Sometimes it is best NOT to say something

This is another one of life's harder lessons for me...

Now before you equate this with some coverup culture vibe or worse, please give me an opportunity to unpack this idea a little more, and with all important context.

I have recently been working for a major organisation in our country, where part of the contractual side of my employment strongly discourages us from speaking publicly about what we do.

We are even told people will be reviewing what we like or share on social media.

It has been so challenging not responding to posts and comments about who I work for online, because some of it has been plainly wrong.

And yet I have had to hold my tongue.

Avoid responding.

Run from clicking on a like or an angry face icon.

While this may seem draconian, it has actually taught me something...

You and I live in a time in history where we can share our lives more publicly than in previous generations. This algorithmic universe we travel in rewards sharing of life's moments, good and bad. In fact I wonder if it encourages overshare in many circumstances?

Share more and you will be "rewarded" more with clicks, likes, attention and perceived relevance.

Some have forgotten the virtue of temperance.

Others have potentially lost their personal filter as they seek attention and relevance in our culture.

I think that you can't always anticipate the response from your posts, your sharing. And that includes the narrative people can begin to write in their hearts about you, your motivations and your ultimate value to them.

Sharing everything can in hindsight be a bad thing.

Maybe it creates a wrong impression of who you are and your values?

Maybe it comes back to haunt you in the future?

Interestingly in scripture we are encouraged to sometimes hide from others, maybe for a time, what we are navigating, and yet not hide it from God himself.

Jesus said that "when you pray..." Matthew 6:5 to not be like others who look super spiritual, theologically superior and avoid being public with your prayers.

He finishes this interesting comment on prayer "...go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." Matthew 6:6 NIV

In fact if you read more of the same chapter Jesus encourages 3 things be done in secret:

Prayer

Giving

Fasting

I have been thinking about this lately and feeling challenged in my own heart.

Have I been oversharing? Putting too much of myself into the world, or at least being unwise as to the level of my sharing.

I think I struggle like others with this concept.

I want to talk, want to share, and sometimes have regretted just how much I exposed in hindsight.

Contrary to popular belief - you don't share everything, with everyone, all the time.

Now I not attempting to encourage you to hide your life's realities and challenges completely.

What I am suggesting is that you apply a healthy dose of wisdom to your approach.

To take a bead, to think ahead about what you are considering sharing with the world.

Sometimes it is better to keep the circle small with what is happening with us.

Sometimes it is more wise to consider the timing of sharing broadly, the impact, the potential unintended consequences both in the moment and in the future.

Sometimes it is better to share the outcome after the process.

As a famous proverb goes...

"Wisdom is proven right by her actions."

Something to think about...

"Shepherds Delight" - shared hope for something better

One of the many phrases I heard growing up was…

Red sky at night, shepherds delight

Red sky in morning, shepherds warning*

It always meant to me that based on when the sky was red, that it gave an indication of what could be coming next related to the weather.

Apparently this last winter was the wettest on record where we live in 46 years. It had noticeably negatively affected my feelings about life along with many others in the city we live.

Recently walking towards our local park I noticed the sky changing colour. The hue grew more and more red as I approached a well known landmark and I was reminded of those famous words above.

My hope for you and me navigating whatever long, cold, maybe damp season that we have faced, that it is now finally turning into something new.

May the red sky give you hope.

May it remind you that while some seasons may feel far too long, that they can not last forever.

Hang onto to hope my friend.

Something to think about…

*Matthew 16:2-3

Why Intellectual Assent could be hurting the Church

I remember the sight of people entering the building when I first went along to Church again.

They had a look.

Especially the guys.

Picture if you can a clean shaved guy, wearing a floral or highly patterned shirt, complete with a large Bible under their arm.

We are aren't just talking a pocket version or something subtle.

Back in those days it was as large as you could get, generally with a faux leather zip cover thingy that held not only the Bible, but church notices, notes and other assorted things.

Fast forward a decade or more and we seem to have shifted to something more sophisticated.

Most of us dressed down while "tech-ing" up. 

Those under the arm masses of church materials replaced with a phone using a Bible app.

When we lead our Church we added physical message notes to our Sundays.

A5 pieces of paper were given out as you arrived which included all the Bible verse that the message would cover, along with fill-in-the-gap sections to help you take notes.

We actively encouraged thinking, taking your own notes, asking God what He might be saying in the middle of what was being said from the front.

What is my point with this long winded intro?

One of my current concerns is that we may have in general lurched towards a more intellectual assent model. I'll explain what that term means in a moment...

I don't see people carrying Bibles as much.

I don't see people looking at the Bible apps as much.

And I definitely do not see people taking notes during the sermon as much.

Why?

Maybe a few reasons:

1. When we embraced the above model of teaching, people called it "life application".

It was based on the simple idea that what we taught one day should be able to be applied to any day.

There were many who didn't like this style of teaching and who would tell me "expository teaching" was the only valid way to teach the Bible (the systematic verse by verse style of teaching).

Here is my problem with the argument. 

If it is bad teaching, neither teaching style works.

And if people can't relate to what is taught, you can't apply it to your life. Your faith expression, how your live each day "out there" (world) doesn't ever seem to correlate with what happens "in there" (Church).

Knowledge is seen as king.

My problem with this is that you teach, but without power. 

1 Corinthians 2:4 states: "My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power," NIV

I see today many craving wise words, clever presentation, engaging presentation and avoidance of the "proof" of the word via demonstration.

Paul even goes on to explain in Chapter 8 that knowledge can puff us up. 

This isn't a good thing. 

It speaks of pride and of missing the point of learning all together.

2. We have what I call age-up push-back.

This is the challenge many Christians have. 

Where as you apparently mature in the faith, you actually very easily begin to push back against teaching that challenges you. You feel above what the "newby's" are learning because "you have heard it all before". You desire encouragement without conviction, more information over more faith in action.

When you add "it is all about me" attitudes prevalent in modern church, where the preferences of the long term believer are demanded, the teaching style gets push back, gets dumbed down, removes all challenge or faith expectation.

So what is intellectual assent?

It relates to the mind, deep thinking, and the use of reason rather than emotions - Merriam Webster

In Church, it relates to learning and adding to knowledge, thinking that the more we learn and the more knowledge we gain that will equal growth.

This is why it is so dangerous!

It potentially destroys your faith, it destroys even the childlike faith we have been encouraged to have.

It takes the supernatural and replaces it with logic arguments and what is consider culturally natural.

So here is my encouragement today for you and me.

Study yes. But also look to apply more. 

Try more. Step out in faith more.

I don't believe you age out of faith

Avoid stupid church arguments and embrace faith based action.

Keep a gentle heart and avoid comfort only based communities.

Be part of the action instead of watching from the sideline.

Something to think about...

Happy 21st Birthday to this Blog

 

Handy advice when you read the Bible

My very short thought was created by someone else, but wanted to share anyway.

As Christians we are encouraged to read the Bible.

I concur. It is great advice.

But my thought today relates to understanding what could be the best way to approach it when you do?

In my current Bible Reading Plan each day normally starts with the same encouragement, which I want to pass on you today:

Do you notice a promise to trust, a truth to embrace, a warning to heed, 

or an encouragement to rest in?

What do you learn about God, about yourself, or about the world?

Is there one verse or thought that stands out to you today?

Talk to God about it...

I honestly this is such a great approach, kind of like a filter to help you process and apply what you read.

Something to think about...

*Courtesy Life.Church Whole Bible in Under 2 Years Plan