Category: Personal Perspectives

Personal faith or ‘Personality faith’

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by Martin Scott
Posted in Personal Perspectives

I theoretically like all the personality tests and approaches, and one that I have been drawn to is that of the ‘Enneagram’. Like other similar approaches it does not box one in but helps one to see what box one is already within. I say I theoretically like it as I probably pay no attention to it when it comes to myself! But ever so useful for all other people on the planet. It helps / could help them to grow to maturity. Anyway that is enough self-disclosure for the year.

We love to think that our faith in God is ever so objective. There is God out and over there and we know exactly who HE is and we have a relationship with that person called God. We read in Galatians 4:9 how that perspective is somewhat skewed:

 Now, however, that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God (emphasis added).

I know the God who is the one I have created and as my faith strengthens so does my belief in that God, hence if I truly have some knowledge of God the image of God I have will change and develop. There will come a day when I know as I am known, but until then there will be a process that is incomplete. (I cheekily wrote in the paragraph above the word ‘he’ in capitals, though sadly it is not cheekily enough. There is an old joke about a preacher who was very clear on male headship (for headship read ‘top dog’) and an implicit underlying white-superiority belief and that they died and thus experienced a major shock post-death when they discovered that she was black.) I grew up with the ‘hell-fire’ belief and when I first met people who held to a view of unconditional immortality my ‘faith’ was given a knock as I thought ‘why then be a Christian’ if it is not to escape the wrath of God!!! It was not my belief in eternal punishing (side note: not the same as eternal punishment) that was shaken but my belief in ‘my’ God that was shaken – my belief in MY God.

Back to personality types and faith. I am not likely to end up with an expression of faith that includes genuine meditation and quietness. I am too busy trying to justify my being by activity for that (one could at this point say ‘too immature’ but my personality has a strong gift of denial within it so that observation would not stick). I will not drift that way simply because it is not ‘me’ as I present myself to the world.

In certain charismatic circles I have noted a combination of personality numbers 8s and 6s (enneagram number). The faith of the 8s in that setting are convinced the world is an evil place and we need to be vigilant and are in a state of war. Add to that their incredible knowledge of Scripture and they can teach where things are at and where it all goes. Then along come the 6s who have a strong sense of anxiety and know the world is not safe. The 8s confirm that their anxieties are based in reality and as their anxieties inevitably raise their level of concern over the future so they look for authority to help them find a safe place. Surprise, surprise the 8s end up as the anointed leaders and the 6s the wonderful followers, with any younger 8s among them on track to become the next generation of leaders. A marriage made in heaven… or something a little different to that!

The charismatic world is the Christian world I have inhabited for some 50 years so is the one I know best; other expressions probably could be viewed similarly using the same kind of lens. In other words our faith is not simply objective but is our faith, we connect to God (and to ‘god) through who we are, through our personality. That is how it always will be for it is not possible in that full sense for me to enter into God’s world, or to know God… wonderfully s/he enters my world, meets me.

One of the challenges regarding maturity is that we can mature in ‘our’ faith, but in reality the faith we have is simply being strengthened through greater knowledge, that then goes on to re-enforce our behaviour. That sadly is not a true reflection of maturity. A big part of maturity probably includes a measure of uncertainty. And given that I am certain of that…

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Leaving the land of the dying

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by Martin Scott
Posted in Personal Perspectives

Jimmy Carter has passed away yesterday, 29th December, aged 100 years old. Not perhaps your ‘normal’ president but a humble man who was involved in humanitarian work and expressed clear faith in the Living God. His grandson in May this year said:

He really is, I think, coming to the end that, as I’ve said before, there’s a part of this faith journey that is so important to him. And there’s a part of that faith journey that you only can live at the very end. And I think he has been there in that space.

And he himself said when addressing the Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, Georgia:

I assumed, naturally, that I was going to die very quickly,” Carter told the congregation at . “I obviously prayed about it. I didn’t ask God to let me live, but I asked God to give me a proper attitude toward death. And I found that I was absolutely and completely at ease with death.

