ap-parent-ly..

a teacher…

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[Reading through Matthew till today’s passage: ch13:1-33]

Jesus is a Rabi (and is known as "Teacher") & father (he says "My daughter"..., "my son...", & "my children"). It is  interesting how Jesus takes everyday occurrences, and people, and events (a woman putting yeast in the family dough before cooking their bread), (as well as weird abnormal irregularities- an enemy secretly sowing tares in a king's wheat crop) to indicate what the reign of God is LIKE. (as we are Earthly LIKENESSES to the self existent one.).. 

Jesus really is steeping himself and his communication in the product of those scriptures...  

This is the job of all teachers/parents.

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Oh God, please help me (I’m in those roles too),

to follow Jesus (this likeness to you) 

he’s my exemplar in all that I do

this day, this week, this year, this life anew.....

I’m growing younger over many days

to be a small child in my father’s world

where very rocks, and plants, & trees display

some diff’rent aspect each, to where they’re hurled

within a Universe, where I’ll rehearse

the lines and stanzas I am learning now

if they are helpful, for he has dispersed,

as he sees fit for purpose and somehow

(as junior partner in amazing job)

our meaning & enable-ment that now

we really can join in, as we are lobbed

into this circumstance. We often bow,

or look up to the sky. Horizon is

the metaphor for more than what is sensed.

For further worlds, dimensions are the biz-

nus of the human race, and recompense

for portals (as we are, & know he is).

A mother’s the participating “room”

for portalling of matter in a “whizz”

(9 months of atoms whirling in a womb).

A father is surrounding them with love,

provision, understanding, skills, and trades.

A teacher imparts wisdom “from above”.

And each continues walking, sometimes wades!

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to know

.. as we are known

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My Father, Daddy, Papa, or Dadar,

I'm really glad that your knowledge is strong,

and deep as your love is for who we are

as children of you. Your suff’ring is long.

Your wisdom is what keeps our Universe

ad-he-ar-ing together, moving you.

Our wisdom has more often a perverse

attempt at ownership, de-si-re to..

be honoured by the folk we hear & see.

In words that Matthew told  from your true son* ..

we know that this will please your way to be

above, but also in this world in one

way (or another?). Maybe there’s not heaps.

The way that he embodied on this Earth

the walking from the pow’r which always keeps

pursuing, for undoing our whole birth.

And hiding, in the crowds and other spots

where he perceived they would not dare to look,

or just could not perceive (their sight was not

so great that they could see outside a book).

And looking for what God is looking for,

what he desires, what pleases him, is what

would “turn him on” to do a “Show/ tell” or

to just be glad to be Dad to a god°!

And find his children - resting in his care.. 

they are the ones who listen to his voice

& follow when he moves, & also where.

So they are those who  secretly rejoice.

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*  “At that time Jesus said, ‘Father, Lord of heaven and earth! I thank you because you have shown to the unlearned what you have hidden from the wise and learned. 26Yes, Father, this was how you were pleased to have it happen…’ ” (Matthew 11:25-26 GNT)

°  “Yes, Father, this was how you were pleased to have it happen. [27]  “My Father has given me all things. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”...

[Matt 12: 6] “I tell you that there is something here greater than the Temple. [7]  The scripture says, ‘It is kindness that I want, not animal sacrifices.’ If you really knew what this means, you would not condemn people who are not guilty; [8] for the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

[12] And a human being is worth much more than a sheep! So then, our Law does allow us to help someone on the Sabbath.” 

[15] When Jesus heard about the plot against him, he went away from that place; and large crowds followed him. He healed all the sick [16] and gave them orders not to tell others about him. 

[18]  “Here is my servant, whom I have chosen, the one I love, and with whom I am pleased. I will send my Spirit upon him, and he will announce my judgment to the nations.

[28] No, it is not Beelzebul, but God's Spirit, who gives me the power to drive out demons, which proves that the Kingdom of God has already come upon you.

[30]  “Anyone who is not for me is really against me; anyone who does not help me gather is really scattering. 

[39]  “How evil and godless are the people of this day!” Jesus exclaimed. “You ask me for a miracle? No! The only miracle you will be given is the miracle of the prophet Jonah. 

[42]  On the Judgment Day the Queen of Sheba will stand up and accuse you, because she traveled all the way from her country to listen to King Solomon's wise teaching; and I assure you that there is something here greater than Solomon!

[50] Whoever does what my Father in heaven wants is my brother, my sister, and my mother.”

(Matthew 11:26-27; 12: 6-8, 12, 15-16, 18, 28, 30, 39, 42, 50 GNT)

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What's best?

DO it!

