One of the common principles in effective writing is to “show—don’t tell.” In other words, a good writer aims to demonstrate to the reader what is happening rather than explain to them what is happening. And that is actually one fitting way of relating the difference between our true self and false self.
I thought about this because of a recent experience where I witnessed a leader of an organization “tell” rather than “show.” He was in the middle of bantering about something when he went to great lengths to tell those listening about how committed he is to the organization. Those who bought his defense clapped with enthusiasm, demonstrating approval at his commitment. I, instead, felt suspicious.
This leader’s effort to convince his followers of his devout loyalty to them came off more like telling rather than showing. Telling is indicative of the false self—the self that works hard to convince others of its value and virtues. Our false self is “self-referencing,” as Robert Mulholland suggests. Everything is about it. The false self goes to great pains to prove itself.
The true self, on the other hand, “shows.” Who we are and what we are about becomes evident in the way we live. We don’t need to prove it with our words. When we live from our true self in Christ, we are so deeply connected in love to Christ that our need to confirm to others that we have value or competence is gone.
If you want to know whether you are living from your true self or false self, pay attention to whether you “show” or “tell.”
Monday, December 7, 2009
Saturday, November 21, 2009
30 Days of Seeing--the final day and the best day ever!
Day 30
The Wisdom of the Great Horned Owl
Today, the last day of our 30 Days of Seeing, I hit the jackpot! God knows that if he wants to bring me absolute delight all he has to do is let me encounter some cool creature of his within nature. So, this morning, about 7 am, he gave me a great gift! I opened the back door to let Bongo out. It was barely twilight, the morning light still dim. Through the trees in our back yard, I spotted movement—large, broad wings of a bird landing on the limb of a tree.
My first guess was an owl, but I questioned my judgement. I have never seen an owl during the day light hours—only after dark. I took a long, steady look and felt pretty convinced that what I saw had to be a Great Horned owl. I quickly and quietly closed the door, headed for the kitchen, turned out the lights and searched for a better view. There she was, statuesque on a limb, looking huge like a big cat in a tree. (I don’t actually know if it was a male or female--so I'll just say she.)
David came down stairs and together, with binoculars, we watched this wonderful, awesome creature as she preened herself, rotated her head practically 360 degrees, and slept. You want to know another amazing thing? She is still on the same limb! Hasn’t moved all day. Nearly twelve hours later, this archetype of wisdom is perched on the same tree limb upon which she landed when I saw her this morning.
I’ve watched her on and off all day. And, as I often do when I encounter a wonder of nature, I asked God to speak to me through her, to teach me through her. So, here is what I gathered from my day of seeing this rare and wondrous sight:
- Wisdom comes from deliberate rest and keen observation.
- Don’t be too quick to move from where you have landed before you’ve taken in everything there is to see and learn.
- Be circumspect—look around you for life’s clues and opportunities.
Thank you, thank you, God, for owls—especially ones that show up in my backyard! What an exquisite way to end my 30 Days of Seeing experiment. My cup runneth over!
P.S. Brent Bill and I began these sensory experiments as part of our research for a book and workshop called The Art of Faith: Awakening Your Senses to the Wonder of God. We have agreed to wait until after the holidays to begin our next round—30 of Touching. We will keep you posted when we are ready to begin so that you can join us. Thanks to all who have kept this up, even if not every day, some of the days.
P.S.S. Oh, I just have to tell you—SHE’S HOOTING right now. I can hear her: hoot, hoot-hoot, hoooot, hoot. I have goose bumps!!
Friday, November 20, 2009
30 Days of Seeing
Day 29
“The wind blows wherever it pleases….”
The sun came out today—a welcomed sight after a few days of rain and dull skies. I took a walk with a friend. At the end of our stroll, we sat on a raised platform, looking out over an expansive field of tall grasses. I scanned the scenery and watched the heads of grass move as the wind swirled between the strands. I noticed how only some of the grasses of the field moved at once. Small sections of stalks circled with the wind.
The sight reminded me of these words of Jesus, speaking of the Holy Spirit: “The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going." (John 3:8) The Holy Spirit moves as she pleases. You sometimes see the evidence, the stirring, but there is still an element of mystery as to how the Spirit moves and works.
As I call to mind the tall grasses moving in the wind, I think about God's autonomy and mystery. That prompts me to sit back and watch, rather than try and figure out or manipulate the wind.
Where are you seeing the Spirit blow these days? Where are the grasses swirling?
“The wind blows wherever it pleases….”
The sun came out today—a welcomed sight after a few days of rain and dull skies. I took a walk with a friend. At the end of our stroll, we sat on a raised platform, looking out over an expansive field of tall grasses. I scanned the scenery and watched the heads of grass move as the wind swirled between the strands. I noticed how only some of the grasses of the field moved at once. Small sections of stalks circled with the wind.
