Dale Cresap's blog

Have you ever taken a wrong turn? The problem with the wrong route is that it leads to the wrong destination. This is so obvious as to seem trivial with regard to road travel, but do you see that the same principle applies to other aspects of your life? Can you see the long term consequences of the choices you make every day? The right decisions will not only be right for today, but for tomorrow, and for next year, and for the rest of your life, and forever. This may mean that your choices may be for things other than what is fun and pleasant right now.

Are you familiar with the passages of scripture in which the early apostles prayed for boldness in presenting the gospel message? Did they seem fairly bold already? Have you noticed that this has become the gold standard of evangelism, to be forceful and outspoken? Do you use this approach? Is there another way? Do you find that you are more persuaded by humble entreaty or by force? People who feel threatened become defensive and oppositional. So there is more than one way to present the gospel message, and he who is wise is led by the Spirit and wins souls.

Are you careful with your money and spend it wisely, insisting on the best value for what you spend? There is wisdom in frugality, but not all spending and value is monetary. Everyone suffers. Have you met people with a rare sense of patience and grace and realized that they didn’t get it from a life of comfort and ease? Would you reach the same conclusion about someone with a broken spirit and a contrite heart? Yet not everyone who suffers acquires virtue as a result. Suffering is more precious than money. Are you spending yours wisely to get the best value from it? 

How broad is your definition of faith? Do you limit it to the doctrinal claims of your church? Is there a more general perspective on this concept? A person who commits their life to a huge project and puts in time and effort and money not knowing whether it will succeed or not is demonstrating a type of faith that is universally admired. You may not consider this to be a saving faith, but the person doing so may have more invested in his faith than you do in yours. But you don’t have to choose between one and the other.

Do you like to negotiate? In some cultures the price for everything is understood to be an asking price, and you can strike the best deal you can. In others most merchandise is priced as marked, with no room to maneuver, but the larger the purchase, the more there is some give and take, with offer and counteroffer until the buyer and the seller come to terms. Do you think that any spiritual parallel exists? You know that grace is a free gift, and you do not and could not earn your salvation. Recognizing this, if I wanted to sell you something, would you want to negotiate the price?

Do you find it easy to judge previous generations by their state of moral development? For instance, do you find it easy to condemn previous generations that practiced slavery? This makes it easy to dismiss all who have gone before, but there are two problems with this approach. One is whether it is valid to judge previous generations by the current state of moral development, and the other is the assumption that moral development has reached a final conclusion with you. Can you forgive previous generations because they knew not what they did?

Do you have an alarm clock? Does it have a snooze alarm? This allows you to silence the alarm for a few minutes to postpone getting up. But why would you set the alarm earlier than necessary? Have you ever had a spiritual awakening? Did this come about because events in your life served as a wake-up call? Anything that causes you to be awake and alert and aware is beneficial, so you can be glad if the events in your life serve as a spiritual alarm clock. Have you ever hit the snooze button and postponed the opportunity to wake up? I’ll keep setting off the alarm as often as it takes.

Do you prefer conditions and surroundings that are familiar and comfortable? Have you ever had a faith crisis? This can disturb your comfort and certainty. How do you respond? You would expect a crisis to be painful. When the pain of staying put is greater than the loss familiar and comfortable conditions it is time to move on. Will the future be painful as well? All you know from your point of departure is that it is uncertain. It could be better, and lead you to a larger and more generous place. Have you ever been through this cycle before? Do you regret moving on?

In some churches it is common practice for members of the congregation to say amen during the preacher’s message, to express verbal assent to the message. This doesn’t happen constantly; just during points of emphasis, and typically for things the congregation fully accepts. Who doesn’t like to be confirmed in their certainties? If the message is one that raises a challenge to current thinking, it is more likely to be quiet in church. Which condition do you think represents a greater opportunity for spiritual growth? Consider my own ministry.

Have you ever had a parasite? These are unwelcome guests and you are fortunate if you have access to hygiene and medical care that makes them rare, for some can be fatal. Have you ever had a spiritual parasite? There are belief systems that fall short of the transcendent. They place crushing demands on you without offering any eternal perspective or mercy and grace to deal with the difficulties of everyday life, including your own shortcomings. Spiritual parasites can result in spiritual death. If you had a physical parasite you would go to great lengths to be rid of it.