My spring break is over and I head back to ye olde mill today, with one thought in mind.
31Treat others the same way you want them to treat you. Luke 6:31 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
I hope I can make it past 9 o’clock with this still on my mind!
I will start by apologizing to all of my loyal readers out there for being late today. Today was a recover day from my weekend trip, and as it were, I was not up and on the keyboard at the crack of dawn this morning.
This weekend while on the bus, I was reading the Steve Jobs biography – which is a fascinating read, by the way. Anyway, Jobs, as you may know was into the whole Zen thing, and simplicity. The book was comparing some of his ways to the German philosopher Nietzsche, who evidently wrote in his book Thus Spoke Zarathustra, “The spirit now wills his own will and he who had been lost to the world now conquers the world.”. I don’t claim expertise in all of the ways to enlightenment, but I do see that those thoughts sound oddly familiar to this
34 Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. 36 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? 37Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? Mark 8:34-37 New International Version (NIV)
and this
33 Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life will preserve it. Luke 17:33 New International Version (NIV)
Of course the big difference being the guiding force – your own spirit or the spirit of the creator of the world? Today, give up yourself, let the Spirit guide you, and the teaching of sacrifice and love light your way.
March is like a month full of interesting days. Today is Good Samaritan Involvement Day. A day that encourages people to step out and help others. To get out of the shadows and get involved in people’s lives. That’s good great!
But the story behind this day is incredibly interesting. Obviously, we all know the original story that Jesus told as he answered the question ‘Who is my neighbor?’. This day, however, was created to remember a day, or a night, that occurred back in 1964. I guess it’s really the anti-pattern of being a Good Samaritan. You have probably heard about this event – a murder of a girl on the streets on New York that occurred while 38 people watched and didn’t help. You can read the full story here.
So today, let’s be reminded of our duty to help others.
[Jesus said] 36“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”
37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”
Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
Man, I hate this Spring Forward time change thing. I probably don’t sleep enough anyway, so the last thing I need is to have a major kink thrown into my sleep schedule! I guess this daylight savings thing has some value. Maybe one day I will hear an explanation that actually makes sense.
But, here’s a good outcome. In 1999 a few doctors decided to proclaim the Monday after the time adjustment as Napping Day. Yeah, that’s right. a day where we can nap like a grade school student without any retribution. I wonder if my management will comply?
It’s just another one of those things that make March mad!
So, let your body recover today, but let your spirit “Be always on the watch“.
Two interesting observations about some of the first people to experience the Christ.
One group could not stop talking about it
And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, even as it was spoken unto them.” Luke 2:20 ASV
and the second group decided they would leave a different way then the way they came:
11 After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 And having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way. Matthew 2:11-12 NASB
So after experience Christ this Christmas, will you keep him on your lips? Is it time to go another way?