Thursday, April 25, 2019

I WOULD RATHER BE . . .

I would rather live my life with a heavy heart, knowing God, my only joy and fulfillment being bound up in His, than to have an undisturbed happiness rooted in ignorance.
I would rather be misunderstood, falsely accused and persecuted for righteousness' sake for the glory and honor of the Lamb, than to prefer the world and its lovers.
I would rather gird myself first, then afterwards sit down to meat (Luke 17).
I would rather glory in the cross of Christ than in my shame! (Philippians 3:17-19)
I would rather be hated by this vile world and be a friend of God; to be a friend of the Crucified than His enemy; to love the Lamb than to be received by the world which crucified Him.
I would rather to truly seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, than to pretend, only to realize on the last Day that I deceived myself.
I would rather waste my life on Christ than on the fleeting and foolish ambitions and desires of the dead. I speak as a fool.
I would rather my life make sense in light of the glorious Gospel and eternal hope I have been promised than to contradict it.
I would rather be a fool for Christ and let the world be wise!
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than to dwell in tents of wickedness (Psalm 84:10). I would rather be crucified together with Christ than to live without Him.
I would rather choose the cross than to deny Christ; to let His Word kill me than to destroy its meaning so I can feel better about myself.
In the end, nothing else will matter to me. In the end, what will define me and you: The Golden Rule or Fool's Gold?

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“Reason dictates that persons who are truly noble and who love wisdom will honor and love only what is true. They will refuse to follow traditional viewpoints if those viewpoints are worthless...Instead, a person who genuinely loves truth must choose to do and speak what is true, even if he is threatened with death...I have not come to flatter you by this written petition, nor to impress you by my words. I have come to simply beg that you do not pass judgment until you have made an accurate and thorough investigation. Your investigation must be free of prejudice, hearsay, and any desire to please the superstitious crowds. As for us, we are convinced that you can inflict no lasting evil on us. We can only do it to ourselves by proving to be wicked people. You can kill us—but you cannot harm us.” From Justin Martyr's first apology 150 A.D. Martyred A.D. 160