eccentric... exiting grace...

Eccentric... a word from Saturday's teaching on grace...

She made one brief point... but the word... it echoes...

eccentric - "ek" = exit    "centric" = center  

...leaving the center...

...as a Christian, grace is our center...

She spoke too fast for my pen... but this is what I drew...

The center of the cross... marks the center of grace...

Followers of Christ find center... by being crucified with Him... by faith... dead to self... 

At the center of the cross... we stand fully in grace...

For unbelievers... and the world... the center is found in self... 

(I drew as I processed this post today...)

The truth is... the selflessness of Christ on the cross... appears eccentric... to the world...

My current treadmill read confirms...

... the center of the secular worldview is self: What will I get out of this? Who will meet my needs? I'm doing my own thing. ...

...Satan is called the prince of this world because self-interest rules the world. ...

...Such is Satan's creed, and unfortunately the lives of all too many people validate his claims. Satan has deceived them into thinking they are serving themselves when in fact they are serving the world, the flesh, and the devil. 

--- Neil Anderson, The Bondage Breaker 

Unfortunately... many Believers are eccentric... living lives much like those of unbelievers... self-centered... leading to anxiety... depression... angst... worthlessness...

Keeping center... embracing His death... as ours... forms the foothold... of grace... a foundation of peace...

No need to fret over behavior... ours... or others... He has paid the price... He receives the glory... we receive His grace... by faith...

To lose one's life for His sake... seems like foolish eccentricity to the world... but for us who believe... it is the power of grace... and peace...

For the message of the cross is foolishness 

to those who are perishing,

but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

1 Corinthians 1:18

Eccentric... 

A word that reminds me... to keep centered... on grace... by faith...

[Similar fare...

grateful... for grace... and its power...

standing in... the joy of grace...

more thoughts... from the teaching on grace...]

self-consciousness... a stumbling block to compassion...

To be self-conscious... is to be self-centered... all thoughts revolving first around... self...

To be compassionate... is to be... self-less... thinking of others needs first...

Me... I allow self to hinder... compassion...

What will it cost me...? to step into their mess...?

What will they think of me...? to enter a mess that's not mine...?

And possibly the most perverted thought process... assuming the one in need... possesses my own self-absorbed nature... 

Will they be self-conscious if I notice their mess...? offer help...? 

Will I hurt their feelings...? make them uncomfortable...?

My self-centeredness... leads me to worry about others... self-centeredness... in a most compassionate way...!?!

Lies... Lies...

Jesus... He came sans self... no self-consciousness... only God-the-Father-consciousness... undistracted by the many voices in the world... the liars...

He only allowed the Father's voice... the compassionate gracious God... to prevail...

His greatest act of compassion... the cross... caused Him to sweat blood... in anticipation... He even prayed... for another way...

But in the end... He surrendered... trusting... knowing... there is no other way...

The believer's calling is to think and feel and will just what Jesus thought and felt and willed. He desires to be partaker, not only of the grace, but also of the holiness of his Lord; or rather, he sees that holiness is the chief beauty of grace. To live the life of Christ means to him to be delivered from the life of self; the will of Christ is to him the only path of liberty from the slavery of his own evil self-will.

---Andrew Murray on Prayer, Abide in Christ (emphasis added) 

Acts of compassion... are followed through without regard to self... no turning back...

That is why Jesus says...

"No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back 

is fit for service in the kingdom of God."

Luke 9:62

"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself 

and take up his cross and follow me. ..."

Matthew 16:24, Mark 8:34, Luke 9:23

"...The man who loves his life will lose it, 

while the man who hates his life in this world 

will keep it for eternal life. ..."

John 12:25

I look back... and see an uncertain row... filled with gaps... an unfit furrow... too many times... the hands... have left the plow... the cross... dropped at the crossroads... a life loved... too much...

My failures... to act... react... offer... compassion... make me hate my life... 

Lord... make me fit... for service in the Kingdom...

Deliver me from the life of self...

Teach me... to walk Your way...

full of self...

Self can fill... leaving no room... for...
others...
wisdom...
advice...
teaching...
humility...
peace...
future...
love...

Ego... it deceives... making you think... you are more than you are...

Filling self... with self... leads to a small life...
one that closes in... on itself...
making one... short-sighted...

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God --- this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is --- his good, pleasing and perfect will.

For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment...

Romans 12:1-3

(emphasis mine)

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit,

but in humility consider others better than yourselves.

Philippians 2:3

But for those who are self-seeking and who reject truth

and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger.

Romans 2:8