Housechurching, Day 2
I love the way Taliesin and Nathanael think.
I have not been feeling well, so we were a little later on our housechurch today. But, boy, did we have a good discussion. We continued our study of Romans from the Message Bible. We read, "Those people are on a dark spiral downward. But if you think that leaves you on the high ground where you can point your finger at others, think again. Each time you criticize someone, you condemn yourself. It takes one to know one. Judgmental criticism of others is a well-known way of escaping detection in your own crimes and misdemeanors. But God isn't so easily diverted. He sees right through all such smoke screens and holds you to what you've done. You didn't think, did you, that just by pointing your finger at others you would distract God from seeing all your misdoings and from coming down on you hard? Or did you think that because He's such a nice God, He'd let you off the hook? Better think this one through from the beginning. God is kind, but He's not soft. In kindness He takes us firmly by the hand and leads us into a radical life-change" (Romans 2:1-4).
I asked Taliesin and Nathanael if one of them just tells a lie, and then they see someone else stealing; is that person who is stealing any worse than they are for lying? They told me no.
That led us into James 4:11-12: "Don't bad-mouth each other, friends. It's God's Word, His Message, His Royal Rule, that takes a beating in that kind of talk. You're supposed to be honoring the Message, not writing graffiti all over it. God is in charge of deciding human destiny. Who do you think you are to meddle in the destiny of others?"
When we read that, Taliesin recalled an episode of SpongeBob in which there was graffiti with bad words that SpongeBob and Patrick read. I told him that is exactly what these Verses are talking about. When we think we are better than others and think they're doing wrong but we're right, it's like we are writing that graffiti all over the Bible.
Then we discussed one of my favorite things from the Book of James - "Mercy triumphs over judgment." We talked about what that means. When we judge others, we make ourselves into God, because only God has that right to judge and condemn. I asked if God shows us grace. They both said He does. I told them, then, if God shows grace, we should as well.
That spurred Nathanael to say something very profound. He told me, "God is God. God is grace. God is love. God is peace." I asked them if they remembered what God told Moses when He met him in the burning bush - who did God say He was? They both said, "I am who I am." I told them that is exactly what that refers to. We talked about the personal name of God from the Hebrew, the name Yahweh or the name we call Jehovah. It refers to all God is. "I am who I am." That means love, peace, grace, kindness. Those are not just what God does. It's who He is. Nathanael then told me, "I think that's part of it, but I think it also means 'I am Myself.'"
I told him that kind of goes along with what we covered last week. God makes us who we are.
I am really enjoying housechurching. Taliesin and Nathanael are thinking some great things. They are expanding and growing. (BTW, I didn't mention, but Taliesin made and Nathanael was playing with his new playdough (hair conditioner and corn starch) as we were reading and discussing. That is so important for them to have something to do with their hands while we are talking. It makes them get even deeper into the study.
I have not been feeling well, so we were a little later on our housechurch today. But, boy, did we have a good discussion. We continued our study of Romans from the Message Bible. We read, "Those people are on a dark spiral downward. But if you think that leaves you on the high ground where you can point your finger at others, think again. Each time you criticize someone, you condemn yourself. It takes one to know one. Judgmental criticism of others is a well-known way of escaping detection in your own crimes and misdemeanors. But God isn't so easily diverted. He sees right through all such smoke screens and holds you to what you've done. You didn't think, did you, that just by pointing your finger at others you would distract God from seeing all your misdoings and from coming down on you hard? Or did you think that because He's such a nice God, He'd let you off the hook? Better think this one through from the beginning. God is kind, but He's not soft. In kindness He takes us firmly by the hand and leads us into a radical life-change" (Romans 2:1-4).
I asked Taliesin and Nathanael if one of them just tells a lie, and then they see someone else stealing; is that person who is stealing any worse than they are for lying? They told me no.
That led us into James 4:11-12: "Don't bad-mouth each other, friends. It's God's Word, His Message, His Royal Rule, that takes a beating in that kind of talk. You're supposed to be honoring the Message, not writing graffiti all over it. God is in charge of deciding human destiny. Who do you think you are to meddle in the destiny of others?"
When we read that, Taliesin recalled an episode of SpongeBob in which there was graffiti with bad words that SpongeBob and Patrick read. I told him that is exactly what these Verses are talking about. When we think we are better than others and think they're doing wrong but we're right, it's like we are writing that graffiti all over the Bible.
Then we discussed one of my favorite things from the Book of James - "Mercy triumphs over judgment." We talked about what that means. When we judge others, we make ourselves into God, because only God has that right to judge and condemn. I asked if God shows us grace. They both said He does. I told them, then, if God shows grace, we should as well.
That spurred Nathanael to say something very profound. He told me, "God is God. God is grace. God is love. God is peace." I asked them if they remembered what God told Moses when He met him in the burning bush - who did God say He was? They both said, "I am who I am." I told them that is exactly what that refers to. We talked about the personal name of God from the Hebrew, the name Yahweh or the name we call Jehovah. It refers to all God is. "I am who I am." That means love, peace, grace, kindness. Those are not just what God does. It's who He is. Nathanael then told me, "I think that's part of it, but I think it also means 'I am Myself.'"
I told him that kind of goes along with what we covered last week. God makes us who we are.
I am really enjoying housechurching. Taliesin and Nathanael are thinking some great things. They are expanding and growing. (BTW, I didn't mention, but Taliesin made and Nathanael was playing with his new playdough (hair conditioner and corn starch) as we were reading and discussing. That is so important for them to have something to do with their hands while we are talking. It makes them get even deeper into the study.
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