Monday, February 02, 2009

live and think widely

Of course we are to be on the narrow way to which Jesus refers. This is the way of Jesus, the way of following him, the way of the Lord for God's people, the way of life as opposed to the way of death.

What I'm referring to here is our need as those in Jesus, in our own differing ways, to get out into God's wide world. Not only as a witness, but also as those who get to know others and better understand their culture and thinking. Only in that way can we be those who like Paul endeavor to be all things to all people so that we can see some of them come to salvation in Christ.

I'm also referring to our need to appreciate what we can learn from others, including nonChristians and really everyone. Of course there are those whose words can be destructive in misleading others away from faith; we need to be on guard for ourselves and others. We certainly need discernment in all things.

But there is much we can learn from others, while remaining in the word and in prayer and in fellowship with God's people at all times. I am sorry for the great fear Christians have over science. I was told not long ago by a good, intelligent believer as I marveled over the stars that scientists can know nothing about them.

Granted, we do find scientists who say very unscientific things, and write unscientific books. And to be fair any good Christian scientist, this especially evident in particular fields, will be influenced in their work by their faith. However Christians need to look at data for themselves and make up their own minds. God has not given us the world of creation, or nature to contradict his word, Scripture. Both need to be studied for themselves. I find such study fascinating, and I'm thankful for those Christians who do not run with fear from such study, but learn much in these fields from which the rest of us can draw knowledge.

We need to be those who keep asking questions, intent on learning more about God's wonderful world, as well as about what is going on in the world. We as individuals will take this in and process it differently. But only as we keep on reading or learning in some way will we keep on growing. Of course some of you will read a lot of fiction and poetry. Others of us will read other things. I especially appreciate learning from other Christians who have been able to study with depth into different areas. Reading from them, I can gain some good insights into God's world and life in it. Learning to see things in a better light myself. Of course while remaining in Scripture ourselves, and in prayer, as well as in fellowship with God's people (a good repetition).

What other thoughts might you add to this? Any objections?

6 comments:

L.L. Barkat said...

always a question asker... gets me into trouble sometimes... still, never a dull moment. : )

Anonymous said...

each of us is unique and it really does make life interesting to see the variety and different perspectives on what we see around us. each of us lives in a different place with different circumstances and interests which gives us things to share with eachother. and even in all of these differences unity can be found in how we choose to relate and extend God's Love to one another.

Anonymous said...

I don't have any answers, but I share that feeling of numbness. As Pink Floyd put it, sometimes I feel "I have become comfortably numb."

Ted M. Gossard said...

L.L.,
I know what you mean there. I've learned to be more quiet and selective, at least more, anyhow.

Ted M. Gossard said...

Nancy,
Yes. We need to be good listeners, and respect each other, even with our differences, and maybe especially with those differences.

Ted M. Gossard said...

Mar,
Like our physical bodies, our inward pain and numbness can tell us something. But we need to take the time to listen, and keep listening in order to learn, I think.