P4E.040 A Parallel Universe

"If I was haunted by my past, would you turn back the clock?
If I came to you in peace, would you be armed to the teeth?
If I was drowning in the sea, would you let it swallow me?
If I was mourning the dead, would you dig my grave too?
I think you would.
I think you would."

We Barbarians

Simply put, our natural values are at odds with God's. Scripture stresses this repeatedly. Whether it's "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Neither are your ways My ways declares the LORD," or "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And do not lean on your own understanding..." or "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will hold to one and despise the other," it is clear that we naturally value that which is contrary to what God values.

It can be considered a "parallel universe" of value systems. They can co-exist because one is based on the material and the other on the spiritual. Yes, they can overlap to some small extent, but in their essentials they are polarized.

Think about what we, as men, naturally value: Money, appearances, time (is money), speed (a subset of time), fame, power, work, education, pleasure (has many subsets). Did I miss anything? You see, it's a set of values that can be defined in short fashion.

Scripture reveals a different, Godly value system. God has no beginning or end, so time is of little consequence to Him. "God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." "You cannot serve God and money." "God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong."

As an example, the visual arts, performing arts, music, poetry, the written word are all expressions of the spirit. As such, they are of less value in a "materialist/earthly/fleshly/mechanical" value system. Of course there is some cross over value to the material value system, but they are much more highly valued as expressions of the spirit in a "spiritual" value system.

Here's a word/thought I want to share with you: romance. It implies improbability, excitement, heroism, chivalry, adventure, idealism, transcendence, heightened emotions, amour.

Grace is such a notion. Graceful, gracious, elegance, seemliness, propriety, consideration, charm... BEAUTY. To extend forgiveness, to sanctify that which is undeserving, to do and be more than what is expected are romantic, beautiful notions that we may not naturally value as men.

"But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them because they are spiritually appraised."

But there's hope...We need not resign ourselves to our natural state...We can be "born again." As Christ said, "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit."

Peace, Kim