Forecast

There is snow in the forecast for this weekend. Last night we were forecasting our plans for the weekend. Seeking to excite Ian, I proclaimed that if there was snow I would make the biggest snowman his eyes have ever seen. But my words had the opposite effect- "be careful Dad," he admonished. "If you build it too big God will smash it down and make everyone speak different languages!"

Of course, he was referencing the story of the tower of Babel. It was precious to my heart. But later, upon further contemplation, I concluded that this was an incident of "scrapbook faith." Scrapbook faith is a term that describes the picking and choosing of scripture passages to create beliefs without recognition of the context or the relationship between scriptures. He remembers the power God showed- but he doesn't have any deeper understanding of the meaning of the episode.

I think this is very normal spiritual development for a child. He's right where he should be. But I'm frequently confounded when adults present with a "scrapbook faith." As if certain scriptures were cut and pasted right into their belief system while others are entirely ignored. There is just no understanding of the "big picture." For example, a woman I work with recently turned down a job at a doctor's office when she learned the doctor prescribes the "morning after pill." The next week, she admitted that she was prostituting to make ends meet. Calling this bizzarre would be generous.

But before I remove the speck from her eye, I'm told to remove the plank from my own eye! Am I a constant, living testament to the riches of a life lived in Christ? No. Despite my attempts at "following all the rules," I feel like I'm "supposed to follow," I never quite make it. And it occurs to me: there is something greater than "the rules." A relationship with Christ supercedes all the rules! Just look at the thief on the cross, or the woman who washed Christ's feet with tears in the Pharisee's house- once they enter into a relationship with Christ the rules (and their prior transgressions) are secondary. Of course, by definition, having such a relationship eventually brings about behavioral change (I think).

But what happens when it seems like somebody is missing the point? It's painful to watch someone trying SO hard to "make it," by trying to follow the rules in the absence of a relationship with Christ. After all, if this was somewhat doable, Christ's sacrifice on the cross would have been unnecessary. Perhaps the behavioral change is impossible without help from Christ- the relationship has to be the bedrock; she's going at it backwards.

What holds me back from simply telling her these things? A lot! For starters, the fear that God will "knock me down and make me speak different languages." I am not God, and I want to guard against elevating myself to a place where I don't belong. My own sin makes me feel like I don't have a leg to stand on when talking about someone else's. Factor in professional roles and ethics, fear, guilt, insecurity, etc. and I am one lousy evangelist.