"I have so many questions, no answers, I am not sure who I am anymore, I am stuck." (paraphrased) Hannah found she was a failed abortion and adopted. Feeling unwanted and lost, she sets out to seek answers. She knows that "the truth shall set us free." (a diary post of hers). Yet, once answers were found, the emotional pain still remained. Like most of us, our carnal mind tells us that if we can just make sense of life's situations and the harm peeps have done to us, then the hurt feelings, guilt, fear, loneliness, etc. will disappear and we will be OK. Isn't that the role of psychologists/psychiatrists?
Further in the movie Hannah discovers all the facts about her birth mother, BUT the pain remains. The truth she needed was not answers to her questions, but the reality that since God has forgiven her much, she is free to forgive those who have harmed her. Nothing anyone has done to us is worse than our being naturally at enmity with God. Yet, He acted on our behalf to restore His relationship with us. This is the Kingdom mind which heals and restores and puts us in harmony with others and with the Heavenlies, the well being of our soul.
Not only was Hannah free by forgiving those who had abandoned her and withheld the truth from her for years, burdens were lifted from those who had received forgiveness. Healing and restoration for all.
So when we believe we must get all the answers to the crazy and confusing things life throws our way to be OK, just remember its letting the questions and quest for answers go and trusting what God has done for us and says about us that frees us and makes us OK.
something certainly worth pondering ....
random musings from the heart of a CRAZY old man (dedicated to those who inspire me)
Friday, March 30, 2012
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
making sense of uncertainty
I have been focusing on how words have different meanings depending on how we as peeps view something as uncertain or not. I have been reading "The Black Swan" (no, not about ballet dancer), a book by Taleb about managing risks, or managing our lives as we know it in the midst of uncertainty.
Much of the book deals with how the science of risk management has misunderstood and mistaught statistics. I CERTAINLY would not bore my blog audience with that. What has fascinated me from the book however are the behavioral tendencies that cause peeps to deal poorly with uncertainty. How as humans do we manage our life given there is so much that is unknown to us? Taleb emphasizes that it is what we do not know that ultimately contributes significantly to our well being.
For example, when an employer hires a new employee, the candidate's resume, references, and testing provide the hiring agent much info about the candidate. Hiring selection then is based on what is known. However, during the work life of the employee, it is what we did not know that seems to contribute positively or negatively to the workplace's well being. While employers attempt to get all the info on the candidate to make a good choice, many hirings result in less than satisfactory outcomes for the employer because the things about the new employee the employer did not know.
Six to eight years ago The Cliffs was an attractive place for retiring professionals to live. Everyone I have talked to (including myself) did a reasonable analysis of cost, benefits and risks. Of course, all of this based on what we knew. However, none of us knew of a pending financial crisis and economic downturn. it has been what we did not know that has dominated the lives of Cliffs residents in the past year.
I've told Taleb's famous example of the domestic turkey. For 100 days her life is wonderful, comfort and food. On the 101st day, taken to slaughter. Nothing in the turkey's known world can predict the 101st day. Whether we accept it or not, we all live the life of the turkey. What is it that lies ahead for us? We do not know and it will affect us greatly.
Why do peeps deal so poorly with uncertainty?Some of these insights from Taleb can be helpful to all us peeps!! let me summarize a few for you:
1. we take what we know too seriously making it difficult to admit we are wrong and change our mind
2. we have a limited frame of reference by which to draw conclusions
3. we seek evidence and use facts to confirm our view. not challenge it
4. we fail to listen to the "silent evidence" because we tend to learn from repetition and ignore rare events
5. we rationalize the unpredictable after the fact
6. we are part of an 'interconnected world" we know little or nothing about
Of course our natural tendencies to deal with anything, especially uncertainty, is sourced in our carnal minds. Taleb simply describes how our flesh responds to the unknown.
Fortunately, believers in Christ can appropriate their Kingdom mind to the unknown. this gives us "spiritual tendencies" that flow from making sense of ourself and the world around through the lenses of Grace.
