Dale Cresap's blog

How good is your vision? Can you see what is right in front of you? Have you ever observed a scene, and not been aware of some essential part of it until someone else pointed it out to you? Perhaps you have been the one to point things out to others, and it is obvious once you see it, but not until then. And so you have expressions about those who cannot see what is right in front of them. I said to my audiences, he who has ears, let him hear, and he who has eyes, let him see. The Pharisees asked if they were blind also and I answered that they were because they claimed to see.

Do you divide the world into sacred and secular, with secular being the default condition, so that only those places and things that are specifically devoted are sacred? This leaves most of the world unclaimed without a fight. Didn’t I make the whole world? Then shouldn’t the default condition be sacred rather than secular? Perhaps a more useful concept than secular is desecrated. If everything is sacred by default, then only those things that are desecrated, or made non-sacred are not. Desecration, like offense, must need come but woe to them that bring it.

If you live in a highly individualistic society, do you think this is the right way to be? Do you look on community-based societies with amazement and amusement, seeing only the problems inherent in this approach, and only the benefits of your own? But there are advantages to community and problems with individualism. There is a human bias to see your familiar and accustomed way of doing things as right or best, but this is subjective and limited rather than eternal and enduring truth.

I said that if you would deny me before men then I would deny you before my Father in heaven. Have you ever seen teenagers who were embarrassed by their parents in the presence of their peers? You know this is wrong even though it is so commonplace as to be cliché. This is an immature stage of development that should not be desired or admired, but it is real. Do you know that there are stages of development for spiritual maturity just as there are for human growth?

Do you look for stability in your life and strive to get back to a simple state of equilibrium? Do you think this is a realistic goal? Do you ride a bike? Can you maintain your balance on a bicycle that isn’t moving? Yet you can easily maintain your balance on a bicycle that is moving forward. You may consider this an illustration for your life. It wasn’t meant to be static and fixed in one location or condition, but constantly changing and moving forward. Stability is still a meaningful concept, but it is dynamic rather than static stability.

What is the worst insult you can make or receive? Is it that someone is irrational? This is to imply that everything should flow from evidence through reasoning to conclusions in a linear, methodical, rigorous and unemotional process. Is this premise itself up for scrutiny? Is this the way life really works? How much of your life is structured this way, or that of anyone you know? And there is a fine line between reason as outlined above and rationalism in which the process happens in reverse and reasons are invented to justify prior conclusions.

Do you want to change the world? Many people who want to make the world better fail in the attempt because they are not transformed themselves. You can’t succeed in fighting hatred and anger with hatred and anger. This just leads to a cycle of escalating opposition. Do you understand that if you want to change the world the first change must occur in you? Do you think you only need more power to make things happen? Power without transformation is dangerous. With transformation you will find that you already have all the power you need. When you are converted, strengthen your brethren.

You know that grace is a free gift. Do you conclude from this that the Christian life and discipleship are effortless? What has been your experience? Have you found that believing releases you from all pain and suffering, from all sorrow and sacrifice and strenuous effort? If this is not your experience then you are in good company with your fellow believers throughout history. How do you reconcile this with free grace? Paul said that the suffering in this world is not worthy to be compared to the glory to be revealed in us.

Have you heard that everything comes at a price? You know that grace is free, but what about everything else? You know that not all costs are monetary, and some are hidden. Economists speak of opportunity cost, that you can only do one thing at a time, and so a commitment to do one thing costs you the opportunity to do other things. Trade-offs are inevitable in life, but do not let this discourage you. It is beneficial for you to know the truth, and walk in the light.

I call on you to love your enemies. Do you extend human dignity to them? Certainly you have heard others make up derogatory names for prominent persons (and others) they dislike. Have you ever done this? It is easy to withhold common courtesy from those you disagree with, but is this justifiable? Do you see them as totally alien to you? But you all belong to the same brotherhood of humanity. Are you fussy about who is your brother? I responded to a similar question about who is my neighbor, and the answer was broader than the questioner liked.