In my constant ponderings I often liken concepts to something in the physical world as a kind of illustration. As an example, when mixing oil paints, I noticed long ago that if I left two colors a little less than thoroughly mixed, the resulting mix was brighter and livelier than if I had really combined the two colors hard. That slight dissonance was desirable. The little flecks of color read better than just one mixed color.
Then I got to thinking about apparent contradictions.
1. The Lord is looking for a humble and contrite spirit in a person.
2. But, also, I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
So, which is it?
I believe that when you hold those two thoughts together, a spark of meaning is set off between them. I must be humble and also realize that what God did when he made mankind was a heck of a thing! Well, that was easy really. God did it, so I have nothing to be proud of. I am a work of Almighty God, his creature.
In addition, it just now occurs to me that humble does not mean all servile and cringing, it means a correct apprehension of my position as a creature of the Living God, a matter of authority.
I have been thinking about the voracious appetite for affirmation that a person who rejects their own self might have. There might be a constant striving to be good enough, to excel, to compete, to prove a point. It is a mindset that is a disruption in the proper order of things. It occurs to me that this is a result of misplaced pride and behind that pride lurks a monster called fear.
If we knock down fear by acknowledging our Maker, by trusting his love, then pride can fall also. When pride is vanquished, the hunger is not needed. It can be released. I say can be because this mindset is at war with the spirit of this world. It’s very powerful. We are born desiring love, attention, and importance. Maybe that is a survival attribute in an infant.
But God requires that I grow up. I must stop looking at life on a lateral level and look upward.
By putting myself in proper relationship to my Maker, I can experience rest, real shalom. In reality, it was no contradiction at all.
As for the title of this post, well, that was mostly just for fun! Something to amuse the bots!
I have been thinking about the voracious appetite for affirmation that a person who rejects their own self might have. There might be a constant striving to be good enough, to excel, to compete, to prove a point. It is a mindset that is a disruption in the proper order of things. It occurs to me that this is a result of misplaced pride and behind that pride lurks a monster called fear.
If we knock down fear by acknowledging our Maker, by trusting his love, then pride can fall also. When pride is vanquished, the hunger is not needed. It can be released. I say can be because this mindset is at war with the spirit of this world. It’s very powerful. We are born desiring love, attention, and importance. Maybe that is a survival attribute in an infant.
But God requires that I grow up. I must stop looking at life on a lateral level and look upward.
By putting myself in proper relationship to my Maker, I can experience rest, real shalom. In reality, it was no contradiction at all.
Peek a Boo!
As for the title of this post, well, that was mostly just for fun! Something to amuse the bots!
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