License

I have written an e-book, Does the Bible Really Say That?, which is free to anyone. To download that book, in several formats, go here.
Creative Commons License
The posts in this blog are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. You can copy and use this material, as long as you aren't making money from it. If you give me credit, thanks. If not, OK.

Tuesday, May 10, 2005

Be spontaneous!

I received this e-mail from one of my favorite students on the last class day of my last semester:

BE SPONTANEOUS. I hope that you and your wife have a wonderful retirement and that you do many things that you have always wished to do. Go places you have never gone and do things you have never done . . .like rock climbing or bungee jumping or taking a trek across the Sahara Desert or taming wild lions or joining a traveling circus!! Those are just a few things I would like to do. :) I hope that whatever you do, God will bless you and your family tremendously. (excerpt from personal e-mail, May 5, 2005.)

A reminder, which I didn't need--I already knew it--that I am perceived as a little dull.

There are worse things than being dull. Spontaneity can get you into big trouble. But, on the other hand, doing daring, spontaneous things is part of what the Christian life is supposed to be about, and, I think, she is right. I haven't been as spontaneous as I should have been. I haven't stood up for the right in unpopular ways as often, or as forcefully, as I should have.

Rahab spontaneously decided to protect the spies. David spontaneously decided to go against Goliath. Mary heard news that was going to change her life radically, and accepted it, apparently on the spot. Years later, Mary told Jesus to do something a little rash, and his first miracle was performed. The Twelve left their jobs and families behind, just dropping their nets, or walking away from the cashbox, and followed Jesus. Paul couldn't restrain himself, and stood up and made a speech at Mars Hill. Spontaneity can be good. No, great!

Thanks for the advice! We do plan to go some places we have never gone, and will do some things we have never done, I hope. (Don't hold your breath till we bungee jump or tame wild lions!) I also hope we have the courage, if God calls, to do some things for Him that we have never done. His church could use some real sanctified spontaneity.

I don't name private persons on this blog, but the person who wrote the above quote knows who she is, and if she reads this, and I hope she does, I am letting her know that I will try to pray that she will do some wonderful things, too, some just for the fun of it, and some of them just for Him.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

That's awesome!! I'm so glad you shared that with us. I do disagree with you on one thing, though. I don't think that you're dull...you and you're wife do so many fun things. I hope your teaching career was enjoyed and I hope the rest of your life will be enjoyed even more. :)

Anonymous said...

Sanctified Spontaneity For Christ! I like it! : )

Anonymous said...

Well, I don't think you're dull at all. In fact, your class was the most fun I had all semester. My roommate and I loved being in there! Yes, being spontaneous can get one into trouble, but sometimes we need to cause a little trouble. It is good to be spontaneous and grounded at the same time...and I know you will continue to do so.

Anonymous said...

You were never dull, that's for sure! I always knew your classes would educate me and make me look at things in ways I'd never thought of before. I've taken the lessons I learned in your classes with me (and not just the genetic lessons).

Good journeys to you and your wife! I'm sad to hear that you're retiring, but happy that you are entering a new phase together.