Burning Eyes

In the realm of metaphors, a fire can represent a myriad of different things. People have come to realize that they have a love-hate relationship with fire. They understand the importance that fire can bring. They know that fire can bring warmth as well as light. Fire is applicable in cooking a meal, drying clothes, etc. In the night, fire gives a sense of safety and security. People also know the destructive power of fire. Those who have seen a fire destroying a house or even the woods can testify to this. Once a fire is free of all safety measures, it can kill and destroy.

The eye is another example of people using metaphors using anatomical portions of the human body. Some of these metaphors include such phrases as:

1. The Window to the Soul
2. Screaming in silence
3. Deep Eyes
4. Ocean of wonder
5. Telling a story
6. The size of dinner plates
7. Eyes that sparkle
8. Sunken
9. The thousand-yard stare
10. Eyes in the back of my head

These are just a few examples of metaphors concerning the eye. What, then, do I mean by "burning eyes?" Before I begin, I want to illustrate a short anatomy lesson. 

In the illustration to the left, you see the connection that the eyes have with the brain. The brain section is the occipital lobe. Let me start by saying that the brain is the human body's most complex organ. The study of the brain, therefore, is a difficult task. The occipital lobe puts together the information gathered by the eyes into one coherent picture. One function of this lobe is to assign meaning. This lobe takes data from several different areas. These areas include the eyes, long-term memory, and short-term memory. One example is when you hear a song, and it brings back visual memories of incidents. In this example, the sound can bring feelings of nostalgia to pain.

All of this is just basic anatomy and function. It does not get into the area of intent, usage, and application. Fire, as previously mentioned, is a powerful metaphor. It is applied to describe how a person is using their eyes. What do I mean? You can look with a wide range of emotions such as:

1. Hate
2. Envy
3. Passion
4. Greed
5. Lust

Yeshua talks about this very thing in the book of Matthew.

The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great [is] that darkness! - Matthew 6:22-23 KJV

If your brain is constantly fed a diet of pain, misery, and garbage the filter setting on your brain will be turned to the same thing.

Sincerely,

David A. Kitchens

Overdressed Killers

The title of this sounds as though it was the headline of some B-Rated horror show. The kind of movie that is complete with bad acting and a worse script! Unfortunately, as much as we would like to restrict these horror shows to the realm of Hollywood, it happens in real life more than we realize. There are times we need to see just how bad an actor we have become.

Personality and character are the combinations of several different factors. According to several sources, personality is the way someone thinks, feels, and behaves. It embraces moods, attitudes, and opinions. Character, although similar, goes deeper. The simple way of putting this is that personality is what you want people to see. Character is who you are despite what personality you show the world. To fully understand a person's character, one needs to observe that person over some time.

There are those times when the situation tempts the character in a person. It can be hard to restrain your character to rely on the personality one is projecting. At first, it may seem as though you have mastered the art of deception. I tell you that this is taking a toll on you in more ways than you can imagine. I say this from first-hand experience. From my experience, I was driving away from the people who wanted to help, but I left them little to no choice but to let me walk away. The people around me were in the same shape I was. After all, misery loves company!

It is from this standpoint that I have written the following poem:

I am at the edge of insanity

I am at the edge of inhumanity

I have fallen off the edge

I am clinging to the ledge

I am crying for help

Instead, I am shelled

I see overdressed killers

Stepping on my fingers

A crowd of pawns gathers

To feast on my cadaver

Their heart is great

Overflowing with hate

Now I am not suicidal. I love life. I have written this using a metaphor of a man clinging to life and sanity. I am not playing games with people anymore but, instead, I am crying for help. What I am receiving is a healthy dose of my own medicine. I see people whose character not matching with the personality they project. At this moment, I see them trying to push me off into the abyss! Some of these people have disguised themselves as teachers, lawyers, pastors, and friends. They are eager to push me off into the abyss so they can use me as an example of what not to be. At that moment, I understood that they had no love in them at all. Only one could reach into the place where I have shut everyone else out. I give you the final portion of the poem.

Only One reached out

What Love is all about

This Man of Shalom

Invited me into his home

So who are these overdressed killers? They come disguised as winning personalities, but their hearts are dark, cold, and conniving as the worst serial killer known to humanity! I do not hate these people. I see them in the place I was at one time. I pray that G-d reaches them. I pray that somehow that G-d uses me to reach out to them.

Sincerely,

David A. Kitchens, Editor

You're wrong before I even know what you are going to say!

