to reality TV exploitation. I want to see self-loathing countered and reversed. I want to see the suicide rate dropping. I want to see people TALKING about their struggles/issues. I want to see healthy control mechanisms developed and practiced. I want to see people realising their potential, and i don't want to see others blocking that realisation with insults. I want to witness more servant hearts in play. I want to see more functioning relationships. I want to see greater levels of committment. I want to see promises kept. I want lies to cease. I want to see humanity attempt to slow down/prevent global warming. I want to see healing processes (physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually) entered into without fear and developed. I want to see all children have a childhood. I want people to take the important things seriously, and know when to relax. I want to hear and experience more laughter. I want people to take off their masks. I want less pretense and more exposure. I want people to have reason to want to get out of bed in the morning. I want less corruption. I want people to experience a purposeful life - life in all abundancy. I want all of this and so much more. I realise that i need to be willing and prepared to be part of the change. I want to be the change i want to see in the world. I can only answer for myself. Call me an idealist and see if i care.
Love is NOT self seeking.
Love is patient and kind. It does not envy or boast and it is not proud. It does not delight in wrongs, but rejoices with the truth. It is not self-seeking. LOVE IS UNCONDITIONAL.
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