Bono

In this week's issue of Time Magazine, Bono and Bill & Melinda Gates are named the Persons of the Year for their efforts in tangibly helping the poor of the world. In the article about Bono, there is the following quote:

"Born to a Protestant mother and a Catholic father, Bono describes his faith as 'promiscuous.' He quotes Scripture and counts meetings with Pope John Paul II and Billy Graham among the most significant of his life. 'I try to live it rather than talk about it because there are enough secondhand-car salesmen for God,' he says. 'But I cannot escape my conviction that God is interested in the progress of mankind, individually and collectively.'"

That is very well said. I need to learn more about this man. Even though I continue to read conflicting stories about his faith, whatever you think about Bono, he is making a difference and he appears to be driven by his faith in Jesus.

War

Once more, a profound message from Oswald Chambers:

"To him who overcomes . . . " Revelation 2:7

Life without war is impossible in the natural or the supernatural realm. It is a fact that there is a continual struggle in the physical, mental, moral, and spiritual areas of life.

Health is the balance between the physical parts of my body and all the things and forces surrounding me. To maintain good health I must have sufficient internal strength to fight off the things that are external. Everything outside my physical life is designed to cause my death. The very elements that sustain me while I am alive work to decay and disintegrate my body once it is dead. If I have enough inner strength to fight, I help to produce the balance needed for health. The same is true of the mental life. If I want to maintain a strong and active mental life, I have to fight. This struggle produces the mental balance called thought.

Morally it is the same. Anything that does not strengthen me morally is the enemy of virtue within me. Whether I overcome, thereby producing virtue, depends on the level of moral excellence in my life. But we must fight to be moral. Morality does not happen by accident; moral virtue is acquired.

And spritually it is also the same. Jesus said, "In the world you will have tribulation . . ." (John 16:33). This means that anything that is not spiritual leads to my downfall. Jesus went on to say, ". . . but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." I must learn to fight against and overcome the things that come against me, and in that way produce the balance of holiness. Then it becomes a delight to meet opposition.

Holiness is the balance between my nature and the law of God as expressed in Jesus Christ.