Planning

It's better to search for a reason than to struggle for a justification.

Character Development

Heard a preacher this weekend, speaking about Christian persecution (in yet one more joy-filled, inspirational Sunday morning experience).  He said suffering produces character.  That's not what Paul said in Romans 5.  Paul said suffering produces perseverance, perseverance then produces character, and character produces hope.

Paul's comments must be considered in the context of how a dedicated Christian reacts to suffering, especially one as dedicated as Paul.  Suffering, in this context,  doesn't lead directly to character or hope.  One must first have the intrusion of Christian perseverance, opening the door to character, and that character then leads to hope.  If a person chooses to be simply a victim of suffering, then the perseverance that can lead to character is unlikely to result.  Victims lament and live in their circumstances, inviting desperation, depression, anger, or worse.  It's choice of which path to follow, and the path can't really be short cut.

Paraphrase

Seems present day applicable:
-  On my travels, I came to a fork in the road.
-  I chose the road less traveled by.
-  Now I don't know where I am.

Paradox

People often act in ways that responsible people view as irresponsible, leading to the perpetrators being responsible for crimes against innocent people. Those innocent people are typically not responsible for the circumstances or causes of the irresponsible act. Then, the government responds and  advances efforts to prevent a recurrence.  Those efforts seldom have any impact on those actually responsible for irresponsible acts, since laws have little or no control on irresponsible people.  However, the governmental actions often have freedom-limiting impacts on responsible, law-abiding people, upon whom the controls are not necessary, since the innocent are not responsible for the original irresponsible act. Therefore, in trying to hold the irresponsible responsible, the innocent are penalized not only by the event itself, but also by the response to it.

It all seems irresponsible.  Failure often results when one seeks to heal a disease merely by treating its symptoms - a malady that seems to infect most all politicians.

Reflection

In Romans 7, Paul offers up that, even in his advanced state as an apostle, he still struggles with doing the things that he knows are right and wrong.  It's a humble demonstration of the fellowship he intends to share with the recipients of the letter.  Good advice on how to approach others.