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My God, you helped me see a better way

of living out each choice I have to make

(at least the ones where looking back I'd say

I taught myself to … hmm… procrastinate):

As soon as I can see the way forward…

just do it! (Yup, the Niké way of life).

But as I try to put this act to word

I see some “snares" that could cause me some strife…

“trip hazards”, might be better thing to say,

or artifact that’s caused by me myself -

from list'ning to the words more than the way.

But as a part of this system of health

the WORDing has a part to play, I see.

If I jump up too quickly I might faint,

if I run out too soon I might just be

hit by a bus, electric car, or paint-

ed on the road, which doesn’t seem to free

me, so much as more “hang me out to dry”.

Now even so, I've tasted this and see

how this approach must be what I call “mine”.

I’ll take it on (& yet look left & right,

to check for safety for all us involved).

And overall, the railway lines just might 

be said to tune to what  your wisdom’s solved.

And this reminds me of how you judge folk,

you keep to acts*, as fruit of words or thoughts.

So that will be enough for this-here bloke

to start to see more Action-fishies caught.

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*  Mark 03  (esp vss 13-19 & 31-35 ), Matt 07 (most storylets). 1Tim 1:1-6:19; Titus 1:1-3:16; Hebrews 10:24-25; James; 1&2Peter

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on waking up t(h)ree ..

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The kind of “living” I’ve been raised to have

by who I’m following as baby does

apparent through the house as jobs are nav-

-igated to make home as bees would, buzz…

-ing in their work determined by the smell

of their own queen who sets the hive to make

the honey and the comb that’s home, and well…

I’m called and have responded. I am baked.

The heat of furnace melts the dross away.

The “washing” ’s for the core of who we are;

a firey-wind, a dove of flame I’d say.

And crucifying old self is the start.

Unless you take your own cross up and walk

with me to killing place of your own hopes,

you’ll miss the shots you make, or else you’ll balk

and miss the perpe-traitor like the dopes

who run from death and suffering and pain,

as though they were the worst things to occur.

Here fables are what help us see again:

The zombie story. Humans must deter

and try to kill all zombies off - to stop

the spread of them, but often  one escapes 

detection. In “remission” at the top

is the chief hunter. One is all it takes.

My Empire has a cell with zombie “life”

infecting it; of 30 trillion lives

one must be killed, then let God over strife 

raise it, as child of God who’s very wise.

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upon waking up 2 ..

(a better world and way of life)

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The kind of “living” I desire to do,

to live out in this world from here on in,

is in the Way of Jesus. Christ, that’s you

and how you lived down here where you have been

for maybe only 30 years or so

(but maybe more, since it's your spirit come

to Earth, when you went to your Father. Go-

-ing up into the clouds that day when some..

..some messengers from God filled in those blokes

and said that you’d come back to rule like that.

And when your spirit came to live, to stoke

some fire within your people who would “bat”

on your team, on your side, to play the “game”

of this life as it is, whose time is our..

..our currency to spend; not just in name,

its purpose can be ratified - with pow’r!

The pow-er of creating a new Earth,

a new humanity that rules it well,

against an enemy who brings a dearth

of life with love. In other words brings “Hell”

into the world, as portal - its own self.

I can affect this world for heaven’s sake,

or else to be more truly just like Hell,

for changed a bit it is - each choice I make!

For heaven can absorb the whole of hell,

but hell can’t take a drop of water from

the edge of heaven. Wake me to the smell

of frying fish, or bread & wine & song.

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upon waKing up 1

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The kind of “living” I find in myself

so easily assumed, default it seems,

is first to check what I feel like. A stealth-

-y glance inside, & then decide it means...

It does not look up/ out, relating to 

the world around both seen and unseen which

I am a part of, to relate to who

is here and present, (sometimes with a glitch).

It seems to see itself as god right here

in this small patch of Universe - to call

the shots. And then works out, beyond what’s near,

with this same mindset - far beyond this Paul.

Forgetting, or not taking to account

a faulty “Centering Effect” that’s like

a compass pointing “South” it can amount

to all directions losing touch with life.

[For truly I am set to rule (in part

at least) this set of cells comprising “Me” -

the thirty six-ish trillion cells so art-

fully designed to live, move, look and see

and come and go all under my command.

For I’m de facto ruler of this world,

though much is set in motion, understand,

until I learn to rule well, I feel hurled

out into this small galaxy, where I

on learning can affect more than just these.]

I need the wisdom from above me. Why

should my own ignorance cause such dis-ease?

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secret life *

(or “holding hands”)

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At times it seems the secret* is disclosed

to those who are naive & immature,

in double measure - their hands are not closed,

nor are they open still. They don’t insure.

