True or False
A few weeks ago I was having a conversation with a friend about tolerance in our world. I believe we have strayed far away from truth so much that we are blinded as a world by tolerance. The following Sunday after this conversation was had, I was at a service at our church and Pastor Clint throws out this quote:
“We live in a society that has exalted things like tolerance, diversity, peace, and harmony so much that I fear we may value them more than TRUTH.” – Clint Sprague
This started me on a quest throughout the last couple of weeks of looking for the tolerance around me. As a therapist, many of my patients are a reflection of tolerance taken too far. They moved too far from the “truth line” and are struggling with getting back on track. We are not intended to do life alone so getting some feedback from those that we trust can be extremely beneficial.
Let’s take an internal look at tolerance. Each of us have formulated our belief systems through our life experiences, wether good or bad, over the course of our lives. Now I’m not necessarily talking about our moral belief system. I’m talking about beliefs that people subscribe to about people, places, events, self, etc. From the time we were born we have learned some things correctly and some things incorrectly. We have standards that we develop for ourselves and quite frankly. Some of those standards are so far from the “truth line” that we lose our way over a lengthy timeline. I believe that defines a good portion of our world!
Some of us, through this journey, have made radical changes toward a belief system that incorporates God and biblical truth. So let’s get real basic, if we believe in God, why would we tolerate the things that we tell ourselves about people, places, things and especially ourselves? The bible tells us in Genesis 1:27:
So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
Do we throw out that “truth line” because we have gotten of course? Do we adjust our “truth line” so it reads that God created some people in his image but not me? Without a “truth line” we do not embrace true joy and peace.
I would like to hear what makes up your “truth line”? What do you find is the best way to get back when you have strayed too far?
The Locker Room
There is a quote, from a new movie titled The Grace Card, that was impactful to me. I believe it speaks greatness no matter if you are a believer in God or not. It has the ability to give us a perspective to be a “make-it-happen” man or woman. If we all took on this challenge I believe our world would look a lot different. So often, if you are anything like me, we can get caught in this worldly perspective of presenting all things in a palatable way so we won’t offend anyone around us. As if we are in control of them anyway.
I have challenged many to “get their jersey dirty” and live life 100%. I believe this quote helps us to put that in action. So no more waiting, here is the quote, here is the challenge; “Sunday is the locker room, Monday through Saturday is the game!” Go and get in the game this Monday, find a coach who is going to motivate you and lift you up when you don’t feel like getting up. If we play life as hard as some of us play games, we will no doubt win the game.
Let me know what you are going to do to play the game. What you post just might be a motivator for someone else to get in the game!
Plugged In!
So I’m sitting in church this morning and the pastor was giving an analogy that made me think of a perspective how we are to be connected to God. I believe we are to live lives that are overflowing.In order for us to overflow with love we have to be plugged in to the love’s source. In the New Testament, Matthew 22:36-40 (New International Version) it paints a clear picture of what life is like when we are “plugged in”.
36“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37Jesus replied: ” ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
In order for us to love our neighbor as ourselves, I believe we must have God’s love radiating from our lives which comes out of the overflow of us loving ourselves because we let God’s Love invade our hearts!