“Did you think you were here to kill time listening to Christian music until you go to Heaven? We’ve got work to do.” -Mark Driscoll

What I've been saying since 2009...about time people realize this.

At All Campus Worship today, the pastor from Amo's church spoke about how the Kingdom of God is not heaven, but the revealing of God's glory to everyone here on earth (Matthew 6, the Lord's Prayer). Though we should keep our eyes pointed to heaven, there is still a Great Commission (Matthew 28) we are to do here and now.

Like Urbana 2012, there is going to be a feast and we have been called by our master to invite everyone to the party.

Yet another personality test

For some reason I immediately thought it looked like Repede as a puppy.

Preaching the Cross

Preaching the Cross (십자가의 전달자 번역)  Lyrics

I'm the lowest of the low

wretched sinner I am

So unworthy, but You called me

With my faith and hope in You

I will not be ashamed

You have called me to, preach the cross

Where You send me I will go

If it's for You, my Lord

For I will always, proclaim the cross

Till the fragrance of your blood

covers all of the Earth,

I will preach,

I will bear the cross

If I live, I live for you

If I die, I die for you

I belong to you

In life or death

By the power of the cross

By the hope of the cross

Jesus Christ alone, Will live in me

난 지극히 작은 자 죄인 중에 괴수
무익한 날 부르셔서
간절한 기대와 소망 부끄럽지 않게
십자가 전케 하셨네

어디든지 가리라 주 위해 서라면
나는 전하리 그 십자가
내 몸에 벤 십자가 그 보혈의 향기
온 세상 채울 때까지
살아도 주를 위해 죽어도 주를 위해
사나 죽으나 난 주의 것
십자가의 능력 십자가의 소망
내 안에 주만 사시는 것

난 지극히 작은 자 죄인 중에 괴수
무익한 날 부르셔서
간절한 기대와 소망 부끄럽지 않게
십자가 전케 하셨네
내 사랑 나의 십자가 

 

“There are friendships I’ve mourned over where too much history got in the way. There were too many harsh words and broken promises and silent disagreements, and it rotted to an impatient grave. But there are others where we traveled the jagged road of reconciliation, mending wounds and untying knots and covering with grace: and on the other end of this is an ocean-deep intimacy of perseverance that couldn’t be reached any other way. We had to wrestle with the ugly parts of our nature. Demons were exposed. Secrets were spilled. Yet there is a joy in this sort of enduring friendship that goes the long distance; there’s a crazy sort of laughter with a lifelong friend that is colored by the weight of heels digging into the ground, a love that says, ‘I’m staying.’ We see it in the cross, and we can have it now, even in a world such as this.”

—

J.S.

Can we objectify God?

I came up with this question in the shower today (oh how I love the ambience of falling water against the bathtub).

I am a researcher. I research nanoparticles, neuroscience, cancer, Celiac disease etc. I read papers and test theories. Everything turns out to be very methodical and evidence based.

I realize I also research people, more like an observer with a (lab) notebook recording things about people. I am always watching and listening to people, secretly hoping that at some point I will be able to help them in some way in making their way through life. (It’s prideful I know, as if I can do anything). Like in my research, I am an extensive planner but not a good doer. You can see this in my leadership style and how I approach fellowship. Almost all of my interactions with people are meticulously planned. I am not good at just “going with the flow,” unless you are stranger whom I feel no obligation to build a long-term relationship with. It also turns out that those people are the ones I end up having the best initial interactions with, without expectations and full of unadulterated laughter. That is something I have learned over the years, to let go my planning and researching, and just take initiative and let the situation spontaneously unfold. I’ve seen more fruit that way. Many of the best scientific discoveries have also been made that way.

