Look Alive

18 August 2012

Stop. Look. Listen...

As an individual born into partnership with countless siblings by the Creator, I am fluid... and a bit quirky. My ways might not resemble his or hers, but as we grow to understand that none of our ways totally meet the Most High's, the abundance of quirks, like quarks, becomes clear. Anyone close or concerned enough to notice mine (hopefully without undue prejudice and harsh judgment), will. One known to my folks is my pleasure to meditate on daily Bible verses, devotionals and—I admitdictionary entries whenever possible, often at their midnight generation online. Between the quiet stretches that occur in my personal communications and longer ones in my entries here, the Scripture in particular helps to set a healthy tone for the nightly rest period I forbid anger or negative trifles to enter along with the much-needed benefit of grounding yet uplifting guidance for each new day I am given.

Today's words at the popular Merriam-Webster and Dictionary.com websites struck a unique chord with my spirit while offering an (until now) unfamiliar option for even trying to describe the Sovereign justice system to some degree. Please consider the entries

          peruse audio pronunciation \puh-ROOZ\
          verb
          1
                  a : to examine or study attentively and in detail  
                  b : to look over or through in a casual or hasty manner
          2
                     : read 

and

           nomothetic \ nom-uh-THET-ik \  
           adjective
           1. Giving or establishing laws; legislative.
           2. Founded upon or derived from law.

           3. Psychology. Pertaining to or involving the study of formulation of 
               general or universal laws (opposed to idiographic).  

with me. The words' co-incidence hint at the human ability to learn from the large, necessary yet simple laws laid out all around and within us. Needless to say, ability (even faithful knowing, skill) and activity (being/doing, applied work) are two different things. Then, of course, we all have the choice to express either in a harmful or helpful manner. Like the inventory suggested by the above definition of "peruse", worldly affections, knowledge and pulses in the Oriental medical paradigm for that matter can be superficial and subject to upset by the whisper of a sneaky wind or deep and abiding.

Just as Christ drew The Line between His stance and the era's popular hypocrisy against the Living Word and women who could read, for instance, the Holy Spirit will assist each of us in possibly unexpected ways to stay fair and focused in a confused world. Riding certain lines of the Long Island Railroad into New York City, I have witnessed a large Korean church the signage of which I do not understand save for its asking in English "Is it nothing to you". Being presented with what could be the prophet Jeremiah's lament before stepping onto streets bustling with haves and naughts alike is one such blessing. The 'it' of over seven billion people takes on forms that only the Most High can track and attend to with equal sufficiency. Should tears of sadness ever result as per our (mis)use of balance and blur our perspective, be reminded that they, too, shall pass away.

I encourage you as I am encouraged to truly stop, look and listen along the Way, beyond any minor dimensions our own boxes may take to the burdens of another. Detours, misleading signs, some third-party definitions or interpretations and other temporary obstacles aside, the journey and destination of right relationship with the Lord Whom the world mocked, forsook and went missing from the side of first is well worth it. We must stay the course, though. A casual or hasty peek won't do nor will selfish rules yield Love's proof.


References: Lamentations 1; Psalm 30, 119; Proverbs 20; Isaiah 55; 
John 15; Romans 13; Galatians 5-6; Philippians 1; 2 Timothy 3; James 2 
(AMP, MSG, NLT)