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The art of being wise is the art of knowing what to overlook.

Thought to be by William James

Feeling lonely?  Misunderstood? Running scared?  Perhaps you have done some things that you regret–or did not do that thing you were convicted about doing?)  “Life” lived in our own strength, as we listen to those other voices, often leads to that hollow, tasteless place where we find ourselves wondering, “Is this all there is?”

The Bible unabashedly speaks about non-audible voices that can influence our lives in powerful ways.  Over time I have learned that those “inner-voices/beliefs” we listen to can either help resolve or complicate the problems we face.

The Apostle Paul wrote to his friends in Ephesus, warning that problems are part of an ongoing spiritual battle.  In Ephesians 6 he wrote,

“Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this…

Judge not, that you be not judged.  For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.  Matthew 7:1-2

We hiss through gritted teeth whenever we hear some liberal fool misinterpret the most over-quoted and least understood admonishment from the mouth of our Lord: “Judge not, lest ye be judged.”  It is Matthew 7:1, and usually it is used to dodge guilt over some sexual sin or the temptation to do away with the natural consequence thereof.  You don’t tend to hear people use it to shield from the sting of moral disapproval those such as the following: Ponzi-scheming Wall Street swindlers, racists, violent gay-bashing mobs, serial rapists/murderers especially of women and more especially of young children (at least those who have already been expelled from their mother’s wombs).  Certain sins, and certain classes of sinners…

As a nurse I’ve cared for hundreds of people who are going into surgery, women who are in labor, people who have cancer, people who are dying. It has been both a privilege and a burden. It brings me face to face with my mortality, my frailty, and my need to figure out what this thing called ‘Life’ is all about.

I have sat with people waiting for their last breath, only to realize there would be none. I have been beside women as they gave birth to still-born babies, weeping with them as tears streamed down their cheeks. Tears that fell on the heads of babies who did not feel them or know the pain of their mamas.

I have cleaned up vomit, suctioned mucus, emptied bedpans,

So there is one thing I can tell you with certainty: There is no dignity in being sick. There is no dignity in…