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Caught

Tim Riter April 13, 2015

image by commons.wikimedia.org

The last eight years of my teaching career have been at Oaks Christian High, a marvelous school that encourages students to think critically, to explore the world and its values, and to evaluate all this from a Christian world view. That requires teaching them to identify and evaluate arguments, particularly to look for logical fallacies, where the use of evidence or reasoning or personal attacks yield weaknesses.

A common one is bifurcation, also known as false dichotomy or being caught on the horns of a dilemma. Basically, this fallacy gives only two options, forcing the reader to choose one. Obviously, a fallacy when more than two alternatives exist. But this can also be a good argument—some issues yield only two choices. I’ve found this concept abounds in growing closer to Jesus. How do we start our day with God? We have an abundance of options; let’s just find what works best for us. We explored this in a recent post.

But some other options are limited. Only with pain did I learn that.

             “Caught”

Caught

the first time

            in a morass of sin

grief and conviction

            brought overpowering shame

            nearly destroying all I held dear

But this forced me

            to acknowledge the sin abiding in me

            to change

            to move a bit beyond

                        never to return

                                    (I dreamed)

Slowly

            I released the guard

                        that allowed my purity to grow

            and as a small hole

                        breaches a dam

                        temptation poured back in a torrent

Shall I be

            caught twice?

            And complete the destruction

                        so narrowly averted before?

            Or shall I

                        again

                                    seek purity and the restoring

                                                grace to grow?

Let me see

            without a doubt

            these two

                        are my only choices

I may revisit this poem later, regarding the need to always remain vigilant, but let’s look at the last stanza. Sin and God are antithetical, opposites, choosing to follow God means we choose to move away from sin. We won’t do this perfectly, we’re still human. But what is our heart? What is our direction?

Jesus made that pretty clear—“He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters” (Matthew 12:30), and “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth” (Revelation 3:15-16).

So, the essence of knowing Jesus comes when we intentionally set our lives in his direction, when he becomes our #1 option in life. Anything less minimizes the importance of Jesus’ death and resurrection.

Kick Starting the App

Where does Jesus rank on your list of priorities? Why? Are you content with that? What most keeps you from making him #1? Do you see that Jesus clearly defined our spiritual options? Why do you think he was so blunt?

InPoetry TagsOne Way, Fallacies, Poetry, Passion, Spiritual Formation
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TimGlacierMcDonald.jpg

A bit of an unreconstructed Jesus freak. Almost old enough to have known him when he walked this world. About 27 on the inside. Investing his life in university and teen students. Inveterate cross country motorcycle rider. Nature lover. Entranced with the power of written and spoken words. Still learning.

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