So how does the mind
veil us? How does it get in our way? How does it rob us of the fullness that
God wants for us? Sadly, it is shaped by our personal history.
Thus, Abraham, a
righteous man to God, struggled to grasp the God who called him, as do we all. His initial concept of God was informed by the world from which he
was drawn.
That world was no
different from our contemporary world. Hence even parenting conditions us to
believe in reward, punishment, cause and effect.
Two dominant streams of thought emerged from
Eden
Cain’s idea of God
related to sweat and toil, manly works and the fruits of his personal labors.
To him, divine favor was an earned thing.
God rejected his
ideas, rightfully so. How can we ever get God on our terms. He is
not made in our image, yet we may yet assume His likeness. The idea that He can
be co-opted or adjusted to our needs, is the root cause of the world system as
we know it.
The spirit of
antichrist is less about the obvious “man of perdition”. It traces to the dawn of history, part of which led to an attempt to elevate men
to godlike status.
The quest for independent significance, is self-defeating. Belief of any form must presuppose the independent value of what we believe in.
Gravity is not a
function of me, a variable that adjusts to how I feel. It is something I adapt
to, as a given that I cannot change. It is no different with God.
Another viewpoint
The second stream of
thought, modeled by Abel, was one of not trying to co-opt God for favors or of getting
Him to fit in with me, as though I am the independent variable.
As such, Abel brought
back to God what God first entrusted to him, just as I respond in a relevant
way to the fundamentals of gravity.
Now, why is that a big
deal? Because all religion, regardless of its proposition, is about works
and pursuit of the elusive formulas that invoke divine favor.
If it is faith at all, then believe in what God
did, not what you do
Why does tithing border
on invoicing God? Why do we layer in performance related activities that are more
about pleasing others or to look the part? None of those things are wrong if
inspired by love for God, but if driven by guilt they actually are a stench to
Him.
The fundamental
rationale of the New Testament was the very thing that brought me to my knees.
After years of searching and of going through the motions of confirmation and
other requisite rituals, I found that none of that mattered.
Rather, a dear soul
took the 3 minutes my friends allowed her, to tell me that the key lay in
understanding that Jesus died on my behalf and paid the debt for my sin. I
simply never got that point until then, but once I did it redefined my life.
Sorry if this sounds
bigoted, but actually no other faith offers a savior and only one offered a sacrifice for sin. The notion
that all paths lead to God is flawed if it does not start with pleasing God on
His terms, but He cares not for guilt-motivated works. He prefers a love-based relationship.
Behavior management rarely transforms people
A woman spent years
trying to change her husband and bring him to heel, but he persisted in doing
the things that irritated her.Then she learnt that marriage starts with acceptance. It was not her God-given role to
change him, but her God-given privilege to love him.
When she got that
right, he warmed to her. His past mistakes were awkward over-compensations, but
acceptance instilled a desire to please her. He then changed spontaneously, but
she in turn revived her marital love and joy.
A teacher turned psychologist confirmed that what separated high-potential low achievers, from lower-potential, high performing ones, had little to do with conventional drivers, but a lot to do with a personal desire to learn. Love for the subject trumped duty.
I have never seen
behavioral management bring enduring change to anyone. But I have oft seen love
cover a multitude of sins and bring real and enduring transformation.
Why do kids seem
rebellious? Because that’s what they are? Bollocks.
They are seeking
attention and acceptance. It is a hygiene factor and, as such, Maslow confirmed
that no higher level of human aspiration is possible without acceptance.
Why are so many unhappy or lacking in the spark of imagination or energy that would make them vital to
life? Because they carry the baggage of rejection.
Deep down they unconsciously
yearn for the approval of their dads, who is as flawed. Rather enjoy the
approval of the greatest of all Fathers.
The real need
I am convinced that
above sex, food, clothing, warmth and all those apparent needs lies the most
fundamental of all needs. It is the key to fulfillment and happiness. It is the
need to belong, which presupposes acceptance.
And that, dear reader,
is where the love story of God starts. It didn’t start with finger pointing or
judging. It started with Him loving you enough to pay all your debts, so that guilt-driven
service and the weariness that it causes, could end.
As long as we feel unworthy,
we will never enjoy God and our faith will not work. I could not enjoy my wife any more, if love was not my departure point.
Frankly, I could not
even write or be creative and imaginative, if it was a toil of duty rather
than a labor of love, born of a grateful and accepted heart.
(c) Peter Missing: bethelstone@gmail.com
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