When my wonderful husband asked me how Wednesday night went, I said - I think I lived through one level of Hell that Dante forgot to include. Now, ignoring the fact that I've never read Dante's Inferno (insert mild aghast gasping), this was a harsh thing to say. I repent of that anger and frustration. My girls know they have things to work on, and strapping seven of them into a Suburban for one hour revealed some heart issues - perhaps a good tactic. But the point is this: we are commanded to look only to Christ, so wouldn't the antithesis of this be looking only to ourselves?
C.S. Lewis described Hell as an unwinking, constant gnawing upon Self. When you think about it - if Heaven is all about knowing Christ and glorifying our God, and if He removes His influence from Hell, wouldn't this be the case? Trapped in ourselves, in our own selfishness, with no hope of anything else - what is there outside of ourselves that offers joy except God and His Blessings?
So, I told my class at PSCC that working with Jr. High Girls could be a great evangelistic tool. Really, any group would work, but girls in this age-range have an amazing propensity for being mean and self-obsessed (well, we all do - perhaps we hide it better as we get older). If people spent time with those so stuck on themselves they couldn't even see they were stuck on themselves, wouldn't that terrify sinners enough - though a pitiful and brief glance at Hell - to repent?
P.S. I really love my Jr. High girls - this is just what I've been pondering lately. :)
7 comments:
Admittedly I am aghast at your lack of personal, literaturical experience with the Inferno. Even I have read that one, and that is not saying much.
But I will say that I'm glad you're on the front lines in the battle against the Mean Girls. I pray that the girls will look to Christ, avoiding hell on earth and for eternity.
Wow. Dante and pop-adolescent culture in one comment. Then a sentence fragment. Must make an English prof proud.
Thanks for the great reminder. I think it is great how are you are willing to put so much into those girls(and me :>). Love ya!
I love to see your love for others and your desire to see them (and yourself) become more holy.
Reading your post was a good way to shake some sense into my thinking--or shake some nonsense out?
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Wow, I've found the same to be true too! Where did you get that at?
See you soon! WonderGirl
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I am not sure I would agree completely with your comments on hell. I would add to it something about knowing (as the demons know) that God is God and ruler of all while hating Him (as the demons hate Him). God is going to be pouring out His infinite wrath on unbelievers for their rejection of Him. It seems as though they would have to be aware of that. Combined with the selfishness you described, it makes me want to repent! But I am already saved so I will stick to the JH guys.
Keep praying for those girls, Mrs. B!
I think, from an outsider's point of view, that if I were one of your junior high girls and I read this, I would be really, really hurt and angry. Maybe you ought to remove this post before one of them finds it.
Keep up the good work.
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