Beware of overdoing the metaphors.
In Churchianity, pastors have become exceedingly good at using old testament and new testament stories as metaphors for their teachings. The exodus of Israel out of Egypt becomes the template for a called one to become a faithful follower of Jesus. This is often good. But also, very often it is used incorrectly. Coming into the promised land becomes moving from the old paid for building, to the new indebted building, and enlarging your tents means getting richer.
In Churchianity, pastors have become exceedingly good at using old testament and new testament stories as metaphors for their teachings. The exodus of Israel out of Egypt becomes the template for a called one to become a faithful follower of Jesus. This is often good. But also, very often it is used incorrectly. Coming into the promised land becomes moving from the old paid for building, to the new indebted building, and enlarging your tents means getting richer.
They also use plain and simple instructions as metaphors for larger principles. This can also be good, but I think it becomes much easier to think of these things in the neighborhood of make believe, than in the real world of stuff. I challenge you to go out into the actual real life world and find someone needing a shirt, and give them yours. We can have all kinds of wonderful faith in the confines of our heads, but the only way to know if there is any substance to that faith, is to go out and command it to DO it.
Side note: one reason it becomes difficult to DO it, is that those who really need don't often walk around out in the open with big red painted signs saying "I need a shirt." You and I have to take enough interest to find out.
Needs. Some are hungry. Some are cold (even in South Texas this happens). Some need a place to sleep when it rains. Some have a place to sleep, but have no money to buy food. Some wear better clothes than I do, but sleep alone at night with the mosquitoes and ants on concrete.
Churchianity has had clever metaphors for many hundreds of years. It's all worthless unless you go out there and DO the things.
Side note: one reason it becomes difficult to DO it, is that those who really need don't often walk around out in the open with big red painted signs saying "I need a shirt." You and I have to take enough interest to find out.
Needs. Some are hungry. Some are cold (even in South Texas this happens). Some need a place to sleep when it rains. Some have a place to sleep, but have no money to buy food. Some wear better clothes than I do, but sleep alone at night with the mosquitoes and ants on concrete.
Churchianity has had clever metaphors for many hundreds of years. It's all worthless unless you go out there and DO the things.
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