Being Profound

I started writing stuff a while ago. I wanted to be profound. I wanted to be thoughtful. I wanted to have some depth. I probably didn’t achieve any of those things. Such is life.

One thing I do want to emphasis is that I don’t profess to any hidden knowledge. I don’t claim any higher degree of understanding. I try not to come off as being smarter than anyone else. Sometimes I can be a bit short with those around me. Sometimes it’s because I think I’m smarter than them. Sometimes it’s because I think they should know more than they do. Sometimes it’s just because I don’t want to be bothered. Sad, but oh so true. It’s a part of my human make up. It’s a part of who I am.

Some people I don’t like talking to because they want to come off as knowing more than they do, and they don’t like to admit they are wrong, they don’t give anyone the benefit of the doubt or can just be down right mean. I can be like that.

Some people resort to name calling and insults if you don’t agree with them. You are ‘uninformed,’ or ‘ignorant,’ ‘have your head in the sand,’ ‘don’t know what you’re talking about.’ This is a form of contempt for the person whom the insult is flung at. It’s a way of looking down your nose at another. It’s an excuse not to listen to what they are saying. God isn’t too keen on that. We can be like that too. “Oh, they are heathens.” “He just doesn’t have the spirit.” “He’s not a Christian.” “You don’t have a theological/psychological/sociology degree.” “Bless his heart.” It’s a way of being dismissive.

I try to be discerning. Who am I talking to? Would what I say ‘offend’ this person? Does this person need ‘offending?’ (That may sound like a strange question, but Jesus had to ‘offend’ some people. Not that it changed them, but it helped bring out their true character.) Is a ‘harsh word’ or ‘kindness’ needed at this time? Truth can be offensive.

Most people are more concerned about ‘their rights,’ ‘their feelings,’ or ‘their opinions,’ that they only listen to other people to point out where they are wrong or to find an opening or break for the chance to express their view and they don’t listen to what is being said in total or context or at all.

“He who has not the Spirit of Christ, are none of His.” Romans 8:9 You can follow rules without love, but according to God through Paul “it means nothing.” Profound words, not mine. Too many of us hate the world that “God so loved.”

Where is all this going? I don’t know. I wake up every morning praying, “Father, forgive me, I don’t know what I’m doing.” This was Jesus’ prayer after being beaten, spit on, rejected and finally nailed to the cross, “Father, forgive them, they don’t know what they’re doing.” We get so upset with people when they offend us. Life would be a little easier to take if we would just say, “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.”

Jesus is what makes us acceptable to the Father. There is nothing else. For everything else we do, “Father, forgive us, we don’t know what we’re doing.”

Geoff Metcalf once said, “I don’t know, what I still don’t know.” Profound wisdom.