Dale Cresap's blog

Have you ever told someone about a situation of concern in your life, and sometime later they inquired about further developments? Was it comforting to know that they paid attention to you and took the trouble to remember and the initiative to inquire again? Did you say thanks for asking because this is validating and affirming? Do you do the same for other people? Do you think this occurs only between people? Have you ever pursued the same practice with me? I’m waiting and eager to declare to you the mysteries of the Kingdom and expound the scriptures to you. Thanks for asking.

What do you think of as your identity? Do you think of it as the sum of your experiences and achievements? If this is true it implies that you didn’t have an identity on the day you were born. Yet every mother knows that her newborn child has an identity. Your belief in the origin and sanctity of life suggests that this is true, but do you usually present yourself in terms of your credentials and accomplishments? Do you find that everyone else does the same thing? If you were to regard all these things as acquired rather than inherent how would you describe yourself?

You have a signature that is unique to you that you use to indicate your approval on legal documents and in a larger sense as an expression of your identity. Do you know that you have a soul signature as well? This also is unique to you and an expression of your spiritual identity. You don’t sign it on paper with a pen, but it accompanies you wherever you go as your sense of presence. Are you aware of this? Are you aware of the other unique soul signatures of the others you encounter? This awareness could also be called discernment. What does your soul signature say about you?

Are you opposed to authority? This is a common position to hold although it is not commonly referred to as rebellion anymore. Examples of the abuse of authority are not hard to find and some will use these to reject all authority. Some authority is inescapable to live in a civilized society, but do you see the benefits of it enough to seek it out voluntarily?

Do you believe in me? What do you believe about the world you live in? do you believe that it is fallen, and therefore a scary and dangerous place? If you take a close look at what changed as a result of the fall you will find that it isn’t much. I declared that the world was good when I made it and I haven’t changed my mind. Your worldview should extend beyond propositional points of doctrine. The way you live in this world will be a reflection of your comprehension of it.

Do you know anyone who is poor? People tend to associate with those of their own economic class, but the Bible gives a special emphasis for the poor, saying that they are rich in faith, and that the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to the poor in spirit. How broad is your definition of being poor? Do you understand that there are people who are so poor that all they have is money? How many dimensions do you see in the richness of life? Yet money is only one of these. Have you known people who are rich even though they are poor and those who are poor even though they are rich? Open your eyes.

Do you view life as a gift? The alternative is to think of it as a matter of entitlement or by merit. But from the richest to the poorest there is much of life that was given to you by others and you cannot take credit for the circumstances of your origin. What about after that? You are well along in life before you are in a position to influence the direction of it. Can you take credit for everything after that? Blessed are those who know that life is a gift, and every gift has a giver. Do you understand the value of living a life of gratitude?

Have you ever thrown a party? What if you planned a party and did all the preparations and sent out invitations, and no one showed up? Would your feelings be hurt? Do you recall the story in which I did this? What was my response? Rather than cancel the party I sent my servants out to find new guests; anyone who would come. Where do you see yourself in this story? Were you on the invitation list? Were you one of the invited guests who found an excuse not to come? Were you one of the poor who the servants sought out to come at the last minute?

Do you understand that transcendence and imminence are both valid aspects of your faith, and both are important? The transcendent refers to things above, to overarching and universal truth, and there are principles that are always true as a comprehensive narrative. But a faith built on cosmic abstractions is not enough, and so imminence is the other foundation of your faith. This can be described as the incarnation. And the word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, as the only begotten of the Father. Do you describe your faith as a relationship?

What have been your most profound learning experiences? There are different methods of teaching, and lecture is among the most common, and the same concept is called preaching in a religious context. Another method is conversation. Lecture is a powerful way for a knowledgeable person to present information, but it is a passive experience on the part of the audience. Have you ever had your mind wander?