December 5, 2007
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WHO ME?
Check yourself. How often do you check yourself?
Recently I have stumbled across several questions and articles on the internet that have made me think about who I am as a person. One of them was posted by our own illustrious Theologian…
I can’t remember it word for word and I am to lazy to look for it right now. (still sick)
If you had to stand before God right now and convince him to let you into Heaven, what would you say?
Now I’m not looking for an answer to that one from anyone, I’m sure that the answer is pretty standard… Christ died for our sin… yadda, yadda, yadda… I’m NOT trying to belittle this, it just isn’t what I am looking for.
If you had to defend yourself… What would you say? Would you feel good about your defence?
Regardless of whether you believe in Heaven or God or Jesus… Would you feel good about the life your living and the way your living it?
What constitutes a life well lived? Kindness to others? Helping others? Living yours to the fullest? Fulfilling your dreams?
I’m looking for answers people. Believe me, trying to find them while I’m hopped up on cold medicine… NOT an easy task. (and still no caffeine!)
What do you think?
Comments (36)
you’ve been what you can be and you’ve done what you can do. Everyone is different, but whoever they are, they can make the most of themselves and can serve the world as they are able – not as master or judge – but as helper, mentor, and servant.
Fortunately, since God forgive the sins of Christians, we won’t need to say a thing…God cannot be in the presence of sin…just being in His presence will let Him know that we are His children and have an eternal home in heaven. But, to answer your questions:
If you had to defend yourself…I strive to live a life of love – love for God and for other people. I was very involved in the church and volunteer groups. I was a good freind, sister, etc. Yeah, I’d feel good about my defence. And I’d feel good about the life I’m living and how I’m living it. I do things wrong, of course, but try my very best not to.
What constitutes a life well lived? A joyous, blessed life that glorifies God and allows others to view you as a very kind, compassionate, and understanding person is a well lived life.
As far as fulfulling dreams…that’s usually a good thing to strive for, but often dreams change. I know mine do, anyway. I’ve found incredible success, but without God and other people, that success is shallow and worthless.
i’m pretty sure i’m going to hell. or even worse, having to come back here. but if i were to try and plead my case before God….
I’m kind to women, children, and animals.
i hope that counts for something.
thanks for being my friend since the beginning.
i promise i’ll stop on by more often.
you know why, dont you?
cuz you ROCK.
aaron
Yes, because it involves the spreading of joy and safety. Being who you are – as creative, as individual, as unique, as joyous, as uninhibited – that’s making yourself the best you can be, and that empowerment allows you to truly give to others – not what you insist they need (evangelism, colonialism) – but what you learn from them that they need. And their empowerment gives back to you. Long way of saying – yes, I think that makes life good.
Did you use the gifts and talents you were given to make the world a better place? Did you help others? Did you live your life the way you said you believed. How did you show the world what kind of person you were?
I’m okay with my answers to those questions. I also know that I could have done more, and I most assuredly could have done less. I also have confidence that God knows me and my heart/intentions best, even if my actions didn’t turn out as I had hoped sometimes.
Deep thoughts, my dear. Must be the drugs. Hope you feel better soon!
42
there is an Albert Brooks movie that is called Defending Your Own Life with him and Meryl Street and all your answers are there.
My hubby is Albert and I’m the woman in the movie -it is one of my favorite movies.
I think about the challenges we are given ,and the way we are permitted both joy and sorrow and I think the conversation goes both ways. I would not be so humbled as to not ask a few hard questions , with respect of course , of the Creator.I mean how does God explain the audacity of giving us such strange gifts as free will,and self awareness?Both promise that we will suffer not a little bit as we live ,but often and deeply. Getting back to your question though my feeling is that words and arguments I might make to defend myself would dissolve into something much deeper and simpler ,a kind of gestalt in which all is known and understood by God . My insight ,or lack of it might be factored in ,but there would be no need for me to explain. I have a hard time thinking in terms of forgiveness and God because to me God is Love and Love far more powerful then we are able to give back.Its the kind that does not require homage.I will admit my view deviates quite a bit from those who see God as vengeful…. my understanding does not require more of me then to live learn and love.I do not disrespect more conventional views ,and in my defense ( to other people ) I was not raised to believe in heaven, or a time of reckoning.Interesting question.
Saw “Defending Your Life” also, think the basis of the movie was that you need to overcome fear in order to prove you deserve to get into heaven…those who had let fear hold them back were penalized…if thats the case, “I’m in…I have been called “Fearless”…not always a good thing…often resembles “foolish” & “stubborn”…
Guess I’d have to agree with Shirlann…I believe I’m using my gifts & talents to make this a better place, and helping others whenever I can…
RYC: Had a great time at the party…danced my butt off…hadn’t done that in years…
I would probably say what I say through out my day,” Lord Jesus Christ son of the living God, have mercy on me a sinner.” Have a good hump day girl, hope your felling better!
Dang Ang……..what kind of medicine are you taking….I would say to God ” PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE let me come HOME”… I think I’m a good person, I also think I’m a bad person, I also think (hope) God has a sense of humor………..see ya there someday sweetie…..
