We Are Jonah

The Way

Monday, July 2, 2007

Hey gang (if I can be called a "gang"),

I've decided to port over the couple of posts that I made on my 'Space (saying "my MySpace" just seems wretched - I can't bring myself to say an oxymoronic "my", even if it is part of a proper noun!). This serves the twofold purpose of putting everything in one place... AND giving me the ability to tell anyone who remarks on the lack of comment activity "yeah, but it's totally got tonnes of hits on my other blog" (which it doesn't.) Perfect.

So in honour of my previous posts, I won't use the same post naming conventions which I may have unofficially adopted for this blog (read: vagueness, ellipsi and use of rather odd English.)

Once, a long time ago, there was a guy from the sticks who was causing a lot of ruckus. He was a preacher from a blue collar neighbourhood, known for its political activists and fundamentalist whackos, in a country oppressed by foreigners and torn apart by competing religious groups.
But this guy travelled the countryside, preaching a different message. Living out a different way of life.

When people boasted over their accomplishments and gloated over others' failures, he took them down a couple of pegs. When people were shunned because they were poor, or sick, or working on the streets, he comforted them, befriended them and treated them like real human beings. When people resorted to violence and war to get what they want (no matter how noble the goal might be), he showed them a better way.

His way, the way of "the Kingdom of Heaven", was the polar opposite of how everyone else was doing life. They were all about consumption, selfishness, stepping on whoever you have to to get to where you want to be. In short, their way looked at themselves as the centre of the cosmos (a little like our contemporary Western way today, huh?).

But his way was about taking your eyes off yourself, your rights, your possessions, and focussing on the greater reality - the Kingdom of Heaven, and the King himself. Instead of selfishness comes selflessness - thinking of others before yourself. Instead of mindless consumption and frenzied pursuit of wealth and pleasure (the "Australian dream"?), a life of service, humility and kindness to our brothers and sisters in need. And instead of strutting around like you're the God of your life, doing whatever the hell you want because you want it, others be damned, his way was a way of passionate faithfulness and obedience to the Creator and Sustainer of all things.
Truly, he showed us a new and better way of life. He called (calls?) people to something greater than they had ever imagined.

Now, how is it that this man - this revolutionary, if there ever was one - can be admired, looked up to and talked about so much, but not respected enough to be followed? How is it the people who bear his name ("Christians", if you hadn't guessed), can cling so tightly to the antithesis of their Master's way? How can his face be seen all over stained-glass buildings, but not in the face of the ordinary people of the world who he has called out to.

Or how about a better (harder?) question - what will you do about it? What will your response be to the Way that this preacher / activist / revolutionary / healer / friend / saviour / God has shown us. Will you go your "own" way, the same as the millions of people that have gone before you, or will you follow him a while. Maybe you'll see for yourself whether he was just a starry eyed activist with his head in the clouds, or something more. Maybe he really is God?

Yours (trying to be) faithfully,

-- Nathan

Labels: Jesus, life, politics, social

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