Have you ever wondered if the dream is real and real is the dream? I did when I was a child, waking up and in the blurred edges between the tatters of a vivid dream and being fully awake. I would wonder which were real. I sometimes still have vivid dreams, but rarely get lost between the two worlds in my mind. However, there is another perception that I would think is still some value to examine, and determine if it is the waking or dreaming world. Are we who we are or who we are perceived to be? Or more confusing yet, some combination of both?
If we could look through the looking glass and see how people perceive us, would that change how we perceive ourselves? It might be an ego boost or bust, it might make us realize our own perceptions and encourage us to seek out the reality.
What kind of perceptions am I talking about? Well, I’ll give my own example… I made a new friend last year. This woman looked confident, poised, each hair in place, smile perfectly happy, and at ease in her own skin. I thought, oh I hope she isn’t my group because she just looks so put together! That was my perception. The reality was that behind the beautiful smile and adorable hair-do was a woman who was just as cluttered and complicated as I was. She had struggles, disappointments, failures, hopes, dreams, and plans. She had to-do lists that were too long and hurts that were stinging her heart. She had beautiful peals of laughter and a tender heart and wasn’t what I thought she was at all.
If you could poke your face and heart through the looking glass and get a good look around, perhaps the perceived person would take on different shades of personality.
Showing posts with label ask. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ask. Show all posts
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Are you a Sheep or a Goat?
Sheep and goats, being separated out – this is how Matthew 25 ends up. What is the deal with that? I had to do a little digging myself to understand more of why the goats were being separated out.
Sheep per the keyword search in Bible Gateway, as “frequently mentioned in Scripture. The care of a shepherd over his flock illustrates God’s care over his people.” Goats are referred to as “oppressors and wicked men.”
Okay, with that known – let’s shift back to Matthew. “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left,” (Matthew 25: 31-33). I’m not terribly livestock knowledgeable. I get dogs, how to speak their language so to speak, and a few other small fuzzy animals – but livestock? Not really. So, in my head, I imagine the goats being herded this way and the sheep that. There is baaing and bleeting and shepherds trying to avoid having their toes stepped on.
This takes me back to the why question however, why separate them?
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me,” (Matthew 25:34-36).
That is quite a list and my first reaction is when did I do that? I can see the eat and drink thing because I have lived in the south and have been part of the southern hospitality thing. It’s not a myth, it really exists – and it’s rather lovely. When did I clothe you? When did I visit you in prison? The prison one I have wondered if that also applies to those who are not just in literal prisons, but trapped in situations.
I love that Jesus hung out with real people, and that he allowed them to ask real questions, because their reactions so often are something I can understand. Why? Because they asked the same question. “‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you. The King will reply, I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me,’” (Matthew 15:37-40).
Then there are those goats. The goats, also get a few sentences, “‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink. I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me. They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you? He will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you will do not do for me.’” (Matthew 25:41-45).
So it’s better to be a sheep, because the sheep get “eternal life,” while the goats are sent to “eternal punishment.” Seems kind of like a no-brainer decision, but yet so many times we hold back and act more like a goat than a sheep. Come on fellow baaa’s let’s join the sheep!
Sheep per the keyword search in Bible Gateway, as “frequently mentioned in Scripture. The care of a shepherd over his flock illustrates God’s care over his people.” Goats are referred to as “oppressors and wicked men.”
Okay, with that known – let’s shift back to Matthew. “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left,” (Matthew 25: 31-33). I’m not terribly livestock knowledgeable. I get dogs, how to speak their language so to speak, and a few other small fuzzy animals – but livestock? Not really. So, in my head, I imagine the goats being herded this way and the sheep that. There is baaing and bleeting and shepherds trying to avoid having their toes stepped on.
This takes me back to the why question however, why separate them?
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me,” (Matthew 25:34-36).
That is quite a list and my first reaction is when did I do that? I can see the eat and drink thing because I have lived in the south and have been part of the southern hospitality thing. It’s not a myth, it really exists – and it’s rather lovely. When did I clothe you? When did I visit you in prison? The prison one I have wondered if that also applies to those who are not just in literal prisons, but trapped in situations.
I love that Jesus hung out with real people, and that he allowed them to ask real questions, because their reactions so often are something I can understand. Why? Because they asked the same question. “‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you. The King will reply, I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me,’” (Matthew 15:37-40).
Then there are those goats. The goats, also get a few sentences, “‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink. I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me. They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you? He will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you will do not do for me.’” (Matthew 25:41-45).
So it’s better to be a sheep, because the sheep get “eternal life,” while the goats are sent to “eternal punishment.” Seems kind of like a no-brainer decision, but yet so many times we hold back and act more like a goat than a sheep. Come on fellow baaa’s let’s join the sheep!
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Who is he?
The Pharisees kept asking questions, and kept getting stumped by the answers. Finally, it was like they sort of rocked back and thought – who is this man? I mean, this is not some ordinary guy. Have you heard about what he has been doing? Did you see the fellows downstairs? I had to do a triple take, I swear they were lame yesterday! And I heard that he somehow fed thousands with just a few fish and a loaf of bread. How did he do that? Who is he?
That is such a great question. Let’s stop and ask before we go on…
God, we only see a little part of you. You are so big, so great. Would you please show yourself to us, so that we can start to better understand who you are?
Jesus asked the question to the Pharisees, “‘What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?’ (Matthew 22:41).
The Pharisees replied, ‘The son of David.’” It has been prophesied that the Christ would come from the line of David.
Jesus was prepared with the answer however. “He said to them, ‘How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him ‘Lord’? For he says: ‘The Lord said to my Lord: Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet.’ If then David calls him ‘Lord,’ how can he be his son?”
Christ, from the line of David and yet, by David is addressed as Lord. It is a paradox to our minds. It must have been for the Pharisees as well, “No one could say a word in reply, and from that day no one dared to ask him any more questions.”
That is such a great question. Let’s stop and ask before we go on…
God, we only see a little part of you. You are so big, so great. Would you please show yourself to us, so that we can start to better understand who you are?
Jesus asked the question to the Pharisees, “‘What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?’ (Matthew 22:41).
The Pharisees replied, ‘The son of David.’” It has been prophesied that the Christ would come from the line of David.
Jesus was prepared with the answer however. “He said to them, ‘How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him ‘Lord’? For he says: ‘The Lord said to my Lord: Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet.’ If then David calls him ‘Lord,’ how can he be his son?”
Christ, from the line of David and yet, by David is addressed as Lord. It is a paradox to our minds. It must have been for the Pharisees as well, “No one could say a word in reply, and from that day no one dared to ask him any more questions.”
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