Deliberation and Intentionality

I am sitting in my half empty room preparing to move out of seminary housing to live with my parents for a bit. This will allow me to be closer to work and be a bit more wise with money. I am listening to the song "Lead Me to the Cross" by Hillsong United while pondering the lecture this evening by Udo Middelmann on beauty. In the end, he spoke about reality and how Christians should present the gospel. There should be continuity between a person's message and how they live life. This goes to the most simple aspect of how one serves dinner and lives day to day life. The gospel message begins with creation and the value of creation and most importantly the significance of human beings. Each individual human being is precious because every human being is a descendent of Adam. Our neighbors have value and significance. We should live this way. God values beauty. He created it. Udo presented a definition of beauty that I have not heard before. Beauty can be understood as something which is effectively communicating a message as well as having a well crafted form. Something which is very disturbing can be beautiful because the medium communicates the disturbing idea very effectively. Americans often enjoy the the beauty that warms the heart and the activities that make one smile to try to forget about all the suffering and struggles that are included in living.

On a different note, one should help others seek instead of focusing on finding God. I was reminded that scripture states that everyone who seeks finds. People need to be encouraged to seek, ask questions, struggle, think, and wrestle with truth. As a result, they will find the truth if they seek the truth. Also, my life should cause people to ask questions and my answers should be consistent with how I live life. I fear that this is not often the case. I am still discovering why I believe what I believe and how those beliefs are lived out. Yet, I can pursue being deliberate in my choices with an effort to have my life reflect my beliefs and ideas. This can begin by simply valuing beauty and quality. This can begin with loving my neighbor and valuing them as a human whom God created. I can value beauty by what I decide to eat and how I maintain my house. I can reflect God by intentionally working hard at what I am passionate about and being an educated person. God says that beauty, excellence, and work are good. God created man and said that it was good to make man. God even made man in his image. As a result, my life should reflect that humans have value individually as well as corporately. I should work hard and creatively because God desires me to create new things and create new things well.

I am thankful for the opportunity to be inspired and encouraged once again to dream big and take steps of action. Now to dreaming about possibilities, working hard to create new things, and encouraging others to seek.