Amanda's Reflections on Pentecostal Spirituality #1

Today's Reflection is from Pentecostal Spirituality A Passion for the Kingdom by Dr Steven Land Introductions The Purpose of this blog is to embark on a journey of the infusion of faith, experience, scripture and reflection.

Disclaimer- If you find these views to be offensive or stupid, feel free to comment anyway just as long as you intend to express yourself with the means to end in a greater understanding. I do not expect everyone to agree with my journey and I am sure many will find it heretical, I, a free thinker wish to ponder theology to come to a deeper meaning of life.

Passion is almost always associated with emotion. Passion has found its way into poetry, love and pain but what of in religion? Is it better to be passionate about your belief or not? Are emotions really all there is to passion? Reflection #1- Passion .
So I looked up passion in the dictionary and most of the definitions describe passion as an emotion or feeling. But I did stumble across another definition that did not associate with an emotion. Passion -the state of being acted upon or affected by something external, esp. something alien to one's nature or one's customary behavior.
Lets pretend that you notice something out of place with your environment or character. What would you call the moment you decide to change it? It would seem that you could call it a passionate response to an indifferent experience.
It would be safe to say now that I believe passion can be used to describe someone who has decided to change due to a conviction. Conviction is fixed or firm belief and when a person becomes a Christian they are telling God that they accept the truth and will walk in the truth. So someone who has a firm belief will be passionate. Now, it is true that not everything you do to make a change does not have to be a big event... like deciding to drink milk or water... but it surely shows that you care enough about something to change yourself or thing.
Now that we have clarified that passionate people have conviction, what is left in the argument that being passionate is a bad thing. After reading numerous blogs that say " Oh, Pentecostals are just a bunch of passionate... well you know" the next subject to address is the display of passion, right?
It is obvious that this idea of passion has more to do with how one displays their conviction. So this goes to show that some Christians think they are better than passionate Christians because one displays emotion or behaviors. Display can mean to spread something out so that it may be most completely and favorably seen. So if the intend of the Christian is to be seen by God, what room does a reserved worshiper have to hate on someone's communication with God? It is not intended for anyone else but God. Among many Pentecostals polled about their displays post- service say they do not recall what anyone else did when giving passionate displays to God. This is evidence that Pentecostals DO NOT do it ostentatiously, but in becoming righteous with God. This is called "praying through" and this topic will be further explained at another time.

BRINGING IT HOME

So how does this talk circle back to me?
A quick anecdote... I received the most interesting comment from my boss. He had told me that he wishes he could use me on every shift. When I asked him why, he told me it was because I was faithful in showing up on time, getting things set up and could anticipate things that need done. I smiled and told him that I was just doing my job. He said he knows but not every employee does this.

I walked away thinking that even we as human beings full of knowledge and experience do not always do the right thing. It is more common to say that most people do not do what they are mandated to do. Some will even admit it. This goes to show that people do not act upon their convictions so those who do act on what they know is right are praised due to their passion.

So to say that Pentecostals are too emotional or passionate would put the one stating this opinion in a difficult position. Perhaps Pentecostals are passionate about doing things right. Doing things with conviction! Perhaps those who call another person passionate with the intent of insulting are really making themselves look sub- par.
Why do they treat Christians who want to live their faith correctly as mere zealots that only sense to annoy their complacency? So to the complacent, are the teachings of the Bible and doctrine optional? Be rest assured that when someone says this, the implications here state that we are to live mostly Christ-like. MOSTLY? So we are only to put our righteousness within the 65 percentile range .... just as long as we are receiving passing marks? Who is more insolent... the complacent or someone who does things with conviction?