Thursday, October 18, 2012

Discernment & Discipline in the Christian Life



I've posted these to Facebook. My appeal for discernment - had people attacking me.  Not sure how to discern that.  ha!   (An appeal for discernment leading to non-discerning attacks?!?)  I even had people trying to "label" me in camps within narrow positions that I would not uphold.  Not sure why people need narrow brackets of fixed categories to "peg" people - and errantly.

Alas.  I wrote this - to go along with the following picture: 

On the need for discernment in Biblical Interpretation. From the Wittenburg Door magazine, as excerpted in Don Thorsen & Keith Reeves’ book What Christians Believe about the Bible (Baker, 2012). The woman from the Biblical Book, Song of Solomon, if all the attributes are interpreted literally.
  

 Separately, I wrote this - which seems to have garnered positive appraisal.
If you're Christian - this cartoon has an "ouch" more than a "ha" "lol" factor. Convicting if you consider it.
 

For me - both images are "clever" and "witty" - though neither is perfect, of course!

For me, both are important though. 

  • Careful discernment is needed in reading and interpreting the Bible - from all interpreters!  
  • Attention to actions in Christian lifestyle are important, too - alongside faith claims of belief as a Christian.

Each image offers fodder for thought in being better intepreters of the Bible - while we are all invited to live more faithfully in service to the World as disciples!