I can play keyboard!

Music guitar (Photo credit: @Doug88888)

Just something to get the ol’ brain working at the start of the week…

A friend of mine posted something on Facebook last week:

I can play guitar!

After thinking, ‘well done you,’ my mind immediately went something along the following lines:

What do you mean? Are you celebrating the fact that you have the physical ability to lift a guitar and hit the strings to create noise? Or have you learnt every finger combination possible and could theoretically play any song every written?

Or somewhere inbetween those two?

Obviously, playing the guitar is a bit too qualitative; it’s far easier to measure when someone has learnt to ‘count to ten’…or is that just memorisation? I’ve not discussed with her exactly what she meant, but I expect she was trying to publicly celebrate the fact that she has learnt a few basic chord shapes and strumming patterns, and can play Oasis’s Wonderwall or something. And well done to her for that achievement.

But I can’t help asking: At what point should we objectively measure that someone has moved from a position of not being able to play the guitar to having that ability?

Or is it something more ingrained than that? In other words, can some people play guitar and just need a guiding hand, while others simply can’t?

Is this the same with everything?

Does it even matter?

Tweeting well

Image via Wikipedia

Ray Ortlund Jr. is one of my favourite bloggers, and he was recently interviewed over at Desiring God about how to define a successful tweet.

Here are his criteria:

A failed tweet displays Self.

A successful tweet displays Christ.

Who cares about the details of my daily life? I hardly care myself.

But I think we can all agree on this: we must decrease, but he must increase.

What I aim at in using the media is another person being able to click in and click out quickly, with maximum benefit to their souls.

Everyone is so busy. But everyone matters.

I want to ask little of them, and add much to them.

I am there to serve, not to demand or impress, by giving them more of Jesus.

I like them.

Personalised advertising

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Cover of Minority Report [Blu-ray

I remember watching Minority Reportwhen it first came out (i.e. when you didn’t need to take out a mortgage to go to the cinema) and really enjoying their portrayal of future technology, in particular when the guy’s walking through the shopping centre.

The main character has had his eyes replaced with someone else’s, but the shopping centre advertising gadgets are scanning his eyes and are asking whether he’d be interested in buying more of whatever he bought before (I think it’s something like lingerie – always good for a laugh).

Advertising has taken a step towards this future over the last couple of years – Google shamelessly tracks all your internet activity, and gives you adverts based on complex algorithms – which websites you visit the most, what you’ve read today, what keywords are in your e-mails etc…this was no more obvious to me than today – I needed to book a hotel with work so was looking at the website of a recommended hotel, and ever since every advert has been for this specific hotel!

So is this useful, or is it encroaching into my personal space and using my personal information for profit? I don’t think I’m bothered…

RIP Common Sense

Image via Wikipedia

A friend of mine posted this as his Facebook status the other day, I hope it gets you thinking…

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as: Knowing when to come in out of the rain; Why the early bird gets the worm; Life isn’t always fair; and Maybe it was my fault.

Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies, don’t spend more than you can earn and adults, not children, are in charge.

His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition. Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an aspirin to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion. Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims. Common Sense took a beating when you couldn’t defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault. Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.

Common Sense was preceded in death, by his parents, Truth and Trust, by his wife Discretion, his daughter Responsibility, and his son, Reason. He is survived by his 4 stepbrothers; I Know My Rights, I Want It Now, Someone Else Is To Blame, I’m A Victim. Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone.

Proverbs 3:1-2

Image by Rickydavid via Flickr

The book of Proverbs is probably best known for its one-line wisdom soundbites, but chapter three really sets us up for what’s coming next by building a strong and necessary foundation. Nothing that follows would mean anything without this chapter.

‘My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments, for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you.’ (Proverbs 3:1-2)

Don’t forget

When we look at the information available to us today it’s tempting to think that we’re in an intellectually privileged situation when comparing ourselves to the past. The internet generation is comfortable taking on enormous amounts of new information at record-breaking speeds from all over the world. It should make our ears prick up, therefore, when we read that Solomon made a point of telling his readers not to forget his teaching. If it was worth putting in the effort to remember this wisdom three thousand years ago, how much harder must it be today with the sheer volume of data that our brains must process whenever we log onto Facebook?

Living in today’s world makes it difficult to sift through and extract the most useful information, but we must sit up and take note of biblical truth when it’s presented to us. In order not to forget the wisdom imparted by Bible authors, commentators and preachers we’re required to concentrate when reading the Bible and hearing it preached.

Heart

In contrast to forgetting Solomon’s teaching (head knowledge), he instructs us to actively keep his commandments in our hearts. This is important. If Solomon had stopped after telling us not to forget, we could have been forgiven for being a rapist or a serial killer, providing we could quote the Bible. But God is smart, and closes off the loopholes we might otherwise leap on. It is indeed important for us to concentrate on biblical teaching, but in order for us to properly respond to Scripture we must move on to practical application.

Unfortunately, it’s very tempting to look at Scripture and not do anything. One of my biggest flaws must be that I’m happier discussing biblical commands in depth than I am actually obeying them. And Jesus absolutely hates that. His biggest criticism of the Pharisees must have been that they had ‘neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness,’ (Matthew 23:23) which led him to call them hypocrites and blind guides. The Pharisees no doubt had a good knowledge of Scripture, but they did not allow it to pierce them deeply, and were publicly rebuked by Jesus as a result. Let’s be those who actively seek for the Bible to shape our attitudes and lives.