The sight reminded me of these words of Jesus, speaking of the Holy Spirit: “The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going." (John 3:8) The Holy Spirit moves as she pleases. You sometimes see the evidence, the stirring, but there is still an element of mystery as to how the Spirit moves and works.
As I call to mind the tall grasses moving in the wind, I think about God's autonomy and mystery. That prompts me to sit back and watch, rather than try and figure out or manipulate the wind.
Where are you seeing the Spirit blow these days? Where are the grasses swirling?
Thursday, November 19, 2009
30 Days of Seeing
Day 28
“Way leads to way.” Robert Frost
My friend, Ann, shared this quote with me several years ago. I have often quoted it to others and even to myself, especially when I am feeling lost. And that’s just how I have felt recently. I am in transition vocationally and seeking God earnestly. Even still, the path ahead isn’t clear. My vision can’t see beyond where I am. And that’s the “seeing” I am thoughtful about tonight.
As I think about this quote again, I find encouragement in it. It resonates with the way God has led me in the past. It’s often one connection that leads to another that opens the door of my destiny. So tonight, as I get ready for bed, I entrust myself to God and reaffirm that “way leads to way” and one way or another, God will lead me.
What does “way leads to way” mean to you? How have you seen that to be true?
“Way leads to way.” Robert Frost
My friend, Ann, shared this quote with me several years ago. I have often quoted it to others and even to myself, especially when I am feeling lost. And that’s just how I have felt recently. I am in transition vocationally and seeking God earnestly. Even still, the path ahead isn’t clear. My vision can’t see beyond where I am. And that’s the “seeing” I am thoughtful about tonight.
As I think about this quote again, I find encouragement in it. It resonates with the way God has led me in the past. It’s often one connection that leads to another that opens the door of my destiny. So tonight, as I get ready for bed, I entrust myself to God and reaffirm that “way leads to way” and one way or another, God will lead me.
What does “way leads to way” mean to you? How have you seen that to be true?
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
30 Days of Seeing
Day 27
We are nearing the end of 30 Days of Seeing and I have a confession to make. This has been harder than I expected. It hasn’t been easy each day to single out a profound or instructive sight. I think it's because I use my sight all day and consequently, I don’t always isolate my vision and really look at something with earnest. Continual use wears down my sensitivity to the unique, subtle and notable.
The days that I am intentional and choose to look at something, I am more successful in being aware of God through the sense of sight and what I see. Otherwise, a whole day can go by and I look back and don’t recall a single moment when I “looked”—really “looked.” I will have seen a lot, but nothing truly registered as significant.
The best part of today’s experiment was seeing my grandson, Eli. I laid him on a blanket on the floor and lay next to him while we made faces. Yes, I cooed all those grandma sounds and Eli cooed back. I loved watching him kick his legs, gyrate his arms and form his mouth in a circle trying to vocalize. I studied his face to know it better and he studied mine. I told him that I would be there for him to help him grow up and become a big boy. He gave me the raspberries in return.
Even though this experiment with seeing has had its challenges, you wouldn't know it when I look at Eli. When I am with him, it’s almost impossible for me to stop looking at him. When I do, all the rest of life fades into the background and becomes a blur.
We are nearing the end of 30 Days of Seeing and I have a confession to make. This has been harder than I expected. It hasn’t been easy each day to single out a profound or instructive sight. I think it's because I use my sight all day and consequently, I don’t always isolate my vision and really look at something with earnest. Continual use wears down my sensitivity to the unique, subtle and notable.
The days that I am intentional and choose to look at something, I am more successful in being aware of God through the sense of sight and what I see. Otherwise, a whole day can go by and I look back and don’t recall a single moment when I “looked”—really “looked.” I will have seen a lot, but nothing truly registered as significant.
The best part of today’s experiment was seeing my grandson, Eli. I laid him on a blanket on the floor and lay next to him while we made faces. Yes, I cooed all those grandma sounds and Eli cooed back. I loved watching him kick his legs, gyrate his arms and form his mouth in a circle trying to vocalize. I studied his face to know it better and he studied mine. I told him that I would be there for him to help him grow up and become a big boy. He gave me the raspberries in return.
Even though this experiment with seeing has had its challenges, you wouldn't know it when I look at Eli. When I am with him, it’s almost impossible for me to stop looking at him. When I do, all the rest of life fades into the background and becomes a blur.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
30 Days of Seeing
Day 26
“…. a failure of imagination.” Cate Blanchett
Today, on my way to have lunch with a friend, I tuned in to the Diane Rehm Show on NPR. She often has intriguing guests and today was no exception. Diane interviewed actor Cate Blanchett who is currently starring in the play, A Street Car Called Desire, at the Kennedy Center.
Cate not only is an extraordinary actor (second only to Meryl Streep, in my humble opinion), she has also become an activist in raising concern over climate change and the need to develop alternative forms of energy. Diane asked how and why she became involved with this issue, especially in light of living such a busy and successful life. Cate responded by saying that as much as she loves acting, it becomes “irrelevant” very quickly. She explained that her involvement with this very pressing environmental issue helps her stay grounded.
