Cafe Bible Study

I went down to my favorite diner there on East Texas, not too far from my house, a little earlier today. I like to have breakfast for dinner at least once a week. So I ordered three pancakes, three eggs, and sausage. As I locked my elbows, wiped my brow, and began to dig in over my heart attack, I noticed the tables next to me. There were about six men who had adjoined two tables for the purpose of bible study. I heard them talk about 1 Peter: 3 and Ephesians: 5, which are in part about wives and husbands. I didn’t need a bible in front of me, I know about 80 percent of the NT by heart. In any case, I got to listening because mainly the gentlemen, I thought, were so far off from Peter and Paul that I began to feel charitable. Me being a naturally inquisitive and joyful fellow, I asked if I might join them. A wholesome bunch they turned out to be; Baptist, but not the regular kind. No these here; they were from the Good Hope Baptist kind—It’s 1 of 732 of the variety.

In any case, I grabbed the seat at the end of the table and became privy of a lady of the congregation who had gone mad. Yes sir, turns out she was spurned by her man and instead of going to Barnes & Noble or to her mamma’s house, she went right to his job and tried to have him fired. She key’d his truck and even vandalized his trailer. This was a woman on fire, I could tell. Just my type of gal, I was thinking.

Well, the gracious gentlemen who allowed me to sit with them explained how they had to expel her from the congregation. I asked, “and what of the man?”

“Brother Gerald? Well, he’s still very much a part of our congregation.”

“And brother Gerald is a good man?” I asked.

“Oh yes. A foreman at his job and a good father to his kids.”

“And if Brother Gerald is good, which I’m sure he is, because you men vouch for him, why did this woman feel so injured by his goodness?”

Well, here things went a little icy. There were a lot of faces looking down at plates and fingers stirring forks in gravy. Turns out Brother Gerald stepped out on this crazy woman, brought in a new woman and another set of kids, and kicked this one out.

So now we’ve come full circle, I said. Brother Gerald isn’t good. In fact, he’s quite ordinary as far as men go. He repented I’m sure but the lady who’s been expelled had no such luck.

Then I was asked what I thought about her behavior and what would I do in that situation.

I thought for a minute. I really did because I hadn’t considered that point. After reflection, I confidently said, “I’ve never been loved like that by any woman. If I were brother Gerald I’d be looking her up with my hat in hand and a clever line. A woman who will fight like that is a woman fiercely in love with her man. You gentlemen can judge accordingly but as for me, a woman on fire is a friend of mine.”

There were some agreements and crawfishing but not enough for me to stick around. I said thanks and by and left.

I hope that old gal finds a new place to worship and remains a woman on fire.

Splendid Spirit

When I look about and see the things that have been given to me, what do I see?
I see much joy and splendid beauty and impossible gifts. What has been trivialized and passed off as ordinary is through ignorance and selfishness. Problems occur when man fails to see himself as part of the whole. What is good for him is also good for nature and vice versa. When man neglects this principle or rebels against the whole, he suffers.

Man’s problems are nothing more than a problem of the spirit. Though the spirit can be damaged, it cannot be destroyed so long as the man himself is not destroyed. Spirit is man’s Super Organ. In it dwells light and strength and goodness—all the requisites that make the man. Just as a man takes in the good foods, the vegetables, fruits, meats, and such to nourish his body so that the lower organs function and carry the man forward in a physical realm, so should he take in the good things in life so that his spirit may carry him forward in the metaphysical realm.

Man has been bestowed unlimited promise and opportunity within a limited time. With intent and purpose, he can have what he desires if only he does not deny himself these things and so long as they are good for the spirit. For if they are good for the spirit, a man can be satisfied and filled with the things he has acquired. He will find peace, love, and joy. If they are not of the spirit, then a man can never be satisfied because there is no limit to his desires and nothing by which to measure success. He will be unsatisfied, listless, and depressed. For as soon as he acquires the thing he coveted, he will place it down or put it away and pursue another thing, and another, and another until he has spent all his time pursuing nothingness. A healthy man can eat a meal or enjoy drink. He can take one woman and be filled. An unhealthy man will eat the same meal while desiring the next one. He cannot enjoy the same drink because the drink itself does not satisfy him. He cannot be satisfied with one woman. He is empty and can never be filled with anything.

Romans: Ch. 7 (Apostle Paul)

¹⁴ We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. ¹⁵ I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. ¹⁶ And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. ¹⁷ As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. ¹⁸ For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.^[c] For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. ¹⁹ For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. ²⁰ Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

What is good in life? What are the things that are beautiful and impossible gifts? They are the things that fill the spirit. They are the higher pursuits that put man in accordance with his nature. A man who lives according to his spirit will have near perfect harmony within and rarely will he suffer from worldly ailments such as regret, guilty conscience, anger, depression or defeat. If a man focuses on the things that are good for the spirit, the man will be good as a whole and subsequently to the whole. He will spend very little time in the past and spend less time trying to see into the future. He will live comfortably in the present with little desire to change what has been done or worry over what has been assigned to him through providence. He does not credit himself with knowing everything. He rids himself of such troubles and focuses only on the things within his control and in his domain.

The spirit compels the man to live within nature and comfortably to joy and all men possess this spirit. He can speak the truth without arrogance. He is concerned little over the opinions of others about him because it’s his opinion about himself he values most. When man is in full accordance with his spirit there he will find truth and purpose.

“God sees the minds (ruling principles) of all men bared of the material vesture and rind and impurities. For with his intellectual part alone he touches the intelligence only which has flowed and been derived from himself into these bodies. And if thou also usest thyself to do this, thou wilt rid thyself of thy much trouble.

~ Marcus Aurelius

 

The Good Nature

This list finally came to me last night in a rush but with much clarity. I took more than a week of constant thinking, reflection, and reading before they were ready. I am satisfied with this list and what each value means to me. I will have it framed and I will keep it for all my days.

There is a duality in man, a bad nature, and a good nature. They are constantly at war with the other. I have learned if you are not aware of this war, then you are a prisoner of that war. Be careful and consider which side you ally. Feed the good, neglect the bad.

The Good Nature

Self Respect: First, consider thine soul; do no harm to yourself and you’ll do no harm to others; never value a thing or validate impulses that compel you to act against the first.

Acceptance: What has happened and what will happen are things unto themselves; what exists and occurs now is destiny.

Perspective: Judge according to the harmony within; act rationally, move accordingly, and where you stand is where you ought to be.

Temperance: Duty and dignity maketh the man; prudence and fortitude maketh a good man.

Gratitude: Above all else, you live; while you live, there is an abundance; live the rest of thine days with purpose and good acts and you will be in harmony with thine self and kind to others. This is joy.