Thank you for this! I grew up being so afraid of being lukewarm... as I’ve gotten older, the less sure I am of anything, except that Jesus is going to take care of things, and I don’t have to prove anything. So my life feels way messier, but I’m much more sure of Jesus than I used to be.
And so now what does it mean to be pitiful, blind, naked? What does humility look like? What are the actions of one who is not lukewarm, as I doubt it means going to church weekly and saying your daily prayers as a ritual? How does that translate to who we are called to be today?
I think it means it’s good to shoot for and grow into those habits, but ultimately a transformation of the spirit of a person is most important. I’d rather be with a humble, kind, gracious Christian who is alienated from church than one who is the opposite. You?
I think really, my point is to say that there is a lot of talk about being a christian, but ultimately the serious changes are hard to see. What does it mean to be humble in a concrete way is my point...and does it prepare our children to live in this seriously competitive world?
Yeah, that behavioral disconnect is what bothers me more than anything, I think. I think being Christian is placing a high standard on humble behavior and self-sacrifice, while also crucially acknowledging we fall short. By the same token, I don't think that means being taken advantage of. Different personalities have different strengths and weaknesses, and I think tailoring one's awareness to and advocating for a general teaching toward improving the faults we all have, whether it be arrogance in one or excessive meekness in another, is the way to go. Jesus certainly addressed both of those.
Thank you for this! I grew up being so afraid of being lukewarm... as I’ve gotten older, the less sure I am of anything, except that Jesus is going to take care of things, and I don’t have to prove anything. So my life feels way messier, but I’m much more sure of Jesus than I used to be.
And so now what does it mean to be pitiful, blind, naked? What does humility look like? What are the actions of one who is not lukewarm, as I doubt it means going to church weekly and saying your daily prayers as a ritual? How does that translate to who we are called to be today?
I think it means it’s good to shoot for and grow into those habits, but ultimately a transformation of the spirit of a person is most important. I’d rather be with a humble, kind, gracious Christian who is alienated from church than one who is the opposite. You?
I think really, my point is to say that there is a lot of talk about being a christian, but ultimately the serious changes are hard to see. What does it mean to be humble in a concrete way is my point...and does it prepare our children to live in this seriously competitive world?
Yeah, that behavioral disconnect is what bothers me more than anything, I think. I think being Christian is placing a high standard on humble behavior and self-sacrifice, while also crucially acknowledging we fall short. By the same token, I don't think that means being taken advantage of. Different personalities have different strengths and weaknesses, and I think tailoring one's awareness to and advocating for a general teaching toward improving the faults we all have, whether it be arrogance in one or excessive meekness in another, is the way to go. Jesus certainly addressed both of those.