Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Are We Pragmatist?


I have a pretty place in the back area where I like to go to be quiet, seek peace, pray, read....you know...REST. Nothing is more restful to me than to be quiet with the LORD and enjoy what He has made...the smell of the pine forest, the sounds of birds arriving back for summer, the little pond frogs croaking because we have had enough rain to bring them out, the colors of blue, white, brown and green all in perfect relationship to each other...I love it all.
Do you know what Pragmatism is? It really is a little scary, especially since our modern world breeds pragmatists and believe me, as Christians, we don't want to be one!
"Pragmatism may be defined simply as the approach to reality that defines truth as "that which works". The pragmatist is concerned about results, and the results determine the truth." (from Knowing Scripture by R.C. Sproul)
John Scott wrote, "The modern world breeds pragmatists, whose first question about any idea is not "Is it true? but "Does it work?"
Do we really believe the Truth of the Scriptures or do our emotions and circumstances define that truth for us? Believe me, in the past I let my emotions define my reality. What a horrible and scary place I lived...like a boat on a tossed ocean with no direction, no anchor, and no certain destination.
In mothering, do we seek the LORD and His Word for what is True or have we become trained to look else where for what works? How about our marriages...our roles as wives? I know that I have personally be "taught" and told many things that I was suppose to do/be by churches, other Christians, and Christian books to be a godly wife. Oh the guilt and pain as I "failed" over and over. My husband and I, during a crisis point, began to look into the Truth of Scriptures and the LORD began to show US what our marriage is to look like. Do I still fail? YES, but now I fail UNDER the blood of my LORD, which cleansed me and refreshes me to walk in my love for my LORD, my husband and my family.
Big difference...
as a pragmatist I was looking for "what works"...how will I fix me or fix him...blah, blah, blah.
As a daughter of the LORD, I look for the Truth and trust the He will show that to me and help me by HIS MIGHT AND SPIRIT to do it.
It really comes down to something so simple...do you know that the Bible deals with this pragmatistic attitude? Ephesians 2:8-10 "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing: it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." and in 1 Corinthians 1:31 "Let the one who boasts, boast in the LORD." There are other great verses if you want more, let me know. The point, for me, is that when we are looking for what works, we are usually looking in a short sighted way as to how to "fix" something...man's wisdom will really trip us up here. If it works we can "boast" and feel good about what we have done.
But when we ask first "what is the truth", and relying on the LORD, His Word and prayer to find the Truth, then in any situation, I believe we will find a solid place to stand, and will praise the one Who who has already told us that we are created for good works and He WILL equip us to walk in them! That IS GOOD NEWS! What "works" will fail me, His Truth never will!

3 comments:

  1. Nice meaty post. Thanks for sharing your wisdom.

    Can you send me an email to
    kimmie28@gmail.com
    I tried to send you a note using your sidebar email, but it bounced back saying it was undeliverable.

    Thanks Shonni!

    Kimmie
    mama to 7
    one homemade and 6 adopted

    ReplyDelete
  2. Just what was on my heart, too! I was speaking to my husband recently about how Christians do not always take God's word at 'face value.' The world seems to have crept its way into the thinking of the church. May it not be so. When God says it, let us obey with whole hearts.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oh how I missed you too :) We need to get together soon.

    ReplyDelete

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