NowTHINK!AboutIt

HOPE: Now or Later or Both

January 25, 2017 by EnnisP Leave a Comment

What Does Hope
Really Mean?

One problem with reading the Bible is the fact that there is a large span of time between the moment it was written and time you read it.

Even the newest parts of the Bible are still a couple thousand years old. It was written at a different place, in a different culture and at a different time, so we shouldn’t be surprised when the words change a bit.

Don’t misunderstand. I’m not questioning inspiration or suggesting the words are unreliable. All I’m saying is that words do take on varying shades of meaning over time. They don’t change entirely, but enough to need qualifying. Without qualification, you get the wrong message.

Not to worry. We know the ancient languages and the meanings of the words as they were used in the past. We also understand these words as they were used over time. We’re not in the dark, but to understand the difference we need to study the process. We call that study etymology. It’s a science.

The word Hope is a good example. [Read more…] about HOPE: Now or Later or Both

“Jesus Saves” Imbues God’s Call

January 8, 2017 by EnnisP Leave a Comment

Jesus Saves

The ministry is a calling, not a career. It can become a career but there’s a big difference between a calling that becomes a career and a career that was never initiated by a calling.

Those who answer the call are often well suited for many different types of secular work. In fact, several people move into ministry from secular positions taking their skills with them. Moses was trained in Egypt before leading Israel out of slavery. David’s fighting skills were honed while shepherding sheep. Elisha was a farmer before he became the prophet of God. The qualities he developed in farming – reliability, diligence, endurance, attention to detail, organization – were just as useful in ministry as they were in farming.

But the question is, why would anyone do that? Why would a person move from a successful career path in secular work, one they’ve worked hard to prepare for and succeed at, to take up a position in ministry?

Momma Called, Daddy Sent, Socially Ratified

Sad to say, some do this because others think they should. The response is induced by public opinion. Respected others become the basis for a call. And since the work itself is so desirable – ministry is thought of as doing only good things – it’s an easy shift.

The Bible does say ministry is good work.

If a man desires the office of Bishop, he desires a good thing (1 Timothy 3:1).

What it doesn’t say is that ministry is the only good work or that all other work is tainted, but that is the perception. Secular work is leprous. Ministry is heavenly. It’s all very pie in the sky.

The truth is, you don’t have to be in ministry to do good work.

Secular work isn’t partly dingy and ministry isn’t the purified version of vocation. In fact, sound theology teaches there is dignity in all work. Dignity being derived not from the nature of the work but from the way you perform it.

God Called

Another reason people opt for ministry is the call. They are called by God to the work of ministry and the calling is often attached to some specific location. A town or city.

But is that enough? Career oriented people tend to be decisive individuals. They’re focused. They visualize where they are going, they anticipate specific results and they make and own their choices. Allowing someone else to make those choices, even God, doesn’t sit well with these types.

So what is it that prompts them to leave a well defined career path and move into ministry apart from the call? What expectation captures their attention and keeps them focused on ministry?

In short, the answer is simple: [Read more…] about “Jesus Saves” Imbues God’s Call

16 Life Lessons From The Yes-No Dichotomy

October 18, 2016 by EnnisP Leave a Comment

The Beauty
Of Yes

In this post I want to focus on decision making or what we might call the dichotomy of yes and no. Like 1’s and 0’s in computer language, life is a combination of these two words.

When tested for diseases, we long to hear, “No, found nothing! All is clear!” But a No in that situation is really a Yes to life. It’s a new lease and we love to hear it.

In spite of No being the best response in some situations, we still like hearing Yes more.

When asking for help or a personal day or permission from parents, “Yes!” sounds like a million dollars. It’s like winning a mini lottery.

But we aren’t always subject to the judgments of others or unpredictable circumstances. Sometimes, in fact very often, we sit in the Yes/No driver’s seat. Every decision we make involves a yes or a no answer. Sometimes it’s a little of both.

Even Indecision eventually becomes No.

The point is, Yes and No are unavoidable. There’s no bench warming in life. Yes and No make us a part of the game and Jesus had something to say about this dichotomy.

You have heard that it was said by them of old time, you shall not forswear yourself, but shall perform unto the Lord your oaths. But I say unto you, swear not at all. Neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne, nor by the earth, for it is his footstool. Neither by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Neither shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. But let your communication be, yea yea or nay nay, for whatsoever is more than these comes of evil. Matthew 5:33-37

First let me address the problematic words. There are two: forswear and swear. They are opposites. A dichotomy of sorts.

[do_widget “Image”]

Swearing is the strongest kind of promise you can make. If you swear to something, you have, in a sense, guaranteed it.

Forswearing, on the other hand, is what we call it when a person fails to follow through. They swear to do something and then fail to keep the promise. Or they swear something is true only to be found lying later. [Read more…] about 16 Life Lessons From The Yes-No Dichotomy

This Week In Divorce – Celebrity Breakups

September 22, 2016 by EnnisP Leave a Comment

Celebrity Marriage
Is A Minefield

It isn’t uncommon for the public to think celebrities hold the highest spot on the divorce-rate list but according to a Radford University study the idea is just a myth.

The study’s findings were based on the 2000 census and isolated rates of divorce by occupation, listing 449 different jobs.

Surprisingly, dancers and choreographers were first on the list with just over 43% divorce rate. Second and third on the list were bartenders and massage therapists. Casino workers, telephone operators, nurses and home health aides were also in the top ten. Celebrities didn’t even get an honorable mention.

So why do we think they’re the worst?

Maybe we should blame the media. They give celebrities a lot of attention, especially when things like divorce are happening, and that does influence perception. Whatever the case, now that we know celebrity breakups don’t happen as frequently as we thought, we should look more closely and find out what makes these unions tick.

Let’s face it, celebrity marriages are strange and that isn’t just another overstated media induced perception. It’s also not a judgment. No condemnation intended.

There are several reasons why these unions are more like minefields than normal marriage and since common folks – the ones with normal marriages – have a difficult time getting marriage right we shouldn’t be surprised or overly critical when celebrity marriages wobble.

If we can turn off the judgment for a little while, we might learn something from their experience that can help the rest avoid marriage-divorce mishaps. We might even learn to be a bit more forgiving. [Read more…] about This Week In Divorce – Celebrity Breakups

This Week In Divorce – India Still Requires Fault

September 8, 2016 by EnnisP Leave a Comment

Incompatibility
Does Not Suggest
Fault

The Hindu reported that Politician Omar Abdullah’s divorce plea from his estranged wife, Payal Abdullah, was denied in court on 30 August 2016.

The circumstances behind the plea and the courts response were interesting.

Omar’s claims paint an ugly picture:

Married 1 September 1994
Conjugal relations ceased after 2007
Lived separately since 2009
Accused wife of cruelty, desertion and unreasonable conduct

The couple has two sons living with the mother.

The judge ruled that Omar had failed to prove irretrievable breakdown of the marriage.

I’m neither a judge nor a lawyer but this ruling raises several questions about the wisdom of requiring fault in the case of divorce: [Read more…] about This Week In Divorce – India Still Requires Fault