transformation ... more

i was privileged today

as i was walking to my car
this dude rides up on his bike
and asks for help

we talked for a couple minutes ...
well. actually he did the talking

he needed food and a bath ...

and he was angry

he was angry at having to ask
and at the system that got him to where he was

some might respond to that
with thoughts of
'sooooo.... you're being played'
or some such

he cried
briefly
while he was angry

we went to the house of the waffle
and i told him order anything he wanted
and as much as he wanted
he had 2 pork chops and grits
coffee and coke

and he talked

he spoke of the history of this area
the black history

he spoke of the blessing
of each human being unique
being able to bring
their unique perspective to bear on life
for the benefit of us all

he spoke of the dire need for listeners
people who will simply listen
and noted that we are too tied up
in ourselves
to listen
to care enough
to listen

he was not a stupid man
not at all

he was
a
man


selah ... ~


i was privileged today

maybe
i'll get lucky
tomorrow
too

shalom

transformation ...

that's the core thingy
changing
as
into
Jesus
like

And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, 
are being 
transformed 
into his image 
with ever-increasing glory, 
which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, 
but be 
transformed 
by the renewing of your mind. 
Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.


selah ..~



think

this
...

shalom

faithing it ...

i suffer from a particular malady
the belief that life should be fair and just

i think
you get what you deserve
it'll all come around in the end
what goes around comes around

when you think about that kind of think
you come up with something akin to karma

Messiah Jesus is not much about karma
he is totally about love
and forgiveness
and longsufferingness
and such

selah ..~

a friend recently asked friends what it means to them
to renew the mind
as in Romans 12

the answer is really in the passage that follows -
Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, 
so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

For by the grace given to me, I tell everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he should think. 
Instead, think sensibly, as God has distributed a measure of faith to each one. ....
(i omit the next section)
...
Love must be without hypocrisy. 
Detest evil; cling to what is good. 
Show family affection to one another with brotherly love. 
Outdo one another in showing honor. 
Do not lack diligence; be fervent in spirit; serve the Lord. 
Rejoice in hope; 
be patient in affliction; 
be persistent in prayer. 
Share with the saints in their needs; 
pursue hospitality. 
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 
Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep. 
Be in agreement with one another. 
Do not be proud; instead, associate with the humble. 
Do not be wise in your own estimation. 
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. 
Try to do what is honorable in everyone’s eyes. 
If possible, on your part, live at peace with everyone. 
Friends, do not avenge yourselves; instead, leave room for His wrath, for it is written: 'Vengeance belongs to Me; I will repay, says the Lord'.
But if your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him something to drink. For in so doing you will be heaping fiery coals on his head.
Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good.

in my mind
renewing my mind
entails doing what apostle paul points out here

in the doing of it
my mind is made over
taught to do these things
instead of the things i used to do
taught to unconform to the things of this world system
and to transform
by the doing

the faith Jesus teaches
is a verbed noun
it is in the doing
that we express our 'belief'

i am transformed
when i bring my mind into subjection to my spirit
when i faith my belief in God
living the heart-change

................ i think

selah ..~

shalom