Dale Cresap's blog

Which commandment do you think is the most difficult to follow? How about loving your enemies? How do you go about this? Are you content to hold a favorable opinion toward them? This is a commandment that is easier to keep in the abstract than in the concrete. But is that enough? Do your enemies know that you love  them? Express this in word and deed. Do good to those who persecute you, and hate you, and despitefully use you, that you may be the children of your Father in heaven who loves them as much as he loves you.

Can you give someone an education? You can give someone a car, or money, and you can pay their tuition and living expenses to give them an opportunity, but in the end they are going to have to do the studying required, so in this sense you cannot give someone an education. Can you give someone spiritual development? The same arguments apply. No one can take your spiritual journey for you, but you also cannot take yours by yourself. I paid your tuition and all your living expenses for your spiritual development, but you still need to show up for class, and do your homework.

Do you like to visit new places or old favorites? Places you have been before are known quantities. New ones have a greater sense of adventure but also the associated risk of moving into the unknown. Perhaps the best of both worlds is to go to new places with a friend who has been there before, who can serve as your guide. Whether you like to travel or not, you are moving into an unknown future. Here there is no choice but to consider it a new experience. Would you like a guide? I do not face the same limitations of time that you do.

Do you understand the importance of being empathetic and compassionate? I have called you to bear one another’s burdens. Do you have enough trouble carrying your own? Have you ever taken on someone’s burden and staggered under the weight of it, to the point of being crushed? This is a real concern. There are some burdens you were not meant to bear. You will have enough strength for those given to you. So this is not a matter of strength, but wisdom. Be led by the Spirit and ask me which burdens I want you to take on.

Do you encounter a multitude of worthy causes? Each of them may be understaffed and crying out for additional money and effort to advance it. Do you find that your own resources are limited and you are not able to support them all? You can acknowledge that a task is worthwhile without giving yourself to it. You can admire and applaud the efforts of others while you attend to the work that is your own. Do you live with a sense of destiny, that you have your own calling and purpose, and that the tasks that I assign to you are your own true mission? These I will enable you to complete.

Do you listen to other people for the purpose of refuting them or to learn from them? These are exclusive categories since you can’t do both at once. Have you ever had anyone listen to you for the purpose of refuting you? How would you know? Yet is there anything more obvious? This leads to no communication but rather a downward spiral of argument. You can score points in this situation, but no one really wins, for victory comes at the cost of alienating your brother. Why would you agree with your adversary?

Are you prepared to render first aid? First aid training is offered on the premise that those in emergency medical situations need immediate help. The person near at hand who can stop the bleeding is more helpful than the doctor far away. Relatively little training is required to save a life while more advanced care is on the way. Can you extend this principle beyond medical situations? What about spiritual ones? Are you prepared to offer spiritual first aid? In the routine course of your life you will meet people with immediate spiritual needs.

Do you see the gospel as primarily a positive or negative message? In some sports, like golf, you want as low a score as possible. In most sports you want to score as many points as possible to win. In comparison to the Christian faith, you would want a low score for sins, and a high score for love, faithfulness, generosity, righteous works, and other virtues and spiritual fruits. If both are important, which is more important? The answer to this question indicates whether the gospel is a positive or negative message.

Are you familiar with the idea of reserves? You may practice it. Are you aware of how much gas you have in your car and add fuel before you run out? Do you have some money available for emergencies? This concept applies in many areas. Can you think of others? What about a reserve of grace? Have you ever felt depleted by a series of extreme demands? Grace isn’t something you can measure and save like gallons and dollars, yet you still know people who seem to have a larger reserve to draw on than others.

Are you a leader? Do you assume that there are few leaders and many followers and if you are not a leader then you are a follower? Everyone can and should be both, and you should look for both aspects in your own life. I was impressed with a Centurion who had understanding not because he had men under him, but because he was a man under authority. Do you assume that you must be a follower rather than a leader because you cannot identify any direct followers? Even if you don’t have a title and an office I have still given you a realm in which you can exert influence.