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The difficulty is FOLLOWING Jesus
I am re-reading some Dallas Willard books to refresh my spirit right now and one that is a compilation of interviews and shorter articles is my current project: Renewing the Christian Mind, edited by Gary Black, Jr. There is an interview where Dallas is asked:
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Let music and praise fill your heart
Paul doesn’t see these hymns and songs as simply decorative, a pleasant aural embroidery around Christian faith and practice. Singing, whether aloud or in your heart, was, he thought, an excellent way of actually practising the faith. If you don’t want your garden to grow weeds, one of the best ways is to keep it well stocked with strong, sturdy…
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The failure
Dallas Willard left a pastorate in the late 1950s because, he says, “I became so convinced of my ignorance about God and the soul that I thought I was a public hazard.” (Renewing the Christian Mind, Dallas Willard) I feel that deeply. I look back on lessons I wish I had learned more quickly…
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We need to know each other
When a community loses its memory, its members no longer know one another. How can they know one another if they have forgotten or have never learned one another’s stories? If they do not know one another’s stories, how can they know whether or not they trust one another? People who do not trust one another do not help one…
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We need more than information
Some thoughts from David Brooks on making careful decisions and adding in emotional intelligence: For thousands of years, it was common in Western thought to imagine that there was an eternal war between reason and our emotions. In this way of thinking, reason is cool, rational and sophisticated. Emotions are primitive, impulsive and likely to lead you astray. A wise…
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Hopefulness is not a neutral position
Begin at 20:00 if it doesn’t start there automatically. It is a beautiful response to the question of hope.
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What do the children of light look like? Pt 5
Part OnePart TwoPart ThreePart Four Their relationships are different. Children of light are able to walk in transparency because they walk in goodness. They deal with darkness in their own lives and are able to achieve true connectedness with others, especially those who are followers of Christ.
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What do the children of light look like? Pt 4
Part OnePart TwoPart Three Their bodies are trained to do good and be ready to respond when needed. They respond almost without thinking because “muscle memory” has been ingrained. The body doesn’t dictate what is next. The mind and the will are the guides for the body. What is no longer true of the child of light is what Jesus…
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What do the children of light look like? Pt 3
Part OnePart Two The deepest motivation is to do what is good and right. There is a deep pursuit of being habitually attuned to the heart of God, longing to do what is right in the Kingdom of God. There is attentiveness to what is the fruit of the Spirit because that is where their mind has dwelled. They are…
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What do the children of light look like? Pt 2
Part One Here The emotional life is characterized by love Children of light love lots of good things. They love people. They love their own life and who they are. All of life comes from God, so whatever comes their way has purpose. Tough times in life are opportunities to learn more. Even if they suffer unjustly, there is deep…