Profound words from the mouth of someone no longer present in the land of the dying.

A few days earlier (26th December) John Cobb passed away, a few weeks shy of hi 100th birthday. Who is John Cobb, I hear you ask… He belonged to the school of Process Theology, very articulate and a prolific author. Process Theology is not viewed as being too orthodox, but theology per se does not bring us to a knowledge of God. One of the last (perhaps the last) essay he wrote is on Thomas Jay Oord’s page:

Amipotence vs. Omnipotence

Orthodox (and what is that?) or not it is well worth a read, and for it to be a challenge; he writs beyond the personal but here is one quote:

[T]here is a strong tendency for those who feel secure in their relations with other people to love them. If we know that God loves us, it is much more likely that our feelings toward God will be loving. But also, we are more likely to love God’s other beloved creatures.

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The presentation of life

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by Martin Scott
Posted in Personal Perspectives

The cross… death, dying in my place etc…

We have been in the UK for a few days and set the date to arrive for the funeral of Lucie Moore, passing away at 44. She was born literally a few doors away from where Sue and I lived, and the Moore family have always been a connection and more than that an inspiration of faith, humility and above everything love.

The parish church in Luton was packed with a real testimony of Lucie’s amazing impact. Never one to shout out about her own achievements but present were family, work collegues, University contacts, neighbour, friends from childhood, inter-faith groups. Hugely moving, and of course premature at 44 years old, but a testimony to a life lived to the full and for the transformation of our world.

(Her focused work was as CEO of CEASE.)

Got me thinking too about death and the death of Jesus. With the death of Jesus (and for this I owe my developing thoughts to Andrew Rillera’s published work in Lamb of the Free) it is more about the presentation of life to God – if Jesus was not raised from the dead then we are still in our sins (1 Cor. 15), and though the redemptive work on earth is finished with the cross, but beyond the cross in the hours that were the other side there was the continuance of work leading into an ever-continual intercession. Death of the saints? I am sure that there is the presentation of life, our life’s work to heaven’s presence.

I am sure that for Lucie her life’s work are having a continued impact, not simply through inspiration, but an impact into our world. I was provoked. One life, today to respond and act, and every cup of cold water given noted by heaven. Changing the world through one cup at a time, a life presented to God.

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Annual(?) podcast with Richards and Scott

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by Martin Scott
Posted in Personal Perspectives

How many consecutive years and we can legitimately call something ‘annual’? Anyway here is this year’s podcast that Martin Purnell (off Grid Christianity) hosted with a Christmas Quiz (sadly I think Noel won this one) and some serious banter… and some not so serious banter. Anyway here it is to bring life and insight into your Christmas!!

Off Grid Christianity – Episode 108 – Annual Christmas Special
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The Discipleship of Love

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by Simon Swift
Posted in Personal Perspectives

An article by Simon Swift how about his approach that because we are in the image of God we have the birthright ‘to love and to be loved’.

The best description of love I have ever heard was ‘Making room in my life for someone else to be themselves.’ Sounds simple, yet we struggle to do it. It’s easier to be judgemental and expect others to fit into our sense of what is right and wrong, and what is expected behaviour. Sometimes we judge ourselves, not allowing our own self to simply be, perhaps we fear the judgement of others, even God. As Christians we are not just called to profess a love of God, but to embody that love in our daily lives. That means loving ourselves, our neighbours and even our enemies. It is the way of the disciple: To learn how to love; giving and receiving.

I think some of us have to learn to receive love. We can have a tendency to let false humbleness to get in the way. We need to be able to receive love in whatever form that may take. It may be a gift, a recognition of success, a hug, or just a simple compliment. We should accept and receive these things as a blessing, being thankful for them while not letting our ego feed on it. We must nurture compassion for ourselves as well as each other. It is a two way connection, through love, with God, family, friends, neighbours, and even the rest of creation. It is a place of vulnerability and it is a risk.

