Notes from today

Some notes from today:

1. One writing assignment I gave to my Modern American Lit. students was to write down what they believed about God and how they came to that belief. I told them to include both what they are sure of and what they think they know. But I asked them to tell me their personal beliefs, not those of their family. It's a pre-reading prompt for the text The Color Purple.

I think this is a worthy question for all of us. If you can't answer the question and feel good about the answer, you probably don't know what you believe. And if you don't know what you believe, you have no world-view directing your decisions and actions. Very dangerous.

I love teaching this book because the author's message is one I deplore. I disagree whole-heartedly with the ideas the author suggests about God in the book. It's a challenge, therefore, to love the literature but hate the message. And the reward is that I get to hear teenager reaction to the book. I get to see them being forced to stretch their initial image (or lack thereof) of God and justify or change that belief. I think many people are scared to death to read texts about ideas they disagree with. In reality, I know of no better way to solidify one's beliefs than by allowing them to be challenged by someone who stands in very different shoes.

2. I read what I consider to be one of the greatest lines in all of the Psalms tonight. David writes in Psalm 62:

"He is my defense;
I shall not be greatly moved."

I want this to be true of myself more than just about anything right now. I would love to build a reputation of someone who shall not be greatly moved. I shouldn't be greatly moved (worked up, upset, complaining, agitated, etc.) by many of the trivialities in life. When things are tough, if I truly believe what I say I believe, I should stand strong, unfliching. I shouldn't feel my blood pressure boil when silly people say silly things, or when situations I can't control prevent me from my own illusion of being in complete control. And I shouldn't let the number of things on my "To-do list" move me away from patience, from prayer, and from focus on my priorities.

I know of no greater challenge to myself right now than to not be greatly moved. I seek to stand strong; because when I don't, I reveal how little I truly believe God is.