Lord. I know I'll be tested. Just like the others beside me. I've seen the others beside me bow down left, right, and center. Peer pressure causes their mental knees to nervously shake and descend with pity. Their stance is compromised due to cowardice of conviction. With people-pleasing postures, they curtsy towards the shifting trends and whimsical opinions of the world.
Not me Lord.
Lord, I will not cave in from pressure. I choose to be one of the remaining few who refuse to bow my knee down to falsehood, even if threatened. I cannot, and will not bow down. Something in me refuses to give in. Something beyond my mind that I do not fully understand causes me to stand firm for reasons that I do not fully know. And so I refuse to bow to the world's idolatrous ideologies and instead choose to be an intellectually daring rebel. My freethinking is too preciously free to pay the price of worldly imprisonment. In every age, freethinking needs to adapt its attitude to test and possibly challenge the background assumptions that are taken in by the masses without testing and scrutiny. So, in our modern day intellectual world in 2017, I will be a Neo-freethinker who will not get his thinking enslaved by the Matrix. I dare to keep Michael Scholfielding myself out of the world's imprisoning ideas.
Lord, be with me.
I just finish reading the last sentence of 1 John, " Τεκνία, φυλάξατε ἑαυτὰ ἀπὸ τῶν εἰδώλων," which sounds quite perplexing for me. Why did John conclude his letter such a sudden warning on idolatry after a lengthy discussion on faith, love, and life, which seems unrelated to idolatry?
ReplyDeleteI think it's because idolatry is very subtle at times. There are times where it's blatant, then there are times where it's so subtle. I understand an idol that gets in the way of relationship/relational intimacy and health. So for a husband and wife, an idol can be blatant (pornography), but also very subtle (work, money, friendships, "responsibilities", ministry, hobbies, in-laws, church), and it takes constant self-examination to be aware of it. The same goes with our relationship with God. In 1 John, the whole book is about love. Love in our relationship with God and with others. And idols can be so subtle that get in the way and ruin the health and intimacy of those Christ-centered relationships.
ReplyDeleteWhat are your thoughts on this?