Effects

Of course, the Bible is not rules. Looking at the world’s idea of Christianity you’d be forgiven for thinking that the Bible is literally a list of do’s and don’ts without any explanation as to why, but that’s just not the case; we have here a promise: don’t forget Scripture, actively obey it, and the result will be ‘length of days and years of life and peace’. Reading this passage it’s not hard to understand where some Bible teachers get their health & wealth theology: obey Scripture, have enough faith, and God will make you well! But that’s not what this is talking about. Solomon is basically telling us that if we completely submit to God in everything, we will enjoy the rest of eternity with him! These years of peace may not come to us right away; just look at the early church. Stephen was one of the first Christians, and the moment he started to serve meals to the poor he was falsely tried and stoned to death (see Acts 6-7). Yet, as he died, he was filled with joy as he saw the eternal peace waiting for him.

Will you commit to remembering God’s Word? Will you make every effort to obey Him? What will your motivation be? A sense of self-worth? The ability to lord it over those around you? Or the promise of eternal joy with our Lord and Saviour?

Proverbs 2:16-19

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Last week we saw the results of receiving God’s wisdom; we’ll be delivered from those who would deceive us. This week Solomon takes us to someone else who we’ll be delivered from:

‘So you will be delivered from the forbidden woman, from the adulteress with her smooth words, who forsakes the companion of her youth and forgets the covenant of her God; for her house sinks down to death, and her paths to the departed; none who go to her come back, nor do they regain the paths of life.’ (Proverbs 2:16-19)

Now, we’re getting into a bit of an analogy here – is Solomon talking about an actual adulteress? The answer is yes and no.

Yes

Let’s not be silly here: lust is a massive problem. It’s a problem for men and for women, just in different ways; men are (generally) lustfully stimulated visually, while women are stimulated emotionally. Men may fall into habits of looking at pornographic magazines, watching videos, or stalking their hot friends on Facebook. Women may lust over imaginary men presented in chick flicks or romance novels, or over friends’ apparent perfect relationships. Of course, these figments of our imagination have ‘smooth words’ which entice us. They’re willing to forsake one partner to be available, whether in a porn film, a book, or in our imagination. They not only ignore God’s covenant but ignore any moral code about remaining faithful to one husband or wife.

The truth is that when we are invited into lust’s ‘house’ we’re committing ourselves to something terrible. By our actions we’re turning away from the joy promised by Jesus, and are pursuing our joy elsewhere, but this house ‘sinks down to death’. There’s a stern warning here: ‘none who go to her come back’. If we continue to pursue lust over our relationship with God, no good will come of it.

No

But there is a wider meaning to this passage. It is about adultery, but it’s also about idolatry. Throughout the Bible the relationship between Israel and God is described as a marriage in which Israel is the wife, but Proverbs turns this round: Wisdom (who represents God) is a woman, so Israel has become a man for the purposes of this analogy. And, just like Gomer in the book of Hosea, Israel is tempted to be unfaithful. Idolatry can come in many forms; whenever we’re tempted to put anything in front of God, be that lust, or money, or career, or family, or self, or politics, or whatever, following through on that is idolatry. Every moment of every day there are a million temptations being thrown at us; how will we respond? Fob God off with excuses? Or honour Him as the glorious King of all creation who is worthy of our passionate praise?

The promise

Of course, reading this article it would be easy to think that this passage is intended to basically shout at us…but that isn’t it. This passage isn’t screaming ‘DON’T DO THAT!’ Rather, it’s encouraging us with what we will be delivered from if we receive God’s wisdom. If we truly seek God’s kingdom first, we won’t succumb to these temptations. And believe me, the temptations themselves aren’t going away any time soon. We should be aware of the enemy’s tactics but that shouldn’t discourage us, it should lead us to realising that this battle belongs to the LORD, and He has already won it for us on the cross! Let’s respond in faith, and thank God for His unending love for us.

Literally unbelievable

Image via CrunchBase

A brief warning of some language you may not like, but here’s a site which captures how gullible some people are…and how they like to share that with the rest of the world through Facebook!

Also…

There’s apparently a restaurant that hasn’t had any customers in five years! Check out the story:

CHICAGO—The Royale restaurant near Rogers Park commemorated its fifth weird year of business Monday the same way it celebrated its opening: with a vague attempt to attract customers by stringing brightly colored plastic flags from the mysterious eatery’s storefront to a nearby utility pole. Residents have passed by the fluorescent-lit restaurant since 2006, bearing witness to three “under new management” signs, the promise of live music on Tuesdays, and 24 mismatched and empty chairs. “They’re offering a ‘buy one, get the second half-price’ special,” local woman Michelle Durkin said. “But it doesn’t say what you have to buy one of. Actually, I’ve never really been too clear on what kind of food they serve there.” According to passersby, the ethnic-looking guy in an apron talking on a pay phone in the back looks like he works there.

Link.

Clever map of the world’s value systems

Someone has plotted a graph showing where a bunch of countries’ value systems lie, and gathered them into pretty groups.

Ok, so this isn’t the only way to show a country’s values, and I’m not sure I like the definition of ‘secular-rational’ vs. ‘traditional’ (Is it impossible to be secular-irrational? Is it impossible to have faith but not be traditional?)…but it’s pretty interesting how they naturally group anyway.

Exciting website

I discovered this website pretty recently.

It’s got a bit of a predictable name (ChurchLeaders.com) but that’s not necessarily a bad thing, and it’s certainly a good website (at least, the bits I’ve seen).

If you sign up for their free newsletter then you get links to free stuff every day – it might not all be useful to everyone, but I’ve found it great!

Enjoy.

I have a lot of imaginary friends

I’ve realised that 22 Words is pretty much my favourite blog right now, so I’m sorry if you feel like this is just a copy of that…but I do think it’s all worth sharing: