Ego Trumps Spiritual Growth
Remember that “Through the Bible in 90 Days” program I started a while ago, well I have turned it into “Through the Bible in Somewhere Between 120 to 150 Days,” which is still better than I have ever done in my life, since, as I mentioned, I have never read straight through the Bible before. Currently I am in the book of Chronicles, which reads like this, “Mizraim was the father of the Ludites, Anamites, Lehabites, Naphtuhites, Pathrusites, Casluthites (from whom the Philistines came) and Caphtorites. Caanan was the father of Sidon his firstborn, and of the Hittites, Jebusites, Amorites, Girgashites, Hivites, Arkites, Sinites, Arvadites, Zemarites and Hamathites,” and it goes on like this, peppered with a few stories here and there, until the very end. Yaaay!
Part of the reason why I have moved to the slow track, is that I recently have been given the chance to teach a Medieval & Early Modern history course, which is going to require a lot of preparation. My forte is Western intellectual history and historical theology, by comparison I am weak in the cultural and political aspects of Western history. Along with this, I am required to provide some coverage of African and Asian history, which is way out of my field. So, I am feeling a little pressure to get both an overview of these areas, as well as fill in some detail. This means a lot of reading, and since I can’t bend time, and because I am not a fast reader, this further means there is competition for my reading time. Along with this, I am feeling more pressure to do the reading for my history class, as I so desperately don’t want to be a bumbling ass in front of a class full of college students.
So, in short, ego trumps spiritual growth.
Wrote the following comment on December 8th, 2008 at 1:16 pm #
darn, I thought *I* was the only one who couldn’t bend time.
That said, I had a slow slog through Chronicles meself. The course you’re teaching doesn’t help, but even without it, there’s only so much of that exciting narrative I could read in a sitting. And I’ve read the Bible in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. My wife pointed out that I’m due to read it again before 2010. Yikes!
Wrote the following comment on December 8th, 2008 at 8:41 pm #
Hmm, maybe we can read through the Bible together Roger. I have one of those gender-inclusive NRSV bibles, and maybe it would be fun, spiritually-enriching, and intellectually stimulating to have a few people to read and reflect on the Good Book on say the Lefty Side of the Dial relaunch?
Wrote the following comment on December 9th, 2008 at 1:33 pm #
Though I’ve not seen it, I understand there’s a song from the motion picture “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” entitled “Let’s Do The Time Warp Again!”
Perhaps that could be of some assistance to you!
Here’s a hint.
Buy the “Cliff’s Notes.”
Read ’em.
Completely omit in your lectures those parts so correlating to the text. Thus, the students will be somewhat (hopefully) compelled to 1.) read, 2.) take notes, and 3.) attend lecture.
Then, on your tests, make ’em draw the progressive outline of the Ottoman Empire.
They’ll call you “Tricky A.”
Yeah… sounds kinda’ cool, doesn’t it?
And it has a definite ring to it, doesn’t it?
Tricky Ol’ Prof. A.
Wrote the following comment on December 9th, 2008 at 4:46 pm #
Don’t worry, we’re pretty sure that *God* doesn’t care whether you read it in 90 days vs some other period of time. We *do* think He cares that you read it. Let me know if we can support your journey through His Word. Ted Cooper Jr., Founder, Bible in 90 Days.
Wrote the following comment on December 10th, 2008 at 3:55 am #
Mr Cooper – What an unexpected surprise. I thank you for your words of encouragement. Fortunately, the group at church, with whom I am reading through this program, has been quite gracious as well.
I would like to say that most in this group have kept up with the reading, some have even gotten ahead, and all of us have been challenged, struggled and blessed. We have been challenged and struggled not just with the amount of reading, but with the unflinching narrative about God’s relationship with broken, wayward humanity, and we have been blessed as we have remained open amidst this struggle. I, personally, have come to a deeper, more nuanced, and personal or perhaps intimate understanding of God’s sovereignty.