Plodding Visionaries

It has been a while since I posted. This was something I wanted to post back when I started so it might be little old, however I still think its good.

This is something that Kevin DeYoung has said already but this is still something I am convicted of.

Something Kevin DeYoung said at Next something about "we need less revolutionaries and more plodding visionaries." also and article he wrote, "The Glory of Plodding" both get at the idea of being steadfast, faithful, consistent, being in the race, preserving, ect.

So the questions that follows are:
1) What is wrong with being a revolutionary? aka TAZ (listen to the sermon on the Church)
2) What is Plodding Visionaries?
3) Why is it important?

I think DeYoung explain this the best

My generation in particular is prone to radicalism without followthrough. We have dreams of changing the world, and the world should take notice accordingly. But we’ve not proved faithful in much of anything yet. We haven’t held a steady job or raised godly kids or done our time in VBS or, in some cases, even moved off the parental dole. We want global change and expect a few more dollars to the ONE campaign or Habitat for Humanity chapter to just about wrap things up....what’s harder: to be an idolized rock star who travels around the world touting good causes and chiding governments for their lack of foreign aid, or to be a line worker at GM with four kids and a mortgage, who tithes to his church, sings in the choir every week, serves on the school board, and supports a Christian relief agency and a few missionaries from his disposable income?.....Until we are content with being one of the million nameless, faceless church members and not the next globe-trotting rock star, we aren’t ready to be a part of the church.

With my own life I see that soo much. I want big thing, and start BIG things but they fail because there is no endurance. I want to change the world but I can't even change a simple habit of mine. I want to shine, instead of making Christ shine. Part of me just really want everything to happen quickly and powerfully... I mean who does not want that? right? right.... But I have no patience for things I don't know how to be steadfast, faithful, self-control, enduring, and diligent. which in every way Bible tell me to be.

A Plodding Visionary (I think) is someone that is faithful with the little things. They are steadfast, solid, firm. someone that does the daily routines joyfully and faithfully. Who goes to service Sunday after Sunday, who serves week after week, meet with God day after day. Being faithful to what God has call them to do time after time. Faithful when the world is not watching.

Someone who lives(or seeks to live) a life of obedience not just a composition moments of obedience where it could be seen.

Why is this important?

For me this sobers my mind. remembering that I am not the center of the show but Christ. Reminds me of how much my heart longs for it self. Reminds me of how much this life is about God and His glory and fame. That starts with me being faithful to what the little He had given me. I am just another nameless and faceless worshiper of God.

Asking Questions

The Lewis quote is from “Mere Christianity”

“…Do not imagine that if you meet a really humble man he will be what most people call “humble” nowadays: he will not be a sort of greasy, smarmy person who is always telling you that, of course, he is nobody. Probably all you will think about him is that he seemed a cheerful, intelligent chap who took a real interest in what you said to him. If you do dislike him it will be because you feel a little envious of anyone who seems to enjoy life so easily. He will not be thinking about humility: he will not be thinking about himself at all. If anyone would like to acquire humility, I can, I think, tell him the first step. The first step is to realize that one is proud. And a biggish step, too. At least, nothing whatever can be done before it. If you think you are not conceited, it means you are very conceited indeed.” (page 128)

I took this from Kevin DeYoung's blog. so this is not my original idea.

For the longest time I always thought that humility is always about making sure I don't stand out or even by putting myself down in away I am just a little lower than everyone else. But all that does is make me less genuine with people and ultimately I am just focusing on myself and how other perceive me, which is a fear of man.

However what C.S. Lewis said in this quote is that true humility is not a focus of me being lower than everyone else but is the focus of everyone else is above me. The subtle difference is that one is inward focus and the other outward focus.

This play out so evidently in conversations. As DeYoung mentions that just by asking questions and respond appropriately can really help you grow in humility.

Now what does this look like in real life?
I think this is what it would look like for someone who has the inward humility(I know this one well)

A: Hey I heard you are good at golf.
B: Ohh I am ok.
A: There is no way you are just ok. I heard so many people talking about it.
B: Yea I guess. I am really not that good, I am not really consistent, can't really putt and don't really have a short game.
A: ohh I see.... so what do you shoot?
B: umm I average around 75 or something.
A: what!?! that is really good.

On the other hand outward focus would be( I think)

A: Hey I heard you are good at golf?
B: Oh. where you heard that from?
A: Just heard it from the grapevine.
B: Are you interested in playing golf?
A: Not really my parents play a lot though. they really love it.
B: That is cool if not golf what sports do you like to play?

and so on and so forth.

I am not sure if this is too ideal but you guys get the point.

But this is something I am really lacking in, and really need to work on since I am very comfortable just being in my study room.=p again as DeYoung said its doable.

Lastly, I really love what DeYoung said at the end the reason why we can have this outward focus is to have Love for our Neighbors. Where does this love for our neighbors comes from... from the Love of Christ we experience. Just as Clearly 1 John 3:16-17 stated "By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?"

So Yea...

Reasons for Blogging

For some reason I want to start blogging, at least for this summer. Well some of those reasons are... I want to get somethings I learned out there to encourage others to grow in Christ. Also to share some stuff that has been going on in my life. And because I am a really bad writer so this would make me learn how to write. So if you see any errors in my writing please comment and correct me. =)