UNOFFENDABLE
Artists See Things
Pages 23-28
James 1:19-25 (NIV) My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.
Romans 4:17 (NIV) As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not.
John 13:31-36 (NIV) Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once. “My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come. “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” Simon Peter asked him, “Lord, where are you going? Jesus replied, “Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.”
“God sees things we don’t. He must, because He hasn’t vaporized us yet. He must look at a seriously messed-up world and still see what can be done with it. He sees what it can and will be.” (page 27)
What is your response to this quote?
Visualize yourself as a “fly on the wall” at the last supper. Judas just had an awkward exchange with Jesus and leaves, then Jesus says he is leaving and going somewhere they cannot follow, and then tells Peter he is going to disown him. Then Jesus said, “But don’t let your heart be troubled…” Then he tells them that HE is the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through HIM. What do you envision the atmosphere in the room to be like? … You can almost hear one or two of the disciples desperately trying to track … If you, Jesus, are the way, the truth, and the life, and we get to the Father THOUGH you, but where you are going, we can not follow? …
“God sees things we don’t. We can risk loving people - incredibly difficult, insulting people - because He loves us. That person you find so offensive? Somehow, God sees something there. Something you don’t. Ask Him what it is. Maybe He’ll show you. I bet He wants to. (page 28)
What is your response to this quote?