Peddling the Meddling

To me, the way people choose their words is important. I think saying too much is just as bad as clamming up at times... Honesty and frankness are generally accepted as good qualities, but I think that people can be deceitful at heart even as they tell the truth plainly. I only have a vague and unclear idea that the Bible does not advocate lying (where the scripture is regarding this), but on an emotional level I don't really know if I should condemn the practice, especially given the wide and oft-argued definition of what makes a lie (lie of omission, acting differently with different people...) I do accept that if somebody prides themselves on lying for the sake of the greater good, then they are going down a wrong path... I agree that what the Bible says is true regarding words spoken: Choice of words sets apart the wise and the foolish. Every word spoken can build up or break down others. More importantly, I think that every spoken word builds or breaks your own self as you speak them. You shape the words and the words shape you.

I recall the speaker during church camp talking about the kind of situation where telling a lie seems like the only right thing to do. He used the example of War time in Germany: If a Christian person hides Jews in his house, and a Nazi officer knocks on his/her door and asks him if he is sheltering anybody, should the Christian tell a lie to save them, or be honest and give them up? The speaker's conclusion was this: Tell the officer a lie and save the refugees, and then pray for forgiveness for not having the faith to do things in a less contradictory way.

Finding the right balance (or more accurately, knowing when to be which) between honesty and reservedness, glibness and seriousness, and frankness and subtlety is important to me. Having enough perspective (others') to know when to be harsh and when to be gentle is just as crucial. Knowing when you sin or betray yourself with your words is, to me, often the hardest thing.

Having balance and perspective has always been an ideal to me, but I've changed somewhat in that I'm beginning to realize the importance of timing, rhythm, and tangible details in life. Being in the middle ground is probably less important than knowing when to be what, as long as you don't get lost... Well, I believe that regardless of whether I sink into the depths of paranoia, or rise to dizzying heights of overconfidence, God will be willing to admonish me and show me where I've gone wrong.


I think that whether or not I like a person is more of a Yes/No question to me. People can do the nicest things and possess the most endearing charm; others can do seemingly mean and insensitive things and seem grouchy and unapproachable... I am sure that everyone has mixed motives behind their altruistic actions, a little self-affirmation, a little calculation, idealism, a tad of moodiness, and maybe some real love too, goodness or the wish to be good (just as important, if not as real). Ultimately, only God knows what is in their heart and who the ones are who please him; if people were trees, he is the only one who could know how deep their roots go.
I can only reflect, make decisions on who I trust, accept my fallibility, and move on... Perhaps I don't articulate clearly to myself why I like certain people, or I am just wishy-washy and thoughtless that way. Haha. I guess I use my gut and impressions to judge people more than I pay attention to details.

Perhaps I shall put up my materialistic list of wants for the november sale the next time I blog =/