In an interview with John...
Illustration
In an interview with John Ortberg, he says: "One of the analogies that's kind of been helpful to me is the difference between a motorboat, a raft, and a sailboat.
"In a motorboat I'm in charge. I determine how fast we're going to go, and in what direction. Some people approach spiritual life that way. If I'm just aggressive enough, if I have enough quiet times, I can make transformation happen on my own. Usually that results in people becoming legalistic, then pride starts to creep in, and things get all messed up.
"Some people have been burned by that kind of approach, so they go to the opposite extreme and will say, 'I'm into grace.' It's like they're floating on a raft. If you ask them to do anything to further their growth, they'll say, 'Hey, no. I'm not into works. I'm into grace. You're getting legalistic with me.' So they drift. There are way too many commands in scripture for anybody to think that we're called to be passive.
"On a sailboat, however, I don't move if it's not for the wind. My only hope of movement is the wind. I can't control the wind. I don't manufacture the wind. Jesus talks about the Spirit blowing like the wind. But, there is a role for me to play, and part of it has to do with what I need to discern.
"A good sailor will discern, Where's the wind at work? How should I set the sails? Spiritual formation is like sailing." (from John Ortberg, "Holy Tension: Creating and seizing opportunities for spiritual transformation," Leadership Journal, Winter 2004)
"In a motorboat I'm in charge. I determine how fast we're going to go, and in what direction. Some people approach spiritual life that way. If I'm just aggressive enough, if I have enough quiet times, I can make transformation happen on my own. Usually that results in people becoming legalistic, then pride starts to creep in, and things get all messed up.
"Some people have been burned by that kind of approach, so they go to the opposite extreme and will say, 'I'm into grace.' It's like they're floating on a raft. If you ask them to do anything to further their growth, they'll say, 'Hey, no. I'm not into works. I'm into grace. You're getting legalistic with me.' So they drift. There are way too many commands in scripture for anybody to think that we're called to be passive.
"On a sailboat, however, I don't move if it's not for the wind. My only hope of movement is the wind. I can't control the wind. I don't manufacture the wind. Jesus talks about the Spirit blowing like the wind. But, there is a role for me to play, and part of it has to do with what I need to discern.
"A good sailor will discern, Where's the wind at work? How should I set the sails? Spiritual formation is like sailing." (from John Ortberg, "Holy Tension: Creating and seizing opportunities for spiritual transformation," Leadership Journal, Winter 2004)
