Small Thoughts on Ecumenism and Iron Sharpening Iron

Chris reminded me of what I consider the strength of the modern Church, and that is its diversity… at least when we’re all serious about the One that matters, and our pursuit of Truth.

My Messianic friends teach me about the beauty of the OT feasts, and how they plug into Jesus’ life and prophecy.  They enrich my understanding of our Lord, and sometimes bring me near to tears.  (http://messianicfellowship.50webs.com/wedding.html)

My Calvinist friends remind me to study hard and stand unflinchingly for the Truth, regardless of popularity.

My more Pentecostal friends remind me to have BIG faith.

My Catholic friends show me the strength of a church that works together.  (The only time I want to be Catholic is when I fantasize about excommunicating certain folks who blaspheme our Lord by claiming Him).

My Orthodox friends show me love for tradition, and pure stubbornness in the face of the World.

Better would be if we truly knew when we were doing it “right” – but according to the seven letters in Revelation, we haven’t had that dialed in since John’s day.  I’m looking forward to learning to worship perfectly in Heaven.

Until then, I do the best I can (and I do the.best.I.can) and y’all do your best … and we’ll argue about details, and thus sharpen each other.  We make each other think.  We challenge each other’s assumptions.  We poke each other in our weak spots.  We illuminate the dark spots.  We’re a family.  Family is frequently annoying.  🙂  But we are all working for One Person.

And just as we’re one family, we’re one body… bodies have different bits with different purposes, skills, and weaknesses.

…

As an aside, if I could do one thing, it would be to share the overwhelming euphoric joy with which I am sometimes filled.  It’s amazing.  And all us sibs have equal access… so, if I could get you to do something, it would be to enjoy the filling of the Spirit and your communion with God.  Or maybe y’all do, and you aren’t telling me.  Because you should drop me a note about this stuff.  I need someone to glow with.  😀

Humans Judge on Appearance

I never thought I would write something for my professional blog – my image consulting blog – that I’d want to cross post here.  As a matter of fact, it’s not even running over there until later this week.  But it fits here.  And since it DID make me mad, I’m saying it today.  🙂

It irritates me when we needlessly replicate social science studies – especially when we do so on the backs of children.  This popped up on my FB feed this weekend.  https://www.facebook.com/NowThisNews/videos/1094289017327888/?pnref=story

The idea is to expose how horribly lookist that we are, in order to shame us into acting differently.

I’m all for treating people well, regardless of their appearance – it’s part of my commitment to Christ.

James 2:1 – 4 My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism. ² For if a man comes into your assembly with a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and there also comes in a poor man in dirty clothes, ³ and you pay special attention to the one who is wearing the fine clothes, and say, “You sit here in a good place,” and you say to the poor man, “You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool,” ⁴ have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives? (NASB)

So, insofar as it involves me – or you, dear readers – I hope that you’re controlling your actions and basing them on compassion.  BUT.  BUT.  This wouldn’t have been in the Bible if it weren’t a natural human tendency.  (“Natural” is not a synonym for “good” – especially in the realm of human behavior).

What’s upsetting?  This has been proven.  Babies prefer pretty people.  Babies.  This is not nurture, it’s nature.  https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn6355-babies-prefer-to-gaze-upon-beautiful-faces/  This is known.  Every interaction any one of us has ever had in the world has reminded us of this hard truth.

You didn’t need to make a little girl cry.  I’m mad that they hurt this little girl – do they think she’s going to forget that day?  Every protective parental bone in my body is infuriated right now.  How DARE they do this to her?  They knew she’d be rejected.

And I get mad when I hear grown people say, “well, it shouldn’t matter how I dress…”  You’re right.  It shouldn’t.  But it does.  Humans are visual creatures, and we take in information visually.

Learn to speak with your mouth closed, and you can make this work for you.  In the meantime, remember that these things work on you just as they work on tiny babies, and act with love.