Hey, my friends. I mean, no one's doing these blogs anymore! It's kinda sad. Ya know? Things happen, new lives are begun and directions in life split into innumerable branches in the great tree of life that is always growing bigger. Yeah, I'm not really like that, talking all poetic and what not. Maybe I'm just crazy. Or maybe just a little bit.
So, I like Switchfoot and I like talking about nothing in general when I'm tired. And I said that because I know that you just desperately desired to hear (read) it. Why do folks say what they like and what hobbies they partake in as if someone actually cared or gave a goat's beard what they do on a day-to-day basis? I mean, seriously. Some folks may actually care to find out if the said person is suitable match for themselves by sneaking a stalker-peek at their statuses in life. But really, c'mon. That's only the good stuff that's advertised. What about the bad in a person?
k, so, this brings up an issue that I deal with in myself. I think you'll all enjoy reading about me, so I'll write it out. Or perhaps that's the fascination we find in studying other humans. It's not about another person, but about ourselves. A read of another human is a read of ourselves, figuratively speaking and what not. An inside look at another insane human's mind that we can compare ourselves to to discover the condition we each are in.
...then adjust your personal character conditionally to the observed specifications of said subject to aleve self-scrutiny for an undisclosed amount of time...
This is gonna be a great blog. Undoubtedly the greatest I've ever written. But back to the topic: The person I present according to the persons I've observed. Yes, I am peer-pressured. It's crazy to think about how so much of my time goes into contemplating how I should respond to viewing how someone else responds to how I respond. Why can't I simply respond? Well, I can, but I've conditioned myself to think that I can't.
So, here's the catcher. The only reason I've conditioned myself to think that I can't is because I see myself through another's eyes, which, in turn, is the result of my conditioning. So I've actually gone in full circle, digging in deeper to the trap I was all ready in! I see the person other persons are looking at because I really can't observe myself. But someone else can so they're the object of fashioning to what I adhere my attention, because they know what's going on.
Well, actually, they could, and most likely are, doing the exact same thing that I do. Perhaps not to me, but there's something that they are fashioning their character after. We are obviously built to do so. Then why do we fashion ourselves after something just as flawed and borrowed presentation oriented as we are? There's something wrong with that picture.
God made us who we are. He didn't make us the reflection of our neighbor or Johnny Depp. He made us the reflection of Him. He doesn't look to anyone but Himself to create a man. When He made the strong, rugged, gallant form of man, He looked at Himself and said, "It is very good."
Very good? Not just good? Very good. What we were made to be is very good. Unfortunately, no man or woman or child is very good anymore. Nor are we even good. So we should fashion ourselves according to popular culture's demand for a Mr. Right or a Mrs. Independent? I should say not! Our substance is derived from the breath of the living God and has every potential to be in perfect harmony with His Spirit. He dresses the flowers and feeds the birds. Why do I get all messed up inside over things?
Ok. So take the good aspects of God in man and apply those things, but don't be afraid to see and admit the bad. I guess that's what I was originally getting at. We are bad boys and girls sometimes and are not constantly acting in the Spirit after our rebirth and acceptance of Him. Don't be a perfect know-it-all. God reveals more and more over time, but until He's taking you to a better place called Heaven, you're not going to find the perfect body to sport. Or even the right reason to sport your awesome good looks!
But when we're there in the air our understanding will be bare. That is, everything will become open knowledge and then we'll just understand why we have to worship Him. May as well start now, eh?
...He's making me like Him...
Andrew R. M. Hanson
