BEing

From the book Shadow of the Almighty, by Elisabeth Elliot -- the following is part of a letter that Jim had written her:

" 'One of my renaissance experiences was to get among kids who were on a different spiritual level than my own, and enjoy fellowship with them. I found a very subtle snare in so doing. I sought their fellowship in order that I might minister to them, 'be a help,' you know, to these 'weaker' ones. What a rebuke came when I sensed my real motive - that I might minister. Love hacks right at this, for she refused to parade herself. I learned to recognize no 'spiritual planes,' but simply to love, purely, in every group. Trying to 'be a help' even has a smell of good works in it, for it is not pure. Our motive is only to be-do nothing, know nothing, act nothing-just to be a sinful bit of flesh, born of a Father's love. Then you see, Beloved, there can be no defeat."
(p.99-100)

In another place in the text, is the following, from a letter written by Jim:

"....The subject was 'What I as a Junior Wish Someone had Told Me When I was a Freshman.' I mentioned that beyond 'believing' and 'behaving' in the Christian life, there is also 'being,' and I brought in New Testament exhortations such as

'Be not ignorant.'
'Be not deceived.'
'Be sober.'
'Be vigilant.'
'Be mindful of the Word.'
'Be steadfast,' etc. " (p. 47)

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Well...perhaps being is a way of doing -- doing more unseen actions (although they could be noticed by others as well). Perhaps BEing can lead to doing more calculated, regular fruitful works. Although we should do good works, we should also try to BE more of who God wants us to be. I'm not saying this with a outwardly pointed finger.

Dear God, please make me BE more of the person you want me to be. Thank you. Amen.

School & Life

Well, my paper for one of my classes dealt with the implementation of corrective feedback in the L2 classroom...perhaps I should implement error correction into my LIFE. I should work on me. Or I should allow God to work in and through me.

So help me God...please change me and make me willing to be changed.

And, my practicum teacher brought up the following idea/philosophy of teaching from a book -- not being teacher-centered or student-centered but subject-centered, bringing the content to life.

Interesting.

As for a life application, perhaps I should not be utterly ME-centered or only others-centered (which naturally I'm not completely others-centered), but Word of God-centered. I should allow the Word of God to be brought to life in MY life.

God please give me a desire to eat your words. Not literally of course. But let/make it work in me and through me, and please make me willing for that to happen.

THANK YOU.