obi-wan wisdom
Today in Chapel at Asbury, Dr. Robert Mulholland (spiritual formation guru and Asbury's version of Obi-Wan Kenobi) talked about the interesting distinction between the following two ideas:
Be in the WORLD for GOD.
Be in GOD for the WORLD.
Any thoughts on the differences between the two?
posted by The LeRoys @ 1:18 PM
9 comments
9 Comments:
The first sounds a bit like striving...the second one sounds like rest.
The first one sounds like an outward human agenda to share and inward truth. The second sounds like an inward truth making its way out with an agenda of its own.
Dust,
"The second sounds like an inward truth making its way out with an agenda of its own." This is great. Thanks for the thoughts.
So, who is the emperor of Asbury? What about the Yoda and Darth Vader? I miss Virgil Mitchell-eternal emperor.
The first one tells us to go out among the dark evil places of the world and not be content to just hang with our "church" where it is safe and relatively easy to stay strong, but reach out the unreachable. We are to take the "step of faith" and go where most people wouldn't dare go to reach the lost. Step out of our comfort zone to proclaim the word.
The second one reminds us that even though we reach out to the world, we must remain close to God and not let the world sway our beliefs.
I'm probably way off base, cut it's what came to mind when I read your post.
Heath,
Great question...that sounds like the makings of the next blog post.
Aunt Konnie,
Great insight. Love the thoughts. Keep 'em coming!
The first one, like dustin said an agenda seems more like our purpose our task our "orders" if I can use that military word.
The second one would be where we get our strength or even why we would set out to be in the World FOR God in the first place. I don't think we would be in the world FOR God (we'd be in it for ourselves) without a relationship or a reason. It's the classic "you must remain connected to the vine." My only problem with the quote is it's Bass Ackwards. It should be relational (in God for the World) first then missional (in the World for God).
ha! love it tim. obi-wan would completely agree with you on the vital importance of the order, and on the 'vine' comment (he actually quoted that passage).
man, what a thought.
I like the first as it is challenging I think to be whatever and whoever God has called you to be. It might not be a job some could handle, it might be something someone would shake their heads at but it comes at the cost of following with abandon to be in the world and not of it. To rely on the force day in and out.
the second is what we all are or should be to those we come in contact with that do not know, to be that bridge from the world to God. To live in such a way that people see the breathe of God in me, I admit I don't do great at this all the time. To be like him, at the bank, grocery line, on the street.
maybe I am way off but man hope your good and think of you often.
swarty
Dude i am going to be with KBM at Ichthus...i made a promo movie for a 2009 KBM summer camp that is going to be showing there too...are you going to be there with your sweater vest on?...
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