…life can be like a never-ending trip on Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride.
Believing the lie that no one is in charge (so we must be), we fight for control, angry when unfamiliar hands grab the wheel. Careening around the corner, we veer toward a wall, frightened by the red-painted DANGER AHEAD, even though we know…deep inside we know there’s nothing scarier on the other side than a churro stand and sleepy toddlers waiting their turn. For reasons we can’t explain, we anxiously fight for our place in a car going no where and accomplishing nothing. And we glare suspiciously at each other.
Are you listening to the current political rhetoric? It seems the most important question of our age is
- which gender,
- which race or ethnicity,
- which economic level,
- which political worldview is the true and valid one.
Whose voice ought to be heard? Who should be allowed to take a turn at the wheel? Who has earned the right to be in the car at all? The flashing warnings and hair-pin turns shove us into one another. And we shove back.
Even the church joins in. An entire wing appoints itself to weed out those who don’t fall into its narrow brand of belief and practice. As if the purpose of Christian life is to defend, like squabbling siblings, doctrinal back seat territory.
But the life and teachings of Jesus confront us with questions, and demand that we each give an answer:
What does a true human being look like? Which gender, of what color, earning what income, holding what political opinions are created in the image of God? Which ones matter to him? Upon which of them does he pour out his Spirit?
Have you asked yourself those questions? Do you ever long, like I do, to get off the wild ride? I would love to hear your thoughts.
