Is That Really Living?

By pastorbillwalden

My friend Roby Duke (now with Jesus) once said this to a group of song writers: “Your inspiration is perfect, but your songwriting needs work”.

We can be wonderfully inspired to express ourselves, but not quite have the ability, time, or energy to rightly say what we are trying to say.  Perhaps the inspiration is fighting against good common sense that would tell us to slow down and think it through.  Now is such a moment for me.  The inspiration is perfect.  I am rushing ahead.  I hope this comes out O.K.

QUESTION: “It is easy to live vicariously through others, but is that really living?”

Let’s start with one of many definitions for the word “vicarious”.
“Felt or enjoyed through imagined participation in the experience of others”: a vicarious thrill.

There is a place for such experience in moderation, but our world is making it increasingly easy for people to feel emotions that don’t have any corresponding personal experience.

We can dial up, Google, Net Flix, read, browse, or Pay Per View our way to any emotion we want, without ever having to actually “do” something that requires dedication, effort, commitment, or faith.

If there was ever a generation that could become addicted to “feeling without doing”, that generation is now.

One might ask what the danger or problem is with living vicariously through the great accomplishments of others. Some of that might be O.K., in that it might inspire us to aspire to do great things.  Plus, it certainly feels good to feel good.  So what’s the problem?

The problem is this: That kind of living, if it becomes the habitual lifestyle of a person, does nothing to produce in them the quality traits needed to actually enjoy those emotions from first hand accomplishment.

I understand that some of the things that “thrill” us are only for a few to actually experience.  We can’t all go out and win gold medals, climb Mt. Everest, or do world tours singing about changing the world.

But I wonder, if vicarious living comes to satisfy us to the point that we don’t pursue what we COULD BE DOING, then has it gone too far?  I say “yes”: then it has gone to far.

So….what is it that you are actually supposed to be doing?

I submit to you that actually desiring, struggling, sacrificing, and dedicating one’s self on a personal level is far more important than taking the vicarious route of simply feeling the goose bumps from someone else’s accomplishment.  The satisfaction that comes from personal accomplishment is much more valuable than enjoying someone else’s “bigger than life” accomplishment.

Finally, if you are a follower of Jesus, then He wants to live through you. Your part is to surrender, seek His will, believe His promises, walk in holiness by His power, and take small and big steps of faith in responding to what He wants to do through you.

That process has been the most satisfying part of my life, whenever I have actually gotten out of the way long enough for it to happen.  The small victories of having my life so bound up in His life have been the most satisfying experiences of my life. My experiences may not compare to some of the great accomplishments of others, but they don’t need to.  They are my experiences with God, and I can have first hand satisfaction from them.

Rich Mullins said it well: “Jesus, write me into Your story…whisper it to me.”

Where I Stand

By pastorbillwalden

Every Christian must come to a conclusion about what their life will focus on, about what their “battles” will be, about what message they will declare, and about how their voice will be heard. 

There is no shortage of causes and fights that Christians are pursuing in these days in which we live.  I respect and agree with many of the causes being suggested, but I am not inclined to join particular fights in the ways that some might hope.

I am very mindful that I must be careful to not judge the motivations and passion of others regarding their causes.  For those passions and actions, they shall answer to Jesus, and not to me.

I am bothered by many events I see on the political stages of the world.  In fact, I am increasingly disillusioned with the promises of the politicians, regardless of what side of the aisle they sit on.  I have no hope in man. None.  As the writer to the Hebrews wrote about the ancients…

Hebrews 11:14-16 For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. 15And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.

Some might call me an escapist, and they would be right.  But please see me as a functioning escapist.  I’ll live here functionally until the day I leave.

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When Experience Dictates Theology

By pastorbillwalden

I spent a few hours today on another blog debating the idea of God’s direct intervention in leading His children.  The general camps were divided as follows:

1.  Yes, God still “speaks” to His children through His Word, through revelations of different sorts including prophecy, circumstances, and through the inner witness of the Holy Spirit, etc.
2. No, God gave us His Word, and we ought not to lean towards anything more than that. Love God and do as you please, and things will work out because God is sovereign, and He is good.

That is a simplification of what was said today.

I happen to believe both of those ideas, but that isn’t the point of this article.

Some of the brethren “seemed” to base their theological position upon the excesses of “the other camp”.  I won’t even mention what their positions were, or what their arguments were, because that isn’t the main point here.

The Main Point Here Is…it seems as though when we see excesses in a certain camp, it make us sure that our camp is correct, because they obviously make lots of mistakes “over there”.

When the debate started, strong convictions were given.  What was revealing though, was that instead of Scriptures leading the way in the argument, the excesses and mistakes from “those other guys” were offered up as evidence “against them” and “for us”. Let me add that none of it was done in a mean or unloving way.

When Biblical evidence was asked for, the formerly “compelling argument” became a bit less compelling, and I felt, concessions were made.

I must admit, that I was challenged in this as well. Is MY theology strongly based on Scripture, or is it equal parts of Scripture, personal experience, and the avoidance of what others do?

What is the point here? Glad that you asked.

We need to be very careful to not build a theology on…
1. Someones else’s bad experiences, or…
2. Our good experiences and comfort levels.

The truth in such topics like “How Does God Lead His Children?” are not airtight, and are not, in my opinion, essentials of the faith.

We should have an opinion on such things. We should have strong opinions.
I hope that our opinions are based more on God’s revealed Word than on experiences, whether ours or other people’s.

The Bread, The Cup, The Garden

By pastorbillwalden

Matthew 26:26-28 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” 27Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.”

Jesus was no victim. That truth continues to impact me. As He announced His impending death, and deliberately moved towards it, I cannot imagine the enormity of emotion that He experienced.

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An Unconsidered Option

By pastorbillwalden

Many times we face difficult situations that seem to offer no “better” choice. Every option seems to have some negative aspect to it, and we feel hemmed in and as though we are at a dead end.

Such was the case with Joseph, when he was told that Mary, his betrothed wife, was pregnant before they had come together in marriage.  Betrothal was as binding as marriage, even though the relationship was not yet consummated.  Mary appeared to be an adulterer, which Mosaic Law condemned with death by stoning.  Besides that, Joseph’s reputation was at stake, for he needed to do the “right” thing.  Add to that the heartbreak that he must have felt.

We read in Matthew 1:19-21 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”

Joseph’s mind was undoubtedly racing at full speed, with no apparent answer in sight. He was a just man wanting to do the right thing, but what could he do that would make any of this right?  It seems that Joseph “thought himself to sleep” one night, and while he slept, God spoke to him through an angel and a dream, and showed him an option he hadn’t considered.

Are you wanting to do the right thing in a difficult situation? Might you be described as a just man or a just woman?  Do you want to do that which will please God, but you don’t know what that is?  Does it seem you have run out of options?  Does every choice carry with it too much collateral damage?

I believe that God wants to direct us even in the toughest circumstances we might find ourselves in.  Often that direction comes in a way that we had never considered.  Our stress comes because we can’t find an answer.  God shows His children the unconsidered option.

Proverbs 3:5-8
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil.
8 It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones.

God had a perfect solution for Joseph’s problem. Joseph obeyed God, and you know the rest of the story.  Joseph never would have had the courage or willpower to follow through with God’s plan unless he had been sure that God was leading him.  For Joseph, waiting to discover the unconsidered option was the best thing he could have done.