Humanities identity is wrapped up in the idea of carrying God’s image and reflecting it into the world. It is our birthright: to love and be loved. Yes, it is something we are entitled to. Not in a selfish ‘me’ way, the kind of negative meaning that is often implied with the word ‘entitled’. No, it is the realisation of our purpose and so as a disciple of ‘The Way’ we must not be trapped by the ‘I’m not worthy’ thinking. That does not belong in the mind of the disciple. At the core of this purpose, and our relationship with God is grace.

Grace is not about getting something you don’t deserve, of escaping some sort of judgement like going to Hell and enduring eternal damnation. Grace is God taking the initiative in liberating us. He was even willing to send his son, who was also passionate enough to die for us. That initiative took place despite humanity being more than happy to forget about divine purpose and play at being our own gods. We do as a species tend to be all ‘me, me, me.’ God on the other hand chose not punishment, instead, he chose to set us free before we even made any commitment to changing our ways. That’s grace: It isn’t a ‘get you off the hook’ free pass, no, it is an action with a purpose and it comes with an invitation.

That invitation is into a love empowered life. As humans we have the right to be loved and an obligation to love. Needles to say we have to sort out our own ego: not demanding our rights but accepting them with grateful thanks. When we learn to love ourselves and others we begin to enter into eternal life and perhaps we even add to it, expanding it into Creation. This is the anvil of our discipleship. When we step into the Kingdom of Heaven I don’t think God wants us to start blubbering about how unworthy we are. No, He wants us to accept his love, to drink it in, to be transformed by it. Yes, to be grateful, but not to have the ‘I’m a terrible person who doesn’t deserve this’ mentality. From this point on you can say to the Accuser, ‘Go, do not darken my door again. I have found my salvation and it is through the grace of God. You can not accuse me anymore.’

Now we are disciples there is the hard work of repentance. Our world view changes, we have different priorities, and a new way of being. A new life to live which throws off the chains of sin that we have wrapped round ourselves. We are now able to take the risk and vulnerability that comes with loving. Paul, in one of his letters, gives good practical advise on love. On how to live the life of love and what that means in our daily lives. As disciples we begin to practice that love.

This is what the emphasis of church life should be: The discipleship of it’s members, learning to live a life empowered by love. Not how to put a good show on Sunday mornings. No judging others who don’t fit in or who’s life falls short of their God given purpose. Instead we are called to invite everyone into a kingdom based on love and discover the grace of God, becoming transformed by it.

Lets us be done with the religion of fear and trying to get God on our side, lets leave that with the pagan gods. Instead accept the grace given to each of us and walk the way of love. As for Satan, you can tell him exactly where he can stick his accusing finger.

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Preserving the animals!

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by Martin Scott
Posted in Personal Perspectives, Theology

They came in as pairs (Gen. 6:19) or the alternative is that clean ones came in as pairs of 7 (Gen.7:2), probably indicating that there are two base stories for the flood and the salvation of the world. Given that there are numerous flood narratives (a very famous one being the ‘Epic of Gilgamesh’) we don’t have to take every detail as being literal – but as stories to communicate. Maybe there is nothing deeper in the narrative than a story that explains why humanity and the animal world continue after the flood, but perhaps we see something of God’s concern for the animal world (now how many species have disappeared at the hands of those ‘made in the image of God’?).

There are two Scriptures that I know of that show something of God’s care for animals. In the narrative of Jonah and Nineveh we read of the sparing of Nineveh (was Jonah written to challenge the Jewish view of the nations?) and included in God’s sight are the (domestic) animals,

And should I not be concerned about Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand persons who do not know their right hand from their left and also many animals? (Jonah 4:11).

A reference, almost hidden, in Mark’s account of the wilderness experience of Jesus includes a reference to animals, this time not to domestic ones but to the wild animals,

He was in the wilderness forty days, tested by Satan, and he was with the wild beasts, and the angels waited on him (Mk. 1:13).

