le'ts put that theory in action...

Over the last few years, I've come across a couple of author's theories that really impacted me. They've come back to mind lately, so I thought I'd review them here:

1. Living ontologically
Obviously, this is where my blog title came from, and I got it from a book by Madeleine L'Engle, called "A Circle of Quiet."
Ontology is the study of the very BEING of something. In her book she mentions Moses and the burning bush, and how God was able to use the bush because it was BEING ALL THAT IT WAS MADE TO BE, no more and no less.
That is the goal.
This week I started reading the gospel of John again, and John the Baptist stood out to me as someone who really got it. When they asked him who he was and when they told him that Jesus was baptizing (aka. he's threatening your ministry, taking your place, making you less special and unique) J the B wasn't ashamed. He stated, "I'm the voice of one calling in the wilderness 'prepare the way of the Lord'." Nothing more, nothing less. "Just" a voice. Being exactly what he was created to be.

2. Life boat theory
This comes from a book by Donald Miller, called "Searching for God Knows What." His premise is that most of us, most of the time, live with the feeling that we have to prove ourselves worthy of acceptance and love and life. Therefore we try to use our looks or our abilities or our actions to impress others so they'll say we're good enough.
Imagine a shipwreck, and all the passengers ended up on the lifeboat, but there are not enough provisions for everyone to survive. Who gets thrown overboard and who gets to live? How do you decide?
We all think that we have to prove ourselves, or we'll be cast off and drown.
But Jesus came to invite us to a new "theory" -- not a new way to make sure to stay alive in the lifeboat, but rather to abandon ship.

This life is not a competition.
Trying to compete is exhausting and disappointing. I will never feel fulfilled and loved if I'm trying to prove myself worthy of it, or if I'm trying to make everyone happy, or if I'm trying to be the best at everything. That's what's so beautiful about Jesus: "God showed his love for us in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ dies for us." ... "And it is a gift, it is not of yourselves, lest any men should boast."
'I love you I love you I love you I love you,' is what He says, 'and it has nothing to do with your performance. I will never throw you overboard because THERE IS NO LIFEBOAT.'