Don’t we all tend to research people as well? We look for people with traits we like, whom we can “pursue a research direction” with. We objectify people when we focus on their traits and not their hearts. We care about their looks, whether they are good at basketball, can play guitar, or how well sing, which medical school they are attending, or even how well they teach. We judge people by their pasts. We judge people’s worth by what they can do, especially what they can do for us, whether it be resources, attention, or just happiness. We hold people to a worldly standard, not realizing that underneath it all is a person so wholly broken and depraved that it is only though the sacrifice and resurrection of Christ that they are redeemed. In all of this, if we don’t look at people through heaven’s eyes, we miss the heart that God cups dearly in His hands. Who are we to question the people God leads into our lives?

Sometimes I realize I also research God, objectify Him in a way. I read theology books and Christian-based articles. I collect quotes from famous theologians and evangelists. I compile verses from the Bible into themes, and I ask many “hows and whys” about the things I see in the Bible and in the modern Christian sphere. I approach God with theology and biblical reason, but forget to pray and ask for intimacy and joy.

Prayer, perhaps more than anything else, is a true test of Christian’s devotion and intimacy with God. Its presence in Christian’s life says it all. Its absence is the evidence of merely theoretical framework of faith. - James M. Houston on C.S. Lewis’ prayer life

But God is more than that. God intends us to have a intimate relationship with Him. We cannot fathom the entirety of God, no matter how much we try. But we don’t need to. One day we will stand in front of Him, all of His glory revealed to us and we will fall down before Him in Love, but today we just need to trust and obey. “Follow me.”

At my funeral, I do not want people to say, "he was a good person." But I do hope they one day say, "he was a man sought after God's own heart."

Maybe they will throw in "he loved his wife as Christ loved the church" as a side note too.

Many night’s we’ve prayed
With no proof anyone could hear
In our hearts a hopeful song
We barely understood,
Now we are not afraid
Although we know there’s much to fear
We were moving mountains
long before we knew we could

(chorus)

There can be miracles
When you believe
Though hope is frail
It’s hard to kill
Who knows what miracles
You can achieve
When you believe
Somehow you will
You will when you believe

In this time of fear
When prayer so often proved in vain
Hope seemed like the summer birds
Too swiftly flown away
Yet now I’m standing here
With heart so full I can’t explain
Seeking faith and speaking words
I never thought I’d say

(chorus)

There can be miracles
When you believe
Though hope is frail
Its hard to kill
Who knows what miracles
You can achieve
When you believe
Somehow you will
You will when you believe

A-shir-ra la-do-nai ki ga-oh ga-ah
(I will sing to the lord for he has triumphed gloriously)
A-shir-ra la-do-nai ki ga-oh ga-ah
(I will sing to the lord for he has triumphed gloriously)
Mi-cha-mo-cha ba-elim adona
(Who is like You, oh Lord, among the celestial)
Mi-ka-mo-cha ne-dar-ba-ko-desh
(Who is like You, majestic in holiness)
Na-chi-tah v’-chas-d’-cha am zu ga-al-ta
(In Your Love, You lead the people You redeemed)
Na-chi-tah v’-chas-d’-cha am zu ga-al-ta
(In Your Love, You lead the people You redeemed)
A-shi-ra, a-shi-ra, A-shi-ra

Where we draw the line between Love and Obedience

http://www.christiantoday.com/article/world.vision.usa.allows.employees.in.same.sex.marriages/36365.htm

but the way that it manifested shows a lack of godly wisdom

this still all boils down to legalism...

it is legalistic to not love everyone and try to be unified

but is obedience more important than legalism?

you once said that the greatest love we can give someone is the gospel

we can give them food, shelter, medicine, attention, but these are temporary things. what they need most is the gospel

http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/whatever-is-not-from-faith-is-sin-really

basically no matter how much "good" you are trying to do, if you aren't doing it for God's glory then its moot

or sin as John Piper puts it

i mean yeah right in the grander scheme of things you're not actually helping the person or even really loving them

right you can treat them fairly and just all their life but if they're still destined for hell then it's pretty much pointless

