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Archive for the ‘Dallas Willard’ Category

>New Take on Pearls and Swine

Posted in Dallas Willard, Pearls, Pigs, Quotes, tagged on June 22, 2010| Leave a Comment »

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“…neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.” – Matthew 7:6 (KJV)1

We sometimes get things so backwards, with our arrogance and propensity for self justification. Look at the Pearls and Swine directive from a better perspective

Jesus is not suggesting that certain classes of people are to be viewed as pigs or dogs … Anyone who has ever had serious responsibilities of caring for animals will understand immediately … The problem with pearls for pigs is not that the pigs are not worthy. It is not worthiness that is in question here at all, but helpfulness. Pigs cannot digest pearls.2

Jesus isn’t offering an insult to those who don’t accept our “pearls” of wisdom, he is chiding us who push things on others that they can’t use!

[T]he point is not the waste of the “pearl” but that the person given the pearl is not helped…Our children or others do not know what else to do with us pearl pushers. And even though they love us–as parent or friend, for example–they simply cannot take any more of our “pushy irrelevance,” as they see it, or possibly our stubborn blindness.2

– fritz

1 – Matthew 7:6
2 – The Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard, published by HarperCollins, copyright 1998, page 229
Related Post: An Armload of Zucchini

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>Taping Fruit onto a Tree

Posted in Dallas Willard, Quotes on June 18, 2010| Leave a Comment »

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“Pursue Love…”1

Trying to be loving doesn’t work!

We are taught that to be a good Christian we must act like Christ but when we try we find it difficult indeed! I am never so angry, selfish, and miserable as when I try to not get mad, put others first, and be happy.

Dallas Willard tells of a different approach. Referring to the Beatitudes and 1st Corinthians 13, the Bible’s “Love” chapter, he wrote:

People… are taught to read it, as telling them to be patient, kind, free of jealousy, and so on…But Paul is plainly saying — look at his words — that it is love that does these things, not us, and that what we are to do is to “pursue love” (1 Cor. 14:1). As we “catch” love, we then find that these things are after all actually being done by us.”2

Trying to not get angry, to put others first, or to be happy is like trying to produce fruit by taping it onto a tree. Fruit is produced by making sure the tree the kind wanted and that it is healthy – good fruit is the byproduct.

As we pursue Love, Himself3, our nature changes and we act accordingly.

– fritz

1 – 1st Corinthians 14:1a (New King James)
2 – The Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard, published by HarperCollins, copyright 1998, pg.187
3 – 1st John 4:16

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Reading the Beatitudes Correctly…

Posted in Dallas Willard, Quotes, tagged on June 13, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled…
– Matthew 5:3-6

Many read the beatitudes thinking Jesus is recommending these as ideals to strive towards. That being contrary to logic we try redefining them into something more palatable, teaching Jesus really meant recognizing our spiritual poorness, mourning our sins, “controlled strength” (meek), always seeking righteousness.

Dallas Willard has a different take:

“Those poor in spirit are called “blessed” by Jesus, not because they are in a meritorious condition, but because, precisely in spite of and in the midst of their ever so deplorable condition, the rule of the heavens has moved redemptively upon and through them by the grace of Christ.”1

In this view Jesus is not recommending a spiritual goal, but offering wonderful opportunity even to the most disadvantaged!

– fritz

1 The Divine Conspiracy, pg.102, published by HarperCollins, copyright 1998 by Dallas Willard

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