I Don't Deserve It

[Exsubmariner]

The following is a conversation I had walking down the hall with a total stranger.

Me: "How are you."
Them: "I'm blessed and loved. You?"
Me: "I like to think of it as lucky."
Them: "We are blessed. We did nothing to deserve this wonderful day."
Me: "Sometimes, I think I deserve it."
Them: "Nobody deserves any blessing God gives them. It is through grace alone he blesses them."
Me: I smile, say "OK" and walk away.

Now, I know there are paid professional evangelicals out there. One of you please explain to me how it is that this person's feelings of inferiority and worthlessness are reinforced by whoever is their spiritual leader? How can you possibly justify teaching someone they are so worthless they don't deserve anything they have? What's more, they were willing to argue with me about it to the point that they are willing to tell me I am just as worthless and undeserving as they are.

I thank my personal God that I was smart enough to see through BS like this at a very young age. I still want some explaination, though.

[Darryl_P]

His (or her) mindset works for me and rather than reflecting some sort of psychological weakness, I believe it is a sign of strength.

Relative to most other humans individually I tend to have a superiority complex if anything, but in the face of the big issues, the universe, the grand scheme, I can't help but admit I'm pretty much equivalent to nothing. It's sobering but true, and to be at peace with that is a big thing IMO.

I'm not sure I would go around trying to convince strangers of this, though. The signs are there for them to figure it out for themselves and they'll know when they're ready, if ever.

[JMP300z]

I think there is a subtle difference in what is being said/meant/felt. You feel like "hey what have i done to not deserve this." or hey "im pretty worthy guy". That has little to do in my opinion w/ a feeling of worth relative the universe. Of course OP feels small relative everything, but that still doesnt mean he doesnt feel like he deserves a nice day every now and then.

-JP

[mostsmooth]

better play: I smile, say "there is no god" and walk away.

[Hopey]

[ QUOTE ]

Them: "Nobody deserves any blessing God gives them. It is through grace alone he blesses them."


[/ QUOTE ]

Sounds like you work with godBoy or NotReady. Next time you see this guy you should ask him if he posts on 2+2.

[miketurner]

I agree it was a poor play by the stranger. I think this would have been better...

OP: "How are you."
Stranger: "I'm blessed and loved. You?"
OP: "I like to think of it as lucky."
Stranger: “That’s cool. Have a great day.”

Then just go on about your life, bearing good fruit. You have to recognize when someone is unreceptive or even offended by you feeling blessed by God. You are not going to “Bible thump” them into believing.

[Hopey]

[ QUOTE ]
I agree it was a poor play by the stranger. I think this would have been better...

OP: "How are you."
Stranger: "I'm blessed and loved. You?"
OP: "I like to think of it as lucky."
Stranger: “That’s cool. Have a great day.”

Then just go on about your life, bearing good fruit. You have to recognize when someone is unreceptive or even offended by you feeling blessed by God. You are not going to “Bible thump” them into believing.

[/ QUOTE ]

What's wrong with the stranger answering "I'm fine, how are you?"

Regardless of your religious affiliation, nobody expects to be preached to in such a situation.

[miketurner]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I agree it was a poor play by the stranger. I think this would have been better...

OP: "How are you."
Stranger: "I'm blessed and loved. You?"
OP: "I like to think of it as lucky."
Stranger: “That’s cool. Have a great day.”

Then just go on about your life, bearing good fruit. You have to recognize when someone is unreceptive or even offended by you feeling blessed by God. You are not going to “Bible thump” them into believing.

[/ QUOTE ]

What's wrong with the stranger answering "I'm fine, how are you?"

Regardless of your religious affiliation, nobody expects to be preached to in such a situation.

[/ QUOTE ]

Eh, I think that’s fine too. That is actually my usual response, as I am not quite outgoing enough to respond as the stranger did. But some people feel overwhelmingly blessed & want to share it. I see nothing wrong with that. If you expect to muzzle all people of faith, you really need to lower your expectations. It is both an unobtainable goal, and wrong of you to feel like we have no right to say we are blessed. Why is this simple gratitude so offensive?

[Hopey]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

What's wrong with the stranger answering "I'm fine, how are you?"

Regardless of your religious affiliation, nobody expects to be preached to in such a situation.

[/ QUOTE ]

Eh, I think that’s fine too. That is actually my usual response, as I am not quite outgoing enough to respond as the stranger did. But some people feel overwhelmingly blessed & want to share it. I see nothing wrong with that. If you expect to muzzle all people of faith, you really need to lower your expectations. It is both an unobtainable goal, and wrong of you to feel like we have no right to say we are blessed. Why is this simple gratitude so offensive?

[/ QUOTE ]

The social convention is to say "Fine, how are you?" when someone asks "How are you?". If you would rather look like a weirdo by preaching about God at this point, fill your boots.

If you feel the need to talk about the Lord at every possible opportunity, it'll make you real popular around the office, I'm sure of it.

[AJFenix]

http://www.peopleplayuk.org.uk/images/objects/cropped2/300/sch200303211278-007.jpg

[miketurner]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

What's wrong with the stranger answering "I'm fine, how are you?"

Regardless of your religious affiliation, nobody expects to be preached to in such a situation.

[/ QUOTE ]

Eh, I think that’s fine too. That is actually my usual response, as I am not quite outgoing enough to respond as the stranger did. But some people feel overwhelmingly blessed & want to share it. I see nothing wrong with that. If you expect to muzzle all people of faith, you really need to lower your expectations. It is both an unobtainable goal, and wrong of you to feel like we have no right to say we are blessed. Why is this simple gratitude so offensive?