http://rachelheldevans.com/blog/world-vision

It is hard to tell people that the reason why evangelicals are not supporting World Vision's decision isn't because they want to be legalistic, un-compromising, un-loving, but they believe God's sovereignty and glory are more important, even more important than following the call of social justice. We ought to reach the poor and powerless with the Gospel in hand along with worldly necessities. God is more glorified when we take a stand for truth and reason behind doing good than just focusing on doing good works alone (along the same lines of how Hell existing brings God more glory, instead of everyone just going to heaven, which is what our culture wishes)

and I'm totally okay with World Vision employing gay Christians, just not same-sex married gay Christians (who I would argue aren't Christian at all). along the same lines I'm okay with them employing REPENTANT murderers, child molesters, rapists etc

http://younganddevoted.com/2014/03/25/a-servants-perspective-what-i-learned-in-texas/

and back to the other article, really working side-by-side with non-believers (not rebelling Christians) really gives you an opportunity to preach the gospel to them, and tell them why it is really important to know the reason behind why we do good works

“There is a common, worldly kind of “Christianity” in this day, which many have - a cheap Christianity that offends nobody, and requires no sacrifice - which costs nothing and is worth nothing.” -J.C. Ryle

http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2013/03/27/when-did-idolatry-become-compatible-with-christianity/
It is very easy to tell when a church is doing something wrong, when it starts to create a Christianity that agrees with the world, one that masks not offending anyone and not sacrificing anyone under the guise of "unity." It doesn't work that way. We are called to not be part of the world, but apart from it.

1 John 2:15-17
Do Not Love the World
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.

John 15:19
If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOh0Ts1xDmM

Same-sex marriage is a love issue and a marriage issue, and that makes it a gospel issue - Matt Chandler

What is the point of doing good in this world and helping people if it doesn't give glory to God? Nothing!

What separates Christian groups from humanistic or other religious groups when tackling the issue of poverty and brokenness in the world? Aren't we called to be different? Weren't we created to glorify the great I AM? Above all else? How do we love others if we don't point them to Love? "I love you because God loved me infinitely."

Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever. - Westminster Catechism

Is it really that wrong to think that though Jesus wants to be all inclusive, it cannot be because of sin? And that this causes those who belong to the Lord to be excluded from the world? Does it make us haters, legalistic, or exclusive? God is all loving, but is God all accepting? Jesus extended His hand to everyone, but does that mean He promised no sacrifice, not cost as well?

My Jesus is the Jesus who paid the full cost on the Cross, not a Jesus who wants everyone to be unified and happy. That is what the Bible taught me.

A recent event that occurred was the changing of policy by World Vision allowing people in same-sex marriages be employed who profess to be Christian. The question is, do I call these people my brothers and sisters, even though they indulge in constant rebellion against God’s Word? Would Jesus still invite them to serve with Him, even knowing that they refuse to acknowledge this sin but in all other ways have a heart for love? Is this heart one that glorifies God in every way, or just one that believes in doing good works aka help the poor and powerless, not unlike atheists, humanists, or other religious groups? Would Jesus want to coexist with other groups, or would He remind us that He is the only Way? Would Jesus want us to still support World Vision’s mission in serving the needy as commanded multiple times in Scripture (by the Law, the prophets, Paul, and Christ Himself), or would He tell us to abandon World Vision on grounds that they have forsaken the marriage aspect of the Gospel and have compromised God’s glory for man’s glory? Does it make God look bigger if we abandoned World Vision, or continue to support them despite politics? Is this really a compromise of theology, despite their claims of not being a theological arm of the Body? How far will compromise lead to? Is this really a case of “sin and Christ” attempting to unite?

How are these people different from the gay Christians who admit their sin and struggle daily to live a life glorifying God? In a way, them just trying, and continue to try their entire life does make God look big. Big kudos to these brothers and sisters in Christ. Please do not belittle these people who are trying so hard to live out a testimony that makes God the most important piece of their lives.

"The greatest disease in the West today is not TB or leprosy; it is being unwanted, unloved, and uncared for. We can cure physical diseases with medicine, but the only cure for loneliness, despair, and hopelessness is love. There are many in the world who are dying for a piece of bread but there are many more dying for a little love. The poverty in the West is a different kind of poverty -- it is not only a poverty of loneliness but also of spirituality. There's a hunger for love, as there is a hunger for God.” -Mother Teresa

People need God above all other needs. Poverty is not just a physical issue, it is a spiritual one as well.

