On Maps

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.  For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror.   For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.  But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.  -- James 1:22-25

I have always had a fascination with maps.  I used to draw my own when I was a kid.  The child in all of us probably likes treasure maps with 'X marks the spot'.  GPS is really nice, but it does not hold the same mystery as a map.  And that's the thing about a map, it shows you the way but it's not the same as going there.  You can imagine the adventures you might have traveling the trail marked out with strange place names.  Even on the maps I have of this settled and civilized and fenced in country, there are road-less gaps and spaces, where, if you are going to go, you won't be riding in a Cadillac.      

 

It is impossible to reduce the truth to words.  We can speak the truth, but it always exceeds our ability to fully express it.  We are always reduced to metaphors and comparisons.  The truth is ineffable.  Knowing this, that reality is always going to evade capture and confinement in our language and equations, are doctrines and dogmas of any use to us?  How is that we can know the truth if we cannot communicate it?

As we’ve noted before, George MacDonald quoted one particular verse several times in his fictional works:  So Jesus answered them, My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me.  If anyone's will is to do God's will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority (John 7:16-17).  

The only way to know the truth is to act upon the truth, obey the Word, and put into practice what we see is right.  Only when we operate in accordance with and obedience to whatever revelation we have will more be given to us.   It is only in doing God’s will and desiring to do His will that we have understanding.  We can know and recite all the doctrines of the Church, but this form of knowledge leads only to guilt and condemnation or spiritual pride and self-righteousness.  We must live the truth. 

Since we are frail in our flesh, it is often the case that darkness overtakes us on the road.  Clouds may obscure the sun, and we find that we have missed our way.  We don't need to wander about lost and ask other lost people for directions because we do have guidance readily available.  Scripture and our creeds and our dogmas are the maps and the compasses and the sign posts that will put us back on the right track and help us hold a true course.  As much as we value, adhere to, and trust in these helps, we are not foolish enough to confuse our compass with the pole to which it points. 

“What do you think? A man had two sons. And he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’  And he answered, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he changed his mind and went.  And he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, ‘I go, sir,’ but did not go.  Which of the two did the will of his father?”  (Matthew 21:28-31)

Shell Games

”But what do you think? A man had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘My son, go, work in the vineyard today.’

“He answered, ‘I don’t want to!’ Yet later he changed his mind and went.

“Then the man went to the other and said the same thing. ‘I will, sir,’ he answered. But he didn’t go. Which of these two did his father’s will?”

“The first,” they said.

Jesus said to them, “I assure you: Tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you.” --Matthew 21:28-31

Those who attend churches and call themselves Christians today seem to be deeply concerned about immorality – especially the specific immorality of others. The adulterer wants to help the drunk out of his pit, and the drunk looks down on the drug user, who, in turn, is repulsed by the homosexual. We can always find someone more disgustingly immoral than ourselves. It’s a fact of human nature. You can have a prison full of rapists, murderers, thieves, and pushers, but you cannot turn a child molester loose in general population. They won’t last fifteen minutes because even the most hardened criminal hates that particular kind of perversion.

Jesus, on the other hand, never freaked out about basic immorality. He certainly did not approve of it, but it was not His focus. After all, we all know that lying, cheating, stealing, murder, etc. are wrong. Jesus did not lay aside His glory, empty Himself of all His rights, and walk a pain-filled path to the Cross in order to point out that we should be “better” people. He made His point with His own life, laying it down, denying Himself.

What did get the Lord stirred up was the idea that we could serve God on our own terms, in our own way – which really amounts to serving our own god. A group of idiots like the Westboro Baptist Church illustrates this point in hundred-foot high pink and green neon, but a lot of Christians -- including me -- are guilty in less egregious ways. I want to hold onto self and figure out some way to get God to go along. Jesus said, “Deny yourself.” That’s the only way to truly serve the Lord.

Christians like to talk about doing God’s will. We have sermons and seminars, classes, conventions, and conferences. I am reminded of the philosopher, Tuco, who said, “When you have to shoot, shoot, don’t talk.”

My friend, Eddie, used to tell his own, updated version of the Good Samaritan. A man had run off the road into a big ditch, was hurt and could not get out. Member of various Christian denominations and movements came by and turned away with condemnation, offered no help, or, at best, shouted a comically inappropriate platitude or two toward the broken man in the hole. The Samaritan in Eddie’s story was a cigarette-smoking redneck with empty beer bottles in the floorboard of a dirty old truck. It was done so well that Eddie was almost never invited back to speak at a church after he told that story.

Kind of like Jesus.

Pointing out the essence of sin is what makes me uncomfortable. As long as I can keep it categorized into good and bad behavior, while avoiding the more notorious categories – prostitution, homosexuality, accounting, and politics, I am good. Jesus won’t let me off that easily. He says it’s not about how big and graphic and perverse my failure is, but it is about my simple refusal to deny myself, take up my cross and follow Him. Nothing more is required, and nothing less will do.