What Do You Want to Hear?

Live from Maine. It appears that technology has come to the Maine woods. I give thanks to God for the ability to be in this place.

This morning I was reading through 2 Timothy 4 and I was drawn to Paul's words about the teachings that will come. It seems that when you take a look at the landscape of the Christian world there are plenty of people who are willing to tell people what they want to hear. There is great temptation to simply preach what people want to hear. If we only listen to what we want to hear, we are never challenged beyond where we are in our faith journey. I know in my life I need to be told things I do not want to hear. I might even be a little upset and annoyed by being challenged. Yet in the end I need to be challenged.

Each of us has a responsibility to allow ourselves to be challenged. Challenge the understandings of we have. Challenge what we have held as dear. Challenge what we understand to be true. Ask questions and seek God. This is the key to keeping our faith from becoming mediocre.