Tomorrow morning is Easter. Now a days I spend a lot of time and effort trying my best to help people who have no (expressed) interest in Jesus to take notice, come and see, repent, believe, follow and worship...everything we see happen on Easter morning for "believers."
One the the things I think I'm learning is that often my little formulas, my "theologisms" (am I coining a term here?), my phrases packed with salvific magic: "you must be born again," "receive Jesus and your Lord and Savior," "would like to be saved?", not only strike people as odd, they are offputting, they get in the way as opposed to helping people on their way to the Way (see, there I go again).
This Easter I am rejoicing in this Reality...Jesus had no such "theologisms." It seems from the gospels there is no one way to convert to Christianity. With each encounter Jesus used a different tac. Consider just a few:
- a prostitute washes Jesus' feet, he responds, "Daughter your faith has saved you."
- a tax collector beats his chest and says, "God have mercy on me a sinner." Jesus responds, "the man went home justified."
-a thief on the cross, "remember me when you enter your kingdom." Jesus replies, "today you will be with me in paradise."
-Jesus told a pharisee, "the greatest commandment is love the Lord with all your heart and your neighbor as yourself. Do this and you will live."
-Zachaeus said, "here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and what I cheated people out of, four times that amount." Jesus said, "today salvation has come to your house."
-one man didn't say OR do ANYTHING! To the paralytic Jesus says, "your sins are forgiven."
And there are many other examples. My point is not there isn't a consistent theology or soteriology that runs through all of these conversions, I believe there is. What I'm saying is that Jesus didn't feel the need to systemitize conversion. He saw in people a readiness for Him that I'm not sure I see because I'm waiting for them to want to be born again, or thirst for living water, or hunger for the bread of life. If their "want" doesn't fit one of my theologisms we are at a stand still. Jesus on the other hand custom fit his language and imagery for each person.
How many people has God put in our lives that are more ready than we realize? Systems are great, they can teach us much - but usually only AFTER the fact. May we experience this Easter, the Reality of God Alive, in us, for us and with us as a reminder that God can not be tamed or boxed or theologized. May we remember that there is no system that can capture the wonder and awe of this Reality and may we leverage that joy to do what Joy does - overflow in generosity and creativity to invite others into itself, using whatever language and images and metaphors necessary.
Be His,
Didymus
Comments