January 20, 2013

  • Sunday Devotional: Don't Let Experts Steal Your Joy

    She meant well, really she did. I would post on some Bible passage I liked, back in my older Xanga days. And she'd always improve on the post somehow. It was easy for her, she studied theology, and she was bursting with knowledge. I was merely a Bible amateur: a good one, mind you, with a lot of knowledge of the Bible itself, but not a professional. Of course I didn't fully understand the cultural context of that passage, and of course she was happy to provide it.

    But over time, her knowledge started stealing all my joy in posting. No matter what I said, no matter how thorough, she'd point out something else. I believe her motives were pure (although, there are some reasons to believe the motives were rather mixed). But in the end, I behaved much like a 7-year-old who has lost one too many playground games: I took back my ball and went home. I haven't posted much directly Biblical stuff in years. Perhaps not coincidentally (shudder) I've not read my Bible very much in the last few years, either...

    I learned good lessons from her. I try not to correct the passionate guesses of amateurs as much anymore. That first joy is precious, that smile of the beginner and intermediate learner. My Xanga comments are perhaps much kinder than they were in the old days, although I sometimes wonder if that is always for the best.

    But I should have instead learned great lessons from her. It shouldn't bother me to know that others can do it better, as long as I am not doing it wrong, and my writing comes from a good place. There's a beautiful verse where Paul says "For if there first be a willing mind, it [one's gift] is accepted according to what a man has, and not according to what he has not." Those of us who are perfectionists must come to terms with knowing that often, what we have to offer is imperfect...but we should offer it anyway, to our friends, lovers, and God, and not spit on our own sacrifice after we present it.

Comments (12)

  • Thankyou for the invite. Try not to feel inferior to others, she may have had more knowledge than you, but I'm sure you have learned alot since than and really your faith is all that matters right? or am I wrong? Honestly I haven't been to a church in years and I have ALOT to learn. I hope you have a nice sunday best of wishes :)

  • I love this post! Good verse too. I hope this means there will be more devotional type posts in the future!

  • This girl left an imprint on your mind.

  • I understand fully.  Sorry for the effect that it had on you to have your work added to or corrected...as I said, I understand.   We are to be ready to give an answer to all who ask a reason for the faith that is in us, though; and I think we also should look for ways to share even when we are not asked.  So, I hope, as @christy - said, that we will be seeing more of your well-thought-out posts on faith.

  • in my life when i say something about a bible passage i typically just have people saying i'm wrong and then rambling at length about how perfect their interpretation is without any real justification to back it up.  let me tell you, that can really destroy any desire to read the Bible.  it also has been involved in more than a few terminated friendships.

  • You should write more since it's such a big part of your life!

  • I often give you a hard time but this post, summed up by, "It shouldn't bother me that others can do it better, as long as I am not doing it wrong," is what a lot of things are all about. Well, said. 

  • I've not read my bible much lately, my pastor once said, it's not bout how bible knowledge you have but it's what in the heart that matters, anyone can have lots of knowledge but no heart for christ and you have a heart for christ and that is all that matters cos i believe you'd start having revelations and like christ, you'd grow in wisdom and stature :)

  • i haven't yet, but at this point i've decided i'm over my dreads so it's only a matter of time. don't worry though, i'll definitely post pictures when i do! :)

  • people like that really bother me, and I'm sorry to hear that you had to deal with someone like that. perfectionists will always be out to ruin your day. I say do what you love and don't worry about what the rest will say. if it's on your heart, then it should be on your blog :)

  • Beautiful post :)

  • Great post! A friend I took to church used to go around churches to improve them as her job. When she came to my church, she immediately started to criticize it once service was over. Where were the greeters? Why couldn't she find the cafe? Why did nobody randomly talk to her? This led to a barrage of ways that my church was screwing up, which firmly irritated me, because she was talking about my HOME church. It was like... "uh... what?"

    Anywho: PLEASE continue to blog about your faith and scripture! You have such a wonderfully humble perspective, and the world needs more writers that write from a genuine heart. Thanks for the cool post.

Comments are closed.

Post a Comment