We live in a
crowded and busy marketplace of competing faiths, dueling deities, and rival
worldviews, which means that we have to choose, deliberately and intentionally,
which god we’re going to serve and which way through life we’re going to
travel. Bob Dylan got it right when he
said: “You’re gonna’ serve somebody,” so we need to choose that
somebody/Somebody wisely. If we don’t, we’ll likely end-up simply serving some
version of ourselves. Maybe subtly or
perhaps obviously, we’ll make ourselves the center of our attention, loyalty, and
commitment.
When
choosing the god we serve and the path we follow, I think there are important questions
to ask, questions like:
choosing the god we serve and the path we follow, I think there are important questions
to ask, questions like:
Does my faith have a truthful, realistic, sober, yet hopeful view
of the human condition and the nature of the world? Does it cause me to see people, however broken
they/we may be and however wrong they/we may go, as beloved children who have
more potential for light and joy than they/we know?
of the human condition and the nature of the world? Does it cause me to see people, however broken
they/we may be and however wrong they/we may go, as beloved children who have
more potential for light and joy than they/we know?
Does it give me a vision of the world made whole? Does it energize me to work toward that
wholeness?
wholeness?
Does my faith cause me to respond to suffering with compassion?
Does my faith speak meaningfully to my longing for love? Does it enable
to become more loving?
to become more loving?
Can it deal failure and guilt—with shame and alienation—in a way
that restores people to community and gives them/us the confidence that new
beginnings are possible?
that restores people to community and gives them/us the confidence that new
beginnings are possible?
Does my faith give me a reason to live that is bigger and more enduring
than myself?
than myself?
I remain a
follower of Jesus, because the way to which he calls me is a way which answers “yes”
to these questions. As I experience it, It is a way to authentic and meaningful
life. I am some distance from the life to which he has invited me, but that distance
is a reflection on the energy and pace of my travel, not on the direction and value
of the path.
follower of Jesus, because the way to which he calls me is a way which answers “yes”
to these questions. As I experience it, It is a way to authentic and meaningful
life. I am some distance from the life to which he has invited me, but that distance
is a reflection on the energy and pace of my travel, not on the direction and value
of the path.
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