Saturday, May 29, 2010

A Short Rant (I Never Thought I'd Be Ranty)

A popular blog I read this morning suggested that one pathway to happiness is to "imitate" a spiritual master--someone like Jesus.  I cringed.  The not-flair bells rang.  I frowned and felt the same way I do when somebody tells me to just "try harder" and I'll find holiness.  It's just not true.  Telling a person to imitate a spiritual master to find real life and joy is like telling a cardboard box to act more like a computer in order to come alive.

Imitation doesn't change the inherent problem I have.  I need an infusion of grace, not an imitation of one.    

Imitating a master is also like telling two people to stare at each other and imitate a relationship.  I don't want to imitate love.  I want to be in love.  Imitation isn't the trick.

A relationship with God is a romance.  It's an infusion of power, of love, of joy, of deeply knowing.  It's not imitating a master or doing what Jesus would do.  That kind of life doesn't work.  It never has.

That's why the gospel is good news.  I want to know Jesus and have him give me the power to live the life I'm supposed to.

Christianity isn't a religion of imitation--of acting more like Jesus.  It's exchanging our weaknesses for his strength, for inviting his presence into our lives, and for depending on his love and peace on a daily basis.

It's not imitation.  It's infusion.

I'm off to the pool.  My children have been in their bathing suits since 8:30 AM.  The towels and sunscreen are all in a row.  The snacks are ready.  The goggles are tightened.  We could sit on the couch and imitate swimming, or we could dive into that delicious water.  I think I know what we'll choose.   Living with flair means I'm experiencing a life of joy, not imitating one.

1 comment:

  1. I think I was on that same exact website & saw that exact same article. let's talk.

    ReplyDelete

I'd love to hear your thoughts about how you are living with flair today.