Reflections on Erev Shabbat (Fri 10 May, 2024).

“That's a privilege (and responsibility) of being elementally [self-aware], to be able to question a previously held belief and gain a brand new consciousness about our [personhood] Just like there are parts of the Father he keeps [hidden] until later on, so there may be parts of ourselves we don't get to realise until quite a bit later down the road. Ultimately of course, [Jesus is Lord], including being Lord over our [modality], but it can't be a good thing to remain in a fog about who or what we are, kept in the dark so to speak. It is our [right as children of God] to know how we've been made in [his image] and to ask the Holy Spirit to reveal aspects about ourselves or our spouse, siblings, offspring, friends, etc to fully understand the [context of why] a person is "so like that" in order to navigate the often thin or [liminal spaces] between relationships that ought to be preserved according to the apostolic injunction: "If it is possible, as much as depends on you, [live peaceably] with all men" (Rom 12:18)” **

[self-aware] - In today's "selfie generation," where there's a strong focus on "me, myself, and I," self-awareness is crucial. It's not just an "optional extra"; it's a necessity for self-mastery. The terms we use have shifted to a self-centric view, yet the truth is more about understanding our role in relation to others. Therefore, self-awareness should also consider those around us, including family, friends, or colleagues. The more we understand ourselves, the more we can be empathetic towards others' needs and concerns. This concept also applies to "slow flight," an aviation term used when a pilot carefully navigates into a busy airport. In a similar way, we can apply this strategy in our interactions and leadership, moving cautiously towards our goals while being mindful of the "crowded space."

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[personhood] - at the very core of modalities lies the christian ideal or the existence of the human “soul” which, in an unredeemed state, will be a liability instead of an asset. It’s a liability due to uncontrolled flight, like an intoxicated pilot in the cockpit, anything can happen. But the soul redeemed is a thing of beauty. Directed by the Spirit, under proper guidelines set down in the New Testament, there is such a thing as creative magnificence, a freedom of random acts of kindness, mercy and unexpected generosity that cannot be categorised or predicted. This as spice to life and translates to an often serendipitous sweetness that is the hallmark of Christian ethic and leadership.

[hidden] - a parent will sometimes, for the good of the child shield his offspring from certain untoward experience until later, censor certain images or filter concepts and ideas that may not be in the best interest of a child. This is the reason why we have strict limitations imposed upon us in the law, regarding almost every aspect even in adult life. These are boundaries meant for our protection as safeguards, not to limit our freedoms but to protect them. Think of traffic lights. Again, think of the instructions given by ATC to pilots in very crowded air spaces over a big airport like Changi.

[modality] - Likewise, we don’t need to know everything about our selves, but we walk according to the light we have about God and about ourselves. However, what we “don’t know” about ourselves is just as important as we “we know” about ourselves, others or God, after all Jeremiah speaks about those “(great and mighty things) you do not know” (Jer 33:3). Thus, we see in part, and we prophecy in part is how the NT apostles understood this which calls for great wisdom especially in navigating all our person-to-person exchanges exercising the utmost caution in group dynamics. The Japanese have such an ethic that makes their culture radically other centric, in their management of trash for example, or their extreme politeness toward strangers, always yielding rather than insisting on their specific agenda.

[right as children of God] - so the starting position is “not knowing” which is the jump-off point in self-knowledge, which is why Jesus is so keen about groups of people who come together” (1 Cor 14:26) with the intent to allow the Lord and master over modality to speak into our lives around the shabbat table of plenty. There is plenty of food because there is plenty to talk about for where “two or three” (modalities) gather, “there I am in the midst” adding his thoughts, combining his own perspective from heaven’s eye view about the interactions that we all take for granted in miracle oneness. This is interplay gives freedom of expression where we are allowed to express opinion we far more liberty than in public, where we are open to correction and willing to accept course correction or “fixes” in perception always maintaining situational awareness.

[live peaceably] - the quote comes from at the end of Romans chapter 12 which also is the same place in Scripture that is the jump-off point for one of the hebrew scriptures that speaks about biblical archetypes, namely, Romans 12:6-8. This is perhaps the clearest explanation of the periodic table of human behaviour as it outlines the curricula for a comprehensive understanding of “systematic humanity”. We’ve all heard of systematic theology, a methodical study of the who, what, when, where and why of God. Likewise, there should be a complete systematic humanity, a methodical study of the who, what, when and why of persons made in the image of God. Self-mastery is one step toward being able to “live peaceably” with your neighbour irrespective of individual difference in nationality, ethnicity, language or religion. The the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom applied to human relations in answer to Ezekiel’s question: “how then shall we live” (Ezk 33:10).