tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2949422246633548404.post8712892330027767986..comments2024-02-07T11:31:44.141+03:00Comments on On Life in St. Petersburg: You are (not really) specialElizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15283395756742923658noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2949422246633548404.post-42176066438977072392010-05-14T17:15:40.659+04:002010-05-14T17:15:40.659+04:00I should clarify; some of the scenarios do have th...I should clarify; some of the scenarios do have the line, "Everyone is NEEDED." I was paraphrasing. But again... we do need each other as members of one Body, but does God really NEED us to accomplish His work? It still seems a little me-centered, but I agree that it is good to encourage everyone to get involved and use their gifts.<br /><br />Funny timing with the Zoschenko as we were just introduced in our literature class. I haven't read that particular story, but it sounds amusing.Elizabethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15283395756742923658noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2949422246633548404.post-5348390651996861482010-05-14T10:09:37.408+04:002010-05-14T10:09:37.408+04:00Yes; that idea is overused...and lacking in truth,...Yes; that idea is overused...and lacking in truth, too. Somehow, even as a child, it always seemed clear that if EVERYONE is "special", then NO ONE is "special", because, like the disciples, what we want is to have the place in the front of the line, the "best" seat, the most regard, to be thought of first, etc. Seems like this is a way of squashing THAT desire somewhat unfairly. And, it IS contrary to Jesus' way! You're right! And I never thought about it from that point of view. <br /><br />Yes; everyone wants to be special, but being TOLD we are special (particulary when we know everyone ELSE is told the same thing) seems a dishonest use of the word, and I don't think it fools anyone. <br /><br />Another Christian message might be that everyone is VALUABLE, everyone has UNIQUE gifts, everyone is as VITAL to the body as the next (i.e. the hand is not greater than the eye, etc.)<br /><br />And I do believe Jesus said that the greatest is the one who is least, the one who serves the others. A far better (and truer) message, that might actually promote Christian action, not just give the teachers the idea they've built "self esteem".<br /><br />I just thought of a Zoschenko short story with this theme (not that Zoschenko is proper material for a Sunday School class - but I loved this story.) A bunch of actors were all arguing about who had the better part and was more important in the play. In the end the guy responsible for the lighting just turned out the lights on them. Perhaps that stuck with me because I'd been in theatre, but I thought it was both funny and apt. (Perhaps not here, though!)Anniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12623179886908222942noreply@blogger.com