But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Philippians 1:18

I will use this verse so that I don't have to condemn World Vision as others have. Yes, it is a false motive and a very selfish one to twist scripture to justify one's sexual identity (actions and lifestyles that spawn from it), as it puts sexual identity as an idol in replacement of our identity as God's children, but through all this God can still use these people and World Vision to preach the Gospel.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kristen-howerton/world-vision-gay-marriage_b_5025749.html

http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlepolitics/2014/03/26/world-vision-in-reversal-wont-hire-christians-in-same-sex-marriages/

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2014/march-web-only/world-vision-reverses-decision-gay-same-sex-marriage.html
http://m.nationalreview.com/corner/375644/russell-moore-fears-no-man-michael-potemra
http://jsparkblog.com/2013/04/22/the-forced-falsed-dichotomy-of-for-and-against-how-a-binary-system-fails-to-resolve-our-deepest-issues/ 
http://jspark3000.tumblr.com/post/84245521493/hello-mr-park-i-have-a-question-what-does-the 
http://jspark3000.tumblr.com/post/84327097063/reactionary-culture-im-not-like-those-other

More related links (to utterly and completely confuse everyone):
http://www.gotquestions.org/Christian-conduct.html
http://www.charismamag.com/life/relationships/20129-sexual-atheism-christian-dating-data-reveals-a-deeper-spiritual-malaise
http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2013/09/03/false-freedom-and-the-slavery-of-autonomy/
http://jspark3000.tumblr.com/post/81594558667/how-do-i-know-if-its-god-or-the-devil-a-mega-post-on
http://jspark3000.tumblr.com/post/82514992443/im-curious-about-your-view-that-reformed-calvinists
http://christianity.about.com/od/whatdoesthebiblesay/a/Obedience-To-God.htm
http://thinkpoint.wordpress.com/2013/12/27/5-arguments-against-eternal-punishment/
http://www.christianitytoday.com/gleanings/2014/march/why-hobby-lobby-is-this-years-supreme-court-case-to-watch.html
http://www.redletterchristians.org/rip-rob-bell/
http://www.mjkimpan.com/re-text/
http://theamericanjesus.net/?p=5396
(I am not going to say I support any of these links, as some of them are contradictory, but I am saying if you look really closely they are all related at the deepest level)

"The world doesn't read the bible, but it reads Christians" (1 Peter 2:12)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4o0o8a1Sng
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIw6ngIqaD0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WY0zTygEyo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDQWQE-oztQ

Hot Tub Religion

"The other day I was one of a crowd who spent much of a wet Saturday afternoon in a hot tub. My student advisees, who formed the crowd, had advised me to try it; you’ll like it, they said. Previously I had thought of hot tubs as reserved for hedonists in Hollywood and sybarites in San Francisco, but now I know that under certain circumstances members of Regent College’s teaching faculty may also use them. Every day, it seems, one learns something new.”

“As I sat there savoring hot tubness, cracking small jokes and adjusting to the feel of being bubble over from all angles, it struck me that the hot tub is the perfect symbol of the modern route in religion. The hot tub experience is sensuous, relaxing, floppy, laid-back: not in any way demanding, whether intellectually or otherwise, but very, very nice, even to the point of being great fun.”

“Many today want Christianity to be like that, and labor to make it so. As I hot tubbed on, slumping deeper into uninhibited floppiness, I saw why the chromium-plated folk-religion of which I am speaking has gained such a hold. Modern life strains us. We get stimulated till we are dizzy. Relationships are brittle; marriages break; families fly apart; business is a cutthroat rat race, and those not at the top feel themselves mere cogs in another’s machine. Automation and computer technology have made life faster and tenser, since we no longer have to do the time-consuming routine jobs over which our grandparents used to relax their minds. 

