In all reality....

   In all reality, let's take an objective look at that "cloud of faithful witnesses". Maybe you will go easier on yourself and see what I have lerned: God's idea of perfection just may be a bit more of "just enough is good enough" than ours, what we might think And I don't mean be lazy. I mean: sometimes we go clean a home to help it's occupants but our high standards of clean would disturb more than help a hoarder. So, we clean just enough to make the place sanitary and more livable for them rather than our idea of truly clean. Maybe our idea of some concept is not what is wanted in a given situation. Also, God is the great Maestro and we all are instruments in His orchastra. He may use an occassion to discipline us to end up serving others, accomplish the discipline and show us around a bit. All that in mind, let's do some critical thinking. we might also learn from examples what not to be. Scripture is given for teaching, who says it only teaches what to be? Some sacred cows might be killed here......
        According to the law of Moses any king over Isreal was to have only one wife and write out his own copy of the sacred texts. "Faithful" David had many wives and wrote songs. "Wise" Solomon had many wives and wrote books of his own wisdom and observations. His observations included the bashing of women. According to him he had not found a single one who ws faithful. Is it mere coincidence that bashing women as  whole while serving as God's annointed king led to his being led off to destruction by women? On more than one occassion Abraham lied about Sarah causing her to be brought into the bedchambers of kings because Abraham feared for his own life more than her integrity. A woman had to circumscise her own child because Abraham forgot to do it and almost brought death to them all by not fulfilling HIS covenant with God. Who was drunk and passed out naked in their tent, had one son condemned for ridiculing him for it and another blessed for covering up his nakedness? lol
      The one called Jesus taught his disciples repeatedly that those taking the lead would have to be those who served others. Yet their first test of this was when the  gentile widows complained about not getting supplies as the jewish ones did. Instead of "coming down from their mountain" and serving those widows themselves, they passed the buck to 7 overseers. They could have used the opportunity to use the Isrealites whining in the desert and God's dealings with them about it to teach about complaining spirits and partaken in the fruit of the gift of spirit called charity instead. People are like that, they give money to charitable organizations to ease a conscience and leave the acts of charity to others. This way they don't have to touch what is "unclean", they don't have to get their hands dirty or hearts broken.
     The one called Jesus was reportedly perfect. Let's look at his first recorded miracle: water to wine. His mother shares her concern over the lack of whine and thus the reputation of the couple. Her son dismisses her rather flippantly, arrogantly and definately not honoring "what does that have to do with me, it is not yet my time". (How would she have known he could do such a thing if he hadn't lready been demonstrating miracles at his own whim and fancy "before his time"?) Confident in her God-given role of authority as mother to this young man, she ignores his disrespectful response and tells the others to due what he says. She assumed he would not ignore her implied request. "Who is my mother......", like she ever did anything to deserve being lowered before his disciples?! Did he ever emotionally mature past twelve when he disrespectfully rebuked her concerns when he stayed behind in the temple? lol How about all the condemning of the pharisees and sadduccees? So much for not condemning. An angel did not even dispute with the devil over a body, he left rebuking to the Father. Did he not read "let the righteous continue in righteousness and the unrighteous in unrighteousness" in what we call the old testament?
    And don't get me started on Paul's writings, it is obvious in them where spirit leaves off and it's all downhill from there. No wonder he spent time in prison! Joseph was an obnoxious youngster and sold into slavery for discipline, but God also put him in a position He could use to save Isreal in a time of famine. It also demonstrtes how even when we are disciplined, we are still the most pampered in those prisons. Our hearts are good, we are just a bit spoiled and presumptuous, sometimes fearful. It does not mean we are not perfect. We were told to pray we be made perfect as our Father is perfect. Why would we be told to pray for that which we could not have? Does our Father not give good gifts as we are told nor give what we ask? Maybe we can stop using the crutch "I am imperfect" and start accepting God's idea of perfection instead.
   Which brings me to the belief that we are not born perfect. It is written that that which was not corrupt put on corruption and then took it off again. Those who are chosen are amongst such ones, not only the one called Jesus. We are born pure. To gain understanding and compassion we put on evil and sin and are then washed clean again, given a new, mature equally pure personality. When we go through our phase of darkness it is only to learn. When we are released from the corruption, we are still "virgins". We never worshipped anything but God in our hearts or minds, we simply put on a substitute personality and spirit to learn a few lessons. We took on the sins of mankind as living sacrifices. We know from experience why people make the choices they do because in that state of being, we did, too or were tempted to. Even when the mask begins to be removed, we may fluctuate back and forth out of habit or boredom, confusion, etc. Be good to yourself, it will all be over soon.
   The one called Jesus told his disciples they were friends, the ones who stood by him s he went through his trials and temptations. He didn't mean his 40 days alone in the desert. His entire life was one of trials and temptations. What could possibly try or tempt  man with our idea of perfect patience and self-control? Certainly not one who snapped at an apostle, calling him satan, eh?  How about one who threw tables around in anger? would we call our neighbor perfect if we saw him do that? God might........

adding: "I am no better. Don't expect me to be" comes the plea

   During a time of great testing I was staying in the home of some devoutly religious people. The woman asked me if maybe what I was suffering was due to sins I was commiting. The answer was not easy in that it was not a simple yes or no. Yes, some of my past behavior warrented punishment, but I wasn't sensing being punished. I was experiencing as much of God's blessings and the miracles! God was accomplishing many things all at the same time. He was disciplining me. He was teaching me. Isolation gave me opportunity to commune only with him, study scripture without distraction. Constant movement put me several positions to receive "object lessons" good and bad. He was proving me. He was using me to test others. He used my circumstances to give others the opportunity to give (how can they give water to God through one of his when thirsty, clothes when they are naked, etc if they never are in a state of need?). My faith was built up as I learned not to worry where tomorrow's meals will come from, they  always came eventually. My eye was made simple as I learned what truly was a need and what was not. Previously I hated money and condemned prosperity. Now I know the difference between trusting in it, love of it and a need for it to live fully, freely.
    In scripture we are told we can do no acts of righteousness unless it is given us to do them. How can we give to others if we have nothing in our pockets to give? Financial propsperity can be an expression of God's love and approval as well as the means, his gift, to enact actsof righteousness. We just have to be able to go without it and be at peace with that as well. Money is simply a tool. The one called Jesus told us we would have houses and families in this system. Sometimes we will be wealthy and sometimes we will be poor between circumstances. most recently I was given the knowledge I had to "let the energy run out": the way means was coming to me had to be allowed to expire so that the way of new means could come in. I went from begging and working to pure unrequested charity, just what I needed when I needed it without even asking, bridging the gap between begging and working to abundance about to come in, I think. From headship that was abusive and conditional to headship that is free and easy to bridge the gap to a household of my own, I think. 
   Like illness, suffering and choices can be being made for a variety of reasons. If we idealize others, we judge ourselves. We should have no "sacred cows" before God the Father.