[/ QUOTE ]

The social convention is to say "Fine, how are you?" when someone asks "How are you?". If you would rather look like a weirdo by preaching about God at this point, fill your boots.

If you feel the need to talk about the Lord at every possible opportunity, it'll make you real popular around the office, I'm sure of it.

[/ QUOTE ]

Cool. We agree.

[MidGe]

I would ask if I can help them find their spectacles as they seem to suffer greatly from selective vision.

[tolbiny]

Deserves got nothin to do with it

[madnak]

There's no point in asking if you expect a canned response.

God, I hate small talk.

[Marko Schmarko]

I love you.
- mark

[mmcd]

[ QUOTE ]
The following is a conversation I had walking down the hall with a total stranger.

Me: "How are you."


[/ QUOTE ]

There's your problem.

[Exsubmariner]

[ QUOTE ]
Deserves got nothin to do with it

[/ QUOTE ]

AH HA!

Now that's a good answer!

I say blessed has nothing to do with it either.

[Exsubmariner]

Yeah, I should probably just go back to being an [censored] and the next time somebody smiles at me, just kick them in the grill.

[Exsubmariner]

It's a monkey....on a string....

[Exsubmariner]

Small talk has it's uses.

[Exsubmariner]

Actually, this statement sounds remarkably similar to something you would read in the Quran, which I have been learning about lately.

Don't worry. I've shunned Christianity. I'm not dumb enough to think somebody else's religion is any better.

[Exsubmariner]

Cruel. Then they want to chase you.

You better be careful doing things like this, young man. You could find yourself being gang saved. I've seen this happen in the deep South Baptist churches and it ain't pretty.

[Exsubmariner]

Yeah, all my labors in the world have nothing to do with my successes. It's all just random reward to make me keep trying.

I am God's victim.

[AJFenix]

[ QUOTE ]
It's a monkey....on a string....

[/ QUOTE ]

Yea....its called a puppet....

Here, maybe this is better suited to your needs:
http://www.ketteringsurgical.co.uk/asp/pics/155/W11202.jpg

[Exsubmariner]

[ QUOTE ]
Of course OP feels small relative everything, but that still doesnt mean he doesnt feel like he deserves a nice day every now and then.



[/ QUOTE ]

[Exsubmariner]

That does bear a remarkable resemblance to the individual I was speaking to.

[Darryl_P]

[ QUOTE ]
Yeah, all my labors in the world have nothing to do with my successes. It's all just random reward to make me keep trying.

I am God's victim.

[/ QUOTE ]

You are missing the point here. No one said God doesn't reward people for working hard. Usually he does, but it's not because he *has* to, but rather because of his gracious ways.

To put your deserving something at a more basic level than God's grace is to either say that God doesn't exist or that he has to follow some sort of moral code and not the the other way around (ie. the moral code has to follow him).

[Exsubmariner]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Yeah, all my labors in the world have nothing to do with my successes. It's all just random reward to make me keep trying.

I am God's victim.

[/ QUOTE ]

You are missing the point here. No one said God doesn't reward people for working hard. Usually he does, but it's not because he *has* to, but rather because of his gracious ways.

To put your deserving something at a more basic level than God's grace is to either say that God doesn't exist or that he has to follow some sort of moral code and not the the other way around (ie. the moral code has to follow him).

[/ QUOTE ]

Are you aware that in Genesis, God told Adam that he would live by the sweat of his brow as will all his children for eternity as punishment for eating from the tree of knowledge? So you are saying that if God decided that eternity thing didn't really apply anymore it would be OK for all good Christians to stop adhering to the Puritan Work Ethic?

[miketurner]

[ QUOTE ]
Are you aware that in Genesis, God told Adam that he would live by the sweat of his brow as will all his children for eternity as punishment for eating from the tree of knowledge? So you are saying that if God decided that eternity thing didn't really apply anymore it would be OK for all good Christians to stop adhering to the Puritan Work Ethic?

[/ QUOTE ]

Where?
Genesis 3:19 “By the sweat of your brow
you will eat your food
until you return to the ground,
since from it you were taken;
for dust you are
and to dust you will return”

[Exsubmariner]

So I take you are one of Adam's children who doesn't live by the sweat of his brow? You must be a minister.

[miketurner]

[ QUOTE ]
So I take you are one of Adam's children who doesn't live by the sweat of his brow? You must be a minister.

[/ QUOTE ]

No. You can take it that I know how to read.
I quoted Genesis, and it doesn’t say what you claim it says.

[Darryl_P]

[ QUOTE ]
Are you aware that in Genesis, God told Adam that he would live by the sweat of his brow as will all his children for eternity as punishment for eating from the tree of knowledge? So you are saying that if God decided that eternity thing didn't really apply anymore it would be OK for all good Christians to stop adhering to the Puritan Work Ethic?

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm no theologian but I do know that the bible can be interpreted a zillion different ways, the literal way often being the least likely to be correct.

Here is a link (http://www.answersincreation.org/genesis2.htm#Tree%20of%20Good%20and%20Evil) which talks about the stuff you mention. Maybe you can find an interpretation of it which is less drastic and still makes sense.

I certainly don't think God has (or will ever have) anything against the Puritan work ethic per se, but again I think you are looking at it on too micro a level.

You could still deserve more recognition and material goods than any human being on earth based on your work and deeds in the earthly dimension, but still deserve nothing on the grand philosophical scale just like the rest of us.

I know it seems like a contradiction but, if you think deeply about it, it really isn't.

Look at it this way....God put you in a position to play the game. That part was out of grace. Then within the game you are doing well and so, within the rules of the game, you deserve a number of rewards within the game. Whether those rewards within the game are still rewards in the larger dimension is anybody's guess. They might be, but then again, they might not be.