Monday, January 23, 2012

The Table

What is the nature of a table? One day, you could use it as a station to hold papers or cutlery but the next day, you could take it to a snow-covered hill and use it as a toboggan. Is the table's nature determined by the wiles of the user or is its nature inherent? Where did the table come from and who created it? Why was the table created and does the creator's intent have any bearing on how it should be used? After it was created, did its purpose become subjective or does it retain the original design of the maker?

We could use the table as a toboggan and it might make a passable sled but could it withstand the rigorous terrain of some slopes and how easy would it be to tow it back to the top? In fact, how long would it take for the tabloggon to splinter and come apart rendering it neither a table nor a toboggan but rather fuel for a fire?

An object is subject to the will of the user and yes, a table could be used as a toboggan but it is best used as a station to hold papers and cups or papercups. That's what it was made for. Deviations from the table's purpose are possible but it doesn't change the original intent of its creation.

Welcome to SK504. Today's class: Research Paradigms and the Worldviews that Shape Them. Loved it. Now, to apply it to practice.

Saturday, January 07, 2012

Perfect Love

A strong positive or negative reaction is a sure sign that the impetus has tapped into a sensitive area and thus merits further reflection. After posting Shane Claiborne's "Letter to Non-believers"* on Facebook, the nature and number of comments and shares reminded me that the presentation of God by the church is a hot topic.

Many people on FB embraced the article and applauded its message. Shane apologizes to non-believers, quasi-believers, and used-to-believe believers for the way that Christians have portrayed God and Jesus. In his words, "God is not a monster." Amen.

The comment of one of my friends made me pause and think twice about the words of Shane that I had eagerly posted on my FB profile. I'm glad she challenged my post because I never want to spout only what "itching ears" want to hear. She wrote, "It's amazing that an article like this was in Esquire... however he sounds just like Rob Bell. Just love, and a big loving God - no talk of sin, grace or salvation. Just picking part of God's character to dwell on is like making an idol isn't it?"

God is love, but is he only love? Yes. Without doing a major exegesis of the Bible, I believe that love is not a part of God's character but it is who he is. God is Love. Love is God.

By dwelling on Love, can we make it an idol? An idol is any object that represents a deity and receives worship. There is no better representation of God than love but does that mean that we worship Love? I need to think about that a little longer.

Perhaps we need to acknowledge that Love as God and God as Love are unfathomable, infinite, and beyond human understanding. Love as God means that it is the purest, most perfect, and passionate love that exists. Human hearts and minds cannot contain or comprehend the fullness of Love but we can bask in portions of it through out our lives.

When we bask in Love, it is a full sensory experience that makes us acutely aware of how small our love is and how finite we are. When Love envelopes me, I see that I am a person who sins. My sin makes me want to curl up as a tight ball in a corner and shield myself from pure, perfect, and passionate Love, but Love beckons me and won't let me go. Every backward and wrong thing inside and outside of me threatens to cut me off, but Love extends his hand and speaks, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness."

When Love reaches out to me, how can I reach back? Impurity, imperfection, and weakness cannot abide with Perfect Love. Perfect Love is awesome and terrifying. In a divine demonstration of grace and sacrifice, Love curls up in the corner with me and whispers, "I forgive you." Love's name was and is Jesus. Perfect Love drives out my fear and I am able to reach out to his extended hand. This is what I believe. Grace, sin, and salvation are facets of faith that are vital and relevant for an earthly lifetime, but Love remains forever.

"Love so amazing, so divine. Demands my soul, my life, my all." - Isaac Watts

*http://www.esquire.com/features/best-and-brightest-2009/shane-claiborne-1209#ixzz1iW3GDs7S