Monday, July 29, 2013

On Receiving Wise Words From Others

Recently someone shared with me some very insightful words. He said, essentially, "Seeing a problem requires significantly less skill than solving one--even a child knows when one of his toys is broken, but he is unable to fix it and so takes it to his father. You have a gift for seeing things that are broken, the next step is to learn how to solve some of the problems that you see so clearly." Without having to go into much detail, these words were very humbling. I am still but a child.

Another wise man said something that same week that has stuck with me also, "Physical fitness is part of your Spiritual Discipline." I have to confess, that I have not treated my Spiritual life holistically--I have neglected the very clear reality that my spirit and body are interconnected--we are not gnostics that ignore the realities of the material world, we are Christians that assume the claims of the Gospel in regards to its regeneration. I have to confess that I have neglected to be a good steward of the good gifts that God has given me, especially of this body.

I am grateful for the men of wisdom and discernment that God has put in my life--but I have to admit that I haven't always had ears to hear them. I have been too proud, I have been too individualistic, I have been too 'smart' for my own good. The constant grinding nature of these past few years of ministry has turned some of the hardest parts of my pride into fine powder, as I have struggled with disappointment, rejection and failures. Rather than abandoning me in the midst of my trials, God has again and again shown his closeness and tenderness towards me. Thanks be to God that there is grace for a fool such as I.

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