Tag Archives: Living
Ignorance is bliss…
Ignorance is bliss; the premise by which many live. It is the contemplation of the fact that, if there be truth beyond what we consider to be firm knowledge, such knowledge could dare to remove us from the comfortableness of life as we perceive it. In regards to our own being, the cavern of self knowledge that is within us seems dreadfully deep, of which if pursued, could lead us to relentless questions, doubts, and fears about ourselves that we have not the courage to face. These thoughts cross our minds and eclipse from us the fact that, deep within the cavern, lie treasures of beautiful truths about who we really are… who we were made to be. And so, we fearfully sit at the entrance, lost in a daze as we watch the heavenly stars flicker and fade in the night sky. If there is no determination to embark upon this journey of self discovery, then there can be no magnificent revelation. If there is no desire to overcome our questions, doubts, and fears, then there can be no glorious victory over them. Succumbing to the fear of the unknown, means you will never know. Those who do not press on into the depths, hold tightly to the thoughts of hopelessness inside, and because so, they hold even tighter to the ordinarily routine and dull life lived out as these destructive thoughts slowly decay every ounce of happiness that can be found within. Like the eroding of the river bank, their temporary happiness cannot stand forever for it is build upon the foundations of false truths about themselves, and the world around them. Much like a river bank, we realize the problem of erosion only after we have lost too much ground, and so we collapse to our knees in exhaustion due to the weight of questions such as, “how did I not notice this decay? And how can I possibly build up this solid foundation again?”
With this I dare ask, “what is a life lived without the daring pursuit of knowledge, of truth, and of faith?” I would argue that ignorance is not bliss. Rather, ignorance is the choking fog that envelopes our senses and clouds our vision and judgment, giving us no clear direction to place our hopes upon. Because of this, we are then gullibly susceptible to the deceit and illusions of the world and of those who serve it.
So what is the point of this incessant rambling? Simply that we are more than the lies that we have been fed, about us, and the world around us. The truth is, we are much like that of diamond in the rough, who is in desperate need of the Master Crafter to shape us into that which we were meant to be, so that our extraordinary characteristics and virtues may illuminate this darkened place, as we are made in the image of God. When this occurs, the beauty that was once hidden within comes to the surface, catching every ray of light while reflecting it back to the world in an array of color for all to see.
How can this be possible? By allowing God to work within you, to become that which He made you to be… a beautiful creation and picture of all that is good in Him.
2 Corinthians 5:17-21 – “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
Success…
Legacy…
The seemingly insignificant decisions that we make throughout our day can make just as much of an impact on our lives and the lives of others, as the ones we believe to be most important. We must take care in all that we say and do, for they are all strokes of the brush that makes up the portrait of our lives, of which we will leave behind for many to remember us by. Each of us, will leave one painting, of our life’s work behind. What kind of portrait are you painting of your life for others to bare witness to?
“Our days are numbered. One of the primary goals in our lives should be to prepare for our last day. The legacy we leave is not just in our possessions, but in the quality of our lives. What preparations should we be making now? The greatest waste in all of our earth, which cannot be recycled or reclaimed, is our waste of the time that God has given us each day.” – Bill Graham
“A man without decision of character can never be said to belong to himself . . . He belongs to whatever can make captive of him.” — John Foster
Integrity is…
Integrity is a virtue that I think it’s lacking in this society, more so than most other virtues. Integrity is… “Doing the RIGHT thing, even if no one is looking.” That means that we seek no reward for the things that we do that are right. We don’t seek praise from others, money, material things, or even a debt owed to us. We do the right thing because it’s who we are and because we want to glorify our maker! This comes with practice. God allows free will to happen, so that we can grow in our character, through winning over the bouts with sin and temptation. The trials and tribulations that we face make us stronger in our faith, if we make the right choice. The after effect is a high that is of the spirit, and is not matched with any high that the worldly things of this earth could ever come close to.
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Integrity is: the person that says no to another drink, even if under peer pressure.
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Integrity is: the guy that walks away from the temptation of another woman, because he knows that even flirting is a sand trap.
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Integrity is: the person that confronts his brother, out of love.
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Having integrity means not gossiping about another, slandering their name out of gain for yourself.
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Integrity is befriending those that others walk carelessly by or point at laughingly.
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Having integrity means not flipping the guy off that cuts you off on the highway.
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Having integrity means you are the same in character, no matter who your audience is. After all, God is always watching.
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Integrity is: standing for your faith, even if it means others will knock you down.
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Integrity is: promoting the blessings in marriage, love, parenthood, Christianity, and friendship.
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Having integrity means not boasting about your hard work, but letting your hard work boast about Him.
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Integrity is: speaking highly of your wife, before your peers.
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Having integrity means not purposely thinking lustfully for another, or dwelling on the initial unplanned thought.
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Having integrity means being accepting of others, but denying their sinful lifestyles.
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Having integrity means, not taking short cuts, such as parking in handicap parking spots.
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Having integrity means, leaving the change found in the change return of a vending machine because it’s not yours in the first place, and someone is in more of a need. Even if it is “just a quarter”.
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Integrity means…