Reality From Vision

Jesus lived in two massive contexts, one spiritual with his deity inescapable and one physical, also inescapable during the period chosen to take it on.  He, like all other human beings had to take on the context of daily natural life – to eat and drink, perform his ablutions, scratch an itch, and the like in human conduct and necessity for the comfort and maintenance of human life.  His deity was identified in his teachings, in his miracles, and in his holiness (thought/conduct).  His intense interest in all persons, and his actions related to individual persons.  He maintained the practical thought that the key to understanding Christian life is found in the individual in relation to Jesus Christ.  As important as society is, made up of masses of individuals, the first interest of God in earth is the human individual.  God treats each individual as virtually the only person on earth.  The adaptations of the individual to earth determine the natural (earthly) outcome for that individual, and the adaptations of the individual to God determine the spiritual (heavenly) outcome for that individual.  For those persons choosing to serve God the combination of the physical/spiritual person does not, in the massive majority of instances, create personal conflict.  Those persons are expected, by their conduct in devotion to God demonstrated in a model life and service to mankind in practical care and witness – to live normal lives.  From this long list of individuals, God calls some to special purpose as he did with the disciples.  Relatively few of his children are called to live a life like that of the Apostle Paul, or John Hus, or five missionary martyrs along the Curary River in South America in the 1950s.  There are many martyrs, but most Christians are called to live (normally) for him.

What ought to be the story for the individual loving God and living out a normal life for his or her earthly sojourn?  Permit me to summarize the journey in what may seem to be a round-about sketch.  I have tried to follow the experience of life for persons in many contexts.  I have found that whatever persons do, the successful ones relate themselves to their own development (maturity) to similar, perhaps the same, ideals, applications and cultivations in themselves – whether they are politicians, business persons, servers in restaurants, farmers, teachers, ministers, clerks or laborers in any chosen field in society.  For this Page, I choose experience in faith parables related to all choices of life’s investment for purpose and legacy.

I have, over periods of time, read from scores of publications related to this or that occupational context. The business world is helped by some excellent materials.  I have used much of it in the consultant role with many groups, small and international in scope.  Recently I read another article from one of my favorite business gurus, Harvey Mackay, who is highly regarded in the business world of his influence. Like virtually all of his articles, counsel is cast as business education, but what he usually emphasizes is the person.  In this article he outlines what it takes to turn dreams into reality.  (In Christian ministry I would suggest vision for dreams, and results for reality – which in context is what both of us would be advocating.) Mackay credits Investor’s Business Daily for his outline of the day and his responses to the ideas: 1) a positive attitude; 2) a definite goal; 3) a courageous spirit; 4) an inquisitive mind; 5) a strong heart; 6) ananalytic brain; 7) a focused eye; 8) a fearless approach; 9) a disciplined tongue; and, 10) a clear conscience.)  It would make an excellent Bible Study to take each of the items and read Scripture verses that advocate the points for personal development – maturity of life leading to success for worthy effort and projects.  In working with good people, the teacher often discovers students nod in approval at the principles, but find themselves (or are found) not to be doing what they need to do to accomplish the reality of their dreams (vision).  Dreams can become nightmares and vision turns toward darkness. What should we then be?  Principles for the good life, self, family, profession, recreation, and community, are principles for the active and thinking individual.  The search ought to be clear.  The information is in. The problem appears to be the lack of application of what we know.  The Scripture is supportive of the best found in secular sources.  Serious authors in any culture find the success in the individual application which, under God, is based in a God-offered righteousness for all persons.