Wednesday's thoughts

In thinking about how it is and why it is that, from time to time, we are apt to lose it, I have come up with two thoughts.

It seems to me there is something basic in this; foundational to our human nature.

We have within us the impulse for fight and for flight and both of those expressions are part of what happens when we lose it. If we are going to acquire a sense of discipline we are going to need to deal with our fight/flight impulses.

The disciples exhibited both at the time of Jesus' arrest. When they came to arrest Jesus and Judas gave the sign with the kiss, and they started to take him off one of the disciples (Peter, perhaps) took a sword and cut off the slave of the soldier's ear. (Matthew26:47 ff).
Jesus told them to put their sword's back and said, "If you live by the sword you will die by the sword."

Isn't it interesting that when people move into the fight mode hearing is cut off?

A life of discipline must confront the fight impulse.

At the end of the episode (Matthew 26:56) the disciples forsook Jesus and fled. They engaged the flight impulse. There is a tendency in life to avoid the hard things. We tend to run from difficult situations. We tend to try to escape when there is danger. We withdraw; we back away; we become distant.

If we are going to live a life of discipline we are going to have to learn to confront the flight impulse.

How do we do it? What does it take?
How do you do it? What discipline does it require? What is your secret?

If you have thoughts on this subject write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you are willing to have others read your thought click on the box below.

I look forward to hearing from you.


Charles Schuster