Old MTC (Transformer) Post - February 4, 2010

Read the first blog post I have ever written. Tracking how things have changed for me the past few years has been intense. I've been wrestling with why I journal my thoughts on my blog and not on paper anymore. Furthermore, I've been questioning whether it is appropriate for me to continually spill out my flaws/shortcomings on my blog. Listening to Matt Chandler for the first time this morning, I was reminded that sometimes, people do not need us to be strong. They need us to be weak and it is through our weakness that they may be encouraged. In the end, our Christian faith is not about us being great, but God being great.

Here's my old post:

from your post: And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idel, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.

So often do we find cars that are idel. Either they're at the front of a mall entrance, the church, or simply on the side of a parking lot. Idel vehicles seem to be EVERYWHERE *annoyed*. That reaction of annoyance seems so 'natural'. But in Paul's writing, it challenges us of our attitudes towards those who are idel. I'm almost 100% confident that we can list out a list of brothers/sisters who are undergoing idleness. ...why?

Timidity... why is it that so often individuals are timid to share? What holds them back? Here's a thought: how many of us have friends who we've been friends with for a LONG TIME, and throughout the period of knowing this person, it seems as though you never 'knew' this person at all. It almost seems as though they've created a barricade; but with you outside. ...why?

The one thing that amazes me about Christianity is the challenge Christ places on us who follows Him through faith. Comfort (which i believe would lead to some sort of idleness), and timidity (which leads to the formation of relational-walls) aren't part of the Christian repertoire. Don't make sense? Ok, here... lets think about it this way:

The world today defines joy as a byproduct of success, comfort, abundance of wealth, and security. But the scriptures challenges us that whenever joy is present, there too is suffering. We read this during bible study! Romans 5:3-5. So, family, be encouraged to not be too comfortable for too long because that may lead to idleness (no movement). Second thought: be BOLD BOLD BOLD!!! You want to know others right? You want others to be real to you right? You don't want others to hide things from you right (well...certain things)? then FIRST, ask YOURSELF if you are doing just that...

Lastly, if a car was idle inside a garage for a period of time, what happens to the individual driver (and possible everyone inside the house)? They all risk the possibility of DEATH. Naturally, we would blame the driver for leaving the car on idle. But how about the individuals in the house that recognizes the idle car as well? Isn't it worse to know a car is idle, and do nothing about it? Family, when we see a brother/sister or a TRANSFORMER that is idle, realize that it will affect us too if we do not do something about it. Be encouraging; be an instrument of love and light; be imitators of Him.