Gaining Perspective in the Midst of Quarantine and Covid 19
Boom! Pandemic! Quarantine! Economic shutdown!
A microscopic novel and rogue virus disrupted a new year and forced us to take stock of our lives, livelihood, relationships, and world. A challenge for sure but an opportunity to gain some perspective.
Like most everyone else, the coronavirus pandemic disrupted my plans, as did a stubborn case of pneumonia. Was it the dreaded virus or just a nasty case of pneumonia I couldn’t shake? Don’t know. It doesn’t really matter.
Here are some writings I published on Medium since my last installment on Thinking Out Loud.
Please read, share, and respond if you like… and thanks for reading!
Considering why Jesus drew people to listen and follow Him
Jesus was unlike other rabbis who had their own interpretations and traditions based on the Law of Moses. I believe Jesus was the ultimate Rabbi or Teacher.
Other rabbis were exclusive and expected their disciples to accept and respect their teaching and authority. But Jesus was not like them.
What drew people to Jesus?
How losing our perspective distorts our vision of reality
The social climate of the 21st century seems to feed on crises, controversies, and conspiracies. We cry, sigh, die, and sometimes thrive off a steady diet of some new real or perceived problem.
It’s easy to get overwhelmed by it all. Easy to lose hope. But what we really lose is perspective
When a crisis arises it often leads to chaos and fear…
The generic nature of the word love in the English language
We overuse the word love. I’m speaking of American English speakers. We use the word love in so many ways and in so many contexts.
In doing so, we’ve stripped the word love of its beauty, depth, and life. We’ve made it anemic like a feeble body lacking sufficient iron.
When I was young one of us would say, “I love baseball (and I do!).” Our retort to them was, “Why don’t you marry it?” then we would laugh about it. So, any fullness in meaning for the word love for us was doomed at an early age.
It’s all a matter of perspective but which one?
Basically, there are three ways to see things in life — our own outlook, the viewpoint of others, and the way things are in an objective sense.
God is the only one who sees all three perspectives.
When we or others view people, life events, or whatever else, we see things subjectively. Each of us has our own biases. Our own worldview.
How we see the world and all that’s in it — including ourselves and others — is viewed through our beliefs, emotions, experiences, and values.
The paradox of self-sacrifice and self-exaltation
Dieting and weight loss have become a stand-alone industry.
I’m amazed by the onslaught of ads and commercials everywhere I look — TV, social media, billboards. Physical fitness programs are often linked with specialized diets.
I don’t know why I’m amazed by all the focus on diet and fitness. It all lines up with our cultural obsession with self and appearance. Even selling “healthy” junk food and trendy cars appeal to this obsessive focus.
It’s a paradox of sorts.
Blessed Are the Easily Overlooked
A look at the first 3 Beatitudes of the Sermon on the Mount
The Beatitudes
What is common is often misunderstood or overlooked.
The Beatitudes found in the Sermon on the Mount are a common topic for discussions on how to be a good Christian or simply a good citizen of society.
These nine statements with promises of blessedness are prominently featured on wall plaques in many homes.
What‘s common is often misunderstood or overlooked
Have gentle but powerful attitudes of mind and heart
Someone is always trying to sell us something, it seems. Much of the time, fantastic claims are made but there’s a cost. There may be a guarantee but assurances are based on paid testimonials.
But what if, there really is something to cure whatever ails you? Not a wonder-drug or snake oil claim but one with no cost and is unlimited. Would you be interested?
We’re flooded with a plethora of self-help and self-improvement articles, books, and courses. Some are free. Some are free up to a point while others have a specific cost.
Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God
There is a pivotal scene in the narrative of the Book of Ruth. It is one of my favorite segments of the story of Ruth. It follows the goodbye of Orpah to Naomi as Orpah returns to her gods and her people.
As it turns out, Orpah says goodbye to her sister-in-law and compatriot Ruth because of Ruth’s amazing confession and commitment to Naomi—
“Don’t make me turn back from following you.
Wherever you go, I will go, and wherever you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God” (Ruth 1:16 GW).
Understanding how our calling and vocation relate to our life
What’s your calling in life? If you have some background or experience in a church, you may think I’m asking, how do you serve in the church? I’m not.
The idea of a life calling isn’t limited to some role within the church or associated with ministry. It has to do with our vocation or profession.
A troubling perception…
How to Finish Well with Freedom and Clear Vision
Two priorities to help finish a life of faith well
What holds you back?
What distracts you?
What won’t you let go of or what seems to keep holding on to you?
These are questions we need to ask ourselves when living a life of faith. They are also common questions related to personal growth and entrepreneurship.
It seems we all fight similar battles. Most of the time these battles are within us—our hearts and minds. But we tend to see these battles outside ourselves and beyond our capacity to conquer.
Why do we see them as outside of us and hard to conquer?
Let go of manipulative ways.
“God loves you and people have a wonderful plan for your life!”
This is what a good friend of mine would say when people made suggestions to the pastor or other people. It was a rephrasing of one of the Four Spiritual Laws by the late Bill Bright of Cru (Campus Crusade for Christ).
It has a ring of truth to it.
My friend and I, along with countless other pastors, have heard well-intentioned suggestions from people in the church many, many times.
Again, thanks for reading!
