The aim of the missionary is to do God's will, not to be useful, not to win the heathan; he is useful and does win the heathen, but that is not his aim. His aim is to do the will of his Lord.
Oswald ChambersRead
People write fiction in their minds all the time - every time we read a 'human interest' news story, or a true crime tale, we find ourselves fascinated because we're trying to understand why people behave the way they do, why they make the choices they do, how we become who we become.
Interpretation
This quote reflects on our innate curiosity about human behavior and the narratives we construct in our minds.
Dan Chaon's quote suggests that fiction is a mental construct we engage with constantly, especially when reading stories that delve into human experiences. It highlights our fascination with understanding the motivations behind people's actions and the complex web of choices that shape our identities, illustrating how our minds seek to create narratives that explain the human condition.
In practice
In a book club discussing the themes of human interest in fiction.
The aim of the missionary is to do God's will, not to be useful, not to win the heathan; he is useful and does win the heathen, but that is not his aim. His aim is to do the will of his Lord.
Too many sit at the banquet table of the gospel of Jesus Christ and merely nibble at the feast placed before them. They go through the motions - attending their meetings perhaps, glancing at scriptures, repeating familiar prayers - but their hearts are far away.
If you don't feel comfortable owning something for 10 years, then don't own it for 10 minutes.
I hate to see complacency prevail in our lives when it's so directly contrary to the teaching of Christ.
From time to time it's fun to close our eyes, and in that dark say to ourselves, 'I am the sorcerer, and when I open my eyes I shall see a world that I have created, and for which I and only I am completely responsible.' Slowly then, eyelids open like curtains lifting stage-center. And sure enough, there's our world, just the way we've built it.
Immorality: the morality of those who are having a better time.
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