What is it about drawing lines that seems to be so prevalent within the way I see the world? Often times I rush to group people into those who are “in” and those who are “out”. I classify people into religious groups, political groups and moral groups. In drawing lines I seclude myself and fail to see that not only are we all connected, but in separating myself I deny any chance to love.
I was reading Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller last night and one of the last chapter hit me in a peculiar way. Miller was talking about an experience he had with some hippies in the woods, he talked about how his upbringing taught him to steer clear of liberals, homosexuals and pot heads. However, after spending a month together with these evildoers, he found that they were indeed some of the most loving and accepting people he had ever met. He reflects about some past Christian communities he has been apart of saying,
"The problem with Christian community was that we had our ethics, we had rules and laws and principles to judge each other against. There was love in Christian community, but it was conditional love. Sure, we called it unconditional, but it wasn't. There were bad people in the world and good people in the world...Christianity was always right; we were always looking down on everybody else. And I hated this... I was tired of biblical ethics being used as a tool with which to judge people rather than heal them. I was tired of Christian leaders using biblical principles to protect their power, to draw a line in the sand separating the good army from the bad one."
I was reading Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller last night and one of the last chapter hit me in a peculiar way. Miller was talking about an experience he had with some hippies in the woods, he talked about how his upbringing taught him to steer clear of liberals, homosexuals and pot heads. However, after spending a month together with these evildoers, he found that they were indeed some of the most loving and accepting people he had ever met. He reflects about some past Christian communities he has been apart of saying,
"The problem with Christian community was that we had our ethics, we had rules and laws and principles to judge each other against. There was love in Christian community, but it was conditional love. Sure, we called it unconditional, but it wasn't. There were bad people in the world and good people in the world...Christianity was always right; we were always looking down on everybody else. And I hated this... I was tired of biblical ethics being used as a tool with which to judge people rather than heal them. I was tired of Christian leaders using biblical principles to protect their power, to draw a line in the sand separating the good army from the bad one."
I have some good friends here. It was hard at first to know how I should act around them, I mean they are... catholic (gasp) or agnostic, of atheist. There was this tension, something down deep within me that was putting this enormous pressure on my heart and mind to...well, save them.
If you cannot relate to what I am saying, let me share with you a little secret. It is hard and lets not forget awkward to carry on a conversation when you are thinking about try to change the other persons minds. In fact, I am going out on a limb in saying, it is impossible to love them, when you are trying to force change upon them.
It did not take long for me to identify this pressure to "convert the world" as something that is not good. Sure, it looks good, but it isn't. In the past four months I have had some of the most incredible conversations of my life. My friends have taught me how to listen and how to love. In fact, they have shown me Christ.
We may not share the views, but when you think about the word "view" as in "worldview" there is not a person in the world the sees and understands reality in the same way. We all "view" a painting or "see" a sun set differently, is one right and the other wrong? This is a rather vast subject and one that indeed makes people nervous, in fact it makes me uncomfortable just writing about it. Can every one be right? Well, I guess that depend upon the question. Some questions are by nature objective, others not so much. I am going to leave this question/thought open. But, my original point of the post was this: drawing lines is like building a wall and when we build walls between people who think or live differently than us, we are no longer in a position to love them, and if my memory serves me right, that was one of the things Jesus kept on nagging about.
O yeah, Merry Christmas to everyone!
I will be in France with my roommates and their families. I know sounds rough. All this traveling is starting to take a tole on me, but I will try to tough it out and take a few pictures along the way.
Note: about the picture, if you don't agree with me about what I have just written you too shall face me in the circle of doom (and yes, I won).
Location: Valencia, Spain a few weeks ago
6 comments:
The last thing I want for Christmas is a match against Colby in the circle of doom.
Happy winter solstice, my friend.
I love it! I love your bold questions that indeed make people uncomforable (it does that to me). I love challenging the traditions and trying to make sense of what Jesus said. That is what rabbis did with the Law and Prophets... and I think that is what we are invited to do as Christians.
Here's my question: Jesus said to give to whoever asks without expecting anything in return.
This verse and I have been battling in the cirlce of doom for a couple years now. If I do that here in La Paz, I will be out of resources in probably a week. Maybe that is what Jesus wants. Maybe only when I give away what I've got will He replenish my resources. Maybe I'm supposed to be poor. Whatever it is, I'm scared to try. Lack of faith? Too much thinking? I don't know. But as uncomfortable and confusing as it can be, I love to ask those questions, and so I encourage you to keep doing the same.
Merry Christmas!
Skype's still given me fits, call sometime to catch up on the Festivus season...
And Sean says hi.
I love you, Colby Boy. Good words and great thoughts. I agree.
Wonderful insight colby. I am glad you have the ability to step back, observe, and confront situations that are uncomfortable for you. You made some excellent points. It's unsettling at times to be torn between feelings, but I'm glad you have learned something, which is to avoid drawing lines or putting up walls.
cuidate loco,
Joseph
Randy,
I bit after the fact, but just a thought concerning your comment.
Try it!
What if that is what Jesus was saying. What do you have to lose?
That is an unfair question, because you have a lot to lose, but also a lot to gain. What if you started giving to people and churches as you felt lead. What if in giving, you learn something about life and yourself that you could have not learned about any other way. What if you end up one or two steps closer to be detached from the false material safety net? What if people call you a fool and a crazy person who gives all that he has to others. I guess you could be called a fool for worse things.
At the end of the day, all the material is not all that important. So maybe Jesus said that we should give to those in need for our own good, maybe having less indeed helps us to see life a little clearer.
Than again, maybe not.
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