Or their insurance policy is more..

more personal in nature than just writ-

ten words which are more letters, not to/ for

love’s own communications -  which just “fit”.

Not in that epileptic, seizing way,

but as two hands with fingers interposed

might each hold one another, and display

the kind of trust relating love’s repose.

But also love’s hard work, to try to please,

to serve the other in ways that are true.

To keep their word, not as “con men” achieve

security by means of “wanting to”.

For actions must speak louder than our words.

The Language Centre in our brain is not 

writ in our mother’s tongue, though each babe heard

some of it before birth and all they got

(which starts to coalesce) with outside life.

But acts of faithful love, with in’s & out’s,

the comings and the goings of a wife

and husband who will listen not just shout

something to make the other  understand.

And if a babe is blessed to them, the same

stuff which glues them, can even when unplanned

by them, then bring to birth a name.

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*   For more tasty "onion-rings" on the secret, see all of Mark 4, 

especially Mark’s two matching stories: of four “soil types” (Mark 4:1-9); & of the people they metaphorically stand for (Mark 4:14-20)..

and then the middle bit which is the “meat in the sandwich” (Mark 4:10-13), 

& also its “partnering pair” (Mark 4:21-25).

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Jesus’ Ambassador Paul’s advice to his understudy Timothy:

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But Timothy, you are not like that, so

continue in what you have learned and too 

became convinced of, when you came to know 

all those from whom you learned it, and how you 

from infancy have known the Holy Scripts

which are (what’s been presented by our fore-

fore-fath-ers and fore-moth-ers, to equip 

such people yet to come) to make wise for 

salvation by Yahweh, through faith in Christ 

Yeshua, yes all Scripture is God-reigned 

and useful to teach & rebuke, suffice

to say it has corrected and it’s trained

in righteous living, so God’s servant may

be thoroughly equipped for every day,

and ev’ry chance for greater-good to play

it's part in God’s good world and work I’d say.

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14But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, 15and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

(2 Timothy 3:14-17 - NIVUK, Greek and some other English translations)

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Learning: Less-on the topic of “topics” (parts A&B)

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Oh wow! I'm not a good companion for

the sharing of a controvershal stor-

-ry, like the movie we tonight just saw*.

I let myself "just" try to share some more

of what I felt, or thought, or saw a bit

of, so I missed the point of all that’s good

about sharing some stories which might fit

with circumstances and friends as they could.

The shorthand way to talk about the right

way forward for a son of you, my God,

is to “be quick to listen, slow to bite,

or even speak at all. And slow to (what

we know of as) anger”* [infringement of 

some list of rights (or wrongs) discretely done

(or not done, as “the case” may call for). Hov-

er-ing about the scene, is how it’s won!

- “the case” that “calls for” things is what’s “in charge”.

The bigger context, which sets all in place.

It’s not the “rights”, but “seen rightly”, “at large” -

relating to the world before your face -

from what’s behind it, “right side of your brain”

yourself to why you’re here at all, to start,

and then to why you’re in this spot again,

with anyone around, and in your heart.

And this recursive loop goes upward too,

there is a sense where I am the whole Left -

Left Hemisphere that’s here on Earth to do

as Right approves, relates, & not bereft.

And as I watched another* the next night

(or two), I felt roiled up inside - no less.

But as I thought to ask comrads for light

and questions that were raised, I stepped my best

foot forward, and we want to see more too.

Oh God, you’re helping me to really grow

up more to be like James-es brother - You!

Well your son, Jesus; who helps me “friend-k

now”*.

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Notes

Greatly influenced by (especially the first, "scientific" part, of) psychiatrist Iain McGilchrist's insightful book about the Right & Left Hemisphere's of the human brain: "The Master & His Emissary - the Divided Brain ....... ".

Interesting that both the Right and the Left Hemispheres of the human brain have views and approaches to the world that are different. Sometimes consistent, sometimes inconsistent. Three strangenesses exist though:

1. They are locked together by reality, - not by logic, and can normally relate as quick as thought!

2. There is a hierarchy. The Right’s view is easily open to all other views, and “gladly” includes the use of and insights of what’s Left. The Left’s view is not so easily open to other views, since it's work of making an accessible model specific to this time and place does not allow it to have a  larger focus (at the same time, - that must be done by the hemisphere enabled and equipped to do that kind of “overall” work). The Left cannot be in-charge, or work well independently of a Right Hemisphere. The Right can easily, but will also easily share meaningful tasks with the Left hemisphere (this is what gives the Left Hemisphere its bigger meaning and purpose).