We have to run more quickly than any generation before us simply to stay where we are. No wonder that when modern Western man turns to religion what he wants is total tickling relaxation, the sense of being at once soothed, supported and effortlessly invigorated: in short, hot tub religion. He asks for it, and up folk jump to provide it. What hot tub religion illustrates most clearly is the law of demand and supply.”

“Certainly a rhythm of life that includes relaxation is right; the fourth commandment shows that. Alternating hard labor with fun times in right too; all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, and Jesus so often went to banquets, the fun times of the ancient world, that he got called glutton and drunkard. Enjoying our bodies while we can, as opposed to despising them is part of the discipline of gratitude to our Creator. And uninhibited exuberances like clapping, dancing, shouting praise and crying out in prayer can be approved too, provided we do not hereby stumble others.”

“Without these hot tub factors, as we may call them, our Christianity would be less godly and less lively, for it would be less human. But if there were no more to our Christianity than hot tub factors- if, that is, we embraced a self-absorbed hedonism of relaxation and happy feelings, while dodging tough tasks, unpopular stances and exhausting relationships– we should fall short of biblical God-centeredness and of the cross-bearing life to which Jesus calls us, and advertise to the world nothing better than our own decadence. Please God, however, we shall not settle for that.”

J. I. Packer, Hot Tub Religion

Be a man, it teaches you the Gospel

"Why would God wire it this way? Let me tell you why I think He wired it this way. Nothing, no book, no Bible study, no song or conference has taught me the weight of God’s love and the glory of the gospel like trying to be a man. Here’s what I mean. Trying to love my wife like Christ loves the church and finding that very, very difficult to do and finding it at times not yielding the fruit that I wanted…Here’s a better one. My four year old, Audrey, is just my joy. I love having a son, but that daughter owns you. It’s a weird deal. For whatever reason, over and over again, Audrey thinks I am an enemy to her joy, when in the end, I want her joy and happiness more than she could ever comprehend, and I see better than she does. And when I say, “Hey, no candy right now,” I’m not trying to steal joy from her, I’m trying to increase joy for her. And when I say, “Don’t climb on the back of the couch when there’s a window right there. You could fall through it,” I’m not trying to rob her of the exhilaration of walking on the back of the couch, I’m trying to make sure she doesn’t cut herself to ribbons. And so what ends up happening in that moment, when I’m trying to increase joy and increase life and increase happiness and my daughter goes, “I don’t want any of that. I’ll get it my own way. I’ll do it my own way. I want what I want,” and she wars against the joy that I so desperately want for her, in one instance, I start to discipline and in another, God’s going, “This is playing out like another story I know, the one where I try to lead you like this and you’re like, ‘No, I want my stuff;’ and you are a four year old girl. This is very similar to Me, Chandler. So, while Audrey’s in the corner thinking about it, why don’t you go to the other corner and think about it over there?” All of a sudden, by trying to nurture and love and point Audrey to Christ and finding it war against me, I start to understand how big and beautiful the gospel is, that despite the fact that I war against the hand of God, He continues to love, pursue and extend grace. Or in those moments that I lavish upon Lauren affection and romance and all of those things and she doesn’t respond the way I want her to respond, all of a sudden I start to understand the gospel, I understand the depth of the love of Christ for me, the depth of His grace, the depth of His forgiveness. Do you know why it’s hard? Because when it’s hard, the we understand the gospel, when it’s hard, we walk in humility and when it’s hard, we’ll be dependent on God. If it was easy, none of those things would be there; they just wouldn’t be there. So listen, even the fact that it’s difficult is God’s love, mercy and grace. And I know some of you don’t think it’s difficult because you’re single, but have you ever wondered why it’s so difficult to pray with your wife but it’s not so difficult to pray with somebody else? Do you think maybe there’s some principalities at war against us?”
- Matt Chandler (The Role of Men Part 1: Defining Masculinity)

1 Corinthians 16:13 - Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.

Another (more comprehensive) Personality Test

http://www.learnmyself.com/Personality-Report?x=PIx3x3203612-3109321xs4hj2x3#tab-1

4/6/14

Ugh, I impulse bought two things recently that were both more expensive than a meal and things I totally don't need. Maybe I can re-sell them on ebay brand-new. I bought both for about 4x less than the lowest on ebay.

