Have you seen the movie "Parenthood". In one scene it shows the contrast between the mother and the father as they're riding on a roller coaster. The way they respond to the fast ups and downs of the ride is a metaphor on their views of life; of parenting.
The look on the face of one parent is excitement, joy; delight, glee and almost rapture. While the other parent is gripping the handrail with a look of complete terror on his face. When it comes to parenting and family responsibilities, I"m the one gripping the handrail. I can't help it, it's in my genetic make up. However, I can try to manage it and I do, on a daily basis. That's one of the reasons I have chosen to have faith in God, in a power higher than me. I came into this world thinking that there really is no one that can help, that's bigger than me. I had this dark revelation at an early age. Probably about eight.
Yet in 1972 I had another revelation. And that was seeing Jesus as God.
Seeing Jesus as human, yet not human. Seeing him as this person who speaks from the other side. Seeing him as this person who while on earth, was a crazy radical that the government and the religious people couldn't control. But most importantly, as the story goes, he was a person whose physical body came back from death. That was the icing on the cake for me. It still is when it comes to faith. It's what separates him from Buddah, whom I deeply respect, or any other great "teacher". Jesus was not just a great teacher. He called a dead person back from the grave, physically,
he healed people, he walked on water, he controlled water. WOW! That's crazy. He also was angry, at least once. And it's recorded that he was angry at the money changers in the temple. He threw stuff and he probably yelled. He was obviously very disturbed by the whole situation.
Now, I'm not using his experience as a total comparison to me and how I sometimes feel. But at least it gives me hope and lets me know that this person who I have accepted as God was like me. He got pissed off... Really pissed off and threw things around.
Here's the deal. I'm angry right now at a few things. I'm angry at the way some people just go to church on Christmas, and other times criticize the church for all their faults. I'm annoyed with them because they're a whole lot like all the people they criticize and they truly don't see it. They have turned from the faith they were anchored in because the boat capsized.
For that, I understand , although I don't agree with their philosophy. I think they gave up way too early. And I'm annoyed because even though I know there is no real security in this world, I still believe I'm right about having faith in Christ and I so want them to join me in the faith. I believe that the answers to their problems in life, in relationships is still in Christ himself. What a dilemma that is !!
I am annoyed at how religious people, people who claim to be Christians, are using the word "wisdom" concerning the refugee situation, when it's really just fear. They are afraid of our enemy and it is very obvious. They are afraid that if we love too much, we will die. Fear of death and losing control. I thought we were supposed to sacrifice our lives as Christians. Isn't this the perfect time for that? I mean Jesus knew he would die, he knew that even though he said some crazy things, and pissed off the religious leaders, he still taught the greatest of anything is love. He still told us to forgive, to love and to give of ourselves no matter what the cost. He taught this not only from his words, but by his example of how he lived while here on this earth.
I mean what if Jesus' followers sort of freaked when they realized that the religious leaders were getting really upset to the point of telling the Roman government to just do what they needed to do . What if his followers said something like, "Jesus, think about it. Go to the desert and hide because you know they're after you. We can't lose you. We're just getting set up with this whole thing you're teaching. And what if, I mean what if they come after us? Think Jesus, it's not just your life we're talking about, it's us too. We totally admire you for all you've been teaching, but you need to have just a little common sense."
I'm also really annoyed that people have skewed the message of Jesus to fit their Western cultural view of the American dream. These are people who desperately want security. They desperately want to believe that if they live right, pray, say the pledge of allegiance, go to church every Sunday, work hard and make sure they have a retirement account, and teach their children to do the same, they will be protected.
Protected from what, I'm not too sure. One thing I am sure of though, we all wind up at death's door. We all die alone. We all go through the valley of death, and as many near death experiences I have read about in my life, and I have read a lot, we still don't know what it's like to die.
I wish we could have a little car or train or some other vehicle that would take us to the other side where we would be able to get a glimpse and listen to the 'wisdom' of the others who have gone before us. Well,obviously it's not going to happen. But Jesus was there on the other side, he did come back and that's why I listen to him; read his story.
It's Sunday morning and I'm gong to church soon. I go because it helps me feel connected. I"ve chosen this church in particular because the pastor is intelligent enough to know that the church's message is not about how to live in a bubble, and it's not about politics, but it's about our personal faith in Jesus Christ.
So happy Sunday people....If I dont' see you before, I'll see you on the other side?
