I would like to think that I am the same person no matter who I am around. There is a desire to be consistent and real with a level of authenticity that is not dependent on the conditions that surround me. Reality when I am really looking at it is much different.
My presentation to the world to a degree is determined by the conditions that surround me...the circumstances of life and the people that are a part of the mix. Most of the time, in my experience, it seems as if it is all thrown together with little rhyme or reason.
That is the deceptive part...or maybe more accurately the counter intuitive part for me. It is all coming to me from your hand. I dare not think, that any of this is random or I will miss the point entirely. It is all grace directed, grace initiated, and grace superintended.
I know that is a lot to take in...it a bit like a stream that we take a picture of. In the end every drop of water that passes down this stream will end up in either the Atlantic ocean or Pacific depending on our location. When I am looking at a little creek in upstate New York, I don't know about you but I don't think of the ocean. I think of deer that will be drink this water, farm land that this creek will past through and of the life it brings. But ultimately, all the water that runs in a stream in New York ends up in the Atlantic.
Back to the people that come into our lives...if all of these interactions are grace directed, initiated and superintended, that changes the whole picture doesn't it? The ultimate end point is the heart of the God. Great picture, so where do I fit into the course of that stream? That is the whole question, isn't it? Am I a part of that process that is pushing, encouraging, cheering on grace in people lives? Am I a part of the channel of grace in the people's lives that I come in contact with? Hard questions to think about on a Monday morning...
The honest answer is some of the time. Now, I can take that and ruminate on it and it can lead me to guilt, a bit of depression and in general nonsense. Why did I have to say that? Why didn't I say that better? How can I ever get it right. Counter-productive, silliness... The whole point is that God is calling me to be more of a channel, more of an example, more of a nudge toward the light today. The real journey is making some of the time, more of the time.
That is the deceptive part...or maybe more accurately the counter intuitive part for me. It is all coming to me from your hand. I dare not think, that any of this is random or I will miss the point entirely. It is all grace directed, grace initiated, and grace superintended.
I know that is a lot to take in...it a bit like a stream that we take a picture of. In the end every drop of water that passes down this stream will end up in either the Atlantic ocean or Pacific depending on our location. When I am looking at a little creek in upstate New York, I don't know about you but I don't think of the ocean. I think of deer that will be drink this water, farm land that this creek will past through and of the life it brings. But ultimately, all the water that runs in a stream in New York ends up in the Atlantic.
Back to the people that come into our lives...if all of these interactions are grace directed, initiated and superintended, that changes the whole picture doesn't it? The ultimate end point is the heart of the God. Great picture, so where do I fit into the course of that stream? That is the whole question, isn't it? Am I a part of that process that is pushing, encouraging, cheering on grace in people lives? Am I a part of the channel of grace in the people's lives that I come in contact with? Hard questions to think about on a Monday morning...The honest answer is some of the time. Now, I can take that and ruminate on it and it can lead me to guilt, a bit of depression and in general nonsense. Why did I have to say that? Why didn't I say that better? How can I ever get it right. Counter-productive, silliness... The whole point is that God is calling me to be more of a channel, more of an example, more of a nudge toward the light today. The real journey is making some of the time, more of the time.
No comments:
Post a Comment