The animal world was divided between the ‘clean’ and the ‘unclean’ and between the ‘domesticated’ and ‘wild’. The wild beasts, the ones that could never be tamed, the ones that spoke loudly of humanity’s inability to ‘subdue’ creation became symbols of the nations that resisted God’s design – hence ‘beasts’ that rise from the sea / land etc. And here they are in the wilderness with Jesus… in the wilderness the place that will blossom once the kingdom comes, and until then the abode of the demons. Jesus having confronted the three powers – shown by the three temptations of economic, political and religious power – subdues not simply domestic animals but even the wild ones.

In the wilderness, there is shalom, an order that eludes us. Heaven is present on earth, remarkably in the wilderness, and that presence brings an order to everything, so much so that the wild beasts act differently, echoing the eschatological passages of ‘wolves with lambs’,

The wolf shall live with the lamb; the leopard shall lie down with the kid; the calf and the lion will feed together, and a little child shall lead them (Is. 11:6).

Jesus sent out the disciples as ‘lambs among wolves’. Challenging, as there is the absence of self-preservation in the instruction, but if we are to see anything of the eschatological promises breaking in I guess self-preservation has to decrease.

God cares for what has been created and creation is there to teach us both to care for the wider world (Rom. 8) and also to provoke us to ‘subdue’ the ‘wild’ that threatens shalom. As Simon Swift wrote in the previous post:

As we leave the Garden of Eden to head into the wild. We should not hunger for a return to the garden, rather in the wild we should create a garden.

Should we really think that we can see a shift to the powers? Why not… if the cross is far more about cleansing, and keeping clean, the ‘temple’ of God in the earth so that heaven and earth meet not in a specific place on a specific date but in the wilderness of life, perhaps the ‘wild animals’ might just take note.

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Library of Two Shelves

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by Simon Swift
Posted in Personal Perspectives

Another article by Simon Swift – wonderful thoughts and perspectives shaped by his own journey. And I am sure very helpful in your (and my) journey. A journey that will not end… Enjoy!

There’s this library contained in one book, known as the Holy Bible, it has just two shelves. The first, is full of poetry, historical accounts, prophetic writings, and some self-help books. The second, is newer and contains eye witness accounts of the life and times of a man known as of Jesus, along with apocalyptic writings, the history of the early movement that came about because Jesus and a bunch of letters written by leaders of the Jesus movement. At the centre of these assorted texts is the story of a people and their god.

But there is a problem, it seems there are two gods. One for the first shelf and another one for the second. It has, when people have claimed as much, caused controversy. The majority of those that use this library for their spiritual life generally don’t agree with the idea of two gods. Yet they can still find it difficult to reconcile the differences that seem to be in the descriptions of God. So what are the different perceptions and is it irreconcilable?

On the first shelf we have accounts of the early history of the people we call the Hebrews or Jews. They came about because of promises by God to a man called Abraham, who is considered the father of their nation. These promises form an ongoing relationship, that include curses should the people fail to be faithful to that relationship. When they fail, bad things happen including removal from the land they were promised. It’s not surprising then that we can view their god as an authoritarian god of power able to crush empires. If you obey, you are rewarded. If you cross him, you are punished. The enemies of the Hebrews will be crushed by the god of empire power.

On the second shelf we begin to find not only a new description but a new relationship possible with God. The first four books are an account of a teacher, prophet, and Messiah called Jesus, he describes God as Father and in turn he is described as God’s son. His message is: we should not live in fear of God, but run to him with open arms as a child. We are to see him as provider and a redeemer wanting to set us free from authoritarian power. God on this shelf is the god of love power.

Look closely on the first shelf, at the stories of God and his interaction with humans you might just find that it is the same god that you read about in the books on the second shelf. In the very first book, the book of beginnings, we find that he creates man and woman, called Adam and Eve, and we find them living in a garden. In that garden there is a fruit tree of good and evil. If you eat its fruit you will have your eyes open. God warns them not to eat it; but of course being human they do. And on the surface as we read the story it seems that God does punish them with eviction from the garden and a few curses to boot. However, one of the first thing God does is to help the hapless couple, who on eating the fruit realise they are naked and become frightened, feeling ashamed for the first time. So what does God Do? He makes them clothes. Is that the act of an authoritarian god or a father’s reaction to the needs of his children?