Grace tells us the unknown to us is known to God, who loves us and guards us, not to make our circumstances the way we think they should be, but to keep us in harmony with the Heavenlies and in relationship with Him, the source of all Joy.
From a Kingdom perspective, all risk management belongs to Jesus, the authority over all creation.
We can be free of fear of the unknown because all things work together for the good of those who trust their future to its author and nothing can separate us from the Grace that sustains us!!
Pondering on this makes resting in a chaotic world much more of a comfort ......
Much of the book deals with how the science of risk management has misunderstood and mistaught statistics. I CERTAINLY would not bore my blog audience with that. What has fascinated me from the book however are the behavioral tendencies that cause peeps to deal poorly with uncertainty. How as humans do we manage our life given there is so much that is unknown to us? Taleb emphasizes that it is what we do not know that ultimately contributes significantly to our well being.
For example, when an employer hires a new employee, the candidate's resume, references, and testing provide the hiring agent much info about the candidate. Hiring selection then is based on what is known. However, during the work life of the employee, it is what we did not know that seems to contribute positively or negatively to the workplace's well being. While employers attempt to get all the info on the candidate to make a good choice, many hirings result in less than satisfactory outcomes for the employer because the things about the new employee the employer did not know.
Six to eight years ago The Cliffs was an attractive place for retiring professionals to live. Everyone I have talked to (including myself) did a reasonable analysis of cost, benefits and risks. Of course, all of this based on what we knew. However, none of us knew of a pending financial crisis and economic downturn. it has been what we did not know that has dominated the lives of Cliffs residents in the past year.
I've told Taleb's famous example of the domestic turkey. For 100 days her life is wonderful, comfort and food. On the 101st day, taken to slaughter. Nothing in the turkey's known world can predict the 101st day. Whether we accept it or not, we all live the life of the turkey. What is it that lies ahead for us? We do not know and it will affect us greatly.
Why do peeps deal so poorly with uncertainty?Some of these insights from Taleb can be helpful to all us peeps!! let me summarize a few for you:
1. we take what we know too seriously making it difficult to admit we are wrong and change our mind
2. we have a limited frame of reference by which to draw conclusions
3. we seek evidence and use facts to confirm our view. not challenge it
4. we fail to listen to the "silent evidence" because we tend to learn from repetition and ignore rare events
5. we rationalize the unpredictable after the fact
6. we are part of an 'interconnected world" we know little or nothing about
Of course our natural tendencies to deal with anything, especially uncertainty, is sourced in our carnal minds. Taleb simply describes how our flesh responds to the unknown.
Fortunately, believers in Christ can appropriate their Kingdom mind to the unknown. this gives us "spiritual tendencies" that flow from making sense of ourself and the world around through the lenses of Grace.
Grace tells us the unknown to us is known to God, who loves us and guards us, not to make our circumstances the way we think they should be, but to keep us in harmony with the Heavenlies and in relationship with Him, the source of all Joy.
From a Kingdom perspective, all risk management belongs to Jesus, the authority over all creation.
We can be free of fear of the unknown because all things work together for the good of those who trust their future to its author and nothing can separate us from the Grace that sustains us!!
Pondering on this makes resting in a chaotic world much more of a comfort ......
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
making sense of "hope"
I believe the word that has lost its original meaning to modern culture more than any other is the word "hope". In today's discourse we say things like "I hope it rains" or "I hope we win." This use of the word "hope' includes a great degree of "wishing" which is anchored in uncertainty.
In Scripture the Greek word for hope "elpis" means assurance. Both meanings are futuristic in orientation, the difference is a wish is uncertain and hope is not.
One of my favorite scriptures is Romans 4 where Paul is recounting Abraham. Paul writes in verse 18 "against hope in hope he believed." That is, Abraham was promised by God that he would be the father of many nations. Yet, at a very old age, he was not even the father of one child. As I age it is more apparent to me the "impossibility' of fathering a child in my 80's :-)
So without any physical evidence (against certainty), Abraham was certain God's promise would one day come true. This is why Abraham is called the father of faith, which is trusting that which we cannot see and that which is uncertain by physical evidence is in fact certain. (this kind of relates to the previous post on making sense of "if", the difference in meaning is in the certainty).
