Very often my own life illustrates Truth to me. Often my relationship with my child tells me many things. Just recently, as is her bent, she was getting an attitude when I tried to talk about something important for me, but which she doesn't care about or want to think about. Now, I realize it was over her head somewhat, but not so far that she couldn't engage with me on some level. But instead she chose to make it as difficult to proceed as possible. To so ruin the moment that I didn't even want to talk any more. So was I to force the issue and win the battle of wills? Sometimes I do, but not in this case. So I stopped talking.
That's when it hit me: that she was treating me very much like we treat God. I wanted to share something that was from a deep part of me. I wanted to reveal my heart to her and to know hers and to experience the real joy of close friendship. But she was more interested in what I could do for her and nothing more. Don't bother her with anything else or she'll do as poor a job and make it as miserable as possible until she gets her way or hates me for forcing things. It's a fight that truly can't be won...not really. I can enforce my will but I can't in the least make her love me...make her want to know me.
All the blessings of clean clothes, good food, shelter, protection, entertainment that I bestow upon her are lost. They just are what she has always known. They don't make her love me, though of course I would not stop them...sure check them from time to time, remove luxuries when necessary to coax behavior. Of course, I will feed her, clothe her, comfort her, protect her always, even if she doesn't acknowledge it or deserve it. But what I really want is the open and free relationship of enjoying each other's company.
I think God wants nothing different from us.
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Padded chains
Today I was confronted with a scenario that makes me very angry. Not angry at any one person, though it is tempting to assign blame to someone. It's more an anger at the results of the situation which I'm sure no one wants. People just can't often see how their words can be taken by others.
Someone was talking about people's lack of responsibility. About how we often see things that need to be done and push them off on others, either intentionally or inadvertently. This speaker fancies himself the one responsible for those he speaks to and because he has a burning desire to do certain things a certain way, feels others should follow suit...that it is all of our God-given responsibility to do things this way. They aren't bad things in themselves, and his motives are to help people I think, but it's that sort of subtle poison that really gets me fired up because it is the most damaging. Here's why:
I know for a fact that there was at least one single parent listening who is constantly struggling to get by. This parent has her hands full working and taking care of the family and trying to make it look like she's half-way together. Throw in some messy personal circumstances and you have an all too common mix for a difficult life. This parent finds solace in good friends and in helping others. How great is that, rather than alcohol or other destructive behaviors! Yet it is still a means of dulling pain that cannot yet be addressed directly. So here she sits listening to this same talk of doing more and how God expects us to use our very last breath to do everything we possibly can for him. What!
No way, man! I won't buy it. This lady needs less burden not more. The first speaker was lamenting how God's people don't get up and do...well that's because you're trying to motivate them with whips and chains, Bro! You can't just wrap the irons in velvet pads and call it Christianity! Jesus set the captives free, his yoke is easy and his burden is light. We could debate the interpretations of this all night, and I don't want to engage in that. But I can say this. No one is responsible for me but me, and you for you. None of us have to do anything more than what God tells us each to do. And that's different for each of us because we come from different places and need different things. Try genuinely meeting needs instead of whitewashing your walls, man! That's what people need.
No where did Jesus ever tell anyone, to go and join a team in some big organization and make sure they devote every last bit of energy to do menial tasks so some guy can preach at some self-righteous yuppie who cares more for clean carpet than the state of the people whose sweat and tears got it dirty in the first place! It's all still working for God's approval! This is twisted and this is what people hate about Christians!
And to my single-mother out there, I pray you forget every word. Take some time, spend it slowly. Be Mary instead of Martha. God has it under control and doesn't need your help. This guy wasn't talking to you.
Someone was talking about people's lack of responsibility. About how we often see things that need to be done and push them off on others, either intentionally or inadvertently. This speaker fancies himself the one responsible for those he speaks to and because he has a burning desire to do certain things a certain way, feels others should follow suit...that it is all of our God-given responsibility to do things this way. They aren't bad things in themselves, and his motives are to help people I think, but it's that sort of subtle poison that really gets me fired up because it is the most damaging. Here's why:
I know for a fact that there was at least one single parent listening who is constantly struggling to get by. This parent has her hands full working and taking care of the family and trying to make it look like she's half-way together. Throw in some messy personal circumstances and you have an all too common mix for a difficult life. This parent finds solace in good friends and in helping others. How great is that, rather than alcohol or other destructive behaviors! Yet it is still a means of dulling pain that cannot yet be addressed directly. So here she sits listening to this same talk of doing more and how God expects us to use our very last breath to do everything we possibly can for him. What!
No way, man! I won't buy it. This lady needs less burden not more. The first speaker was lamenting how God's people don't get up and do...well that's because you're trying to motivate them with whips and chains, Bro! You can't just wrap the irons in velvet pads and call it Christianity! Jesus set the captives free, his yoke is easy and his burden is light. We could debate the interpretations of this all night, and I don't want to engage in that. But I can say this. No one is responsible for me but me, and you for you. None of us have to do anything more than what God tells us each to do. And that's different for each of us because we come from different places and need different things. Try genuinely meeting needs instead of whitewashing your walls, man! That's what people need.
No where did Jesus ever tell anyone, to go and join a team in some big organization and make sure they devote every last bit of energy to do menial tasks so some guy can preach at some self-righteous yuppie who cares more for clean carpet than the state of the people whose sweat and tears got it dirty in the first place! It's all still working for God's approval! This is twisted and this is what people hate about Christians!
And to my single-mother out there, I pray you forget every word. Take some time, spend it slowly. Be Mary instead of Martha. God has it under control and doesn't need your help. This guy wasn't talking to you.
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