Are You Safe In My

Heart and Mind?

Discipleship Group Questions for January 23, 2005

 

Scripture:

 

1 Corinthians 1:10-13  “I urge you, brothers and sisters, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree in what you say, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and in the same purpose.  For it has been reported to me about you, my brothers and sisters, by Chloe’s people, that there are rivalries among you.  I mean that each of you is saying, “I belong to Paul,” or “I belong to Apollos,” or “I belong to Cephas,” or “I belong to Christ.”  Is Christ divided?  Was Paul crucified for you?  Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?  For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with the wisdom of human eloquence, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its meaning.” 

 

Questions for Reflection:

 

  1. This reading shows a very fractured community – fighting amongst themselves.  How safe do you think they felt with each other.  Ask yourself this question: “How safe are people in my heart and head?”  What we’re getting at here is this – is your heart and head a safe haven for people – a sanctuary, or is your heart a place where they are far from safe?  Do you work at thinking good thoughts about others or is it more often true that your thoughts about others are dictated by how they treat you at any given time?  Be real in your evaluation – discuss this in your group.
  2. We must never forget that self-denial is at the end of all of our journeys and humility is the key virtue in making this most critical journey.  A quote from Jeremy Taylor’s book “Holy Living” comes immediately to mind when we talk about the humble disposition:

 

“For the humble man will not judge his brother for the mote in his eye, being more troubled at the beam in his own eye; and is patient and glad to be reproved, because himself hath cast the first stone at himself, and therefore wonders not that others are of his minde.”

 

Please discuss this in your group.

  1. What disciplines could you engage in to make your heart and mind more of a sanctuary – a safe place – for those you love and those you don’t love?  Please discuss this in your group.