So, the basis for hope is found in the essence of faith, trusting in what we have no evidence for. But what is central to faith? Is it our ability to muster up enough of "it" for "it" to work for us and give us the guarantee? Interestingly, in Romans 4 we often overlook the verse, "because of this faith, according to grace" (Ro 4: 16). NO, faith is validated only by the object of the faith.
The problem we (as humans) have with hope and faith is that our nature is in bondage to equilibrium. Everything in nature seeks a balance (economics - supply and demand; relationships - social exchange). Mankind seems obsessed with fairness (I have written about this in earlier post), and fairness is based in equilibrium - equality or equity (get what we deserve). Over 100 years ago Thorndike theorized the Law of Effect, which posits that peeps continue to do what brings them favorable results and quit doing things that do not. In other words human behavior is actions by peeps to maintain equilibrium between what we do and the outcomes from doing it. In fact, law itself is action/consequence equilibrium. Romans 4 is primarily drawing a contrast for us between the equilibrium seeking, law abiding nature of our flesh (carnal mind) and living in faith because of grace.
The key component of Grace that makes it foreign for humans to accept is that Grace is based on disequilibrium. Grace exist when the giver is "superior" to the receiver. In other words, when it is impossible for the receiver to make restitution to the giver for the gift. There is no equality, no equity. For Jesus to receive Grace from God and establish it for us, He had to empty himself of his privilege to be God and not consider himself equal to God (philippians 2), although he was in the Godhead (Trinity).
So until we peeps can disrobe from the bondage of equilibrium, we cannot appropriate the Grace that has been set for us and "hope" remains a wish (uncertain). This is CERTAINLY living beneath our privilege.
Maybe this is what Jesus really meant when He said, "I am the truth and the truth will set you free." Have you ever thought, "free what what?" My sense making says, "free from the bondage of equilibrium (the source of our carnal sense making)".
Something to think about .....
In Scripture the Greek word for hope "elpis" means assurance. Both meanings are futuristic in orientation, the difference is a wish is uncertain and hope is not.
One of my favorite scriptures is Romans 4 where Paul is recounting Abraham. Paul writes in verse 18 "against hope in hope he believed." That is, Abraham was promised by God that he would be the father of many nations. Yet, at a very old age, he was not even the father of one child. As I age it is more apparent to me the "impossibility' of fathering a child in my 80's :-)
So without any physical evidence (against certainty), Abraham was certain God's promise would one day come true. This is why Abraham is called the father of faith, which is trusting that which we cannot see and that which is uncertain by physical evidence is in fact certain. (this kind of relates to the previous post on making sense of "if", the difference in meaning is in the certainty).
So, the basis for hope is found in the essence of faith, trusting in what we have no evidence for. But what is central to faith? Is it our ability to muster up enough of "it" for "it" to work for us and give us the guarantee? Interestingly, in Romans 4 we often overlook the verse, "because of this faith, according to grace" (Ro 4: 16). NO, faith is validated only by the object of the faith.
The problem we (as humans) have with hope and faith is that our nature is in bondage to equilibrium. Everything in nature seeks a balance (economics - supply and demand; relationships - social exchange). Mankind seems obsessed with fairness (I have written about this in earlier post), and fairness is based in equilibrium - equality or equity (get what we deserve). Over 100 years ago Thorndike theorized the Law of Effect, which posits that peeps continue to do what brings them favorable results and quit doing things that do not. In other words human behavior is actions by peeps to maintain equilibrium between what we do and the outcomes from doing it. In fact, law itself is action/consequence equilibrium. Romans 4 is primarily drawing a contrast for us between the equilibrium seeking, law abiding nature of our flesh (carnal mind) and living in faith because of grace.
The key component of Grace that makes it foreign for humans to accept is that Grace is based on disequilibrium. Grace exist when the giver is "superior" to the receiver. In other words, when it is impossible for the receiver to make restitution to the giver for the gift. There is no equality, no equity. For Jesus to receive Grace from God and establish it for us, He had to empty himself of his privilege to be God and not consider himself equal to God (philippians 2), although he was in the Godhead (Trinity).
