Dale Cresap's blog

How broad is your definition of faith? Do you limit it to the doctrinal claims of your church? Is there a more general perspective on this concept? A person who commits their life to a huge project and puts in time and effort and money not knowing whether it will succeed or not is demonstrating a type of faith that is universally admired. You may not consider this to be a saving faith, but the person doing so may have more invested in his faith than you do in yours. But you don’t have to choose between one and the other.

Do you like to negotiate? In some cultures the price for everything is understood to be an asking price, and you can strike the best deal you can. In others most merchandise is priced as marked, with no room to maneuver, but the larger the purchase, the more there is some give and take, with offer and counteroffer until the buyer and the seller come to terms. Do you think that any spiritual parallel exists? You know that grace is a free gift, and you do not and could not earn your salvation. Recognizing this, if I wanted to sell you something, would you want to negotiate the price?

Do you find it easy to judge previous generations by their state of moral development? For instance, do you find it easy to condemn previous generations that practiced slavery? This makes it easy to dismiss all who have gone before, but there are two problems with this approach. One is whether it is valid to judge previous generations by the current state of moral development, and the other is the assumption that moral development has reached a final conclusion with you. Can you forgive previous generations because they knew not what they did?

Do you have an alarm clock? Does it have a snooze alarm? This allows you to silence the alarm for a few minutes to postpone getting up. But why would you set the alarm earlier than necessary? Have you ever had a spiritual awakening? Did this come about because events in your life served as a wake-up call? Anything that causes you to be awake and alert and aware is beneficial, so you can be glad if the events in your life serve as a spiritual alarm clock. Have you ever hit the snooze button and postponed the opportunity to wake up? I’ll keep setting off the alarm as often as it takes.

Do you prefer conditions and surroundings that are familiar and comfortable? Have you ever had a faith crisis? This can disturb your comfort and certainty. How do you respond? You would expect a crisis to be painful. When the pain of staying put is greater than the loss familiar and comfortable conditions it is time to move on. Will the future be painful as well? All you know from your point of departure is that it is uncertain. It could be better, and lead you to a larger and more generous place. Have you ever been through this cycle before? Do you regret moving on?

In some churches it is common practice for members of the congregation to say amen during the preacher’s message, to express verbal assent to the message. This doesn’t happen constantly; just during points of emphasis, and typically for things the congregation fully accepts. Who doesn’t like to be confirmed in their certainties? If the message is one that raises a challenge to current thinking, it is more likely to be quiet in church. Which condition do you think represents a greater opportunity for spiritual growth? Consider my own ministry.

Have you ever had a parasite? These are unwelcome guests and you are fortunate if you have access to hygiene and medical care that makes them rare, for some can be fatal. Have you ever had a spiritual parasite? There are belief systems that fall short of the transcendent. They place crushing demands on you without offering any eternal perspective or mercy and grace to deal with the difficulties of everyday life, including your own shortcomings. Spiritual parasites can result in spiritual death. If you had a physical parasite you would go to great lengths to be rid of it.

Have you ever played soccer? One person on each team is designated as the goalie, and it is the responsibility of the goalie to deflect shots at the goal. Even if you haven’t played soccer, have you ever encountered hostile or toxic words or thoughts? You could think of this the same way; that you need to deflect these things lest they be trapped in your net. David expressed the same concept as being a doorkeeper. The doorkeeper regulates admission; letting in those who are welcome and keeping out those who are undesirable.

Do you have money to invest? If you do, then you will find more investment opportunities available than you can respond to so you have to be selective in the way you allocate your resources. Even if you don’t have money for investment, you have a budget for emotional investment, and this too is a finite supply. You don’t want to go broke emotionally, so you have to be selective in your emotional investments. There are plenty of opportunities for outrage and injustices in the world and you can’t do justice to all of them at once.

Do you live in a democracy? You are fortunate if you live in a place where you have basic freedoms and even a voice in your own government. Do you require this to lead your life of faith? Are you aware that I lived in a country occupied by a foreign power, and the Bible was written under these circumstances? Yet it still teaches you to be subject to governing authority. My primary message was the Kingdom of God, and when I was asked by the civil authorities I said that my Kingdom was not of this world. What does your faith require to thrive? Does it need a favorable government?