Read It Again
Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. Philippians 4:8 NASB
Excellence – In 2013 we looked at the difference between the Greek idea of excellence (arête) and the Hebrew idea. Rabbi Tzvi Frank offered some “excellent” insight.[1] I hope it made a difference.
What I’m afraid about is that we read these insights but they don’t actually alter the way we live. We still follow the ingrained ideas of our Western Greek culture in spite of the information we gather from these studies. For example, I struggle all the time with not knowing enough Hebrew and Greek to easily spot the differences in thought. I’m not a great scholar like Gager, Young or Guthrie. I’m not even close to the caliber of men like Heschel. I feel inferior! That’s my Greek Western world playing havoc with my emotions. I don’t think of “excellence” in terms of the gifts God has given me. I think of it in comparison to all the superior examples found in other people. I don’t think of “excellence” in terms of reaching my personal God-given potential. I think of it in terms of all those others who demonstrate greater understanding, better insights, superior writing. And when I think like this, I just want to give up. I know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that I will never be an Abraham Heschel. I want to be like him, but frankly, I am not capable. I can view this as a failure OR I can realize that God equipped me for something else—and that’s what I should be about.
It’s very difficult to unhook the automatic assumptions buried in our cultural heritage. It’s not just intellectually difficult. It’s emotionally upsetting. It often makes me feel as though I spent most of my life living a lie. Now that I see how far from the truth I really was, I think of all those years as wasted. But once again, my Greek Western world is getting in the way. God couldn’t have pushed me to the place where I am right now without guiding me through all that mess along the way. I needed to go through all that to get here. It isn’t a waste. It is an essential part of my journey.
“If there is anything excellent” is not a description of the “best of the best” trophies. It’s a way of being in the world where who I am is the product of continuing to use all that God has given to me—and being content with just that.
Topical Index: excellent, arête, Philippians 4:8
[1] You can read the original investigation in the Today’s Word, March 9, 2013 or https://skipmoen.com/2013/03/ask-the-rabbi/
See, Skip, the suffering (boy, don’t I know it, too!) comes from thinking that “excellence” must be an interior job, and, further, that the “excellence” of others is interior superiority, too, but is that what the verse says?
Greeks were obsessed with individuality as the essential definition of identity. We in the West ‘naturally’ assume the same. The more I stand out from the crowd with unique ability the more identity I enjoy. Thus, excellence = ‘specialness’. Little kids are told that they are ‘special’ and that that is why they should “feel good about themselves” (worth), but is that what the verse says – does it say “dwell IN these things”?
Back to electricity for me. Electrical current can only exist when circuits are connected – completed. A perfect circuit is one that is hooked up with a source and a destination, too. At no point is that current ended. It is a current precisely because it flows THROUGH. A perfect circuit is one that does not even slow down, much less stop or start, with a junction. When it comes to love, perfection cannot possibly be about me!
We are told that all goodness comes from beyond us, and the goal of it is to continue on to all around, too. Perfection in this scenario is about seamlessness with the Love Source and, concurrently, with all around me. Excellence is going to involve how motivated I am to be obtaining enough love of the right kind (from beyond me) to be of use to all beyond me. At no point is it about me at all. That’s a relief!
How connected I am at any given moment is the only ‘worth’ (excellence) I have at all. It really is all about Him! “Dwell(ing) on these things”, for me, consists of thinking about my motivation (hint: it should be “whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise”) to go get that way to be a blessing for others. These ‘things’ have no value in and of themselves, but only as they create value for others. They are not Greek ideal states; they are descriptions of HOW to connect to the world around me. You might could even think of it as projecting value – creating value – that can be described in these ways.
My identity is established ONLY when I am able to establish these wonderful ways to connect with everyone and everything else. I don’t get to be lovely unless and until I want it for what is NOT ME. I get loved in the process of loving. What a concept! (Still working on it!)
Ephesians 4:11-13 and he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ:
But it was never about me attaining the gift, rather it is about the gift that was given to the body being used to it’s extent.