So until we peeps can disrobe from the bondage of equilibrium, we cannot appropriate the Grace that has been set for us and "hope" remains a wish (uncertain). This is CERTAINLY living beneath our privilege.
Maybe this is what Jesus really meant when He said, "I am the truth and the truth will set you free." Have you ever thought, "free what what?" My sense making says, "free from the bondage of equilibrium (the source of our carnal sense making)".
Something to think about .....
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
making sense of the little word "if"
"if" is not a very big word but it can have big implications to us. For instance
METLIFE has an ad that their products are "guarantees for the if in life"
suggesting "if" represents all the uncertainties we face in our life and they can make them certain.
Two different friends recently made this statement: "what difference does it make if I am a Christian?"
One friend is a Christian and "it" is the notion of various forms of doctrine or beliefs residing in the Christian faith. The other friend is agnostic and "it" is dealing with how she lives her life (or anyone else for that matter).
Interestingly, not only in the same sentence (made by both a believer and a non believer) does "it" have different antecedents, the word "if" has different meanings. My agnostic friend used "if" in the way we normally use it, as a reference to effect flowing from an uncertain cause. "If A then B" means that the occurrence of B is conditional on the occurrence of A, which may or may not occur. She is in effect saying that in her experience the behavior of peeps she knows is not any different (or conditional) on whether they profess to be a Christian or not. She seems to feel she is "just as good a person" as her Christian friends. In other words, she is discounting the certainty of the statement "if one is a Christian, then they behave better than one who is not."
My Christian friend seems to be saying that "because (or since) I am a Christian, what difference does it make what doctrine I embrace?" In this instance "if" is reference to cause and effect that is established because A has occurred. That is, "if (since) A then B" means B occurs because B naturally flows from A and A is presumed to be true, exist, or have already occurred (not uncertain).
This is an example of how the word "if" can be translated in at least two different ways. In the Bible we find the same issue and how we consider the word "if" can make a difference in our understanding of a particular Scripture passage. For instance, "if God so loved us, we ought to love one another." The word "if" here (and in many similar passages) is best translated as "since" or "because." That is, since (because) God's love for us has already occurred, it flows naturally from this truth that we are made to love others. The issue of our sense making is based on whether A is certain or necessary to happen in the future (uncertain) to cause B to occur? In this use of the word "if", B (we love others) is the natural outcome of what already exist A (God loves us). Our natural tendency is to make sense of this verse by the perspective that A may or not occur but if it does, then B will occur. This subtle difference in how the word "if" is understood can make a big difference in how we make sense of what God is saying to us through Scripture.
One more example to illustrate the two different meanings for "if" (conditional cause and effect).
"if the world heats up 3 degrees in the next 50 years, the ice will melt and we will all drown." here statement A is uncertain but if it were true, then B would occur.
"if the world is round, we can go in one direction and return to where we start." here statement A is true and not uncertain and B flows from A as a natural consequence.
This leads me to a side note on the statements of these two friends:
One reason my agnostic friend does not see that being a Christian is relevant to what kind of person we are is because my Christian friend (and many Christians like him) do not believe that doctrine (or what we believe) really matters or is relevant since we are saved. After all, salvation is based simply on our faith in Jesus as our Savior, not doctrines of our faith. However, while our eternal destiny may not be in the balance, if our mind has not been transformed from carnal to Kingdom, then what we believe about ourself (and God) will severely restrict the "quality" of our life as a Christian and especially our witness. When Jesus says "the truth will set you free" He is referring to the freedom to be and to love based on the power of Grace we have received. If we don't know or believe what that means (uncertain), then we stay stuck in the legalism of Social Exchange (certain if A is true). As such, the world surely can not see the Gospel in our life and our life does say to others that our faith really matters.
Back to the beginning: who is it we should most trust with guaranteeing (putting the certainties in) the "if's" in our life, schemes of man (e. g., MetLife) or the creator of the universe who loves us unconditionally?
