Do you remember where you were when you first realized the world was not a just and righteous place and life is not fair, when your realized your government lied to you, your theology may be wrong, those your trusted had betrayed you and all you had once believed in may not be true? For some it was standing in a hospital when the test results literally caused our knees to weaken. Others had that moment when an action, discovery, letter or confession caused you to discover your spouse is found not to be the person you always thought they were. Perhaps your priest or pastor is found in a discretion that is unexplainable or the government leader who seemed so honest is found in the midst of a scandal. These are a few general examples of events when life tumbles in and the things you seemed to trust are now turned upside down.
Peripeteia is the term that describes the turn of events in a Greek tragedy where the hero suddenly finds that everything he thought he knew was wrong. There comes a time in most lives when we are smacked in the face with the terrible reality when the things and people in which we once placed confidence now are gone and we know the lost feeling of ‘Peripeteia’. When that time comes to our life what do we do? How do we move forward? Where do you find trust and security when you have been betrayed and everything you trusted or believed seems wrong or confused?
This may be the time when the real adventure of your life begins. When the things once trusted fade away one can finally look past illusions, superficiality, hopes, dreams and find real truth. It may be harsh but knowing real but truth will give you freedom. Once you know real truth you will never be dissapointed, dissalusioned, misled, abandoned or misguided again. “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” If you think that quote sounds too good to come from me, actually it does. Jesus said it and John recorded it in his Gospel (chapter 8, verse 32).
In fact, not only is that statement truth but the author of that statement ‘IS’ truth! He is the only one in whom you will never be dissapointed, dissalusioned and he will never abandon you. People, governments, institutions (even religious institutions) will all fail because they are human & founded on human beliefs and run by humans. Try as we may, we have faults and are finite. Our best efforts fall short. When we choose role models, ideals, institutions to idolize we set ourselves up for failure and dissapointment. However, once we find that feeling of ‘Parapettio’ we are free to look beyond the superficiality of all we once trusted and find real truth, brutal as it may be at times.
Real brutal truth tells us that as much as we exersize and eat right, eventually our bodies are going to be food for maggots (how is that for a start at harsh reality?). Real brutal truth tells us the only way we can experience love is to continue to open our hearts to be broken. Real brutal truth tells us the only way we can overcome being hurt is to forgive and forget, as God has forgiven us. Real truth tells us that the best we can do is have faith in God who teaches us to love Him with a love that goes beyond understanding and love our neighbors, ALL OUR NEIGHBORS, as we love ourselves (Matthew 22:34-40). Real brutal truth comes when you realize you don't have to put on an act, pretext or seek to please anyone because it is only what God thinks of you that really matters. Real Brutal truth is being completely honest with God, knowing He is real, honest with you and you don't have to put on a front with Him. Real brutal truth is found in facing the mirror first thing in the morning and seeing what Jesus sees and realizing He honestly said, “That is a face I would die for!”
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Monday, June 7, 2010
My name is Bill and I am an addict
I am an addict. Since it is just us and I can trust you to keep this between us, I am making this confession. I have struggled all my life with my addiction. I confess my addiction to be hopeless. I am addicted to sin. Now before you begin to look down on me, you might as well confess your own addiction with me. All of us are addicts to some particular avenue of sin. Romans 3:23 tells us that all of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. You see many have too long thought of sin as “taking a smoke, drink, swear or chew and hanging with guys and girls who do”. Sin is actually anything that causes us to fall short of the glory of God.
The word most often used for sin in the Scriptures is the Greek word, HAMARTIA, which means to ‘miss the mark’. It is the picture of an arrow headed for the bull’s eye but landing short of the intended target. Of all that exists in God’s handiwork, we are the only entity that was created in the image and likeness of God. We were aimed for a high target. Aristotle also used the word Hamartia to describe tragedy, the fall of a noble man caused by some excess or mistake in behavior, not because of a willful violation of the gods' laws. Hamartia is related to hubris which means extreme haughtiness or arrogance. Hubris often indicates being out of touch with reality and overestimating one's own competence or capabilities, especially for people in positions of power. Simply speaking, it is thinking we are somehow special and above the rules that apply to others.
