To know and to act are one and the same. (Samurai proverb)
Up on my Facebook page a few days ago was the picture of our day out at the last Olympics. Unfortunately for me it was horse-jumping which I actually don’t mind but worse than that it was something called Dressage.
Now apparently Dressage is an advanced form of riding and training that tests the horse and rider as they perform difficult manoeuvres based around a horse’s natural movements and tests the accuracy of horse and rider, together with the physical ability, suppleness, responsiveness, balance and obedience of the horse.
For me it just looks like the horse is moving awkwardly. Straight but awkward.
It is awkward only because my perspective is from an amateur position. I know nothing about horses.
But I do know about Church pews and pulpits and those who occupy them. I am concerned that there have been so many deviances from the path that those who walk straight do so in a counter cultural way from what seems to be the norm.
I have heard people talk of a faithful Pastor as someone who could be trusted but who isn’t very successful, who hasn’t had the ability to build anything large and successful.
I have heard people talk of faithful members as people who turn up, sit down but don’t do much.
Being faithful is one aspect of the straight path but can be seen in a derogatory way.
However …
for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness … Ephesians 5 v9
The Apostle continues and says that to show we are Children of the Light we will demonstrate righteousness as the NIV translates the word which actually is the word that is derived from ‘straightness’. To be what I should be.
So often when a Christian is demanding to be seen as right they have lost the argument because they appear not to be what they should be in their efforts to be so. God is perfectly righteous because He is 100% who He should be at any given time. As we live in the light of Him that is our goal.
Throughout history those who speak for God and are sent from Him have been killed, they still are. But throughout history those who believe in God have done the killing, they still do.
A lot is done in the name of God.
There’s a lot of hurt inflicted by people who believe they are right.
Being right isn’t the goal in life for Children of the light but being righteous is. That means how I get there is more important than being there. I go straight. I choose straightness. To be what I should be in light of He who is perfect. That might mean we begin to appear awkward to others. We need to straighten out being straight again.
Missions Paul 