Behold, I Stand at the Door and . . . ? Part II
Continuing our discussion on free will and its impact on our lives; let’s proceed to another important word that provides us with additional insight on our behavior towards others. For your reference, the scripture is provided below:
Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hears my voice, and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. – Revelations 3:20 (King James Version)
Previously, we discussed the definition of stand and its relevance to the decisions we make each day. The next word that we will address is knock. It is word that defines the action towards the object we are standing in front (i.e., the door in this instance.). It can be best defined as:
To strike a sharp audible blow or series of blows, as on a door
This action is used to gain attention of the individual on the other side of the door. It is similar to a phone ringing. Someone is trying to contact you for a specific reason and believes that reason is so important, you should respond. The knock is a simple request and it is up to the other person, behind the door, to decide if they will respond to the request. There is no obligation for the individual behind the door to respond, similar to not picking up the phone when it rings.
Knocking is audible, but not intrusive. It is not a battering ram that is trying to break the door down. Forced entry is not the goal of knocking, in this case. There is high degree of politeness and respect being represented within this scripture passage. There is no attempt to pressure or cajole the individual on the other side of the door. The entire focus being shown is one of patience and desire, not intimidation and force. It is such a relaxed and open action (combining stand and knock). There is a sense of comfort with knocking that shows confidence without arrogance.
The question arises: ”Why am I standing and knocking at this specific door?” This question goes back to decisions made prior to choosing a specific door to stand and knock at. The decision to risk acceptance or rejection is one of the most vulnerable positions any human being can take. From asking someone out on a date, offering a marriage proposal, requesting a loan, etc., these moments resonate within every person for a lifetime. The results greatly influence future decisions we make. Why would Jesus Christ place himself in such a vulnerable position in the first place? I am not sure that I have the answer to that question but I have my opinion as to why.
In all of my reading and study of the Bible with respect to Jesus Christ, I have not found any moment that Jesus forced his opinions on others except when:
1. Denounced those in the temple who were using people’s spiritual beliefs to gain a profit (money changes in the temple)
2. Questioning those, in religious leadership, who focus was on the actions of the law and not the “spirit” of the law
In today’s society, there is a strong movement to “force” others to conform to God’s Laws. These movements vary greatly in their beliefs and conflict between beliefs is bound to occur. There is no “kindness” or “thoughtfulness” in these movements. It is pure reactionary process with no boundaries or limits. There is no “grace” or “choice” being offered, just pure “change because we say so!” These actions do not reflect the way Jesus Christ dealt with human beings. It is based in anger and frustration, not in service or support.
This is what faces the Democratic Party as they strive to regain leadership in the Congress and the White House. They must not focus on the negative aspects and reveal the positive and progressive ideas to bring this country back together. The ability to be open to acceptance or rejection is a hard pill to swallow, but if done, will show that spiritual awakening that we need to continue into the future.
Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hears my voice, and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. – Revelations 3:20 (King James Version)
Previously, we discussed the definition of stand and its relevance to the decisions we make each day. The next word that we will address is knock. It is word that defines the action towards the object we are standing in front (i.e., the door in this instance.). It can be best defined as:
To strike a sharp audible blow or series of blows, as on a door
This action is used to gain attention of the individual on the other side of the door. It is similar to a phone ringing. Someone is trying to contact you for a specific reason and believes that reason is so important, you should respond. The knock is a simple request and it is up to the other person, behind the door, to decide if they will respond to the request. There is no obligation for the individual behind the door to respond, similar to not picking up the phone when it rings.
Knocking is audible, but not intrusive. It is not a battering ram that is trying to break the door down. Forced entry is not the goal of knocking, in this case. There is high degree of politeness and respect being represented within this scripture passage. There is no attempt to pressure or cajole the individual on the other side of the door. The entire focus being shown is one of patience and desire, not intimidation and force. It is such a relaxed and open action (combining stand and knock). There is a sense of comfort with knocking that shows confidence without arrogance.
The question arises: ”Why am I standing and knocking at this specific door?” This question goes back to decisions made prior to choosing a specific door to stand and knock at. The decision to risk acceptance or rejection is one of the most vulnerable positions any human being can take. From asking someone out on a date, offering a marriage proposal, requesting a loan, etc., these moments resonate within every person for a lifetime. The results greatly influence future decisions we make. Why would Jesus Christ place himself in such a vulnerable position in the first place? I am not sure that I have the answer to that question but I have my opinion as to why.
In all of my reading and study of the Bible with respect to Jesus Christ, I have not found any moment that Jesus forced his opinions on others except when:
1. Denounced those in the temple who were using people’s spiritual beliefs to gain a profit (money changes in the temple)
2. Questioning those, in religious leadership, who focus was on the actions of the law and not the “spirit” of the law
In today’s society, there is a strong movement to “force” others to conform to God’s Laws. These movements vary greatly in their beliefs and conflict between beliefs is bound to occur. There is no “kindness” or “thoughtfulness” in these movements. It is pure reactionary process with no boundaries or limits. There is no “grace” or “choice” being offered, just pure “change because we say so!” These actions do not reflect the way Jesus Christ dealt with human beings. It is based in anger and frustration, not in service or support.
This is what faces the Democratic Party as they strive to regain leadership in the Congress and the White House. They must not focus on the negative aspects and reveal the positive and progressive ideas to bring this country back together. The ability to be open to acceptance or rejection is a hard pill to swallow, but if done, will show that spiritual awakening that we need to continue into the future.
posted by vierasunshine at
5:54 PM
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