Smeagol is Free!
A hermitudinal view of...stuff...


6.18.2005  

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There's a difference between being taught what something is and being made into that something. A good example would be seen if I were to intensely study the common cockroach. Because it is a creature so utterly different from me, virtually everything I learned about it would be not only new, but probably difficult to grasp. How would I be able to relate to it? It senses things differently, feels things differently, and quite frankly, is a subordinate part of God's creation. In nearly every way conceivable, the cockroach's existence would be vastly alien to my human experience. Yet, were I to be made into a cockroach, the learning curve would change dramatically. Suddenly, I would find myself thinking and feeling as the little creature would. Were I confronted with Lisa, my oldest sister, I would quite possibly experience the exhilaration of being able to elicit a high-pitched, fear-induced squeal from a creature thousands of times my own body weight. Indeed, becoming a cockroach would be quite the lesson in cockroach existence.

So it seems to be with God's teachings. In much the same way, the Lord imprints upon our souls love, humility, brokenness, contrition, joy, compassion, patience, repentance, kindness, and more. It is not enough that we know about such things; nay, in the same way that knowing about God is not akin to knowing God, so are the very attributes and characteristics that come with knowing the Almighty.

Often, I can isolate myself in my struggles and forget that others are living in the same world. I'll stare at my sin in a petrified state of horror, and forget that there are believers all around me who are caught up in the same struggles. In talking to Jim and Pablo today, I was reminded of that. I heard a lot of joy and pain in their voices, the echoes of which have sounded deeply within the depths of my soul for weeks on end now. I'm glad that they called, if only to remind me that the Lord's lessons are taught not only through experience, but also in the community of believers.

posted by Bolo | 9:46 PM
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