Anytime we fall short of God’s glory in the way we live, love, express joy we seek to satisfy our addiction or sin. Each of us has our own avenue for this addiction. I once heard that one could sum the trifecta of Pride, Sloth and Fear from which most sin evolves. We are either too arrogant to notice or admit our real problems, too lazy to do what is necessary to change or too fearful to really live a life trusting God by faith.
Often we will accept and try to tolerate our addiction by drowning it in many ways. Some will live in blind ignorance as whole religions and philosophies have done proclaiming “we don’t have a problem.” Ignoring, expressing tolerance won’t make it better. Others live with the addiction claiming “I was born this way.” All of us were born with an addiction. I was born with an addiction to heterosexuality. I always had a very strong appreciation of pretty women. My addiction often troubled me as a young single man seeking to live a righteous and celibate Christian life until I met a very pretty woman who loved me enough to be my wife. I still appreciate God’s creation of the opposite sex but I made a lifelong comment to be addicted only to the one to whom I said “I do” thirty years ago. Now it is fun to mount up to God’s glory and love her as Christ loved the church. Just the other night we had a romantic supper on the deck, held hands on the swing for hours and…well I digress.
If you do not admit (as I just did) and deal with your addiction, it will destroy the joy God intends you to have as you are created and aimed for a higher target. For instance I also have an addiction to Double Stuff Oreos. I know they are on the shelf of the cookie isle, waiting to jump into the shopping cart, so I don’t go down that isle. Sometimes avoiding places, people and activities is necessary to avoid problems with addiction. A 12-step program will not work. Trusting your life completely to Jesus, receiving his forgiving healing grace and the inward power of the Holy Spirit to change you day by day is the only answer. He will teach, change and guide you if you will be honest with yourself and let Him work to heal your addiction.
Hello, I my name is Bill and I am an addict.
The word most often used for sin in the Scriptures is the Greek word, HAMARTIA, which means to ‘miss the mark’. It is the picture of an arrow headed for the bull’s eye but landing short of the intended target. Of all that exists in God’s handiwork, we are the only entity that was created in the image and likeness of God. We were aimed for a high target. Aristotle also used the word Hamartia to describe tragedy, the fall of a noble man caused by some excess or mistake in behavior, not because of a willful violation of the gods' laws. Hamartia is related to hubris which means extreme haughtiness or arrogance. Hubris often indicates being out of touch with reality and overestimating one's own competence or capabilities, especially for people in positions of power. Simply speaking, it is thinking we are somehow special and above the rules that apply to others.
Anytime we fall short of God’s glory in the way we live, love, express joy we seek to satisfy our addiction or sin. Each of us has our own avenue for this addiction. I once heard that one could sum the trifecta of Pride, Sloth and Fear from which most sin evolves. We are either too arrogant to notice or admit our real problems, too lazy to do what is necessary to change or too fearful to really live a life trusting God by faith.
Often we will accept and try to tolerate our addiction by drowning it in many ways. Some will live in blind ignorance as whole religions and philosophies have done proclaiming “we don’t have a problem.” Ignoring, expressing tolerance won’t make it better. Others live with the addiction claiming “I was born this way.” All of us were born with an addiction. I was born with an addiction to heterosexuality. I always had a very strong appreciation of pretty women. My addiction often troubled me as a young single man seeking to live a righteous and celibate Christian life until I met a very pretty woman who loved me enough to be my wife. I still appreciate God’s creation of the opposite sex but I made a lifelong comment to be addicted only to the one to whom I said “I do” thirty years ago. Now it is fun to mount up to God’s glory and love her as Christ loved the church. Just the other night we had a romantic supper on the deck, held hands on the swing for hours and…well I digress.
If you do not admit (as I just did) and deal with your addiction, it will destroy the joy God intends you to have as you are created and aimed for a higher target. For instance I also have an addiction to Double Stuff Oreos. I know they are on the shelf of the cookie isle, waiting to jump into the shopping cart, so I don’t go down that isle. Sometimes avoiding places, people and activities is necessary to avoid problems with addiction. A 12-step program will not work. Trusting your life completely to Jesus, receiving his forgiving healing grace and the inward power of the Holy Spirit to change you day by day is the only answer. He will teach, change and guide you if you will be honest with yourself and let Him work to heal your addiction.
Hello, I my name is Bill and I am an addict.
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