If you misquote somebody, does it still count? Young King Soloman is confronted one night: "I AM (God Almighty), ask of Me what you will". Y.K.S. says in effect: "I'm not experienced, and don't know how to come in, and go out before this great people I am to govern, grant me wisdom and insight please".
Maybe you are the one who knows what "coming in, and going out" refers to? My guess is that there exists a private (inner) "person", and also a public (outer) "persona". Making the transition as needed between the two is part of Y.K.S.'s view of wisdom!
Now, this going-out business, it appears, is; in our vocabulary been switched to "out-going", which bears an entirely different connotation. Formally then, the divide here runs as "How may I, with integrity of person, display a "real" outer-face (persona)?". Our puny "out-going" gig poses, at least possibly; a phoney enthusiasm, a faked "interest", as our (twisted) "norm". "Extroversion. . .itself, becomes "the good". Duh?
So then, to begin; our "inner man" does indeed conform to our "outer man, and that's precisely the problem! All of those petty squabbles of mine, all of those "misunderstandings", the bad feelings toward others, that is in fact, a fair and unbiased rendition of the "real me"! It's just that we'd like blame such upon circumstances, or more pointedly; at "others"! Them guys are "the reason" that my shabby self isn't more dignified.
Thus, we are in the odd position of rejecting, out of hand; both our actual outward behavior, and our inner (lame-ass) "justifications" of same! Hey, it's weird. Okay? Shifting gears to get out of this rut, let's punt!
The kick is high! It lands squarely on the fifteen yard line, (a.k.a.) that "two lives as one" exhortation. You know the drill, the Pastor says: "Your Sunday life should not be "any different"(?) than your Monday or any-other-day. . .life". "Clearly spoken by a chap manifestly not in the business of killing rats for a living?", we infer.
Nope-sters, that "unity" drill is but the regular flavor of the white-guy-guilt trip, masquerading as "spiritual". The question never was; "How many personas might one lawfully possess?". The thing reads instead, "Can we, (can anybody ever?) harmonize the law-loving inner man, with the law-breaking outer man? Is this even do-able? Moreover, doing so, and not corrupting the inner man in the process, so to achieve "unity"!".
Now, forced to punt from our own end-zone, we kick again!
It's up!...and lands at the "Make your passion, your life" school of thought. The premise here, reads more or less as; "Find what energizes you, find what you inwardly love, and then find ways to pursue similar patterns in your outer life".
Question: Is this so very a Biblical idea?
Answer: I'm not certain that it is actively anti-Biblical, but that is one slender endorsement indeed!
In any case, it might be a bit like this. "Coming in," the heart passion, the one-thing I'm actually interested in. . . isn't money, influence, women (plural!), nor power. None of the usual suspects really qualify. Unlike Y.K.S., my heart cries out, "How Long oh Lord? I WANT JUSTICE!".
Just to see! To see Him Come, and to shatter all of His opposition. To see! To see Him seated, never again to be mocked, disobeyed or denied. It's "visual" with me. To see Him. . . "in" Glory. Seated. Ya dig?
How then does a dude like me "go-out", how does this manifest in workaday life? And, I think (think?) it just must deal with forgiveness.
The "vertical" forgiving. Note Christ purchasing life with His blood over yonder? He, In Person "seals" the upward beam of the cross. He builds and maintains up-down peace. But, the "horizontal", the man-to-man aspects of covenant remains "blank" in this; my model.
Here is the "secret" of (mine!) unforgiving hearts. I simply do not "care" if my enemy is crushed, or not, and "secretly" hope he is. So, if we desire our faith to grow, we MUST forgive. Recall friend, a faith working-by love. Do I really "love". . . anybody? Anybody at all, in this fashion?
A 60's (memory lane?) bumper sticker read: "Give a damn!". It's like that. Forgiveness, is not, nor ever was; "being nice". The one-and-same Messiah who sheds life-blood to shield "us" from certain wrath to-come. . . is "potentially" (at the very minimum) shielding "them" too! And it's up to this gringo to "paint" that blood over their door-posts too? Is that it?
The temptation is to never "relent", to "press" my lawful complaints upon "them" (who offend me). But, the only court available, in which such claims can be handled, is as John Baptist shouts; "Who warned you lousy snakes to flee?". Vengeance is an "absolute' claim, and settled "here, in this court". . . only.
The One escape, the One exit from vengeance. . . is the Cross. Pointedly, the only solution available, applies to the horizontal beam also!
Ergo, "going-out" is "turning the cheek". I "fail to retaliate" because, because I have been aided to view dimly the true threat! It's Him! I shall fear Him, "for you', friend; until you are strengthened, and so able to do it on your own.
Guess what? We've returned in a big loop, back to wisdom! Repeat with me, "the three magic words" (and ladies, I ain't talking "I love you"), say "I fear god!". Amen brother Mike, Amen!
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