If I were to go to Heaven today and have to defend myself in order to get into Heaven, I’d probably say, “sorry, God, but I don’t really feel like defending myself right now. I’m too sad…I’m heartbroken…” And I’m sure God would give me a big hug and say, “I understand how you’re feeling. Don’t worry…I know you’re a child of mine. Welcome to Heaven!”
Here! Hopefully this’ll help you get over your cold!
Of course I know that Jesus died for my sins….
but I would tell Him that I did the best I could… please let me in! lol
Yeah my oh my and when I walked her home… da do ron ron ron, the do ron ron… Oops! You caught me Cheesebucketing to Shaun Cassidy’s ‘Da Do Ron Ron’ – which as a kid, I could never understand why they called it that… my dad’s name is Ron, and the song didn’t sounding like ‘Ron’, but more like ‘Run’!!! Ponder that one on cold meds!
“If you had to defend yourself… What would you say?”
I love You and I have been here twice already. I want to come Home and be with You. I am done.
I would tell him that I know that I have sinned and I needed to be forgiven and that I know that Christ is my Savior…..and I would tell Him that all I want to do is come home. I would tell him that I tried to use the gifts he had given me to help others…..I would hope He would let me in. Of course, He sees me better than I see myself and knows if I had behaved or not…
I don’t think that I have any defense, if defense is what is required. I think that I would have to throw myself on the mercy of the court, as it were. If possible, I would call on my wife and son who passed before me to offer a word in my behalf – to paraphrase what Popeye once said, I was what I was -
I’m already assured of a place in heaven. What I am not so assured of is my ability to live my life to its fullest. And I’m working on that now. Very diligently. Scary, but exciting. And it is both about “doing” and “being” in the world of creating dreams and helping people.
It’s a good thing we don’t have to do that. I’d be completely left out. Gosh…. I’m glad I don’t have to defend myself. (HE already did). A well lived life? hmmm….being happy and kind to others. I fail with those too. Well..shucks…..now I feel bad! LOL! No…let me think. Ok…the reason we are here is to glorify God. If we do that, we have lived goo life.
Do get better!
good life…not goo. Goo is peanut butter and jelly mixed up. I don’t feel so good either.
Sorry, i can’t even buy the make believe thesis. The concept of defending one’s self in that scenario is not realistic. The BEST we have to offer, wouldn’t BEGIN to matter.
Interesting post….made me think.
I really don’t have much of a response though, hehe.
But I will definitely think about this one and get back to you.
Hope life is treating you well, dearie.
Hugs,
L
What constitutes a life well lived?
Not necessarily what you are getting at, but a way to self-reflect your ability to function as a human is to observe others’ reactions to you, ie, if majority treats you decently, you probably treat the majority decently.
Maybe not.
“Fortunately, since God forgive the sins of Christians, we won’t need to say a thing”
It would be really funny if all the Christians were dead wrong about that. All lined up in front of the shiny golden gates, and Pan and Dionysus are standing there with big glasses of wine in their hands, laughing their asses off, and telling everyone, “Sorry, but you guys are really going to have to do some serious revelling before we’re even thinking about letting you in. Like, drum circles and sweat tents and learning the tango.”
While I don’t believe in such concepts as eternal salvation or damnation, I think a life well-lived needs contemplation, action, dreams, hope, empathy, joy, and love. I feel pretty good about the things I’ve done, and the work I’m doing to be better.
Thank you Angie! Thank you for your sweet and encouraging comment!
I am such a schmuck,I hope that he sees Jesus in me ,it is my only redemptive quality!
my blog is black? i wonder what’s going on? ididn’t change anything except put xangatv on it. i’ll take that off and see what happens. thanks for the heads up!
Wow… need more time for that one.
I think my defense could best be summed up in four words…
I tried my best.
Yes I know it’s an inadequate response but then when standing in front of God aren’t we all inadequate?
While I think it’s good to “be” good and “do” good…as much for your own sake as for others….I don’t believe anything I could ever do would make me deserve Salvation. It’s a gift. Grace, mercy.
But a life well lived…still trying to work that out myself!
Very interesting question.
Mornin Glorie……….you feelin better?……………ilym
I suppose I couldn’t do the Bill-n-Ted thing and mug a few people going into Heaven and sneak in and call God “most excellant” with a goofy smile on my face?
I say God already know everything so if he doesn’t let me in….. There’s nothing I could say that would convince Him otherwise.
if i had to defend myself and my actions, i wouldnt stand a chance…… for at the end of the day, there are no excuses – only choices! i hope you feel better soon girl!
As a Christian, I’ve long stopped torturing myself on how “good” I need to be. I’ve accepted the fact that neither me nor anyone else is perfect. I believe we are all forgiven if we accept Christ as Savior. We had no choice in when, where, and how we were made. We have to play with the cards we were dealt.
Having said that, I try to live by 2 simple rules:
1. Do no harm to others, and if you do, ask for forgiveness and try to make it up to them in some way.
2. Strive to leave the world a better place than it was when we were placed here.
If I can do these 2 things, I will leave this world a happy man.
Sometimes the best defense is no defense… Simply ask for mercy.
dan