In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.
- Titus 2:7-8

I am wondering alot lately about "humility": about its place in the life of a believer, of its apparent lack of use among most of us, of its surprising absence in so much of what I've seen in myself lately. Bishop Boone was a very humble speaker a couple of weekends ago, and it was real, even as he was laying down the fire in the midst of refreshing mercy and grace. I've known a few truly humble people, and I've tasted the foul stuff of false humility, too - we all have. But so often, it's me who's in need of humility; it's my own pride that points to the lack of a humble spirit in others. If it's not pride, it's at least a contempt for those around me, which is really no different. Sigh... anyway...

Integrity. Seriousness. Soundness. My "teaching" - in this forum, in conversations with others, at church, at home - is to "show" these things. How? I'm considering these questions today:
1) INTEGRITY - Do people around me think that I read my Bible and pray more than I actually do? Then I've been dishonest somewhere, haven't I? If people think more highly of me than they ought (my own twist on Rom 12:3), I've been less than genuine. Most people, though, can probably see through the ruse - I'm not as spiritual as I'd like to be, and not as "holier-than-thou" as I might let on.
2) SERIOUSNESS - I'm the first one to throw out a one-liner at the most inopportune time, but I don't think that's what Paul is writing about here. I get the feeling that it's more about appreciating the weight of what's going on, being mindful of the seriousness of sharing the gospel in a way that's true to Christ and meaningful to the audience.
3) SOUNDNESS - Don't mess this up. As much as it's up to us, we've got to know what we're talking about, know the Jesus we're proclaiming. "Experiencing God" needs to be more than a Blackaby Bible study - it needs to be a way of life, describing how we spent our day in this life in the kingdom, you know? There's an openness to being taught in "soundness," being able to be open-minded enough to change and focused enough to stay on track.

just thinking out loud... outside the box... out of body experience... thingy.
- posted by Rick @ 12:01