Dale Cresap's blog

Are you familiar with the story of Abraham and Isaac? Do you think it was cruel for me to ask Abraham to kill his own son? Even if you don’t, you will meet people who do because they don’t understand the point of the story. You may recall Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice that which was most important to him and my intervention at the moment of truth to prevent this final act. And so the name Isaac has become symbolic of the ultimate sacrifice that anyone could make. Do you think Abraham would have given his own life to preserve his promised son?

Have you heard the distinction between seeing the same glass as half-full or half-empty? This is used to illustrate the difference between optimism and pessimism in the same situation, and the gratitude for what you have, but the same scenario illustrates another principle as well. A glass that is half-full has room for more. Have you met people who were like full glasses, confident in their current positions and lacking in curiosity about things they don’t know? They can’t take on any more. I want you to know that you are a glass half-full.

Do you want to be smarter? Intelligence is highly rated in your culture, and people are admired just for being smart. But intelligence is a fairly stable measure, while maturity and wisdom are not. Do you see a lack of intelligence as a major hindrance in the people around you? Wouldn’t you say that they are held back more by fear, bias, and a lack of comprehension of the shape of reality than by a lack of reasoning ability? These are things that you can change, or can be changed in you if you accept the process.

Do you want to be smarter? Intelligence is highly rated in your culture, and people are admired just for being smart. But intelligence is a fairly stable measure, while maturity and wisdom are not. Do you see a lack of intelligence as a major hindrance in the people around you? Wouldn’t you say that they are held back more by fear, bias, and a lack of comprehension of the shape of reality than by a lack of reasoning ability? These are things that you can change, or can be changed in you if you accept the process.

Do you see yourself as my secretary? A good secretary can make appointments for the boss, and a good boss will honor them. A good secretary knows the schedule of the boss, and who is eligible for an appointment and should be scheduled, and who should not. One view of evangelism is an effort to convince people of the truth of doctrine. Another is to lead people into their own encounter with me. Have you tried both approaches? Which have you found to be more effective? I have an opening for a good secretary. If you make appointments for me I will keep them. 

Have you heard people refer to ‘the bottom line’? This is obviously a reference to money, and it implies that the final monetary value is the most important measure. The metaphor is so common usage that it is used in situations that are not strictly financial, but the financial basis of it still remains. The Bible speaks much about money because it is so important to people and reveals their true values. Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Beware of the love of money. You cannot serve God and mammon. What other types of treasure are there?

Is your church better than others? Does this question put you in a quandary? To claim that it is true sounds arrogant and presumptuous. Yet who would want to attend a second best church? Have you been to a church that made claims to being the best, even if subtle and well-disguised? Have you ever been to a church that didn’t? You need a distinctive to attract members, but this is a case to make carefully since the Bible teaches about one faith, one baptism, and one Body of Christ. So is one church better than others? This is too large a question.

Do you want to be popular? Who doesn’t? What is more popular than being popular? You crave human contact, and beyond that, human acceptance and approval. This is comforting and reassuring. Yet I said that the path that leads to life is strait and narrow, and few there be that find it. You are to lay down your life and pick up your cross and follow me. This will never be popular. Beyond that, you can expect persecution and be hated of all men for my sake. Does this put you in a dilemma where you have to make a difficult choice?

Have you ever heard someone downplay the significance of a proposed action saying that a year from now it won’t matter, or 10 years, or 100 years, or more? This is illogical thinking. If you are the captain of a boat and you make a change in course it will have little immediate effect on your position, but the more time that passes on the new course, the further you are from where you would have been otherwise. Do you understand that you own actions are the same way, that they have effects that extend into the future?

I told my followers that if they seek, they would find, and told them to seek first the Kingdom of God. These apply to you as well. So where do you look for the Kingdom of God? The conventional understanding is that heaven is up and hell is down, but these are more geometric than spiritual concepts. They may speak to transcendence, but are they helpful in the real, imminent world you live in? Fortunately I have given you more guidance in saying that the Kingdom of God is within you. It doesn’t get any closer than that. Are you able to find the Kingdom of God if you look there?