Chapter 3: Caught in A Golden Cage
“In an explanation of the inner sphere of the person, one has to begin somewhere, and I have chosen to begin where Christ appears to have begun—with the distinction between the called and the driven. …He dealt with their motives, the basis of their spiritual energy, and the sorts of gratification in which they were interested. He called those who were drawn to Him and avoided those who were driven and wanted to use Him.” (p. 29)
“There are lots of driven people doing very good things. Driven people are not necessarily bad folk, although the consequences of their drivenness may produce unfortunate results.” (p. 31)
Symptoms of The “Driven” Person (p. 31-36):
A driven person is most often gratified only by accomplishment. (can be seen in constant “multi-tasking” and a concern for the results over the process)
A driven person is preoccupied with the symbols of accomplishment (status, titles, notoriety)
A driven person is usually caught in the uncontrolled pursuit of expansion. (Can be true even in a spiritual sense; never satisfied with self, others, church)
Driven people tend to have little regard for integrity (pragmatic, end justifies the means)
Driven people often possess limited or undeveloped people skills (a “trail of bodies” in their wake)
Driven people tend to be highly competitive (everything is winning and losing)
A driven person often possesses a volcanic force of anger (not just physical, but verbal)
Driven people are abnormally busy.
“…much of our world is run by driven people. We have created a system that rides on their backs. And where that is true in businesses, in churches, and in homes, the growth of people is often sacrificed for accomplishment and accumulation.” (p. 36)
The Biblical Example of A “Driven” Man: Saul
1 Samuel 9:1-2 (NLT)
Kish was a rich, influential man from the tribe of Benjamin. He was the son of Abiel and grandson of Zeror, from the family of Becorath and the clan of Aphiah. [2] His son Saul was the most handsome man in Israel—head and shoulders taller than anyone else in the land.
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2 comments:
This one is a little more confusing without being in the class or reading the book. When he says, "He called those who were drawn to Him and avoided those who were driven and wanted to use Him," what are some examples of that? I have known people that fit the description of the "driven" person he outlines and I can certainly see where they were destructive in certain situations, but I am trying to think of real Biblical evidence for his statement. What is the point he is getting at here as far as how this relates to your "inner sphere?" (Sorry, you probably already covered this in your class, but I find this very interesting... I am trying to figure out what I think about this guy's ideas and if I should bother getting the book.)
The trick is a matter of direction, I think, more than of activity. There are very busy "called" people, too--but they operate under the principle of stewardship--God owns everything, including me, and all I do his for His glory. Where the "driven" person (like King Saul) forgets who is in charge, and even does the "religious" stuff according to their own agenda (in his case, offering the sacrifices before Samuel arrived). The part of this lesson that bugs me is that not every person prone to driven-ness hits all the nasty bases (volcanic anger, poor relationships, bad people skills). Like so many other sins, the danger is not the "way over the line" stuff that we KNOW to avoid, it's the grey areas where we fool ourselves into thinking all is well while we are really not putting God and His will first.
As for examples of the "driven" that Jesus turned away, I think of those who demanded signs and wonders, or the Pharisees.
See you tomorrow! Roast Beast at Granny's!
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