So much pondering in such a little word!! (I luv it)
METLIFE has an ad that their products are "guarantees for the if in life"
suggesting "if" represents all the uncertainties we face in our life and they can make them certain.
Two different friends recently made this statement: "what difference does it make if I am a Christian?"
One friend is a Christian and "it" is the notion of various forms of doctrine or beliefs residing in the Christian faith. The other friend is agnostic and "it" is dealing with how she lives her life (or anyone else for that matter).
Interestingly, not only in the same sentence (made by both a believer and a non believer) does "it" have different antecedents, the word "if" has different meanings. My agnostic friend used "if" in the way we normally use it, as a reference to effect flowing from an uncertain cause. "If A then B" means that the occurrence of B is conditional on the occurrence of A, which may or may not occur. She is in effect saying that in her experience the behavior of peeps she knows is not any different (or conditional) on whether they profess to be a Christian or not. She seems to feel she is "just as good a person" as her Christian friends. In other words, she is discounting the certainty of the statement "if one is a Christian, then they behave better than one who is not."
My Christian friend seems to be saying that "because (or since) I am a Christian, what difference does it make what doctrine I embrace?" In this instance "if" is reference to cause and effect that is established because A has occurred. That is, "if (since) A then B" means B occurs because B naturally flows from A and A is presumed to be true, exist, or have already occurred (not uncertain).
This is an example of how the word "if" can be translated in at least two different ways. In the Bible we find the same issue and how we consider the word "if" can make a difference in our understanding of a particular Scripture passage. For instance, "if God so loved us, we ought to love one another." The word "if" here (and in many similar passages) is best translated as "since" or "because." That is, since (because) God's love for us has already occurred, it flows naturally from this truth that we are made to love others. The issue of our sense making is based on whether A is certain or necessary to happen in the future (uncertain) to cause B to occur? In this use of the word "if", B (we love others) is the natural outcome of what already exist A (God loves us). Our natural tendency is to make sense of this verse by the perspective that A may or not occur but if it does, then B will occur. This subtle difference in how the word "if" is understood can make a big difference in how we make sense of what God is saying to us through Scripture.
One more example to illustrate the two different meanings for "if" (conditional cause and effect).
"if the world heats up 3 degrees in the next 50 years, the ice will melt and we will all drown." here statement A is uncertain but if it were true, then B would occur.
"if the world is round, we can go in one direction and return to where we start." here statement A is true and not uncertain and B flows from A as a natural consequence.
This leads me to a side note on the statements of these two friends:
One reason my agnostic friend does not see that being a Christian is relevant to what kind of person we are is because my Christian friend (and many Christians like him) do not believe that doctrine (or what we believe) really matters or is relevant since we are saved. After all, salvation is based simply on our faith in Jesus as our Savior, not doctrines of our faith. However, while our eternal destiny may not be in the balance, if our mind has not been transformed from carnal to Kingdom, then what we believe about ourself (and God) will severely restrict the "quality" of our life as a Christian and especially our witness. When Jesus says "the truth will set you free" He is referring to the freedom to be and to love based on the power of Grace we have received. If we don't know or believe what that means (uncertain), then we stay stuck in the legalism of Social Exchange (certain if A is true). As such, the world surely can not see the Gospel in our life and our life does say to others that our faith really matters.
Back to the beginning: who is it we should most trust with guaranteeing (putting the certainties in) the "if's" in our life, schemes of man (e. g., MetLife) or the creator of the universe who loves us unconditionally?
So much pondering in such a little word!! (I luv it)
Saturday, February 25, 2012
making sense of serving
"we serve and we cannot control the results, but we keep serving."
This is a line from the Hallmark movie "Beyond the Blackboard." This movie tells the story of a young woman who found great service in teaching homeless kids who were left out of the mainstream education system. While this young lady did yeomen's duty serving these kids who had been forgotten by society, she had to deal with the unpredictable events around the transient and chaotic aspect of homeless families. In the beginning she would be significantly affected when all her efforts seemed to fail because the parents of the kids made bad choices negating her service. While the movie shows her new found freedom in serving in spite of the outcome, it did not explain how or why this can happen.