No more impulse buying. Use it for the Lord.

Adulthood

I believe learning how to cope with loneliness is the final step to adulthood.

Making true lifetime friends after college, after childhood, is genuinely difficult.

Yesterday while attempting to share all the ministry and things I've done in Pittsburgh and in Kansas City, he told me "stop, I don't need to know." I asked him why, since it sounded a little uncaring, but he reminded that these are things between me and God, and that I do these things to "store up treasures in heaven." So I just told him, "God has been using me well" and left it at that.

I wonder how often I have used this blog (and my tumblr) to "practice my righteousness in front of men?"
I also wonder if it is okay to share in detail how God has used me with my brothers and sisters in Christ?

Today I was feeling out of it. But then I got two hugs! Praise the Lord!

A Mother's Sacrifice

Today I learned something new about Francis Chan: his mother died giving birth to him. She had the choice to abort him, but she chose not to because she believed in God’s plan. The doctors told her, “you don’t understand, you will die if you continue on with your pregnancy.” She told them, “so be it.” She chose to die so that Francis could live. Not unlike how Christ died for us, so that we may live.

My mother also made the same decision with me. Three doctors, not one but three, told her that I had a zero chance of survival, and that her life was in danger too. She also made the decision to trust God and hope for a miracle. What started out as a C-section quickly became a surgery for tumor removal. I lived. My mother lived too. A miracle happened.

Francis’s mom died. Francis lived. I lived. My mom lived. Who decided all these things? God decided all these things. This story is why I believe in God, why my faith is so deeply rooted even in the times when I hated God. There might be times why we ask God why He chooses to let some die and others live. I ask that question too sometimes. I’ve even asked once why He let me survive, and not spare me the pain of living. I know why God wanted Francis Chan to live though. Through his mother’s sacrifice, God was able to use him to reach many and tell them that they have a Father in heaven who has this crazy love for His children. I hope one day God can use me like that, and not let the life He chose to save go to waste.

Devo Post #3

Isaiah 1:13-15

Stop bringing meaningless offerings!

   Your incense is detestable to me.

New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations—

   I cannot bear your worthless assemblies.

14 Your New Moon feasts and your appointed festivals

   I hate with all my being.

They have become a burden to me;

   I am weary of bearing them.

15 When you spread out your hands in prayer,

   I hide my eyes from you;

even when you offer many prayers,

   I am not listening.

Here the prophet Isaiah talks a little about legalism, and more on disobedience. The people are doing what God has asked, but God refuses their offerings because their hearts are not in the right place. They pray and offer sacrifices to the Lord for their own gain. They also disobey God by neglecting the poor and the powerless, and fight each other within the Body.

How often does our churches and fellowships resemble this scenario. Just like in the old days people paid way too much attention on formality and presentation, like during “New Moons, Sabbaths, and convocations,” we too do that as well in our church events. We try to make them most “seeker friendly” and streamlined. Our praise teams much have the best equipment, are most talented musicians out there, and only play songs that induce the most “feels” in the congregation. We fight each other over secondary theological points, and refuse to call each other brothers or sisters in Christ if their doctrine is only slightly confused.

We ought to look at each other’s hearts, and bring each other closer to God. We ought to love each other, and those God has called us to work with. We are to go out and help the poor and the powerless, as the Bible repeats this phrase throughout the Old and New Testament over a thousand times.

Hosea 4:6-7

“Because you have rejected knowledge,

   I also reject you as my priests;

because you have ignored the law of your God,

   I also will ignore your children.

7 The more priests there were,

   the more they sinned against me;

   they exchanged their glorious God for something disgraceful.