Adam and Eve are children who must mature to be able to judge between good and evil. To do that they must set out from their sanctuary, to learn how to deal with this new knowledge. They need wisdom; Knowledge on its own if not enough. You have to experience love, and that comes from relationships. So we need the father of love not the one of control.

What other books on this first shelf have examples of God the father? What about the exodus and the need for food. Here we find God providing manna each morning. How does he deal with the pregnant Hagar when she fleas from her mistress into the wilderness? What other places does God act and advise that are more relational than authoritarian?

As we move to the second shelf we find books of a different nature and in particular the stories of Jesus who is called God’s son. We find Jesus looks to show the love of the father and the parable of the prodigal son is one of the best descriptions of God as father. His treatment of the people who are in need speak of compassion and care. He calls people back in to the family of Abraham. But he has condemnation for those in authority whose only desire is to exploit.

Later after his death and resurrection, new communities begin to be created. When it comes to Paul of Tarsus we are often given the picture of man in authority of the communities he is planting. Yet look closely at his urging and advice; you will see him passionately encouraging his people to mature in wisdom. This means understanding their new status as sons (and daughters) of an inheritance, that they now belong in the kingdom of Heaven where love is the ultimate power.

On the first shelf, In the stories of the Hebrews entering into their promised land it is shocking to read of the amount of violence and ethnic cleansing that goes on. Is this the god of empire? It seems that many nations and tribes have over the centuries opted for such a god. Even Christendom reflects such a position despite its claims of allegiance to Christ. If we can look closer even on this shelf we can find a different god, one who reflects the god Jesus calls God the Father. A god of relationships who wishes to reach out to us.

Through the blood of Jesus we have been brought into a relationship with God. This is where justice is served, in a new covenant. His act of going to the cross for us is the final critic of empire and its power. It is where love defeats death and gives us hope.

So when we read the books on the first shelf let us be influenced by Jesus’ revelation of who God is. Let it temper our reading of the first shelf lest we fall into the trap of hating those not like us or simply do not fit in with our world view. At this time in our history we need the God who’s power is Love.

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For or against?

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by Martin Scott
Posted in Personal Perspectives

There are many statements in Scripture that are difficult to work out what they mean and how they should be applied (an understatement!). Sometimes there are contradictions and they can cause great puzzlement or push us to dig a little deeper, and by deeper I think it is often into the dialogue of Scripture (as the important aspect is ‘how are you, Martin, going to live?’). Luke records two contradictory statements of Jesus:

John answered, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him because he does not follow with us.” But Jesus said to him, “Do not stop him, for whoever is not against you is for you” (Luke 9:49,50).

and then,

Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters (Luke 11:23).

Both statements are interestingly placed in the context of setting people free from (demonic) bondage and so perhaps we could widen the application to the work of liberation. (Liberation Theology essentially ties the experience of salvation into the extent that we are liberated and are involved in bringing liberation to others.) So let me widen the application into the challenging area of a ‘heaven-inspired-vision’ that takes responsibility to contribute to the transformation of our world. Surely after all that is the Gospel – the good news that Jesus is the ‘firstborn of (new-)creation / creation as it is meant to be’, with the whole creation itself groaning to enter its liberation.

