July 24, 2005

• B"H

  
  

  A Few Thoughts From an In-between Place

  
  

  Ha ha, I like creating these odd and sometimes interesting titles for my posts, but last time I think the title and the substance didn't match very well. I intended to share about something quite positive and never quite got to it. Instead, I was racing headstrong down into a very dark place. Thankfully I ran out of time and then later had a chance to reconsider my direction.

  
  

  I still would like to say a few things about Family & Friends, but that'll have to wait a while I guess. Right now it's 6:15 in the morning and I have other thoughts filling my spaced-out brain.

  
  

  So, what is an in-between place you ask? (No one really asks these questions of course, but it helps me to organize my thoughts to pretend so at times.) In my world, this is that emotional state when things are neither all good nor all bad. Sort of a mixture of both. I tend to live most of my life in such a place as this. Generally I'm very optimistic about life. Some of my non-cyber friends might challenge that statement, but if I might be allowed to ellaborate, I think I can erase their charges of hypocrisy and false self-representation.

  
  

  I think of myself as being optimistic in the long run. In the present I think that all sorts of "bad" things can and very likely will happen to most of us. These seemingly "bad" things however, are often necessary to mold us into a better reflection of our maker.

  
  

  The analogy that comes to mind at this time is that of a reflection and a true image. When one looks at a reflection it is always best to remember that there is a vast difference between the reflection and the true image. Our perception of the true image can be skewed in many ways that will give us a false view of what is real. First, let's consider the integrity of the reflecting medium. If this medium is marred in some way, (murky water in a pool, a cracked or tarnished mirror,) the reflection we see will be vastly different from the true image. Think of those mishapenned mirrors they use at a carnival where a person can look either stretched out and extremely thin, or compressed down and fattened up. Not only do we need a clear and precise reflecting medium, but we also need for that medium to be in the proper relationship or alignment with the true image. If the mirror is tilted, the reflection we see might be elongated or distorted in some way. If the angle we are viewing from is too extreme, we might not see any reflection or worse yet, the reflection we do see might be of an entirely different object.

  
  

  Our understanding of GOD and His world may be quite distorted if either the medium through which we view Him is marred or we are in some way out of proper alignment with Him. As we begin reading and studying the Bible I think that we need to start with a high view of the character of GOD Himself. What is He like? What do we know of His personality traits? Is He a hard taskmaster? Does He give second chances to those who fail to meet His high standards? Since we were made from the dust of the earth, what can we ever do that will truely bless and please Him? These and a host of other similar questions need to be settled early on as we seek to grow as believers and His disciples.

  
  

  In returning to my original point of being optimistic. I think that GOD uses "hard" or "bad" things in our experiences to clear up our vision of Him and set us in proper relationship. I may be extremely frustrated with my lack of progress in developing more refined social skills. I may be hurt or crushed by rejection from either other people or from a bad situation (being fired from a job or dumped by a loved one). I may be crippled by anxiety due to fear of failure in some area of my life. I believe that GOD uses all these "things" and more to form us into vessels of honor in His service.

  
  

  So, when I fall down I take heart, because I know that GOD is never taken by surprise, by any of the things that we do. He knew what kind of characters we were before He ever accepted us as His People. Although I fail, time and time again, I know that somehow, in the end, GOD will use all these things for His glory and that is why I'm optimistic.

  
  

  Blessings,

  
  

  Shlomo

  • 8:45 am
  • 6 Comments