Vol III: #28 Truth Loops
One of the hardest parts of life is how two truths seem to conflict with each other. And on occasion, these axioms create a loop. Depending on your position- in or out of the loop- determines your perspective on the loop. For example, most of would agree you need a job to gain experience and you need experience to get a job. To the young and eager positioned outside, this may appear to be an unbreakable truth loop. The question of how does one gain experience without a job is the most common question to ask in this scenario. (The answer is not one people want to hear so I will save it for another day.)
Truth loops are all over the place and I encounter such a truth loop when I read what Jesus preached in Matthew 5 and 6. How can I be a light and a city on a hill while I heed the warning “beware of practicing your righteousness before men.” Seems to me Jesus is questioning my motives, which is something I do all the time. Thanks Jesus.
One of my prevailing weaknesses is the need to be seen as a good man. And, after years of trying to prove myself, I finally learned how my weakness worked. My insecurity is a dragon who is never satisfied. No amount of affirmation or pats on the back will be enough to feel good about who I am. The trick is to be secure in the knowledge of who I am in the Lord. That’s the place I find my rest and peace. Without a need to perform for people, I’m left with the Lord. And, do I perform for Him? (Performance is what we do for someone when the thing/task/service isn’t our reality.) Isn’t that what we call religion? Most importantly, how do I leave it behind?
When I think about all the sermons I sat through, the ones that scolded the audience and shamed us into “Christian behavior,” I’m left wondering why we put our behavior above the relationship? To be a light on the hill is to shine without shame. And the flame is lit by Him, not me. How, when, and where I shine is up to the Lord. And, there is freedom in it.
The only answer I have is that we- the church body- need the Christian life to look a certain way. We need the prophetic and miracles and people getting saved. We need banners and flags and well crafted prayers before the collection plate comes around. And all of those things are great and awesome, but they are not fruits of the Spirit. Churches are stuffed with people who act like Christians or try to act like Christians. And, it’s the worst. Let’s not forget Paul said nothing of the supernatural when he wrote Love is kind, Love is patient, or Love is long-suffering. And, he didn’t mention the resurrection of the dead when he explained the fruit of the Spirit- peace, love, hope, joy, faith, righteousness, etc.
I guess the best answer to my truth loop question is: Jesus’ warning is about performance, and the commandment to shine is enabled by relationship with Him. As such, my writing, this blog, can be a light and it can become a task to check off my list. I pray the task days are few and far between.
