I’m pathetically in love,

with the values of this world: feeling good about myself through strength, good taste, achievement, efficiency, savvy, reputation, superiority, somebodiness, great decisions.   For a cherished, adopted child of the Most High God to be so enamored with such meaningless values in the eyes of Solomon, is pathetic.   But that’s what I am in my less-sane moments.   Makes no sense whatsoever.  Who can explain the insanity of being wooed away from Jesus by the prince of this world?

Wait, Dave, are you saying that values like efficiency and achievement are evil?   When I try and get LIFE from them, try and get from them what only Jesus can give, when I feel good about myself because of them, they are.

So, Dave, do you enjoy your dysfunctional self in those less-sane moments?  Of course not.  Only when I am sane/contrite, can I enjoy the man known as ShepherdDave, so easily wooed away from Jesus.   Not contempt for ShepherdDave, but compassion for him, like Jesus has compassion for him.  ShepherdDave is so pathetically confused about where to find happiness in this life.

In the past, I’ve dimly seen this worldiness in me, but lately, much more clearly.  In my saner moments.  Somebody must have been praying.  Thank you.  Humiliation is good for my soul.

My flesh hates humiliation, hates the values of the Upside-down Kingdom of Jesus: weakness, lowliness, dependency, indifference to the values of this world, risking pity or contempt by others for marching to a different Drummer.   To be considered a loser, a nobody, even in Christian circles, is anathema to my flesh.   Jesus is unsatisfying, inadequate.

–ShepherdDave, to be pitied above all men, for he possesses the perfect, precious, pricey righteousness of Jesus imputed to him, yet he runs after the far-lesser things treasured by this world, and is therefore extremely needy of prayer for fresh conviction of the sin of independence/pride, so he’s momentarily humbled, transformed into DumbSheepDave, enjoying his Shepherd, himself, others, and his circumstances, just as they are (please pray now)

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