Dale Cresap's blog

Do you understand that you will be judged by the same standards by which you judge others? Do you assume that you will wait until the final judgment for this to take place? I assure you that you won’t have to wait that long. Have you ever heard someone spewing forth harsh and bitter judgments against others? Don’t you see it as a blatant invitation to watch them closely and look for opportunities to apply the same standards to them? This is a universal principle that also applies to you. Do you see this as a deal to overlook evil in others that they might overlook it in you? This principle is not meant to be a license to sin. Judge not (others) but judge yourself that you may not be judged.

Do you recognize that some persons can be a bad influence on you; such as leading you back into bad habits? This is a real phenomenon and you are wise not to associate with people who will cause you to stumble in areas of known weakness. Do you know that the reverse is also true? That there are those who inspire you to better conduct than you would on your own? You may think of these as agents of righteousness. Do you think that only pastors or others holding spiritual offices can act this way? What have you found to be true in your own life? Haven’t you seen children or the elderly have this influence on yourself or others, even doing it unawares? So you don’t need an office or title to be an agent of righteousness. Who does this for you? Do you do it for anyone else?

Have you ever walked a beaten path? This is a familiar term for a route taken by many people through an otherwise undisturbed area. They wear a path that is visible from use. It is easy to walk on the beaten path and you can do this without thinking. This metaphor is more often used for routes and pathways through life, but the parallels are strong. Walking in the footsteps of the crowd doesn’t require much thought in terms of route finding or deliberate intention. Yet I want you to be fully engaged in your own life. The path I have for you is unique and you will not find it by being swept along with the crowd. Seek me and I will show you the path I have set before you. Don’t worry if you seem to be walking alone for I am always with you.

Do you make a distinction between religion and spirituality? Some faith traditions refer to themselves as religions and for others this is a dirty word. These are still useful terms and I make reference to the same concepts as wine and wineskins. Religion gives organization and structure to your faith. You need a community and regular practices to support your spirituality. If the wineskin bursts the wine is spilled and there is a spiritual reality that corresponds to this imagery. The wineskins only exist because of the value of  the wine so you should not be confused about which is more important. Don’t accept a religion that doesn’t serve your spirituality, but don’t resent the religion that does serve to support it.

Do you see things the way they are? Or do you see things the way you are? Could you tell the difference between clear perception and distorted perception if it was your own perception? No one thinks that they do not see clearly, but how would you know? Would you know if you had a log in your own eye? I recommended that you remove the log from your own eye before you volunteered to assist your brother in removing  the speck from his eye. This is a strong illustration and should get your attention. If you want to see clearly start with the assumption that your own views are influenced by something and make no judgments until you know what it is.

How many people do you trust? Do you see that the concept of trust has many dimensions? At one level is trust that people will not attack or steal from you. Above that is the trust that those you confide in will not violate your confidence in passing sensitive information about you on to others. Still higher is the trust that those you confide in will not reject you for the vulnerability of your confessions. It is possible for someone to be trustworthy at lower levels and fail at this level. If you tell someone your secrets and it changes the basis of your friendship it is not an expression of the highest level of trust. How many people do you trust at this level? How many trust you?

Do you like to get gifts? Do you expect them on special occasions such as Christmas and your birthday? Have you ever received gifts at unexpected times? Did you find these to be more special than others because they came as a surprise, and you knew the person giving them was truly thoughtful and not feeling obligated because of the occasion? You ask me for things in your prayers and I answer your prayers. Do you know that I am also thinking of you when you are not praying and give you gifts you did not ask for? I want you to be watching that you may be aware of everything I do for you that you may know how special they are.

My word teaches you to love your enemies. Do you resent this, thinking that you are letting them off the hook for real offenses and deserved judgments? Perhaps you are, but is this your judgment to make? Have you ever avoided any deserved judgments yourself? Beware of going down this road. For you will either love your enemies or judge them, and in judging them you cannot avoid internalizing things that are detrimental to you, and become negative characteristics in yourself. So in loving your enemies are you really letting someone off the hook? Yes, but it isn’t them, it is you.

My word speaks of taking every thought captive. Do you realize what a beautiful concept this is? You understand about people who are captives. Do you have perfect control over your thoughts? Have they ever gone in a direction that you did not want, that did not serve you, that did not reflect your deepest values? Has your mind ever had a mind of its own? If this has ever happened to you then you can appreciate the value of this scriptural practice. Abide in me and let me teach you to control your thoughts so they are subject to your control rather than you being subject to them.

Are you aware of the essential humanity of everyone you meet? This may be the most obvious in newborns who are ‘fresh from heaven’, but the same concept applies to everyone. Failure to regard the essential humanity of your enemies makes it easier to kill them in war, and to disregard them in peace. What army doesn’t dehumanize its enemies, saying they are not like us? But at the most basic level they are. You use the phrase ‘sanctity of life’ primarily in opposition to abortion, but it should not be limited to that. How can you live your life to regard the sanctity of life in everything you do?