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Wow, my friend Michael Kruse has posted a very dynamic challenge to the Pollyanna-mentality raging, especially in this time of political changing of the guard. Please do read it...and spend some quality time at his blog whenever you can. I mean it!
The Abbess frequently bemoans the simplistic thinking raging everywhere: church, education, economics, politics -- you name it! I remember reading how M. Scott Peck, M.D., said he was once talked into giving a seminar on how to think. He said he'd never do one again because it is very difficult to think well and the people who attended the seminar complained LOUDLY about how difficult it was -- which made it utterly exhausting for him to lead.
I know the feeling! :^(
Somehow, we must embrace the difficulty of thinking well. I'll add it as another dimension of the Purple Martyrdom. I am grateful that the Lord has brought some very good thinkers across my path, but we must be diligent in our pursuit of this oft-neglected discipline. None of us alone can do it. We must intentionally look for those who think deeply and diversely and ask God for wisdom and discernment.
Besides Michael Kruse, my brother Abbots at The Abbey help me in this arena...as well as those you will find in my sidebar. The challenge is to not be overwhelmed with all the conversations out there, but to focus on the ones that make you think about something in a different or deeper way. Loving God with all our minds is part of our worship and brings us nearer to The Truth.
That's where I want to be, closer to The Truth every day. Then, what I say and do has a better chance to ring True -- give a more accurate reflection of the God whose Image I bear -- to each of the "others" that I am commanded to love, even as I love myself.
Christ, have mercy.
As I contemplate tomorrow and the beginning of the Jesus Creed Lent Challenge, I will ponder this especially as I ask God to show me how to better love him with all my mind.
Go with God.
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6 comments:
Perhaps the problem at work here is best summarized by paraphrasing an old proverb: "People would like to have thought, but don't like to think."
Thinking is hard hard work, and trying to externalize our thinking processes takes far more blogging effort than either just writing up our conclusions after having thought, or writing our streams of consciousness while thinking - though each of those do have their value. I wonder sometimes if readers realize what sacrifices all of these require on the part of the thinkers/writers ...
p.s. sometimes part of the reason i don't check out everyone's blog and/or i read them but don't respond is that it can easily become a diversion ... expending precious energy that i need for focusing on my own externalization of writing up my thinking process on topics i'm attempting to steward
of course, this does not apply to check in on members of The Abbey whenever possible ...
I would say that it is quite rare for folks who aren't thinkers themselves to have the capacity to realize the sacrifice required by other thinkers.
Since I have begun using Google Reader my time reading blogs has been much more efficient and I find that I comment less that I would if I was at their actual blog. This has helped avoid the diversions you spoke about...and helps me work on my restraint. I would say that having my own blog has been very helpful to reducing my blog-hogging like back in the good old days at TFW -- anteAbberian ;^)
The Abbess is both very aware and grateful for the time you spend reading and commenting on her wee blog. ;^) And you are remembered to our Father continually.
Blessings, brother.
Thanks for the link.
I think the real issue is that very often we are only interested in knowing enough so that our view of the world “hangs together.” Yet the message of scripture is that we deluded in our minds and that much of what appears important is illusion. We need to be dis-illusioned to see the truth. That requires intense and often painful confrontation of our minds and emotions. Chesterton’s well worn observation “Christianity hasn't been tried and been found wanting; it has been found hard and left untried,” is very true.
Thank you peggy for that wonderful prayer. I will be visiting your blog often. I have added you to my favorites. I want you to know as well you are welcome to my blog anytime. God bless you week in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Michael...Chesterton's quote is one of my all-time favs--what a treat it is to have it quoted back to me! :^)
preacherman, it is always a privilege to be able to hold a brother or sister up in prayer. This is one of the wonderful things about the Jesus Creed family, and blogs in general, that they provide a way for us to reach out and touch each other with a word of encouragement.
Be blessed, both of you!
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