Three (Damn) Things That Are Working For Me
On each point I have included one version for my theologically interested friends and then one version for my friends who don’t mind a few cuss words. It is possible that the Venn diagram has a large overlap.
1a. God alone through Jesus Christ is judge and savior. I cannot be the judge or savior of myself nor is it my job to judge, fix, or save anyone else. No person, opinion, or event in all of creation shall separate us from the love God in Jesus Christ. Romans 8:31-39
1b. People will do whatever they damn well please. That means I don’t have to have a damn opinion about everything they say or do. Even what people think of me is none of my damn business.
2a. I don’t have to REACT to life based on any sins of fear, control, comparisons to others, shame about the past, or catastrophizing about future events.
What were the words spoken at both the birth and empty tomb of Jesus Christ? Do not fear.
What did Jesus judge the Pharisees most harshly for? Self-righteous comparison to others.
What did Jesus Christ come to do? Offer grace instead of shame.
What does God teach in Jesus Christ on the cross? Love is vulnerability. Love is sacrifice. Love is not control.
God in Jesus Christ is Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer. Therefore I can trust God, Alpha and Omega, the great “I am” with my past, present, and future.
Sinner’s note—If I confess my sin rather than deny it or hide from it, God is faithful and just to forgive my sin. 1 John 1:9
2b. I don’t have to REACT to life based on all of that shit I have learned through the years—ridiculous fears, illusions of control, comparisons to others, shame over the past, catastrophizing about future events…
Farmers note—I do find it helpful to sit and look at all of that shit. You can learn a lot more about your animals from examining their shit rather than hauling it away where you can’t see it. Plus, it can provide for some pretty healthy fertilizer. I digress. Let me get back to the main damn point.
3a. The good news then is that I am not bound by sin. God has endowed me to RESPOND with free will.
How then should I RESPOND to life as a follower of Jesus Christ? Three questions—
How do I best love God?
How do I best love my neighbor as myself?
Conversely, how do I best love myself as I do my neighbor? Matt. 22:35-40
Do this and you will ζάω (zaō), meaning—enjoy real life now and in the time to come, or be full in vigor. Luke 10:25-28
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Amen
3b. I do always have a choice as to how I RESPOND. I can stop reacting to the other people’s thoughts, comments and actions as well as all that shit I have learned. Instead I can respond like I give a damn about my real values as well as give a shit about myself.
I’ll be hot damn—it works!
