In the Crucible of Our Actions

The Scriptures give one of the clearest examples of how we should think about repentance. The encounter of John the Baptist with the crowds who came to and heard his message of repentance contain an interesting exchange:

Then he [John the Baptist] said to the multitudes that came out to be baptized by him, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

So the people asked him, saying, “What shall we do then?”

He answered and said to them, “He who has two tunics, let him give to him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise.”

Then tax collectors also came to be baptized, and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?”

And he said to them, “Collect no more than what is appointed for you.”

Likewise the soldiers asked him, saying, “And what shall we do?”

So he said to them, “Do not intimidate anyone or accuse falsely, and be content with your wages.” (Luke 3:7-14).

John’s response to the people who came was not to launch them into a world of introspection. The heart changes in the crucible of our actions. Generosity and kindness are begotten of generosity and kindness. If you have enough to share – then share.
Glory to God for All Things, The Instinct of Repentence

This Lent I am smack dab in the middle of the crucible. Instinct tells me I'm a complete idiot and am just setting myself up to get the doormat treatment again. Christ tells me this is not the truth, but even if someone does try to do the doormat thing, it won't be because of my sin. My life is about to become a crucible. God knows I don't want to live there but it's only for a few weeks. Six to be exact. I can do six weeks and by then it will be a habit.

What I am going through is not going to change anything in the long run. I don't really expect it to. I just guess that there are some things you have to do because you have to do them, not because there will be any great change in the world because you do the things you feel you need to do. "Winning" and "losing" have nothing to do with the life in Christ. The only thing that matters is obedience and the blessing gained from being obedient.

I read someplace recently a statement: If you behave as if you are and maintain that behavior, eventually, you will become what you have been behaving as. It's a hard discipline I think but acsesis was never supposed to be easy. Finding my way through the morass of my passions to the Lord is just part of that command to work out my salvation in fear and trembling.

Lord have mercy on me a sinner.

Relevant Reading
Luke 3:7-14
Philippians 2:12-15
Definition: Crucible