Signs of a Dying Soul...

Given that Jesus is the fulfiller of the Law and Prophets and that Jesus' teachings, commands and examples as we have them in the Gospels are our best witness to Kingdom of God values on how we live in this part of God's Kingdom here and now, and given that at the center of Jesus' teachings, commands and examples is the living of AGAPE LOVE (committed action on behalf of the other, even stranger or enemy and especially the most vulnerable among us)...

Signs that your soul may be dying...

LACK OF EMPATHY -
   An inability or unwillingness to emotionally put yourself in the place of someone else who is different from you, which leads a person to falsely believe they are justified in judging others. It precludes the living of Agape Love.

FALSE BELIEF IN ONE'S INHERENT SUPERIORITY -
   For whatever reason, believing that one is better than anyone else or others for any "reason" leads to Ethnocentrism, Nationalism, Racism, Classism and Homophobia.  It also leads to the false belief that one can be justified in judging others as "inferior" or suspect in having value.  It precludes the living of Agape Love.

BELIEF IN ONE'S ENTITLEMENT over others for any reason.  The love of Status above others for any reason does not come for humility, and it precludes the living of Agape Love.

FALSE BELIEF THAT THOSE IN NEED ARE INFERIOR OR "LEGITIMATE" OBJECTS OF JUDGMENT OR SCORN.  An inability to recognize that unjust systems have created those in need leads some to falsely believe in their own "exceptionalism", the inferiority of those who are victims of unjust systems or their questionable character.  This precludes the living of Agape Love.
    
SELF-CENTEREDNESS -
   The belief that everything and everyone should please an individual or is designed and present primarily to make their life more convenient or pleasant and serve their self-interests above all else, precludes Agape Love and the Humility that it requires.

IRRATIONAL FEAR OF OTHERS -
   Irrational Fear leads to resentment and hatred.  Those who are afraid of others who have never directly hurt them in any way but are just different from themselves is Xenophobia.  This mental disorder comes out of ignorance and it precludes the living of Agape Love.

BELIEF THAT YOU ARE JUSTIFIED IN CONTROLLING THE LIVES OF OTHERS -
  The lust for Power that brings people to decide that what is good for them is necessarily how everyone else should live leads to all manner of mental illness, including the intolerance of people of other faiths, colonialism, proselytism, invasion, exploitation and authoritarianism.  It precludes the living of Agape Love.

BELIEF THAT IT IS NOT WRONG TO PERSONALLY BENEFIT OFF THE LOSS OR LACK OF OTHERS AROUND YOU -
  Just because you can does not mean you should.  The end does not justify the means.  Exploiting others and holding them down, back or out for one's one personal gain has many examples in the teachings, commands and examples of Jesus, and none of them end well.  Selfish Greed, lust for Power and desire for Status hurt the well-being of others, and they preclude the living of Agape Love.

REFUSAL TO FORGIVE -
   Forgiveness may be a process.  It is not easy to do.  But refusal to forgive comes from a need to hold onto one's own victimization as a tool, a ploy.  It hurts the one holding onto it as much or more than the one who needs the forgiveness.  One needs to be forgiven for spiritual well-being.  Withholding forgiveness is a sin against the person who needs it, but also to the one who, him/herself needs to be forgiving in order to have spiritual well-being - a sin against the self.  This precludes the living of Agape Love. 

IGNORING THE NEEDS OF OTHERS AROUND YOU -
  Jesus gave many examples (nameless rich man who went to hell for ignoring Lazarus, rich young man who went away sad because he could not give up some wealth for the poor, rich fool who hoarded all he had, the goats at the judgment) of those whose souls were dead because they ignored the plight of others who were hungry, naked, strangers in the land, sick or imprisoned - the most vulnerable in society like widows and orphans, etc..  These things preclude the living of Agape Love.  Jesus also shared examples of those who had the means and helped others (Good Samaritan, Owner of the Vineyard who paid laborers what they needed to live on, feeding of the 5,000, woman at the well, touching untouchables, feeding on the Sabbath, healing on the Sabbath, casting out demons even with a loss of profit, dying on the Cross, the sheep at the judgment, etc..).   These are examples of the living of Agape Love.

REFUSAL TO ADVOCATE ON BEHALF OF THE POWERLESS AND VOICELESS -
  Self-centeredness leads us to ignore the powerless and voiceless among us.  Jesus empowered people by standing up with and for them, and addressing the evil powers of empire that held them down, back and out.  The Good Samaritan, the King with the two debtors, the penitent thief on the Cross, Jesus with the woman caught in Adultery, Jesus with critics of Mary, the friends of the paralyzed man on the pallet, Jesus on the Cross, etc..  We are not to be so self-absorbed that we preserve our own wealth, power or status by refusing to stand up for those being victimized by the evil values of empire among us and the hatreds that they spawn.  Refusal to advocate is antithetical to the living of Agape Love. 

So, how is your soul doing?
How is the soul of the church doing?
How is our soul as a nation doing?

Striving is mine.

Pastor Jamie