I found the two statements very straightening when talking into two business situations recently. The core / the DNA is so important with issues of hierarchy and mammon being so important to eradicate at the core. ‘People, planet, profit’ might be a slick alliterated slogan but they hold something so central. If people find their true liberation (and not merely ‘souls saved’) there is hope for the planet. Romans 8 drawing on the story of the bondage in Egypt is very telling… Pharaoh and those who served him enslaved the Israelites, and now (in Rom. 8) humanity has enslaved the planet. True liberation alters the relationship to all around (Genesis 3 being a catalogue of alienationed relationships; Gen. 4-11 outlining the fruit of those alienations. Jesus chose 12 to be with him… Not chosen primarily to be taught but to catch something – he chose them to be with him – then to proclaim and be involved in the liberating work (Mk. 3:14,15). Jesus did not include all, neither did he include all who were mature, but (I guess) he chose those into whom he sensed could embrace his DNA… and of course in the midst of it all was one who would betray him, all for some money(!) and a vision of how to do things successfully.

They were with him… if the ‘wrong’ people were drawn with their own agenda (that does not mean their own gift, calling, vision as it is not about silent clones) there is a danger that the DNA will not be carried through.

Then there were those who were not with Jesus and that band and some of them were copying the methodology and activity of the Jesus and disciple group. Don’t stop them, Jesus said, don’t worry too much about their DNA… if they are pulling in the same direction they are not against us.

Same direction? The betterment of humanity? I think so. Same direction, maybe not exactly the same path. This is how I like to think ‘the two hands of God’ (Irenaeus, 2nd Century)… Inclusive of all, the Spirit is present everywhere, and the Son through whom redemption comes.

An inner core who had better be sorted out on the big things: religion, mammon and ego – or at least works that are clearly in process… and an inner core who knew how not to be in opposition to those who were not against them. My oft-harked about verse concerning the ‘Asiarchs’ seems to fit this pattern to.

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Recognisable?

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by Martin Scott
Posted in Personal Perspectives

I had this thought today while mulling over Paul’s travels and passion throughout the ‘civilised’ world that Rome ruled over as to whether he would recognise what we get up to in the name of Jesus / name of the Gospel he proclaimed as having any great similarity to what he was focused on. There is the very current ‘Seven Mountains of Influence’ that is giving a shape to the ‘post-revival’ or the ‘what we do now that the Spirit has renewed us all’. I am careful on what I comment outside of the spheres (mainly limited by geography) that I am to take some responsibility for, but I was sent this link a couple of days back on How neoliberal plunder led to the right’s most ambitious power-grab yet, which might give some insight into the direction that will take us. [Personal note: fear of Sharia law while sowing the seeds for it!]

https://www.alternet.org/smartnews/project-2025-theologian/

There are those who are followers of Jesus who see great value in the traditions that have arisen, and want to align with the older traditions, and as ancient as is possible – would Paul recognise that? There are those who of course look to shape themselves according to a biblical pattern – would that be recognisable even if the biblical pattern was shaped by what Paul wrote? Shapes, ways of doing things, following convictions, reading Scripture – and yet?

Gayle recently had a major dream, full of not only details but huge interaction in the dream. It will need a lot of reflection, but at the heart of it was a coming together of believers with genuine non-believers (we can call them ‘humanists’ for want of a better term) and the eventual outcome was that of undoing economic oppression for the next generation (I have recently been reading how the prophets equated economic oppression as blood shed). Among the believers there were different varieties, but the group who could not go with what unfolded was those who saw themselves as ‘definitively right’ with inflexible perspectives. They left the ensemble. Challenging as one of the ways forward was a connection to those who ‘saw the good in humanity’. They were vital to the outcome – I am reminded so often of the Asiarchs who were not believers but were friends of Paul (Acts 19). Faith is vital, for it is through those who have been touched by the ‘eschatological Spirit’ who have tasted of the powers of the age to come who carry a responsibility to pray and do what they need to do to see ‘on earth as in heaven’… and it is faith that does not compromise but also does not exclude, that works in partnership with those who (like us but in a different way) do not have the full picture.

I think Paul might not see much as recognisable – let’s not kid ourselves! And I suspect he might not be looking for a form that he might recognise, probably a direction, an intent might be more what he might be looking for. If so, would we hear a genuine ‘I recognise that’.

