“The spiritual life is first of all a life. It is not merely something to be known and studied, it is to be lived.”
-Thomas Merton, Thoughts In Solitude
“Superficiality is the curse of our age… The desperate need today is not for a greater number of intelligent people, or gifted people, but for deep people.”
-Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline
“Everybody thinks of changing humanity and nobody thinks of changing himself.”
–Leo Tolstoy
Foster’s quote reminds me of something a man once shared with me: “When I used to look at people who were gifted and talented I would be envious of them, thinking God could really use people like that. But over time I’ve started viewing things differently… Now when I see a gifted or talented individual I’m sad and think, ‘That person has a lot to get over before God will be able to use him.'” Too true.
In God’s economy, everything is backwards. The first will be last, the last will be first. Those who live by the truth they know (even if that be very little) will always be far ahead of those who merely intellectually know truth (even if that be very much).