Finals. The subject on everyone's mind this week. I myself am lucky in that I have only one, Will Shakespeah. I used to detest Shakespeare (although I certainly have always appreciated his unsurpassed contribution to the English language), but this semester I've grown to appreciate him quite a bit. Maybe it was my dramatic slaying of Polonius while playing Hamlet that really allowed me to relate to the character, but more likely it's that I have a professor who loves the material. Anytime that happens of course, it's tough for some of it not to rub off. Half of my final is a take-home, which I can't decide if I'm happy about. I think I am. I think I'll be much happier, though, after Tuesday.
Five Reasons Sam is Cool:
1. He does not celebrate the 4th of July.
2. He says "Skih-les" and "Gulf".
3. He likes Harry Potter.
4. He very recently considered going to a party and using the pickup line, "I may not be the best-looking guy here, but I'm the only one talking to you."
5. When I'm sad and pissed off, instead of irritatingly telling me I should get myself out of the house, he tells me I should get in my PJ's and curl up in bed until I feel better. :)
You know you're hard up for money when you get one of those "stuffing envelopes starter kit- yours for only $29.95!" emails and you sit there for ten minutes telling yourself that even if it is a scam, it's probably worth it to lose thirty bucks just for the possibility of making 500-800 bucks a week.
Luuuuuuuuuke, I am your reeeeeadeerrr. That's probably the cheesiest title I've ever come up with. So I was up early and reading in Luke this past Saturday morning. It was the part about turning the other cheek and loving your enemies and such. This stuff I've heard before, and I know a lot of Christians struggle with it, although, to be honest, I never have. Struggled with the IDEA that we're supposed to do that, I mean. After all, it says right there what we're supposed to do. It was the part after that, though, that really caught my eye:
32"If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them. 33And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that. 34And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' lend to 'sinners,' expecting to be repaid in full. 35But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
That really got me thinking. Someone (possibly the ubiquitous Miles MacPherson, I can't remember) said that it's naive of us to think the world will be able to see that we are Christians because we love our loved ones. It's not, after all, as if the world doesn't love their families, friends, etc. We show we are Christians because we also love those who do not love you. I like these verses because Luke, ever-practical, gives us three concrete examples of HOW we can go about loving our enemies. It sounds binding, but really if you think about it, it's very freeing. It means there are no limits on giving. As Christians, we are simply expected to give and give and give without condition. We don't have to worry anymore about picking and choosing who's "reliable" to lend money to, or who is "worthy enough" to love. God's done it for us. Luke must have known how tough it would be for us to hear that though, because he closely follows it with this verse: 46"Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say? 47I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. 48He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. 49But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete."
Wh-PSHHH! (that's my impression of a whip cracking. If you'd like to see my impression of a hot dog, just ask.)
Quote of the Week: "The beginning of the fall of man was trust in himselfe. The beginning of the restoring of man, was distrust in himselfe, and trust in God." -The Book of Common Prayer
©December 15, 2002 by me.