I came across this quote on someone's blog, and I'm interested in other people's thoughts. My blog is kinda new, so I'm not expecting a flood of comments, but if you're passing through, take a moment to share.
"I believe that the greatest trick of the devil is not to get us into some sort of evil but rather have us wasting time. This is why the devil tries so hard to get Christians to be religious. If he can sink a man's mind into habit, he will prevent his heart from engaging God."
--Don Miller, Blue Like Jazz
I haven't read this book yet, but I want to. And if you know me - you know I don't like to read. If you have it, can I borrow it?
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8 comments:
I've read Blue Like Jazz (it's a great book).
If you ever read Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis, this same argument is made. That Satan wants to make us religious, busy. If you think about the Pharisees and how much Jesus opposed them and why...there are many Christians who are the same.
Melissa...you should expect to stay after church...as for the comment. I think that is one of the many tricks of Satan...He wants us to "Major on the Minor". He is trying to get us to fight among ourselves instead of against him.
I haven't read the book, but I remember picking it up and looked at it before at Barnes & Noble, back when I lived in the land of Barnes & Noble. December, here I come.
Let's attempt to be deeper... what if there is no "devil"? What if our characterization of "the devil" as the source or controller of the evil we see around us is actually a trick of the powers of evil, which are actually much different, more powerful, and more prevalent then we acknowledge when we talk casually about "tricks of the devil"?
I'm not sure I think that, but I think I will at least entertain the thought for a while.
Well, I was going to attempt a devil's advocate thing (pun intended) like Susan, but since she has already enlightened us with her deep thoughts, I will have to go with the other thing I wanted to say!
I would want to question Miller's claim that being religious and doing things out of habit is equivalent to "wasting time." Do we really want to claim that nuns and monks are "wasting time" in their observance of the daily offices of prayer? Do we want to think that our own services of worship and participation in ordinances such as the Lord's Supper prevent our "heart from engaging God?" I don't. I want to hope (and do hope) that the God who instructed us to "pray without ceasing" (I Thes. 5:17) and to serve one another in love (Galatians 5:13) meant for us to cultivate "religious" habits. Our habits shape us and sustain us in our Christian journey.
So, if the devil does exist, I think that his greatest trick might be to convince us that the religious things we do don't matter. Then we're not engaging God.
Okay, so enough "wasting time;" I need to return to my paper now :-)
"Our habits shape us and sustain us in our Christian journey." You sound like a real live theologian, Mandy. Oh... and speaking of real live theologians, is Stanley Hauerwas still alive and at Duke? He's interesting.
Melissa, I am glad I have one more person's blog to check every day. These are the things keeping my life full and happy now that it's too cold to function normally. :)
Mandy...I think Susan brought out a vaild point. Do our habits shape us and statain us to be better Christains?
We have to think of habits in two ways. First as actions that...well..sustain us. Like brushing our teeth and flossing (A habit that sustains heathly teeth, gums and relationship!)
We also have to think of them as thinks that hold us back. Aren't their habits that hold us back? Like always spending your pay check on pay day (A habit that holds us back)
So when Don Miller says, that Satan wants us to develop habits so that we forget what being a real Christain is about...I think he is right. We must advoid the habits that hold us back. Is that what held Moses back..."Last time I struck the rock..this time I'll do the same."
Hey Melissa, I was so glad to stumble onto your blog! Blue Like Jazz is awesome and i hope you get a chance to read it sometime soon. I wanted to jump into the discussion with a quote I read ina book someone gave me for my last birthday...
"A frightening aspect of habit attached to our spiritual formation is that inherent in the idea of habit is the possibility for meaningless ritual. With the formation of habit there is the subtle abdication of consciousness in our actions. This can twist things that were intended to bring life into cold and empty ritualistic experiences. Indeed we are broken. We do bad things without thinking (bad habits) and when we try to do good things they often end up warped. how can we maintain life in our spiritual formation?"
-Praise Habit
He goes on to talk about natural versus formed habits and how things are often more meaningful when they come out of natural need. ie...food taste better when I'm hungry, not just becuase it's noon and I always take lunch break at noon...ok...I'm going to have to come back later to finish my thoughts becuase now I have to go to a meeting...just know...I'm leaning toward agreeing with Mandy on this one...Be back sometime!
You should also check out some of Erwin McManus. Awesome!
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