Yesterday I had all four of my wisdom teeth removed. I was dreading it because I have the type of imagination that envisions the pain-killers not working, over-sized pliers out of a rusty tool box, and a geyser of blood.
I wouldn't volunteer to go through it again but God and I had a great couple of hours. The procedure wasn't nearly as bad as my imagination had made it out to be.
During the procedure I had my iPod. I'd created a "worship" playlist that was nearly four hours long (just in case because I was imagining my butt would never leave that chair). While in the midst of a worship time with my King I made a correlation between my time in the chair and our sinful nature.
Despite knowing that what was being done to me should/would hurt I felt nothing more than some manuevering in my mouth. What I knew should bring pain and eventually would was nothing more than an irritant. As I lay there and the drill would come out I'd turn up my iPod and drown out the sound of the tool with worship songs. If things quieted down I'd turn it down a bit but remain deep in the presence of God.
Isn't that how life should be? If the procedure becomes the sin in our lives then don't we need to drown out its influence with the presence of God? Don't we overpower it with the grace of God and trust in Him to see us through?
Temptation seems to be at an all-time powerful these days. Everywhere we go we are bombarded with images, sounds, messages that aren't honoring to God. We need to turn down the influence of the enemy and immerse ourselves in God's presence. He's always waiting for us if we'd only turn up the volume and ignore the temptations surrounding us.
Showing posts with label Role Models. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Role Models. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Death of the Role Model
Success driven by controversy. Career goals achieved through use of illegal substance. Talent celebrated despite a lack of character. Government leaders without a moral compass. These are the signs of the modernization of our culture. These men and women shape our children's perception on success, power, self-esteem, & popularity.
If you get yourself in the papers and keep yourself there, you'll generate curiousity. If you generate curiousity, you'll garner attention. If you garner that attention, do whatever you can to keep yourself at the center of that attention. Curious people will result in revenue. Revenue results in many material things. Many material things results in status. Status results in popularity. Popularity results in revenue. If necessary do something controversial. Nudity is always good. Break a law as long as it is a minor one you'll not be held accountable. Talent isn't enough make sure to sell your body.
America's past time has a blotch on it. An ugly blotch of steroid use and lying. Baseball, a sport that has inspired a nation, has been disgraced. A century wroth of heroes has been reduced to a period of shame. In misguided efforts to put their name at the top of the leader board, achieve historical numbers, preserve their place in a Hall of Fame, earn more dollars than anyone else our heroes became fallible when steroids replaced hard work. Instead of the love of the game driving players towards success they played for money and trophies and bargained their reputations.
Roman Polanski awaits extradition thirty years after committing a heinous crime that most would punish with violence or death and yet there are those who vocally support him and demand his freedom. A man who overcame such a tragic childhood and lived to emerge on the other side a survivor became the monster of his nightmares that he fought against. A man who lost his wife in an act of unnecessary violence turned and robbed a child, leaving her with nightmares of her own. His crimes go unpunished because of his fear of the punishment. He committed the crime and fled the consequences. Now that the consequences have caught up with him, we demand his release because of his tormented past and his talent in storytelling.
If you get yourself in the papers and keep yourself there, you'll generate curiousity. If you generate curiousity, you'll garner attention. If you garner that attention, do whatever you can to keep yourself at the center of that attention. Curious people will result in revenue. Revenue results in many material things. Many material things results in status. Status results in popularity. Popularity results in revenue. If necessary do something controversial. Nudity is always good. Break a law as long as it is a minor one you'll not be held accountable. Talent isn't enough make sure to sell your body.
America's past time has a blotch on it. An ugly blotch of steroid use and lying. Baseball, a sport that has inspired a nation, has been disgraced. A century wroth of heroes has been reduced to a period of shame. In misguided efforts to put their name at the top of the leader board, achieve historical numbers, preserve their place in a Hall of Fame, earn more dollars than anyone else our heroes became fallible when steroids replaced hard work. Instead of the love of the game driving players towards success they played for money and trophies and bargained their reputations.
Roman Polanski awaits extradition thirty years after committing a heinous crime that most would punish with violence or death and yet there are those who vocally support him and demand his freedom. A man who overcame such a tragic childhood and lived to emerge on the other side a survivor became the monster of his nightmares that he fought against. A man who lost his wife in an act of unnecessary violence turned and robbed a child, leaving her with nightmares of her own. His crimes go unpunished because of his fear of the punishment. He committed the crime and fled the consequences. Now that the consequences have caught up with him, we demand his release because of his tormented past and his talent in storytelling.
Where is the responsibility? When do we stop justifying and excusing our actions and accept our consequences? When do we accept the weight of our accomplishments as well as our failures? I respect the person who can apologize for their shortcomings. I want to know the person who learns from their mistakes. I am accepting of those who challenge me to grow, learn, & improve myself. I don't ever want to plateau. There's an awesome view if you don't believe that you reached it halfway up.
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