3. Both very oftenly work on the other by curtailing, or slowed down, the response from the other side of the midline. The Right Hemisphere is glad to get the input of the Left Hemisphere. The Left Hemisphere may not solicit the curtailing, slowing down effect which the right often brings by force of nature, but could (presumably?) learn to. [AS such a Hemisphere that’s Left here (on purpose, by the overall Right Hemisphere), this is what I want, and need training in. So, help me God!]

Footnotes

w* "A Few Good Men" in black and white.

r”* a quote of a proverbial saying possibly originated from mixing the Jewish Proverbs with life as the underlings in an occupied country under Rome’s Empire in its Hay-Day, from Jesus Christ's little brother. Maybe it was advice given him by his big brother? At any rate he is, years later, passing it on to his “little brothers” (James 1:19-27))

r* Schindler's List, (also basically black & white).

w”* the kind of “knowing” which the Right Hemisphere of the human brain is involved in… the knowing of a friend, not of a fact/law [which appears to be the way of knowing specialised in by the Left Hemisphere, often leading to boastful comparisons rather than empathetic relating]. Sometimes Jesus’ Apostle (Ambassador) Paul (meaning Small) uses the word “love” to stand for this kind of “friendship knowing” and means the “knowing facts and definitions etc” when he says simply “knowing” (e.g. 1 Corinthians 8:1(b)-3)

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two thousand & twenty six years since...

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Once we said our year, and then  “A. D.”

acknowledging the point where Hist’ry turned.
I liked it for myself for I can see
it in my world, and my small life has learned

it by experience, I needs recall

who’s Lord, and owner of “my” time & place -

the big was metaphore for this life’s small..

small scale of something big, which human’s trace.

And now we're trying hard to overlook

all meaning - that might mean we’re not the boss.

We don’t like stories where there is a hook.

We cancel ticks, for they imply a cross.

And on the back of cultures disciplined,

who trained their young quite hard for excellence,

we’ve seen results of not thinking “We’ve sinned!”

by wasting, & for tasting what “made sense”

to little kids with reference-points all skewed.

We didn’t have a chance without “A.D.” -

(don’t think “in words” alone), life is renewed

when humans train - under a coach “in deed*”.

And this two thousand & twenty-sixth year

’s gone yesterday. We now start on the next.

We want the prince of life to rule down herethrough these small lives at least. We won’t be vexed.

We’ll trust his choices, though they were not ours.

We think he knows a bit more than we do.

But trust his love as well, to use his pow’rs

where he thinks best, to hear our voices too.

Our year ended in A.D., now C.E.  -

the Era where we turned a corner in

the hist’ry of our world -we look and see

the Common people changed by glory in

the Common place, since he took on our flesh

and blood & bones as well, it’s changed the world.

But it could change back, we could be enmeshed

in fishing nets that also have been hurled

out to catch us for food, to bolster that

insatiable desire - of evil (one)

Not ev’rything that meows is a cat.

Have you learned how to do it, just for fun?

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*   

“ As he walked along the shore of the Lake of Galilee, he saw two fishermen, Simon and his brother Andrew, casting their nets into the water. “Come and follow me, and I will teach you to catch men!” he cried. At once they dropped their nets, and followed him. (Mark 1:16-18)

“to those who by keeping on doing good deeds, seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life,” (Romans 2:7)

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Keeper *

keeping on*

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Well, Marty, yesterday I stopped a few

times thinking of your birth (some "years" back now)

I heard you had a family time, a "Do"

recalling what God did before you bowed

your head, before his grace and love at work

in his creation of a life which might

be trained by constant choices not to shirk,

but still to bask in strength and love, like light.

And FIRST the gracious love enacts itself,

and THEN we have the chance to model it,

and also "see" what life is like in health,

and "want to" be that way, not just live shit.

And I have seen your choices over time

well some of them at least, by their results

within your life's relationships (& mine -

as they have meshed with friendship) - and with "faults".

For how could we seek glory, honour, or  

the immortality we long for with

the longing of a deep ache (even more)

unless we make each ACT* (with kin and kith°),

a training ground, to learn, stand up again.

And I have seen you choose a very BOSS

to be your trainer. So, we don't know "when",

but "if" is not a question while HIS cross

of love (that's demonstrated sure and true)

is each day at your head (as well as heel).

And I am glad to share his life, with you,

another year starting  becoming REAL^.

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Celebrating another year laid down, now to be built on..

*   “to those who by patiently doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life,” (Romans 2:7)

°  thinking of the pericope at the end of Mark 3 

^ thinking of the children's picture book, The Velveteen Rabbit, and the verses quoted above.

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