Hosea here talks about how the Israelites have forsaken God’s teachings of doing the right thing. This disobedience has led God to reject them as His. The application here, as Paul sent this to me, is that I shouldn’t forget to obey God’s commands. It isn’t legalism if I follow what the Bible teaches closely (that has to do with the heart, see devotion right after), but to not follow the Bible closely leads to rebellion and rejection of God in our life. We shouldn’t, as Christians, ever compromise on the Word, for doing so leads to (Spiritual and sometimes physical) death. You see it with Saul. You see it with Samson. You see it almost happen to Moses. You see it happen to the Israelites and those in Judah. You also see how God rewards those who do obey, like Job, Amos, and Abraham. They feared the Lord (their hearts did) and they also obeyed fully (kinda).

Let me not be afraid to stand up for my beliefs, but also never forget that I obey God because I fear and love God, not because its “the right thing to do” or for my own glory.

Walking to the Sky

I remember the very first time I saw this on CMU campus on August 12th 2013. I immediately thought "arrogant." Today at the prayer walk, our leader jokingly said "hey, it is the Tower of Babel." In reality, it kind of symbolizes what the Tower of Babel did in Genesis: the success and glory of men, and how we wanted to reach the sky where God dwells (and dethrone Him).

Now the artwork probably symbolizes how we much pursue our dreams and keep moving forward in life to achieve success, and that is a good thing. There are people that only CEOs of companies will meet, or patients that only their doctor will meet, or just co-workers that you will only be able to meet. These are all mission fields.

What I do have a problem is we put all these dreams and worldly achievements before pointing people to God's glory. We also lack the time and effort to really really discern what our calling is, or the conviction of how important it really is in our life. We strive after idols that seek to dethrone God in our hearts.

This is my prayer for the people of America, especially college students across all campuses who are falling off the plan God wants for them.

"It is better to take one step in the right direction than run a mile in the opposite direction."

“We all want progress, but if you’re on the wrong road, progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road.” - C.S. Lewis

Edit: I like the original motivation for the art piece:

The piece was inspired by a story that Borofsky's father used to tell him when he was a child about a friendly giant who lived in the sky. In each tale, father and son would travel up to the sky to talk to the giant about what needed to be done for everyone back on earth.

I do not like the followup:

"a celebration of the human potential for discovering who we are and where we need to go."

Discovering who we are and where we need to go are two good things in life, but the source isn't human potential. It is the infinite potential of God. We need to never forget that, us who were created for His glory.

Big Fish: maybe it depends on how you define a leader
Little Fish: fine
Little Fish: true
Big Fish: hmmm i guess in this sense, the leader is the one who initiates, sets an example
Big Fish: the one who is willing to move towards the other person first
Big Fish: the one who is willing to take the risk first
Big Fish: cuz relationships are a big risk for girls
Big Fish: heh...the epitome of cheese is my next statement
Big Fish: the most precious thing in existence is a girl's heart
Little Fish: oh my
Little Fish: i laughed out loud on that one
Big Fish: i know
Little Fish: can i quote you on that?
Big Fish: lol
Big Fish: if you want...
Little Fish: give me a "permission granted" plz
Little Fish: yosh
Big Fish: i. am. not. ashamed!
Big Fish: lol jk i so ashamed
Big Fish's wife: Maybe even more precious is the man who seeks not only to protect or to cherish (or even to hold) but also to encourage that heart to grow in the only way that really matters--into the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit.

Oh how we are all still learning what Love is.

Interesting how I've changed in four years. I also noted the "love and be loved" trait is scarily low on the list, and I realize that it is not due to me not loving others, but allowing others to love me back. It always seems I am contributing to the relationship more than the other party, which is dangerous and creates skewed relationships. These are never healthy in the long-term. (reminds me of the relationship of the boy and the giving tree, except in real life as revised here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/compost/wp/2013/02/28/the-giving-tree-revised/) http://www.authentichappiness.sas.upenn.edu/Default.aspx VIA strengths test 3/25/14 Your Top Strength

Spirituality, sense of purpose, and faith You have strong and coherent beliefs about the higher purpose and meaning of the universe. You know where you fit in the larger scheme. Your beliefs shape your actions and are a source of comfort to you.

