How I can tell when idolatry

is a bigger deal than I think.  One way is to wait until something goes south, then notice my reaction.  To the extent that I’m bummed, is the extent to which idolatry was a bigger deal than I realized, and the Spirit a smaller deal.  Another way is to notice my feelings under pressure.  If I’m feeling tense, idolatry.  Or if my performance is sub-par, compared to non-pressured situations, good likelihood idolatry is a bigger deal than I’ve realized.  And if I’m bummed by my tension or my sub-par performance, that’s double idolatry.  If I can’t enjoy myself, just as I am, that’s triple idolatry.

Following Jesus is impossible, and those who don’t think so, are scary, unsafe people, not easy to enjoy, and who need prayer.  ShepherdDave always feels like following Jesus is possible, that obedience is doable, but when he’s been freshly convicted of his presumptuous independence/pride, and is momentarily returned to being DumbSheepDave, it’s temporarily not about Dave’s performance, but ShepherdJesus’ performance, and that brings amazing peace, and fun, with a healthy-indifference to failure, success, mediocrity, whatever.  At that moment, ShepherdJesus is everything, and everything else, nothing, by comparison.

–DumbSheepDave, having more fun than ever, hoping the pre-believers around him are noticing the difference Jesus is making in 2013

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