The view from here....

God has been showing me lately how my view of Him, is shaped by my view of myself and others. And how my view of others, is shaped by my view of God and of myself. And how my view of myself.....well....you get the picture.

In other words, it’s all inter-related.

Pastor/Author, Rob Bell, shares that however we view God is how we rationalize how we treat others. For example, if I don’t view God as a generous God, then I don’t need to be generous to others. After all, even God isn’t generous.

You probably don't, but sometimes after a long day at work I'm too tired to go shoot hoops when my kids ask. So then I find myself asking God for something and I just know He's up there going; "I'll take a pass this time." even as "Cats in the Cradle" play in the background of heaven.

I’m that way, so God must be that way. Whatever “that way” is.

But it’s not “that way”….or at least it shouldn’t be.

I’m flawed. So are you. When you and I interact with each other, we’re bound to do so in a flawed manner at some point. But I can’t attribute those flaws to God.

So I started a “God is” list. God is….patient….loving….wanting to give good gifts to His children. That sort of thing. And then I started writing everything where I experience God demonstrating those attributes in my life personally.

I also caught myself lying to my kids at dinner the other night. We were out celebrating as a family how generous God has been to us lately. We went out to eat at a restaurant we can’t usually afford. Appetizers? Sure….we’re celebrating! Big meals, even without coupons? Why not….I told you…we’re celebrating! And on the way out of the restaurant we were sharing how we’re going to start sponsoring a child from Africa thru World Vision and I started to say;

“God blesses us when we are generous like this.” (That’s the lie. Okay….half-truth….because I think you’ve got a good case from scripture of what-goes-around-comes-around.)

But I stopped. Just before those words came out of my mouth. And instead I said….“God is generous because He wants us to pass along that generosity to others.”

And that’s STILL not the real truth. I realized later…..what I wish I would have said was; “God is generous.”

Period. End of sentence. The whole truth and nothing but the truth. God is generous…….wait for it……BECAUSE….God is a generous God!

He can’t help Himself. He’s just…..that….way. Wow. He's not that way because I am. He's not not that way because you aren't. God is. Or as God says; "I AM".....regardless of whether or not we am.....or aren't...amn't.

So, I’m trying not to let my view of myself or of others reflect poorly on God…..and I’m hoping that this truer view of God helps me reflect……well….you get the picture.