 

I am sure that you have run across people that it does not matter what you are going to say, but they automatically assume you are wrong. It does not matter how well you have checked your information. To some people, it simply does not matter. There is one quote that this reminds me of, "Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply." The quote points out the purpose why people, in general, do this. It is not their intent to understand what you are saying. The reasons behind that lack of intention are as varied as the people involved.

Many people have written about this, so I am not going to cover all that they have. In my own experience, it was a lack of respect. That is to say that they had some preconceived notions about me, the topic, their prejudices, assumptions, presumptions, prejudgments, etc. I will add to this mixture a healthy dose of vain and foolish pride.

At this point, nothing that you say will convince them that their preconceived notions are, at best, misguided and, at worst, wrong. At this point, it is cognitive dissonance. We then get to the problem where what you say is challenging their preconceived notions.

When you are talking, they are arguing with you in their head. They may stop at one particular point and then formulate a response. The rest of what you had to say is lost. Those who have respect for themselves and other people will suddenly realize there is no respect coming. It is an example of how people have discovered which people are "real" and  "fake."

Scripture speaks of shepherds who feed only themselves. These actions s come at the expense of their flock. They are usually the ones crying, "peace, peace" when there isn't any found. The wounds go untreated, the lame neglected, and the blind neglected.  

When John the Baptist asked Yeshua if he was the one that they should expect, the response from Yeshua has come to illustrate a powerful lesson. Yeshua instructed them to go back and report what they have seen. The blind receive sight. The lame walk. The deaf hears and the dead raised to life.

There is one church in the book of Revelation that is called the Church of Laodecia. Here Yeshua describes them as wretched, poor, blind, and naked. Yet, for all of their riches, they had become too comfortable. They had become apathetic. They had become lukewarm. Lukewarm people have no intention of actually listening to the problems all around them. They did not want to understand, communicate, or assist other people.

Sincerely,

David A. Kitchens

Lazy Standards and the Route to Collaps

Several events over the past few days have reminded me of a conversation I had with a co-worker. I was working for the City of Wichita Falls at this moment in time. It was a moment in time when I was trying to maintain a double standard. Yes, I admit it. For everyone else, I expected them to adhere to the strictest of standards. As it goes for me, then I expected them to apply "lazy standards." When challenged, I had a host of ready-made excuses.

In this conversation, I found myself arguing against my position. While I didn't admit this publicly, down deep, the guilt was building. I would find a way to make even more outlandish claims, excuses, etc. I would find myself listening to people who shared my opinion. While this may have alleviated one level of guilt, it aggravated another. G-d has a way of provoking you to remember where you are guilty. It will continue until you repent or you shut out G-d completely.

When you sink to that degree of depravity, nothing in your life will remain that same. You will find your life slowly crumbling. It is at this point G-d will stop trying to get your attention. G-d will not give his glory to another. He will not argue with you.

Outlandish Claims

The picture I am using depicts an old and abandoned building. From a certain point, we can see it is correctable. Yet, when you look at the bottom of the walls, you recognize that there is a dilemma. The foundation is severely damaged, and there is no hope of rescuing the building from certain ruin. The solution, drastic as it may be, is to allow the building to fall. Then repair the foundation. When we listen to the opinions of men and not the Truth of G-d, we build on an unstable foundation.

Hearing His Voice

The conversation that Jesse and I were having point out that people lowered the bar when it came to G-d and Religion. Contrary to the apparent opinion of many, the requirements are the same. It took someone perfect to meet the demands of a Holy and Righteous G-d.

1 Peter 4:17-19 - For the time comes that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begins with us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

Please note that this verse identifies three different types of people in God's eye. These are (1) Righteous, (2) Ungodly, and (3) Sinner.

Crumbling Foundation

You see the effect in today's world. You have people who care about the job that they do. They are the ones who strive to do the right things in difficult circumstances. Yet, without fail, we have those who will claim that the "standards" are too difficult to keep. They push for the lowering of standards. If they get their way, the "business" will be in an ever downward spiral. Instead of the best and the brightest, they will accept secondhand. Eventually, the business will find itself in an increasingly difficult position. 

While God set the standard, he also provided the assistance necessary for us to meet that standard. To reject the foundation set by God will find yourself in the position of the "ungodly." It isn't God you are following. You are following your own opinion as to what is good, right, and just.

Sincerely,

David A. Kitchens, Editor