Category: Quotes

In his discussion of the Sermon on the Mount, Yancey indicates that Jesus’ words indicate a Great Reversal – meaning that the way God’s kingdom works is almost exactly the opposite of how our human kingdoms work. For example:

…I began to realize why so many saints voluntarily submit to the discipline of poverty. Dependence, humility, simplicity, cooperation, and a sense of abandon are qualities greatly prized in the spiritual life, but extremely elusive for people who live in comfort. There may be other ways to God but, oh, they are hard — as hard as a camel squeezing through the eye of a needle. In the Great Reversal of God’s kingdom, prosperous saints are very rare.
–Philip Yancey

We know God calls us to dependence on Him and interdependence on others. We know that he desires humility and simplicity in our character. And yet these qualities are not often highly praised in our society and culture. Without much material wealth, prideful independence can be harder to obtain, but that is what most of us are seeking here in America.

The question becomes – “What is most important to you?” The character traits that come with the Great Reversal of God’s kingdom, or the characteristics and qualities that our society says are important?

Christian optimism is based on the fact that we do not fit in to the world. I had tried to be happy by telling myself that man is an animal, like any other which sought its meat from God. But now I really was happy, for I had learnt that man is a monstrosity. I had been right in feeling all things as odd, for I myself was at once worse and better than all things. The optimist’s pleasure was prosaic, for it dwelt on the naturalness of everything; the Christian pleasure was poetic, for it dwelt on the unnaturalness of everything in the light of the supernatural. The modern philosopher had told me again and again that I was in the right place, and I had still felt depressed even in accepting it. But I had heard that I was in the wrong place, and my soul sang for joy, like a bird in spring. The knowledge found out and illuminated forgotten chambers in the dark house of infancy. I knew now why grass had always seemed to me as queer as the green beard of a giant, and why I could feel homesick at home.
–G. K. Chesterton

Chesterton certainly was a man with a gift for words. He does a great job here of reminding us that the reason that we have discomfort and uneasiness in this world is that we weren’t designed for it. We don’t fit in here. Unlike all other created things, we were designed in the Image of God, and therefore we long to be in a place fit for that Image. That is why we often feel homesick even though we are in sitting in our own houses. Therefore, we are aliens in this place, sojourners longing to get home to our true country – the land where there is no need for a sun, because the light of the Son will provide us with all we need and desire.

But a problem is that many people, though they definitely feel that they don’t belong here, haven’t realized that the only place where they will feel “at home” is with God. They continue to fight against that idea, and if they do so until the end of their lives here on earth, refusing to choose to go to God’s country, then they will continue to feel discomfort and unease for all of eternity.

I am longing to go to my home with Jesus. I hope you realize that is the only place you will ever find true and lasting comfort, peace, and rest.

Killing Jesus was like trying to destroy a dandelion seed-head by blowing on it.
–Walter Wink

Ha!
What a great description of what occurred when Jesus died and then rose from the dead. Instead of ending Jesus’ influence by having Him killed and placed in the tomb, they did just the opposite. Little did they know that Jesus would rise from the dead and the seeds of the gospel would then be spread all over the entire world… like what occurs when you blow on that dandelion seed-head and watch all those tiny seeds float away to parts unknown.

The question for you and for me… how well are we doing as one of those dandelion seeds?

Are you taking the seeds of the Kingdom everywhere you go?

Dietrich Bonhoeffer provided a great description of the difference between Cheap Grace and Costly Grace:

Cheap grace is the preaching of:

Costly grace…
It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life.
–Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Have you embraced the costly grace that gives true life?
Give up all that you are and all that you have to Him. It costs a great deal, but you receive even more in return from Jesus… His Abundant Life. It is worth the cost!

We must not rely too much upon ourselves, for grace and understanding are often lacking in us. We have but little inborn light, and this we quickly lose through negligence. Often we are not aware that we are so blind in heart. Meanwhile we do wrong, and then do worse in excusing it. At times we are moved by passion, and we think it zeal. We take others to task for small mistakes, and overlook greater ones in ourselves. We are quick enough to feel and brood over the things we suffer from others, but we think nothing of how much others suffer from us. If a man would weigh his own deeds fully and rightly, he would find little cause to pass severe judgment on others.
–Thomas à Kempis

How to refrain from harsh judgmental attitudes and thoughts toward others… take an honest look at yourself.

Doing so produces much humility in ourselves and much compassion toward others.