Dale Cresap's blog

Are you grateful for things you would not have chosen? Do you ever choose things that are painful and difficult? Do they come to you nonetheless? How do you deal with them? Have you noticed that these difficulties can have beneficial effects in your life? In recovery programs there are those who refer to themselves as grateful drunks. This implies that the whole process of addiction and recovery have brought them to a better place in life than they would have obtained without it, and so they are grateful. You may not be a drunk, but can you be grateful for your own suffering?

The early apostles were persecuted for preaching the gospel and responded by asking me to grant them even greater boldness in their efforts. This established a pattern in which boldness in evangelism is admired by believers. Is it admired by unbelievers? Is it effective? Do they, or you, distinguish between boldness and pushiness? For pushy people drive away more than they attract and you have experienced this yourself. He who wins souls is wise. That implies the wisdom to tell the difference between boldness and pushiness. Do you know how to be bold without being pushy?

Have you ever taken a multiple choice test? These are very common and considered to be objective. The instructions typically say to choose the best answer from those available, implying that an argument could be made for more than one of the responses, but one is clearly better than the others. So here is a quiz for you: Did I tell those who responded to my message to [a] follow me, [b] worship me, or [c] believe the correct propositions about me? If you can make an argument for more than one of these responses, in what order would you rank them?

Are you grateful? Gratitude is universally recognized as a positive trait, but you must have something to be grateful for and someone to be grateful to. Can you think of things in your life that you are not grateful for? Even so, are there more things that you can be grateful for? Even in the midst of devastation, do you know that you live in a world that is good, because I made it that way and this has never changed? Even in your trials, do you have a sense of consolation, knowing that the world is governed by a benevolent supreme being who secures and sustains you?

Do you think of your faith as more accurately described as knowledge or skill? You gain knowledge from books, classrooms, lectures, and other sources. Skills are different in that they require practice. Knowledge is highly rated in your culture of rationalism, so much so that you are said to live in a knowledge economy. But is that all that matters? To illustrate the difference, would you feel comfortable flying in an airplane with a pilot who only had a knowledge of landing from reading books? Is your faith reducible to knowledge? If not, what skills do you need to practice?

Have you met ethical skeptics? Would you expect unbelievers to lead lives of debauchery? In practice do you find skeptics lead ethical lives? They are usually living off the residue of a religious upbringing, having learned good conduct, character and discipline even if they no longer accept the underlying principles. Then in what ways to they fail? How many skeptics do you know that love their enemies? Isn’t this the most severe test? Even those whose conduct and character are otherwise good find it difficult to see a common humanity and extend favor to those they disagree with.

Do you like to travel? Most people enjoy new sights, cultures, and locations, and find travel adventuresome. Do you see your life of faith as a journey? Do you still think this is true even if you live at the same address, attend the same church, and have the same friends over a period of many years? Your life of faith can still be a journey even if all these things are true. But it doesn’t follow automatically. You know that I am unchanging. Should this be true of you also?

Have you ever helped anyone? Do you find it annoying when people interfere with your efforts to help them? For some it is difficult to receive help, but their efforts can make things worse, so saying ‘help me help you’ is a valid request. Don’t you appreciate when the people you help are grateful and facilitate your efforts? Can you do the same when you are the one receiving assistance? Everyone receives help from me whether they ask for it or not, for I send the sun to shine and the rain to fall on the just and the unjust alike. Do you acknowledge the help you get from me?

Do you act in good faith? This phrase is commonly used to refer to integrity and lack of duplicity, and this is a valid definition. Yet a larger understanding is also possible. You refer to your beliefs as faith and act accordingly. Have you ever wondered if your actions according to principle are having a beneficial enduring effect? It may not be obvious that they are doing any good. This is where the concept of good faith comes in. I do not want you to be discouraged or grow weary in well-doing. Your obedience has beneficial effects you are not yet aware of.

Do you have hope for the next generation? A permanent fixture of history has been a concern about the character and conduct of the generation to follow. At every time past you can find accounts of alarm about how civilization is falling apart, but here we are. Do you think that every generation, as well as every individual, has a destiny; a divinely appointed mission to carry out? In this regard you have two duties. The first is to take part in the fulfillment of the destiny of your own generation.