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Mind the gap

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by Martin Scott
Posted in Personal Perspectives

Been a long time since I have posted… Gayle and I have just been enjoying travelling through Spain, covering some 3000kms / 1800miles, from the South West (Murcia) to the North East (Galicia). Always good to travel, reflect, talk – occasionally listen! – make plans knowing how plans get adjusted ever so easily. What a time to be alive… will the unravelling come too quickly, or will we (big ‘we’: humanity) be able to establish some good things to hold space for a better future? Of course all of those issues we have sorted while travelling! Or not.

Back to this post. A number of readers of these posts might have known Johnny Barr (passed away 2001). I loved my interaction with him and remember many of the stories and throw away lines, one of which was ‘if there is a gap between what is public and what is private God will make what is private public’. The biggest compliment that Sue ever gave in public was when I was brought on to a leadership team and after the prayer she simply said ‘I want you to know that what he is in public is what he is in private’. Of course it could have meant, he’s a jerk in public and that is exactly how he is at home too. With Jesus there was no gap and if someone ‘saw’ him then they saw the Father. With the rest of us we struggle to close the gap and in spite of Sue’s comment I am too aware of the temptation to appear better than I am.

Language: I have been praying for you can mean ‘every day with strong intercession I have been holding in for you…’ and certainly we read of that kind of prayer in Paul’s letters. It could mean ‘Over this past month I have thought of you and your situation and threw up a quick ‘God come and help so and so…’ Language leaves an impression, and I am deeply challenged by the instruction in Ephesians that we are not to speak a falsehood. Takes us beyond not lying, to doing what we can so that we do not leave an impression that is not transparent. OUCH. Why the increased requirement from Old Testament to New? Always, always to do with people – not to do with right and wrong. It is centred in on being known and knowing as God is found in the place between us all… if we gather in Jesus’ name (not a religious formula but a heart submission) then in the space between us all Jesus will be present.

Religion in all its forms requires that we leave impressions of great devotion and spirituality, and as Jesus said of the Pharisees that they loaded on to disciples weights they cannot bear. ‘Do this, do that…’, weights, requirements that they did not comply with themselves.

If you touch the core of my being (I think) you will touch my desire for the transformation of this world… if you come live with me you will see that I drift along. Maybe my ‘drifting’ is the core of my being?

We are who we are, and we are a work in progress. For those who have a public profile there is a gap between what is private and public… if the gap is at a level that is too large there will come a day of disclosure… if the gap is not so large and we cultivate honesty so that the gap is being closed I think that we will be ‘OK’.

Judas, the disciple that we often come closest to being like, is the prime example of someone with loads of opportunities through his proximity to Jesus to close the gap, but chose instead to hide the personal issues. We all betray Jesus, the betrayer is in us all, even those so close to Jesus.

Jesus was in the image of the invisible God… to see Jesus was to see the invisible One.

We are being changed from one degree of glory to another, we are being moulded into the image of Jesus. To see me is to see a work in progress, and on a good day to get a hazy glimpse of Jesus. Evangelism does not require me to be a work in progress, and allows me to see others as objects to bring to salvation! Witnessing requires that I am visible and in that visibility what / Who is invisible becomes a little more visible. Paul (or a Pauline disciple) when writing to Timothy about qualifications for an overseer said that such a person has to ‘be well thought of by outsiders’ (1 Tim. 3:7). Quite an interview for a job! Go ask the neighbours, as well as go ask other family members, see if they recommend the person.

No pressure here but… my neighbours, what / Who do they see? While we have been away – actually the reason why we have been away – is that neighbours asked if friends of theirs could use our apartment. So we left Bible verses on all the walls, left DVD of some powerful preachers as it was such an opportunity to evangelise… or we opened our home, agreed a price that went some way to covering our own travels and let the family stay here (whom we have never met) and use whatever they needed within the home. (You can work out which of the two former approaches we took.) I hope they saw something.

Everyday, and for each of us it will be different, we have opportunities for the gap to be closed, or for the gap to become public. ‘They speak of a self-giving God but we feel shut out’. That is how what we are in private is so often made public.

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