Your Second Strength

Kindness and generosity You are kind and generous to others, and you are never too busy to do a favor. You enjoy doing good deeds for others, even if you do not know them well.

Your Third Strength

Caution, prudence, and discretion You are a careful person, and your choices are consistently prudent ones. You do not say or do things that you might later regret.

Your Fourth Strength

Judgment, critical thinking, and open-mindedness Thinking things through and examining them from all sides are important aspects of who you are. You do not jump to conclusions, and you rely only on solid evidence to make your decisions. You are able to change your mind.

Your Fifth Strength

Leadership You excel at the tasks of leadership: encouraging a group to get things done and preserving harmony within the group by making everyone feel included. You do a good job organizing activities and seeing that they happen.

Strength#6

Modesty and humility You do not seek the spotlight, preferring to let your accomplishments speak for themselves. You do not regard yourself as special, and others recognize and value your modesty.

Strength#7

Citizenship, teamwork, and loyalty You excel as a member of a group. You are a loyal and dedicated teammate, you always do your share, and you work hard for the success of your group.

Strength#8

Fairness, equity, and justice Treating all people fairly is one of your abiding principles. You do not let your personal feelings bias your decisions about other people. You give everyone a chance.

Strength#9

Honesty, authenticity, and genuineness You are an honest person, not only by speaking the truth but by living your life in a genuine and authentic way. You are down to earth and without pretense; you are a "real" person.

Strength#10

Bravery and valor You are a courageous person who does not shrink from threat, challenge, difficulty, or pain. You speak up for what is right even if there is opposition. You act on your convictions.

Strength#11

Gratitude You are aware of the good things that happen to you, and you never take them for granted. Your friends and family members know that you are a grateful person because you always take the time to express your thanks.

Strength#12

Perspective (wisdom) Although you may not think of yourself as wise, your friends hold this view of you. They value your perspective on matters and turn to you for advice. You have a way of looking at the world that makes sense to others and to yourself.

Strength#13

Love of learning You love learning new things, whether in a class or on your own. You have always loved school, reading, and museums-anywhere and everywhere there is an opportunity to learn.

Strength#14

Capacity to love and be loved You value close relations with others, in particular those in which sharing and caring are reciprocated. The people to whom you feel most close are the same people who feel most close to you.

Strength#15

Self-control and self-regulation You self-consciously regulate what you feel and what you do. You are a disciplined person. You are in control of your appetites and your emotions, not vice versa.

Strength#16

Social intelligence You are aware of the motives and feelings of other people. You know what to do to fit in to different social situations, and you know what to do to put others at ease.

Strength#17

Appreciation of beauty and excellence You notice and appreciate beauty, excellence, and/or skilled performance in all domains of life, from nature to art to mathematics to science to everyday experience.

Strength#18

Hope, optimism, and future-mindedness You expect the best in the future, and you work to achieve it. You believe that the future is something that you can control.

Strength#19

Humor and playfulness You like to laugh and tease. Bringing smiles to other people is important to you. You try to see the light side of all situations.

Strength#20

Forgiveness and mercy You forgive those who have done you wrong. You always give people a second chance. Your guiding principle is mercy and not revenge.

Strength#21

Industry, diligence, and perseverance You work hard to finish what you start. No matter the project, you "get it out the door" in timely fashion. You do not get distracted when you work, and you take satisfaction in completing tasks.

Strength#22

Curiosity and interest in the world You are curious about everything. You are always asking questions, and you find all subjects and topics fascinating. You like exploration and discovery.

Strength#23

Creativity, ingenuity, and originality Thinking of new ways to do things is a crucial part of who you are. You are never content with doing something the conventional way if a better way is possible.

Strength#24

Zest, enthusiasm, and energy Regardless of what you do, you approach it with excitement and energy. You never do anything halfway or halfheartedly. For you, life is an adventure.