On a side note, it always amazes me how truth and reality expose each other. The similarities between the operation of an electrical circuit and the operation of the kingdom of heaven is concerning the potential that exists and the switches and units that access that potential. We’re “stuck” in that reality (nothing new under the sun) in a good way, otherwise, how do we discern truth. Of course, plugging something in seems to make all the difference in the world. 🙂
And to further your concept, we are only the wires – conductors – conduits of His love. He has said (it’s all true, amen!) “without Me, YOU (or you or you) can do NOTHING!!” Presactly. Yes, John.. (amen, again) – He must increase but I must decrease.. Less of me – more of the ONE who is Love Incarnate!!
I enjoy the metaphor of the electrical circuit. Maybe I’ll throw out a couple more thoughts relative to electricity. Thought one would be: Nothing will ever happen in any circuit, no matter how creatively designed, until the circuit is ‘grounded’. No ground, no flow. In other words, we are all just electrical ‘potential’, until we are grounded, i.e. grounded in and with God. Point two can be a little ‘disruptive’ to our perfect circuit. A resistor of any value of resistance can be cleverly attached to our circuitry, to slow down and disrupt the flow of electrons, and impede the goal of the circuit. I have encountered many ‘resistors’ in my life’s circuitry. Sometimes it’s our silly self that creates the resistance, sometimes paradigms and sometimes, the accuser. And so it’s wise to be a good circuit ‘trouble-shooter’ to evaluate the source of your ‘glitch’. Then one will know where to ‘snip/cut’ and remove the resistance, or worse-case, modify the circuit, which is pretty much what the Creator’s redemption process is doing, as I understand it. Stay grounded!
I can certainly identify with Skip’s comments, but unlike him I was never considered good enough to go to Oxford or Cambridge! There are always and will always be many people more accomplished than we are in all sorts of ways. I have tried to come to terms with my God given limitations and work within them to maximize what I can do in the direction he has called me.
Is anyone’s view of excellence more excellent than others?
Is anyone’s relationship with God more excellent than others?
If God is not a respecter of persons, then the answer would be no.
One thing jumped out and hooked me from Today’s Word, and that is: “Now that I see how far from the truth I really was”. A bold statement. An insightful statement. A truthful statement. And the ‘rub’ is, most people, in my observable universe just don’t care to “see” and search. It’s either too much work or they are content to accept ‘truth’ that has been spoon fed to them either by tradition, their pastor, their denomination doctrine, so-called evangelical pundits like Dobson, Graham, Robinson and the like, Fox News and The Christian Broadcasting Network. Why probe and think when all the ‘answers dressed as truth’ have been provided by ‘Christian” leaders or “Christian’ media or mom and dad. It can be lonely to live a life of seeking answers to why we believe what we believe and quite mentally exhausting. It can also be frustrating and lead to anger and discouragement. The question of ‘How can these ‘Christians’ believe or support that person or that agenda, which it the antithesis of the Lord’s teachings?” is the most frustrating of all and seeming without answer, unless one retreats to the discomfort of ‘ignorance’ or ‘laziness’. That’s the ‘curse’. But the ‘blessing’ is found in the courage and acumen of those creatures willing to dig, think, meditate and publish insights that flip on the light of understanding and often challenge establish paradigms. Thinking is often ‘rocking the boat’. But better to live one’s life seeking God’s truth, as we can understand it, then to accept ‘whole-cloth’ the regurgitations of others, so that one does not have to think for one’s self. That’s why it is so difficult to get a creature to change ‘its mind’ on and any issue. And so I am grateful for those willing to ‘jump into’ the “pool of the possible’ and render to us, the reader, their findings, experiences and their ‘take’ on meaning, that this hard work reveals. I am thankful to Skip and all of similar nature, past and present, who seek and explore with their God-given gray matter and I fill a sort of ‘light pity’ for those who would embrace laziness, as they sit on the ‘couch of apathy’, watching the River of Life pass them by. Such a shame to waste one’s life with your mind locked from the inside.
