Month: June 2017

Who do you look like?

You know how people and their pets begin to look alike after some time? There is even some science to show that long-term married spouses begin to resemble one another. According to the article linked here, “when people mimic their spouses’ facial expressions, they also evoke the same emotions, thus empathizing all the better. ‘Facial mimicry allows a truer empathy because it triggers the same inner state,’’ Dr. Zajonc said. ‘Couples can understand each other much better when this happens.’”
I found an interesting verse today in 2 Kings 17:15. It was speaking about the apostasy of the people of Israel in that they left the worship of the true God and substituted idols. The verse says, “They went after false idols and became false”. Apparently, their mimicry triggered within them the same inner state. They were following something fake and so became fakers themselves.
Isaiah is so descriptive of the state of a person following something false, “He feeds on ashes; a deluded heart has led him astray, and he cannot deliver himself or say, “Is there not a lie in my right hand?” (Isaiah 44:20) The NIV says “is not this thing in my right hand a lie?”
What is this thing in my life that I am, consciously or not, spending so much time focusing on that I am mimicking it in my behavior or attitude? If I am only reflecting the culture and ideology (interesting how close that word is to “idol”) of the world around me, am I not in danger of becoming what it is?
I had a discussion recently with a young adult regarding being culturally relevant. How much of current media, movies, and music do I need to consume to be able to speak the “language” of this current generation? I do not have a good answer to that question. Sorry, if you were hoping for one. Partially, because I believe only God knows a person’s heart and can know how easily they will be influenced by what they are exposed to. Lest you accept that as a caveat to greater license remember Paul’s discussion with the Roman’s regarding dietary restrictions.
Romans 14:20 “Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats. 21 It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble. 22 The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves.”
The obligation is always placed on the one without the “too sensitive” conscience to not become a stumbling block by what they feel they can do without guilt. However, note that last sentence carefully, “Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves.”
In other words, we need to look in the mirror and watch ourselves! What are we mimicking of the world around us because of what we have approved? It’s not our job to judge others as being “too sensitive”. We have to pass judgment on ourselves, and that is not easy to do!

We know that as followers of Christ the standard for our behavior has to be Christlikeness. The only way to truly accomplish that is to keep Him forever in our focus so that His is the face we are mimicking.
Philippians 2: 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
How can we look out for the interests of others? Only by mimicking the mind of Christ.
How can we know God? 2 Corinthians 4:6 “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”
The older I get- the more I want to look like the face of Jesus!

Don Quixote’s House

She’s at it again! The female cardinal who travels from window to window around the house attacking her reflection in each one. She must think that there are innumerable enemies since every time she looks in a window another one appears who surely is bent on encroaching into her territory. Her lovelorn mate sits behind her in the tree calling to her; obviously, he is failing to understand that she has a duty to run off all these interlopers!

My husband collects Don Quixote themed items. Note, I did not say clutter. He has always had an affection for the story of a man who in his delusions of chivalry had a tendency to confuse windmills for giants. Also, this particular quote could apply to him as well, “Finally, from so little sleeping and so much reading, his brain dried up and he went completely out of his mind.” I do hope he doesn’t follow it to the full extreme.

Our poor Mrs. Cardinal and the old Don have much in common. Their perception of threat and danger, their determination to defend and protect has seriously skewed their ability to understand reality and cause them to harm themselves. Mrs. Cardinal must at the very least have some brain damage from repeatedly running her beak into a hard glass wall.

Mrs. Cardinal sees a threat where there is none. She is ready to throw herself into a battle where none exists. She is literally fighting against herself. Why? Because her reflection threatens her. So often when we are determined to defend some territory in our lives, it is purely a reflection of our personal insecurity. In our attempts to keep everyone away from “our” stuff, our rights, our portion of whatever pie; whatever it might be, we are revealing to the world; not how brave we are, but how fearful. We end up wasting our time that could be spent building relationships, homes/nests and investing in the next generation.

Don Quixote wasn’t particularly territorial. He wanted to bring back the days of chivalry, the knights in shining armor defending the damsels in distress.

“But our depraved age does not deserve to enjoy such a blessing as those ages enjoyed when knights-errant took upon their shoulders the defense of kingdoms, the protection of damsels, the succor of orphans and minors, the chastisement of the proud, and the recompense of the humble.”  

This backward-looking perspective can also be a destructive pattern. When we are committed to bringing back the “good ole days”, we begin to see everyone and everything as a threat to our desired reality. We pick fights with everyone we meet, champion causes that are truly ridiculous, not to mention time-consuming, and we are completely ineffective in bringing about change because we are not dealing with systems and people as they really are, but rather view them as an enemy to our ideal way of life. In the story Don Quixote is not able to bring back the golden age or restore chivalry; he only further deludes and harms himself.

Surely there are principles and truths that we need to hold on to and be prepared to give an answer for when asked.

1 Peter 3:14-16 But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.

The only effective response should be done with gentleness, respect, and accompanied by such good behavior that those who are attacking us are ashamed of themselves.