I think if I could see the world as you do, my head would explode. No, your world is not drastically different than mine, humans (unless you are an alien picking this up off one of our satellites). BUT I've spent a whopping 27.9 years within this body, behind these two eyes and these colors are the only ones I know.
That is a reference to the philisophical problem of determining what the colors our eyes actually see. Just because you and I can look at some grapes and say "those are green" does not mean our eyes technically see the same thing. We just both recognize that color as green. Some scientists believe our "favorite" colors may be the brightest to our eyes. But because I can't possibly see the world as your eyes do, we can agree something is green, but can't see it the same way. To further make the point: our friends who are "color-blind" have no differentiation between green and red, right? If we wanted to look at the problem from the other side, your designation of red and green are covered by the single designation of "gray".
This whole thing is analagous to how we see God. But not just God, but my body, my life, etc.etc.etc. - hence, heads exploding.
Does my inability to see God as you do preclude my attempts to figure out what color you are looking at? Some Christians call it green...well, of course its green, but is it the same green I see? Of course I'm not just pushing around the idea of what mental image comes to mind when you think of God. In my mind there are a few problems that would divide the world into the sheep and the goats if we could simply see inside one another's heads. Sure, they are all green. But which green are YOU looking at?
- Evangelism - What brings people to Jesus is of the utmost importance. But why must we narrowly define evangelism as specific activities? Does it have to be ones we do intentionally to bring people to Christ? On a secific day of the week? Wait..is feeding the hungry evangelism? Or what about folding bulletins at the church?
- Denominations - Most people outside the church look at "demoninations" as just that - a textbook example of how fractured the Body of Christ really is. Christians on the other hand consider the denominations discussions something like the Baskins-Robbins of Christianity. Thirty one flavors to choose from. Well, lets be honest - There are a ton of denominations. These focus on everything from beliefs to practice to what is proper to wear to Church. Certainly there is some room for shades of green here?
- Truth - If you haven't been told this by someone before, here is the post-mondern discussion wrapped up into one sentence. "Whatever works for you, works for you. Who am I to question it?" That olde tyme religion says there is one truth - Jesus. And of course, for some time, the response has been, "Whats the question?" Nowadays young whippersnappers are confronted not just with a pluralistic cultural society, but a pluralistic worldview set. Take your pick! And when someone challenges yours? Our immediate reaction can be, "Its just what I know!" Hence, truth is completely subjective. OR, as some might say, objective truth (God) is so far out of our realm, we must rely on the subjective since we cannot obtain the objective.
So here is my spin... you cannot - cannot - be certain that any truth you espouse is completely free from the taint of the eye balls you have in this world, unless it exists completely beyond you. We may disagree about how we get there or if objective truths are present, but they must be ingested through the realities that I am a part of. But this is not a knock on "truth". I think it is exactly how Jesus intended it.
What if, with humility and hunger, I taste and see that the Lord is good? That means perhaps I'll be more apt to let go of those things that aren't really mine to begin with. Maybe it means I can be critical and loving of my brothers and sisters in Christ who are dead-set in changing the world to reflect what they think it should look like (even forcibly so).
Ultimately, maybe it means that when you and I both look at green and smile, I can stop trying to make you see green the way I do, and appreciate how you see green. I can live confidently that you are seeing it how you need to, and I am seeing it how I need to. And I can try to see it how you see it. I think thats when the Kingdom of God is present.
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