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Welcome to Varied Expressions of Worship

Welcome to Varied Expressions of Worship

This blog will be written from an orthodox Christian point of view. There may be some topic that is out of bounds, but at present I don't know what it will be. Politics is a part of life. Theology and philosophy are disciplines that we all participate in even if we don't think so. The Bible has a lot to say about economics. How about self defense? Is war ethical? Think of all the things that someone tells you we should not touch and let's give it a try. Everything that is a part of life should be an expression of worship.

Keep it courteous and be kind to those less blessed than you, but by all means don't worry about agreeing. We learn more when we get backed into a corner.

Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Opus 2016-103: Love and the Balance Sheet

Learning to love is a lifetime effort.  For the longest time I have been focusing on the beginning lessons.
(1 Corinthians 13:4 KJV)  Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
In modern language that deals with patience, kindness, jealousy, bragging and arrogance.  I still need a lot of growth in these areas.

I am finding that after 40 years of marriage the advanced studies are just as important.
(1 Corinthians 13:5 NAS77)  does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered,
I can act patiently but it is hard not to keep a balance sheet of how many times I have been wronged.  It is such simple things as I noticed this morning.  When I leave a dish on the counter it is like I have held a Woodstock festival in the kitchen with all the trash involved.  When my wife leaves a growing pile of stuff in the sink it is because she is so busy and tired.  I have learned not to comment on things like that.  I am trying to learn not to keep a record in my soul.  Petty but real.

One reason this is so important is that we have a natural tendency to be super sensitive to our pain and callous to the pain we cause.  God knows this so He tells us to stop keeping a balance sheet.

Love does not act like an accountant. 

homo unius libri

4 comments:

  1. LOL - I feel your pain! My wife is the same way. Worse, she believes in "preventative griping." That's where she tells me not to do something that I've never done, am not currently doing, and never will do. STILL, she feels the need to tell me not to do it. Yes, prayer helps. And yes, I have to fight keeping score, too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Keep in mind that her intuition tells her that you will do it. Think of it as vitamin C and scurvy. One prevents the other.

      Grace and peace.

      Delete
  2. Keeping score benefits no one. I believe the scorekeeper spends so much time dwelling on past grievances that they miss out on much of the good things in life.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. True but we are so immersed in our pity pots that we think if feels good.

      Grace and peace.

      Delete

Comments are welcome. Feel free to agree or disagree but keep it clean, courteous and short. I heard some shorthand on a podcast: TLDR, Too long, didn't read.