Open Secret

In the context (sin/righteousness, confession/forgiveness, casualness/responsibility) referred to on this date for Today’s Page from Volumes 1 and 2, I found any doubts had faded, sins/guilt were expunged by true confession, and maturity advanced by upgrading my conduct and thinking. Christian life became stronger, growing, with a firm sense of devotion and meaning that I had not felt previous to the process of Christian nurture as it applied to me. My inner orientation turned from mortal environment to immortal, but made me a better ambassador in the mortal context. My guidance depended upon the context of prayer, instruction from Scripture, and the assistance of the Holy Spirit in determining best personal performance, not only for God, but for the society of which I am a part. I noted the lives of effective persons, male and female, in both Christian and secular contexts. I believe this summary statement is verified in the pages of Scripture. If I found in Scripture any contradiction to my life, I would want to change my thinking and conduct to mesh with the teaching. Such teaching is not always easy to find, when one is trying to function in two environments, natural and spiritual – so to go to Christian education and maturity. The Christian is a citizen of God’s kingdom, but serving as a caring ambassador on earth where as a guest-citizen, he or she must meet expectations from different venues. (II Corinthians 5:20) Christians are world citizens obligated to keep the laws in the community they find themselves. To meet so large an assignment takes some doing. If not well balanced, which takes appropriate sophistication, Christians will not serve either the place of citizenship (heaven) or the place of current residence (earth citizenship) well. This is all summarized in the miracle of life to be lived. Whatever serves life well is our major concern. If it serves life well, we have what God would have for us. That which threatens and violates life is our enemy, and qualifies as sin in the evaluation of God. Violating life is taken as violation of the author of life. God interprets it that way.

For a person to be reported well takes some doing. Even when persons do their best, live up to their potentials, find balance in whatever they do, carry responsibility, live righteously, respond in love to charity (action), and try to live in a context that even God will approve – they will be resisted, perhaps reviled, by some persons in contact with them. They qualify to the title of enemy, even gracious enemy. To them the faithful Christian returns graciously, knowing that the problem is in the enemy, not in the loving person. Jesus made it clear that we are to love our enemies, even do good to those who despitefully use us.

How is this made practical in everyday life? First, the problem is to be seen as the problem of the other person, not mine. Since it is his/her problem, and God means for me to be a problem-solver, I must respect the potential in the person to solve the problem. I will find some entrance, perhaps, if I work with that person in love but no entrance if I function without love, as the offensive (offended) person is acting. If love and concern have their rightful place, I will not back down on values from God, but can utilize them for solution, perhaps with this person. I ought to begin by making sure that the objections of the enemy are not true, or partly untrue. They may be instructive to me that something in my context needs to be addressed. Some good people handle situations badly. They miss opportunity in permitting offense and anger to arise, and shield off the better factors of our lives. One of the best rules of my personal life is the refusal to be offended. I either need the insight to something in my life by the opinions and conduct of persons who come and go my way, or they may be disjointed from the values they hold. Perhaps they have only small responsibility for their positions. Perhaps they were formed by angry parents’ contexts. Hatreds are poison in family life. Currently nations are at warfare partly over hatreds in their religions. Our theme here becomes a mortal one when enough persons are guided by it to make it a social matter. What is the situation with me and with those persons with whom I have to do? This becomes very personal when it relates to family members. Analysts agree that family is one of the most beautiful contexts of human life. They also agree that it can be most ugly. Families repair their differences starting with their love and choices. From there to find in prayerful discussion, to mend differences – so to be well-reported.