A question was posed to a group I meet with and I didn't have the chance to complete my answer before a novella interrupted and derailed my thinking train.
How can our deeds match or exceed our doctrine?
I think the world of my Catholic and Lutheran friends whom have completed full confirmation classes. Such deep knowledge about faith and doctrine is amazing to me. This type of relationship to ones doctrine I find beautiful and a thing to aspire to.
So where does that put us when questioned as to how our deeds can match our doctrine?
Is it possible to fulfill the service end of one's doctrine to the same extent as our knowledge of it?
Is our religion or tradition more desirable to us than fulfilling the works of our hands for another?
Should we each re-examine ourselves and see what deeds of service we should impart instead of trudging along in the same old direction because its the path we've always taken?
Traditions and doctrine can be good, even beautiful, but they can get in the way of living out doctrine. If you stay on the same path and continually walk it year after year, day after day you end up walking a deep, almost cavernous, rut. Once in so deep it takes great effort and often someone at the peak with a rope to pull you out of the hole you've worn yourself into.
Worn out?
Holler! Scream! Cry out to someone lift me from this place and give me a fresh beginning. Show me a new path that takes me from:
this is how we do it
To
let's see if this works.
I need a new path and a fresh direction. I need to be walking in openness and living in freedom.
Tradition is a worthy thing, doctrine gives us tools for discovering but it is our deeds which shine like fire on the mountain's peek.
What do your deeds say about you?
What do mine say about me?
Are my deeds living up to my doctrine?
Till next time i'll be climbing out of a rut...
