Dale Cresap's blog

Have you heard of grateful alcoholics? These people have emerged from the pain and suffering of their addiction and come out the other side to a larger and more gracious humanity than they would have possessed otherwise. They travelled a path that no one would choose, but the cumulative result was a transformative work in their lives. Perhaps you are not an alcoholic, but you face some other form of suffering and loss in which you see no redemptive purpose. Yet I can work in situations that appear to be impossible.

Do you exercise your right to pursue happiness? Do you find more happiness by pursing pleasure or pursuing meaning? Both of these desires are hard wired into you, but only one is a spiritual imperative. Some people will voluntarily sacrifice pleasure to do things that are meaningful, but who can endure a meaningless life even if it involves pleasure? Other people have walked away from a pleasant life to do something of enduring worth. These are both visible expressions of what matters more.

My people seek my presence, as you do for anyone whose company you enjoy. What does my presence mean to you? Do you think of it as the ultimate source of comfort and reassurance? This was not the experience that Jacob had when I showed up to wrestle with him. Yet who could argue that I was not present with him? Wrestling isn’t something that you can do from afar. It is the ultimate contact sport. Yet it also doesn’t meet the definition of comfort and reassurance, and as Jacob found out, there can be permanent consequences from the encounter.

What are you willing to die for? Is there a cause sufficiently greater than yourself that you would voluntarily sacrifice your life for it? You will die one way or another. People anticipate dying of causes related to age at the end of a happy and meaningful life. That is better than having your life cut short by injury or disease. Most people are never faced with the stark choice of giving their life for a cause. But is there a cause great enough to be worth it? The alternative is that preserving your own life is the most important thing and in this you will ultimately fail.

In the Old Testament it was considered normal to hate your enemies and this is still the universally applicable default. But I introduced the radical concept of loving your enemies. Do you think your enemies are worthy of hatred? But hate is a characteristic of the one doing the hating, not of the one who is hated. This is reason enough for not hating. For the one who hates takes on the property of hating. Do you understand the importance of this commandment and desire to follow it? Does it seem to be an impossible task? I will accept you for your affirmation and desire.

Have you heard anyone say that they feel your pain? This campaign slogan was a stretch, but it was good enough to win an election. Such is the human longing for empathy. How common do you think this is? When was the last time that you engaged with someone at such a deep level that they were personally invested in your story so much that you really believed that they felt your pain? Would it be fair to say that it is really rare? That makes it precious for its scarcity. Yet how much effort is involved in offering this great gift to other people?

Do you see salvation as a binary state, with the sheep on one side and the goats on the other? You could liken this to academic classes that are based on the pass/fail system. But most academic work is based on a scale of grades, so there are several levels of performance. What grade would you expect to get on a test of basic Christian doctrine? Do you think that such a test will be required for the entrance into the Kingdom of God? What grade would you expect to get on being kind to the least of these? What grade would you get on not causing offenses or causing little ones to stumble?

Do you think there is a benefit to connections across generations? The term generation gap is used to describe the separation of generations and this has been a risk throughout history, but most people don’t become aware of it until they experience it firsthand, first from the perspective of a young person, and then from the view of an old person. The elders think they have much to offer the younger generation and they are right. Do they realize that they have as much to gain as they have to give? Are young people in a position to see both sides of the equation?

Have you ever worked behind the scenes? This is a common phrase borrowed from stage productions, in which the actors are in front of the scenes on stage, but much of the real work goes on behind the scenes. Some positions lend themselves to being highly visible, and others do not. If you have ever served in this way you know that it doesn’t involve much recognition or appreciation, even if it is important. Do you feel slighted and neglected because of this? You are in good company. How would you describe my influence in the world?

Are you curious and inquisitive? When you talk to other people, are you more eager to hear their stories or to tell them yours? Have you ever had a one-way conversations that was lopsided and left you feeling frustrated from being unheard? Have you ever done this to someone else? You learn from listening to other people, but you have the need to be heard yourself. You can express interest in others by asking questions. Do you see this as doing them a favor? When they ask a question of you it may be their way of suggesting that you ask them about the same topic.