Rising To The Call
Os Guinness
Chapter 5, Dreamers of the Day
Rising To The Call culminates with an encouragement to utilize human creativity. Os Guinness defines two types of dreamers. The one that indulges in impossible fantasies who are far too common in every era. The other is the human who takes what they know and uses that as a foundation for a better future. He separates these two types of people by describing them as dreamers of the night and dreamers of the day. "Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes to make it possible." (pg84)
Everybody has dreams and hopes for the future. Most are impractical unrealistic results of an idle intellect. However, the man or women who is willing to submit their intellect and imagination to Jesus Christ will find that their passions cease to long after castles in the sky, instead the Holy Spirit nurtures in them holy aspirations in which the Kingdom of God is expanded and God's name is glorified on earth as it is in heaven.
Humans are proud creatures and we like to interact with God on our terms. We give to Him out of our wealth and serve Him out of our time. Instead of realizing that both time and wealth are already His and humans are stewards only. St Francis was once approached by a knight desiring to join him. St Francis responded? Long enough hast though borne the belt, the sword, and the spurs! The time has now come for you to change the belt for a rope, the sword for the Cross of Jesus Christ, the spurs for the dust and the dirt of the road. Follow me and will make you a knight in the army of Christ!"
Answering the call of Christ does not mean coming to God with our dreams of being great and asking God to give us His power so our dreams can be fulfilled. The knight in the story wanted to be a godly knight. He wanted the stamp of divine favor simply to bless his knighthood. To answer the Call of Christ is to put aside ourselves, and our hopes for what we will be. Let Christ be the potter that shapes your life and the substance which fills and overflows to the world around us. This is what means to answer God's call and walk in the way of the cross.
Let Your Life Speak
by Parker Palmer
Chapter 5 Leading From Within
Parker Palmer spends his fifth chapter discussing leadership. Leadership is not for some but for all Christians. To varying extents and in various fashions our relationship to God necessitates guiding other people into relationships with God, either directly via discipleship and preaching or indirectly via prayers and setting a good example. The difficulty with leadership is the focus that is placed outside of ourselves. To be a leader requires paying attention to other people and the more we pay attention to other people the harder is it to take care of ourselves.
Palmer spends this chapter emphasizing the point that the best leader, therefore the best Christian is someone who leads from within. "if people skimp on their inner work, their outer work will suffer as well...we could spread the word that inner work though it is deeply personal matter is not necessarily a private matter: inner work can be helped along in community.
So the chapter concludes with two powerful takeaways for today's believer. First, if we want to be successful we have to work form the inside out. Second,, we mustn't be afraid to involve other people in that process. America is a tough place to be ourselves in because so much of the cultural expectations are based on appearances. However, if it is our intent to pursue genuine godliness we must kick this tendency of our culture and be willing to do life together for the sake of our ability to do God's will and be authentic believers in this age so fraught with half men and shadows of truth.
Os Guinness
Chapter 5, Dreamers of the Day
Rising To The Call culminates with an encouragement to utilize human creativity. Os Guinness defines two types of dreamers. The one that indulges in impossible fantasies who are far too common in every era. The other is the human who takes what they know and uses that as a foundation for a better future. He separates these two types of people by describing them as dreamers of the night and dreamers of the day. "Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes to make it possible." (pg84)
Everybody has dreams and hopes for the future. Most are impractical unrealistic results of an idle intellect. However, the man or women who is willing to submit their intellect and imagination to Jesus Christ will find that their passions cease to long after castles in the sky, instead the Holy Spirit nurtures in them holy aspirations in which the Kingdom of God is expanded and God's name is glorified on earth as it is in heaven.
Humans are proud creatures and we like to interact with God on our terms. We give to Him out of our wealth and serve Him out of our time. Instead of realizing that both time and wealth are already His and humans are stewards only. St Francis was once approached by a knight desiring to join him. St Francis responded? Long enough hast though borne the belt, the sword, and the spurs! The time has now come for you to change the belt for a rope, the sword for the Cross of Jesus Christ, the spurs for the dust and the dirt of the road. Follow me and will make you a knight in the army of Christ!"
Answering the call of Christ does not mean coming to God with our dreams of being great and asking God to give us His power so our dreams can be fulfilled. The knight in the story wanted to be a godly knight. He wanted the stamp of divine favor simply to bless his knighthood. To answer the Call of Christ is to put aside ourselves, and our hopes for what we will be. Let Christ be the potter that shapes your life and the substance which fills and overflows to the world around us. This is what means to answer God's call and walk in the way of the cross.
Let Your Life Speak
by Parker Palmer
Chapter 5 Leading From Within
Parker Palmer spends his fifth chapter discussing leadership. Leadership is not for some but for all Christians. To varying extents and in various fashions our relationship to God necessitates guiding other people into relationships with God, either directly via discipleship and preaching or indirectly via prayers and setting a good example. The difficulty with leadership is the focus that is placed outside of ourselves. To be a leader requires paying attention to other people and the more we pay attention to other people the harder is it to take care of ourselves.
Palmer spends this chapter emphasizing the point that the best leader, therefore the best Christian is someone who leads from within. "if people skimp on their inner work, their outer work will suffer as well...we could spread the word that inner work though it is deeply personal matter is not necessarily a private matter: inner work can be helped along in community.
So the chapter concludes with two powerful takeaways for today's believer. First, if we want to be successful we have to work form the inside out. Second,, we mustn't be afraid to involve other people in that process. America is a tough place to be ourselves in because so much of the cultural expectations are based on appearances. However, if it is our intent to pursue genuine godliness we must kick this tendency of our culture and be willing to do life together for the sake of our ability to do God's will and be authentic believers in this age so fraught with half men and shadows of truth.
No comments:
Post a Comment