Reflect, Resonate, Reevaluate, Respond
[M]an is an animal suspended in webs of significance he himself has spun…
~Clifford Geertz (1926-2006), noted American anthropologist
The world says: “You have needs — satisfy them. You have as much right as the rich and the mighty. Don’t hesitate to satisfy your needs; indeed, expand your needs and demand more.” This is the worldly doctrine of today. And they believe that this is freedom. The result for the rich is isolation and suicide, for the poor, envy and murder.
~ Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Brothers Karamazov
Our mistake is to think that following Jesus consists in loving our enemies, going the “second mile,” turning the other cheek, suffering patiently and hopefully—while living the rest of our lives just as everyone around us does.
~ Dallas Willard, The Spirit of the Disciplines: Understanding How God Changes Lives
The truth is that our finest moments are most likely to occur when we are feeling deeply uncomfortable, unhappy, or unfulfilled. For it is only in such moments, propelled by our discomfort, that we are likely to step out of our ruts and start searching for different ways or truer answers.
~ M. Scott Peck, 1936-2005, psychiatrist & author, People of the Lie
We must accept the circumstances we constantly find ourselves in as the place of God’s Kingdom and blessing. God has yet to bless anyone except where they actually are, and if we faithlessly discard situation after situation, moment after moment, as not being ‘right’, we will simply have no place to receive his kingdom into our lives. For those situations are our life.
~ Dallas Willard, 1935-2013, American philosopher
A fire broke out backstage in a theatre. The clown came out to warn the public; they thought it was a joke and applauded. He repeated it; the acclaim was even greater. I think that’s just how the world will come to an end: to general applause from wits who believe it’s a joke.
~ Søren Kierkegaard, Either/Or, Part I