She spoke about the impact of climate change, particularly in her native country of Australia, where residents no longer have to wonder if there really is such a thing. In a moment of chastisement, Blanchett suggested that the situation we are in is obviously a failure of leadership, but also a failure of imagination.
A failure of imagination, Cate explained, is the mistake of not seeing into the future and projecting where we will be if we continue to rely on oil as our main source of energy. A failure of imagination is also the absence of forward thinking and the development of viable alternatives for energy.
Imagination is a form of “seeing,” and so today, I want to write about what it means to experience a “failure of imagination” related to our own lives. When we use our imagination, we are dreaming into the future and that helps us set our direction.
To avoid a failure of imagination, we must ask ourselves some pointed questions. Here are a few to ponder:
“…. a failure of imagination.” Cate Blanchett
Today, on my way to have lunch with a friend, I tuned in to the Diane Rehm Show on NPR. She often has intriguing guests and today was no exception. Diane interviewed actor Cate Blanchett who is currently starring in the play, A Street Car Called Desire, at the Kennedy Center.
Cate not only is an extraordinary actor (second only to Meryl Streep, in my humble opinion), she has also become an activist in raising concern over climate change and the need to develop alternative forms of energy. Diane asked how and why she became involved with this issue, especially in light of living such a busy and successful life. Cate responded by saying that as much as she loves acting, it becomes “irrelevant” very quickly. She explained that her involvement with this very pressing environmental issue helps her stay grounded.
She spoke about the impact of climate change, particularly in her native country of Australia, where residents no longer have to wonder if there really is such a thing. In a moment of chastisement, Blanchett suggested that the situation we are in is obviously a failure of leadership, but also a failure of imagination.
A failure of imagination, Cate explained, is the mistake of not seeing into the future and projecting where we will be if we continue to rely on oil as our main source of energy. A failure of imagination is also the absence of forward thinking and the development of viable alternatives for energy.
Imagination is a form of “seeing,” and so today, I want to write about what it means to experience a “failure of imagination” related to our own lives. When we use our imagination, we are dreaming into the future and that helps us set our direction.
To avoid a failure of imagination, we must ask ourselves some pointed questions. Here are a few to ponder:
- “If I continue on the same spiritual trajectory I am on today, will I end up where I want to be?”
- “Am I relying too heavily or exclusively on one spiritual resource (like my pastor’s sermons, involvement in church or a certain Bible Study) in order to sustain me?”
- “What additional resources do I need to develop in order to nurture my spiritual life for the long haul?”
Monday, November 16, 2009
30 Days of Seeing
“Some say geodes are made from pockets of tears,
Trapped away in small places for years upon years.
Pressed down and transformed,
‘til the true self was born….”
(Lyrics by singer/songwriter, Carrie Newcomer, from her song, Geodes.)
Today, I spent all day at home cleaning—a necessity after being gone two weekends in a row. As often happens, I felt the common “let down” following a conference where I speak. I expend so much energy and give all I have. So, when I come home, I often feel a little exhausted and empty.
As I was vacuuming and dusting, I plugged in the earphones to my iPod and listened to music. One of the songs I played was Carrie Newcomer’s, called Geodes. I heard the above line while simultaneously dusting the geodes on our mantle. David and I love geodes because they remind us of the ones we used to find in the creek beds at his grandparent’s property.
I “saw” and “heard” in concert the message of her song; that geodes contain pockets of tears and crystallize into beautiful formations at the core of their being. I thought about the sadness and melancholy I felt today and wondered how it might be “pressed down and transformed ‘til my true self is born.” I felt encouraged to embrace my depressed emotions and wondered how God might turn them into something beautiful and good within the core of me.
Think about it: What tears have been transformed in you?
Trapped away in small places for years upon years.
Pressed down and transformed,
‘til the true self was born….”
(Lyrics by singer/songwriter, Carrie Newcomer, from her song, Geodes.)
Today, I spent all day at home cleaning—a necessity after being gone two weekends in a row. As often happens, I felt the common “let down” following a conference where I speak. I expend so much energy and give all I have. So, when I come home, I often feel a little exhausted and empty.
As I was vacuuming and dusting, I plugged in the earphones to my iPod and listened to music. One of the songs I played was Carrie Newcomer’s, called Geodes. I heard the above line while simultaneously dusting the geodes on our mantle. David and I love geodes because they remind us of the ones we used to find in the creek beds at his grandparent’s property.
I “saw” and “heard” in concert the message of her song; that geodes contain pockets of tears and crystallize into beautiful formations at the core of their being. I thought about the sadness and melancholy I felt today and wondered how it might be “pressed down and transformed ‘til my true self is born.” I felt encouraged to embrace my depressed emotions and wondered how God might turn them into something beautiful and good within the core of me.
Think about it: What tears have been transformed in you?
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