The question of divorcing our expectations of results from our efforts to serve others permeates all of our being. You may "test yourself" in your motives for service. To what degree are you burdened with the expectation of results of your serving? In our nature (carnal mind) we cannot escape expectations of those we serve and outcomes we desire. We cannot give of ourselves without some expectation of return. Yet real serving must.
The only way we can serve with no expectation of return on our "selfless efforts" is if our purpose, value and identity is not found in our service. This only occurs when we fully embrace Grace (Kingdom mind). When we know for sure that our purpose, value and identity has been established by the greatest service of all eternity, the Cross, we can give with no expectation of return. Further, we can receive God's blessings with no obligation because we know His gift is unconditional. That is, only until we have received the greatest gifts of all with "no strings attached" can we give our gifts to others with "no strings attached."
Then and only then can we serve and serve and serve ..... without burnout, disappointment, and the stress of outcomes.
Now that my friend is the freedom that comes from truth and grace. Something worth pondering ...
This is a line from the Hallmark movie "Beyond the Blackboard." This movie tells the story of a young woman who found great service in teaching homeless kids who were left out of the mainstream education system. While this young lady did yeomen's duty serving these kids who had been forgotten by society, she had to deal with the unpredictable events around the transient and chaotic aspect of homeless families. In the beginning she would be significantly affected when all her efforts seemed to fail because the parents of the kids made bad choices negating her service. While the movie shows her new found freedom in serving in spite of the outcome, it did not explain how or why this can happen.
The question of divorcing our expectations of results from our efforts to serve others permeates all of our being. You may "test yourself" in your motives for service. To what degree are you burdened with the expectation of results of your serving? In our nature (carnal mind) we cannot escape expectations of those we serve and outcomes we desire. We cannot give of ourselves without some expectation of return. Yet real serving must.
The only way we can serve with no expectation of return on our "selfless efforts" is if our purpose, value and identity is not found in our service. This only occurs when we fully embrace Grace (Kingdom mind). When we know for sure that our purpose, value and identity has been established by the greatest service of all eternity, the Cross, we can give with no expectation of return. Further, we can receive God's blessings with no obligation because we know His gift is unconditional. That is, only until we have received the greatest gifts of all with "no strings attached" can we give our gifts to others with "no strings attached."
Then and only then can we serve and serve and serve ..... without burnout, disappointment, and the stress of outcomes.
Now that my friend is the freedom that comes from truth and grace. Something worth pondering ...
Thursday, February 9, 2012
"days of our lives"
Even as the trend is to become more and more isolated as individuals and hide from each other, technology has made it more difficult to remain "UNKNOWN"
what a paradox of our times!!! something to ponder ....
Thursday, February 2, 2012
making sense from our "yesterdays"
I once advised a young lady that we cannot look out into the future and understand the way things will be or how we will feel then based on our today. As we go through life each season informs the next such that we can only make sense of our today once we get there and see how our yesterdays begin to make sense.
Sometimes given our proneness to fear, what we thought was a "grizzly bear" chasing us and trying to harm us is really a "prince" that was holding our hand through treacherous times.
While this can be true of people in our lives, it is most certainly true of God. Because of our fear in the midst of difficult circumstances in life, we are prone to think of God as an adversary or judge. However, coming out the other side we surely see Him as our friend and indeed the sustainer of life.
Happy Birthday to my dear friend.
Remember, today is yesterday's tomorrow and is the first day of the rest of your life!!
Sometimes given our proneness to fear, what we thought was a "grizzly bear" chasing us and trying to harm us is really a "prince" that was holding our hand through treacherous times.
While this can be true of people in our lives, it is most certainly true of God. Because of our fear in the midst of difficult circumstances in life, we are prone to think of God as an adversary or judge. However, coming out the other side we surely see Him as our friend and indeed the sustainer of life.
Happy Birthday to my dear friend.
Remember, today is yesterday's tomorrow and is the first day of the rest of your life!!
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