Occasional musings from a mind infected with cynicism, and hope.
Catching Elephant is a theme by Andy Taylor
In the popular language of our culture, people would probably say I am rapidly approaching Middle Age. Yet unless I live to past 90, I must admit that I am probably past the midpoint of my life. Since I am certain I would rather not live past the age of 90 it is safe to say that I am at least halfway through life. I say all this to say that I have enough life under my belt to have a little perspective on life, and Christianity. One of the questions that I often ask myself is, “what ideas in Christianity are important, and which ones are not in the central, vital category.” One of the main problems of Christianity is that from time to time we have added too many things in the “Vital” category. Things that were never meant to be that vital.
Some of us have run into some of these “fake vital” things in the past. Maybe it was a clothing style, or some musical tastes. I know some people who felt that in order for them to listen to a style of music they had to leave the church. Some may have even felt that way because someone in the church told them that was the case. My heart breaks when I hear stories like this. It breaks because here are valuable people that feel distanced from Christ over a “fake vital” issue. My heart also breaks because every time a “fake-vital” issue is discovered, the Christian faith is diminished. Our task – my task is to proclaim the Christian faith boldly and fully, but never encumbered with the crusty barnacles of my personal likes and dislikes, or a certain generation’s perspective of how things should be. Although a love for country music should be an automatic disqualifier for a whole host of things. (Humor intended)
So here I am – halfway through life, somewhat caught between a former viewpoint that tended to over-emphasize a number of “fake-vital” issues, and a culture that sometimes acts as if there are no issues at all. In this time, and at this place in history, what are the “Vital” issues? What is the core of this Christian Faith? I do not claim to have the answer perfectly, but here is just one voice to add.
There is a God, and that God has let Himself be known. From the intricate beauty of creation, to the early cries of “not fair” from every 2 year old, this world screams of a purposeful God. This life, nor any individual is a meaningless accident. You are known, and you have value, because your life is a reflection of its Creator.
This world is also not right. We are a people in rebellion against the One who made us. We ignore each other, treat each other harshly, and willfully ignore the One who seeks us. We pollute, we isolate those different from us, and we use things and other people in an effort to make ourselves look better, and we live in mess we have created.
God the Son, Jesus came to Earth to demonstrate how we are to live. Our response to this life was to arrest Him, torture Him, and sentence Him to death. Jesus’ response to our efforts was to go willingly, and die without seeking revenge, or giving in to anger.
Jesus rose from the dead. This is the Vital Issue of all vital issues. Everything has changed. Perhaps my life span is not just 90 years. Perhaps the cancer diagnosis from my doctor no longer has the last word. Perhaps the tyrant or ruler that threatens death is no longer to be feared because his ultimate weapon is no longer powerful. Perhaps this world can be set right again, and the whole setting things right effort started Easter morning, 2,000 years ago.
I am not to just believe, but I am actually supposed to be a part of setting things right. Uh-oh. You know what that means? I may have to apologize. I have to take the first step to be reconciled. My time, my talent, my wallet may have to participate in this great setting things right effort. Someone’s life may depend on it. Whatever happened on Easter morning, somehow it gets a hold of me, and I need to spread it around.
The one way this great effort is to be fought is to love my neighbor. Yeah, them too. The ones behind you that no one likes very much. This might be the most important one of them all. Without this love my life just does not say much about this Christian faith.
These are my six vitals. Everything else just flows from these, and all of my decisions flow from the last 3. How I react, the words I say, the decisions I make are bound up in this idea that a new reality is springing up in the middle of this flawed world we tend to love way too much. All the “fake vials” tend to obscure these things.
So here I am – 45 years old, at least halfway through life. I do not know what the next half of my life will bring, but it will be about these last three “Vitals.” I’m looking for people who will join me. How about you?
