[Quix]

I agree entirely with what you said.

Transparency for HIS LIGHT is a crucial part of the mark of the High Calling.

AND

[not but or however but AND]

He did not make us clear glass pipe robots. He could have. He chose not to--clearly--for a reason--at least one.

He delights in the personalities HE gave us. He delights in the fellowship with those personalities.

He could have made cookie-cutter/cloned/glass pipes. He did not. He chose NOT to.

There is abundant merit and wisdom in MORE OF HIM AND LESS OF ME.

However, as my teen pastor said--if you kill self--who's going to worship God?

Yes, we die to self daily; take up our crosses daily etc. . . . all good and crucial Biblical truths.

There can be, though, a kind of mindless jumping off the deep end with such which is akin to eastern religion where the MASTER obliterates the personalities of his robotized serfs to the demonic forces manipulating them all.

THAT is NOT CHRISTIANITY. Christianity is wholesale different--not just in window dressing.

I don't think there's a pat answer or a stationary line to avoid crossing.

The line is something Holy Spirit has to speak to us each individually about moment by moment. Today, doing X behavior might cross the line. Next week in a different context with different people and different motivation, it might not. Doesn't mean Christianity is relative chaos; slippery, ends justify means at all. No!

But God is also obviously not an idiot. Clones and robots are not very interesting. We may have various levels of addiction to sitting in front of TV's or computer screens but we really don't FELLOWSHIP, dialogue mentally, emotionally, spiritually--intimately with machines.

I think, Angel-Gal, you know all this. I'm not sure, however, if you agree with all of it! LOL.

I'm not sure therefore what . . . I just kind of cringe when it sounds like folks are saying or about to say . . .

I'M JUST A GLASS PIPE FOR JESUS.

I want to say something like WELL TRADE YOURSELF IN, He didn't make you a glass pipe--go find your personality and let HIM CONFORM !THAT! TO THE IMAGE OF HIS SON POURED AND ENLIVENED THROUGH HOW HE CREATED YOU.

Then you will be the suitable variety fit & particularly and specifically designed for HIS bouquet.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thank you so much for your wonderful metaphors, dear hosepipe!

Is a diamond more precious than a topaz?..

I don’t think “precious” would apply to being transparent in God’s Light – more like “fruitful.” (John 15, Galatians 5) But it takes all kinds, as you say. A painting all in one color couldn’t say much. And paintings have their own language, you know. (*wink*)

I'm amazed and delighted at Alexandrite, a particular rare precious stone.. It is one color in artificial light and another tint of color in natural/sunlight..

Perhaps many of us are like the Alexandrite – appearing one way when in the company of certain souls and differently when in the company of others. But my prayer is that we will all walk in God’s Light (1 John 1:7)

All precious stones are unique to what they are because of their crystalline structure.. The crystals that they are made of are unique.. Even the frequencies of light they absorb are unique to what kind of stone it is..

I found this particularly fascinating, i.e. that each stone is unique in the frequency of light it absorbs. That is a very important metaphor, IMHO – because it seems to me that a lot of us – while walking in God’s Light – absorb some or all of it, failing to “let our light” shine as Christ commanded in the Sermon on the Mount.

Some of us may be selective in one we absorb but refuse to let flow through us – like forgiveness, i.e. receiving God’s forgiveness while refusing to forgive others. But bottling up all that Light cannot have a good ending – and we know it does not in the example given. (Matt 7)

Which brings me to your reply, Quix!

I rejoice that Christ picked twelve very different persons! And that He received seven very different churches in Revelation!

Truly, I believe the foundation stones for New Jerusalem are a metaphor for this beauty – we are not cookie-cutter Christians. God is like a master artist whose Creation – both spiritual and physical – is a living canvas.

But personally, I must never give up trying to be utterly transparent in Him – a diamond instead of a sapphire.

You see, Quix, when I first believed I was not just absorbing Light (using hosepipe’s metaphor) – I was a black hole. Light cannot escape the gravity of a black hole, and light passing by it is bent by the intense gravity. That’s me. Left to my own devices, I would absorb all of God's Light and hurt those around me.

Therefore, I personally cannot afford the luxury of slacking off, dear brother in Christ. So I will continue to try to be like a diamond, though I know in the end I’ll be blessed to be an amethyst.