Reflections

Thoughts about living a more beautiful story.

Don Jaques 9/18/23 Don Jaques 9/18/23

The only thing that counts

It is oh so easy to get stuck studying the words written 2000 years ago and turning them into laws to govern our behavior and religious practice.

It is oh so easy to get distracted by definitions of theological words found in the ancient writings.

It is oh so easy to make correct doctrinal beliefs the highest priority.

It is oh so easy to create to-do and don’t-do lists based on the ancient writings.

It is oh so easy to focus on creating and maintaining religious structures and systems, at great financial cost and human energy cost.

It is oh so easy to police the beliefs and behavior of those within and without the community of Jesus-followers.

But what did Paul say again?

The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.

Why giving up on Hell made me a better Christian

Rather than just getting to know my neighbors because, well, they were my neighbors, everything I did in getting to know them became a foundation for “planting a seed” or priming them for a future spiritual conversation. I could feel the smarmy-ness of it. What was supposedly founded on love for my neighbor never felt like it. It felt more like disingenuous manipulation of my neighbor. I’m pretty sure they felt that, too. It might be why in 15 years at one address I didn’t get much beyond polite cul-de-sac conversations with those folks.

Since changing my beliefs about a literal hell, and a point-of-no-return when a person’s heart stops beating I’ve been able to love people better.

What's it all for anyway? (The sheep, the goats, and a verse in Micah)

I'm realizing that so much of what I'm involved in, and so much of what my current church (and most in my town) spends its money on is meeting the need for mental and spiritual experiences for the people of the organization. And it's hitting me that we are missing the mark.