Why is it that when we exspirience being around people of such great poverty or people that may lack the basic needs for survival, we come back to our over cluttered existance and are thankful for all our stuff?
We so often are thankful for all of our things.
Yes...it is incredibly important to be thankful, I praise God for the food, water and a place of shelter he has so graciously blessed me with.
But I believe that Christ invites us to ask a new question, one that isn't easy to answer.
.::Why do I have all of this stuff, when others don't even have food?
When will we see the hurt in our world, we need ask ourselves that question...
It is not a guilt thing, guilt gets us nowhere.
It is not about pride in doing good, pride is death to us.
It is not a works theology, for we are saved only by the Grace of God.
.::It is about following.
Following the God of compassion and love, of grace and peace.
We are His followers.
He leads us to the homeless, the sick, the rich, the hungry and the thirsty, because they are his children too.
And he desperatly wants them to come home.
Next time we come home to our warm bed with all of our stuff (we americans like to call this stuff "blessings") consider and contemplate the words of Paul:
You will be made rich in every way
So that you can be generous on every occasion,
And through us your generosity will result in
Thanksgiving to God.
2 Corinthians 9:11
//Grace and Peace
Showing posts with label Materialism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Materialism. Show all posts
Monday, February 11, 2008
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
//Searching for True Orthodoxy
::Part 1
In search to figure out True Orthodoxy, we must look at what Orthodoxy was, has been, has become, and what it should be. I am on this journey, in attempt at being humble to the teaching of my Father, in hopes of discovering the True Orthodoxy.
It is important to ask questions while being taught, so I have asked these questions:
What is Orthodoxy?
Why must we first deconstruct Orthodoxy before we reconstruct it?
What has lead to the Syncretism of our faith with such worldly empires and customs?
What has our Orthodoxy become?
What Truths are we ignoring or distorting to fit our present age?
::We begin::
In the dictionary, Orthodoxy is defined as a belief or orientation agreeing with conventional standards.
Conventional is defined as:
1.following accepted customs and proprieties
2.conforming or adhering to accepted standards
3.ordinary rather than different or original
When looking at the American “church”, anyone can easily see that there is much conformity to the ways of the world. We seek power, strength, money, and self-glorification. We give into the gods of materialism, consumerism and greed.
We so quickly forget our first calling. Our eyes have been opened, but instead of truly seeing the heart of God, we turn our eyes away from the pain and hurt of the world and set our sights on “better” things.
We have become ordinary rather that different. We have conformed to the accepted standard as to not disturb or make anyone uncomfortable.
::Truth::
The way of the Cross is uncomfortable.
It is painful.
It is bloody.
It is dirty.
It will disturb you.
It just might ruin your life.
The word Orthodox is derived from the Greek ortho, which means right or correct, and doxa, which means thought, teaching or glorification.
As stated by Archbishop Averky of Syracuse and the Holy Trinity Monastery, “The superficial opinion of the majority notwithstanding, Orthodoxy is not merely another of the many "Christian confessions" now in existence, or as it is expressed here in America "denominations." Orthodoxy is the true, undistorted, not perverted by any human sophistry or invention, genuine teaching of Christ in all its purity and fullness—the teaching of faith and piety which is life according to the Faith.”
Orthodoxy is not a sum of dogmas that are to be adhered too, but rather full Truth that is not just a mental theology, but a theology put into practice, and a faith that is lived out.
In essence, Orthodoxy is to be the unaltered Truth of Christian teaching that is triumphant over all perversions and false teachings that are pressed on us by society. When looking at the Church, Jesus should be the standard and center of our faith. His teaching should form our unadulterated fundamental basis for our faith and life, which is True Orthodoxy.
May Grace and Truth be with us in our continuing search for True Orthodoxy.
In search to figure out True Orthodoxy, we must look at what Orthodoxy was, has been, has become, and what it should be. I am on this journey, in attempt at being humble to the teaching of my Father, in hopes of discovering the True Orthodoxy.
It is important to ask questions while being taught, so I have asked these questions:
What is Orthodoxy?
Why must we first deconstruct Orthodoxy before we reconstruct it?
What has lead to the Syncretism of our faith with such worldly empires and customs?
What has our Orthodoxy become?
What Truths are we ignoring or distorting to fit our present age?
::We begin::
In the dictionary, Orthodoxy is defined as a belief or orientation agreeing with conventional standards.
Conventional is defined as:
1.following accepted customs and proprieties
2.conforming or adhering to accepted standards
3.ordinary rather than different or original
When looking at the American “church”, anyone can easily see that there is much conformity to the ways of the world. We seek power, strength, money, and self-glorification. We give into the gods of materialism, consumerism and greed.
We so quickly forget our first calling. Our eyes have been opened, but instead of truly seeing the heart of God, we turn our eyes away from the pain and hurt of the world and set our sights on “better” things.
We have become ordinary rather that different. We have conformed to the accepted standard as to not disturb or make anyone uncomfortable.
::Truth::
The way of the Cross is uncomfortable.
It is painful.
It is bloody.
It is dirty.
It will disturb you.
It just might ruin your life.
The word Orthodox is derived from the Greek ortho, which means right or correct, and doxa, which means thought, teaching or glorification.
As stated by Archbishop Averky of Syracuse and the Holy Trinity Monastery, “The superficial opinion of the majority notwithstanding, Orthodoxy is not merely another of the many "Christian confessions" now in existence, or as it is expressed here in America "denominations." Orthodoxy is the true, undistorted, not perverted by any human sophistry or invention, genuine teaching of Christ in all its purity and fullness—the teaching of faith and piety which is life according to the Faith.”
Orthodoxy is not a sum of dogmas that are to be adhered too, but rather full Truth that is not just a mental theology, but a theology put into practice, and a faith that is lived out.
In essence, Orthodoxy is to be the unaltered Truth of Christian teaching that is triumphant over all perversions and false teachings that are pressed on us by society. When looking at the Church, Jesus should be the standard and center of our faith. His teaching should form our unadulterated fundamental basis for our faith and life, which is True Orthodoxy.
May Grace and Truth be with us in our continuing search for True Orthodoxy.
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