My hope and intention as I begin this blog is to give a thoughtful, considered response to world events, deep discussions and personal circumstances. I hope it will be encouraging, challenging, informative and edifying to those that read it. I by no means intend to be a self-proclaimed expert, but I do want to share my thoughts in the global marketplace of ideas.
Monday, September 24, 2007
Beautiful Paradox
Live as free men.
Live as servants of God.
I was reading through 1 Peter (2:16) this morning and was struck again by that beautiful paradox. Freedom and service. Liberty with responsibility.
When I read this it reminded me of the paradox that opened The Freedom of the Christian by Martin Luther:
"A Christian is a perfectly free lord of all, subject to none." "A Christian is a perfectly dutiful servant of all, subject to all."
What I find the most amazing is that because I am now free I want to be a servant of God so it doesn't feel as though it is a burden when others bring their troubles to me.
Sorry, to clarify, by paradoxical I meant "a statement or proposition that seems self-contradictory or absurd but in reality expresses a possible truth" rather than " self-contradictory and false proposition".
When I read this it reminded me of the paradox that opened The Freedom of the Christian by Martin Luther:
ReplyDelete"A Christian is a perfectly free lord of all, subject to none."
"A Christian is a perfectly dutiful servant of all, subject to all."
What I find the most amazing is that because I am now free I want to be a servant of God so it doesn't feel as though it is a burden when others bring their troubles to me.
Hugs & Love
We use our freedom to choose to become servants. It is perhaps an ironic choice, but not a paradoxical one.
ReplyDeleteSorry, to clarify, by paradoxical I meant "a statement or proposition that seems self-contradictory or absurd but in reality expresses a possible truth" rather than " self-contradictory and false proposition".
ReplyDelete