Are we defined by our culture? Our family? Our friends? Our religion?
How about what we read? What we like? Dreams, goals, time spent?
What we believe to be true?
Politics?
How we look, how we speak, how we think?
I tend to judge people by all of these things, and I find myself continually surprised by how my perceptions can be "off."
Take my book club, for example. How many of us have a "book club?" It's a fad, but I've been in the same one now for 12 years. These women have become my good friends, despite our differences. Most of the time we have different takes on the literature we read, and we tend to predict who will think what about a certain genre.
I think this group of women has blessed me with their perspectives, even if I don't agree with them all the time.
I am also glad for the variety of books we've read. One a month, 12 years. Of course I read my own choices, but usually the books for book club are ones I wouldn't ever choose for myself. I get out of my comfort zone. I get new perspective. I am broadened.
I am also honed on my own views. It's a good thing.
We read "Until the Streetcars Come Back" for today. We'll read a Dan Chaon book for next time. Laura Hillenbrand's book, "Unbroken" was for next month, but it is so popular the waiting list at the library is too long for all of us to get it read. It's been moved to October!
It was at book club that I heard about an author, Eric Metaxas, who wrote "Bonhoeffer." I haven't read the book yet, but I did watch a C-Span tape of him speaking at the National Prayer Breakfast last week.
Impressive talk. Loved it. What he said so masterfully, with humor and love, needed to be said. Please find it and watch it if you can.
We Christ-followers must love. We must love and do righteous acts because we have met Jesus. We must do what pleases Him, loving even our enemies!
Powerful stuff.
Christians are defined by so many things, but one of them had better be love.
I'm going to the library this afternoon to pick up "Bonhoeffer." I'll let you know what I think. I might recommend it for book club, having had it recommended by someone else already. Another chimed in that 20 pages into it she gave up reading it.
My point exactly!
How about what we read? What we like? Dreams, goals, time spent?
What we believe to be true?
Politics?
How we look, how we speak, how we think?
I tend to judge people by all of these things, and I find myself continually surprised by how my perceptions can be "off."
Take my book club, for example. How many of us have a "book club?" It's a fad, but I've been in the same one now for 12 years. These women have become my good friends, despite our differences. Most of the time we have different takes on the literature we read, and we tend to predict who will think what about a certain genre.
I think this group of women has blessed me with their perspectives, even if I don't agree with them all the time.
I am also glad for the variety of books we've read. One a month, 12 years. Of course I read my own choices, but usually the books for book club are ones I wouldn't ever choose for myself. I get out of my comfort zone. I get new perspective. I am broadened.
I am also honed on my own views. It's a good thing.
We read "Until the Streetcars Come Back" for today. We'll read a Dan Chaon book for next time. Laura Hillenbrand's book, "Unbroken" was for next month, but it is so popular the waiting list at the library is too long for all of us to get it read. It's been moved to October!
It was at book club that I heard about an author, Eric Metaxas, who wrote "Bonhoeffer." I haven't read the book yet, but I did watch a C-Span tape of him speaking at the National Prayer Breakfast last week.
Impressive talk. Loved it. What he said so masterfully, with humor and love, needed to be said. Please find it and watch it if you can.
We Christ-followers must love. We must love and do righteous acts because we have met Jesus. We must do what pleases Him, loving even our enemies!
Powerful stuff.
Christians are defined by so many things, but one of them had better be love.
I'm going to the library this afternoon to pick up "Bonhoeffer." I'll let you know what I think. I might recommend it for book club, having had it recommended by someone else already. Another chimed in that 20 pages into it she gave up reading it.
My point exactly!
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