I couldn’t agree with you more, David.
~ And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and profound insight, so that you can discern what best, (approve the things that are excellent) that you may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.…~
Amen
Thank you for this, Dr. Moen: “God couldn’t have pushed me to the place where I am right now without guiding me through all that mess along the way. I needed to go through all that to get here. It isn’t a waste. It is an essential part of my journey.” I so needed that encouragement today! As an introvert, growing up in a military family, there has been a lot of mess inside of me. Today I read one of your posts on “anger” and being a “fool.” Every move, I chose foolishness instead of faith. I’ve struggled with “wasted years” thinking for awhile, but Yahweh has helped me, through your writings, to see that nothing He plans and does is wasted. I just need to repent for my failure to trust Him all those years and move on! My spiritual “mom” was 48 years old when she decided to follow Yeshua…wholeheartedly! She just passed away at the age of 100. Her life’s “closing” was so rich and amazing! It is never to late to surrender to The Lord and let Him continue to use us for His “excellence.” Thanks again! Without your writings, I would still be a “gentile” wondering in a “gentile christian” world. 😉
Again we see, being as we where created to be is the goal. Being all we where meant to be the ideal. Not being for others, but in our being wholly ourselves we offer ourselves to others in wholeness and delight. It’s that easy and that hard and it is opposed by huge and unrelenting forces…
This seems to be the theme fr me today. It bode the question, where to go from here.
Skip,
First of all thank you for the work you do!…especially all the insights you write. I have three of your books and many of your audio teachings. There are primarily two Hebraic Roots Torah Teachers that have changed my life substantially on account of their writings and teachings and you are one of them. So In response to the first sentence, my life HAS been altered by your insights, and I hope there are many more who can say the same thing.
I have written you in the past, and should write you more often if only to simply thank you, but I usually hesitate because I’m not a very good writer and it takes me sooo long to write anything because it is difficult for me to organize on paper what is in my thoughts. It’s probably because I’m scatter brained! :0)
Another part that stood out to me is the real or imagined comparing ourselves to others. I have spent over 90% of my life doing this, and it always leads to idolatry and destructiveness. Because of YOUR insights I have learned to overcome this addiction mainly by accepting myself as YHWH created me to be. How else can I love my neighbor as myself? I can’t tell you how much more content and relaxed I feel. I have also learned to celebrate others gifts and talents without envy or jealousy. I will say I still have a bit of an identity crisis at times because when you grow up without a father, grandfather, mentor, etc., there is a longing and desire to connect and it is difficult to relate and understand some things. I am still trying to understand what Abba means when He says He is a father to the fatherless.
I think the main reason that prompted me to write you is to encourage you to know that you ARE doing what Abba has led you to do, and all those past experiences that you thought might be a waste are the very things that shaped you into the man you are…..so very capable and accomplished to share insights that would be close to impossible had you come along any other way.
Do you have any idea how long it took me to write this?!! Me neither but it was a long time! :0)
Shalom and Blessings brother!
Thanks for posting this. You should keep writing. It only takes practice. About 10,000 hours and you’ll have it down. 🙂
I don’t know if I will live that long! :0)
Hi Tommy. I grew up with a distant and uninvolved father. He loved me but did not care for us well rather focusing his attention on work, or the children of my step mother, his third wife. Yet the simple truth is that YHWH did father me. His Word is true you can really trust “He is a father to the fatherless”. He mysteriously guides, directs and provides all we need for life and Godliness. He uses fine men like Skip and others that know him and respond to encourage, teach, guide and direct your life and walk with him. That has been my experiance he’s just doing what he says he will. It’s we who do not see our belive it sometimes.
Thank you Mark, I wholeheartedly agree with you!
Hi, I ran accross this website yesterfay when searching for the Greek meaning of the word ,conform, as found iin Ronas 12:1. I love to read! Recently, I have found it difficult to find fiction worth reading. Does anyone know of any authors that write fiction with the Hebrew worldview in mind? Thank you for any help.