Involved In Mankind

"No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friend's or of thine own were: any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bells tolls; it tolls for thee."


This is an excerpt from John Donne (1572-1631), Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions, Meditation XVII: Nunc Lento Sonitu Dicunt, Morieris.


Oh, to be so involved in Life and in living, that we are deeply occupied with mankind. Each one a unique creation, each one loved by his Creator. To look into the eyes of a stranger and see God's hand. To draw true Life out of and into the soul of a young person. To look beyond the walls, constructed so carefully and fearfully. To love our neighbor as ourself. 


Oh Lord, give us the enabling Grace to embrace to lives of others, for your sake.


Amen

We Have Not Because We Ask Not

Have you ever thought that this may be true in our conversations with others? Our words are a valuable asset for us. They can, of course, be a liability, too. But, when we put our words together, with purpose, in conversational form with another person, great things can happen. All too often, though, nothing amazing happens, other than just another flat, uninteresting conversation.

Maybe our verbal interactions with others are flat because we don't ask questions. Questions are the fuel of an exchange between people. Without questions, the talk begins to unwind quickly.

As believers, we have a lot to say, don't you agree? Wouldn't you like your conversations to be memorable for all involved? With questions, we can keep it interesting. Its kind of like keeping a balloon in the air. It doesn't take much effort, but you have to stay with it.

It is the little questions, like:

"Wouldn't you agree?'
"What are your thoughts?"
"Do you find this interesting?"
"What is your take on this issue?"

Just some examples. There are as many queries as there are opportunities. We have been given the most important information on this earth, and we are responsible to impart it. An engaging dialogue with a person can be so much more effective than a mini-sermon, or even a threat of eternity in hell.

Don't you agree?

Just asking....

On The Twelfth Day Of Budapest

It is our 12th day of living in Budapest! In this short time we have moved in to our nice little apartment, become somewhat used to public transportation, and have become competent with the mental math of thinking forints and not dollars. 

And today we have internet! We are no longer cut off from the outside world! 

So we restart our blog, keeping the Verticalink title. It is a good title, so I see no need to change it.

Much has changed for us. The air is cold, but very much like New England, and therefore nostalgically comfortable. Walking is now a way of life, and no more something that we should, and will some day, do more of. And stairs! So many stairs. Everywhere. Especially at the school, however. Our precious school building is set up vertically rather than horizontally. Four floors. No elevator. High ceilings. Long stair cases. I teach on the fourth floor. I think you get it.

Loving it here, in spite of the assorted adjustments. 

Goal Oriented Or Glory Seeking?

Even as young people we are taught, early on, that we should have goals in life. The goal, the finish line, the award for completion are the things that motivate many of us. There is something inside of us that wants to 'get there', or to see something through.

Society has no shortage of potential goals, just waiting to be assumed by the right person. The belief is that, if one wishes to make their mark in society, they must chase a goal, seize it, and finish it.

Counterfeiting is defined as making an imitation of what is genuine with the intention to defraud. This is the art form of Satan. He lives to defraud, deceive, and distract, and he is proficient. Given this....

We have been given a built-in goal orientation. It is part of our makeup, which is why we find ourselves relating to goals so easily in our lives. For instance, do you have a do to list? Are you faithful to it? Even so, you keep using, even if it is a mental list. Goals.

Or faith gives us, as well, many potential goals. Because we were brought up in the devil's back yard, we are ready responders to the next leading of the Spirit toward a goal. Satan encourages us, as he paints a picture of the finish line for us to gaze upon, and we gaze. The Word of God instructs us to follow. So we get busy, following the goal that has been placed before us. We become capable, in our minds, of completing the goal, and the world system, disguised as light, cheers us on. Rah rah, chase the prize, you are well equipped, God is with you!

Yes, but are you with God? In our desire to do, we forget about being. That's right, just being. We are the light of the world. What does light do? It reveals things. When it is shined upon someone, it brings attention to that someone. When worthy, honorable attention is brought to someone, they are glorified. Why do we have spot lights? To glorify the performer. 

Ahh, but it is only a performer. Not the real deal. 

As the light of the world, our call is to shine the spot light on the real deal! To light up the main thing. And the main thing is God, and Jesus.

In John 17:4, Jesus spoke to the Father, and told Him that He glorified Him on earth by finishing the things he gave Him to do. He finished His goal, and it glorified who? God.

Well, we are not Jesus. We cannot be trusted to complete the goals that God gives us without shining the light upon ourselves. But, we can follow Jesus. He did it already. He knows how to get things done God's way. He will take us there.

And at the completion of the goal, at the finish line, we will shine our light upon Him, because all the Glory belongs to God, and none of it to us.

We are the light, when we are walking with Jesus, and this is how God is glorified on the earth today.

Ok, Coffee Break Is Over!

And what a coffee break it was. Six months, to be exact. Writer's block? Maybe. Lazy? Usually. Distracted? Most definitely. At any rate, what now? Do I blog about the things God has shown me in these months? Too much info, but let us suffice it to say that He has been teaching, and I have been straining to listen. I know that much of it will bleed over into the postings of the next weeks, and if you pay close attention, you'll catch on.

So, the first step is to re-promote this thing. It seems complicated, because I have had to drop my domain name forwarding for the time being. It just doesn't seem to fit into the missionary budget. The address is no longer www.verticalink.org, but, as you know, verticalinkblog.blogspot.com. Pass the word, please. Tell all your friends, because Verticalink, as an organization, is in the midst of a rebirth of sorts. I am not completely sure what God has in mind, but as we share together, I am sure His thoughts will be made clear.

A good friend of mine recently remarked that people often meditate on that which they should simply consider, and consider things that require meditation. As I have meditated upon this consideration, I see that it is true on so many levels. Ultimately, man will only consider the
Word of God for direction and meaning for life, but will meditate on the philosophies and vanities if this world system, without any lasting answers for their issues.

We do the same, when we step away from faith living, and into our own controlled environment. The issues of life which seem overwhelming and foreboding demand our attention, as we design a defense against the projected outcomes. The care and leading of God in the midst of these things becomes little more than a consideration. I mean, after all, we ARE Christians, so we have to at least consider Him, (when we have a minute).

Oh, but to reverse the sequence, and watch the Wonder of God's Hand in our lives, as we meditate upon the Author and Finisher of our faith!

I have been having fun, and blessing, with these truths. I hope you will, to.