Seven of the almost translucent legs rested on my skin. The eighth moved back and forth and looked as though it was tracing one of the grooves of my fingerprint. My chin was planted in the palm of my hand and the spider-donned index finger extended out from the rest. My eyes were almost crossed as they observed the somehow not creepy creature. Apparently, fear of spiders is learned.
Denim knees and linen elbows sucked dew off the lawn. I had been crawling through the yard, tracing the valleys between clumps of grass. The sun was just barely over the horizon and the gray morning was warming up to a pleasant yellow when I made my discovery. I hadn’t seen any other bugs but was deeply interested in the world outside my back door. I had just seen Honey, I Shrunk the Kids and was inspired to hunt for missing buttons and pennies. Legos, feathers and worm holes all created a world I was too large to truly participate in, but could definitely spy on.
The 1989 movie had a terrible plot but at five years old, I didn’t know any better. The film was intended for families and I suspect that most of these don’t have much depth to them because anything too serious or awesome might give your average toddler nightmares, or at least weird ideas. Either way, the concept was ingenious because whether or not they were supposed to, Rick Moranis’ character and his exploits revealed a semi-forgotten world. It wasn’t the deep sea or space, Africa or Antartica but rather, one almost any of us could check out.
I can write and use adjectives until the object they describe is forgotten or confused in a train-wreck of a run-on sentence. I can provide colors, textures, tastes and smells for basically any situation whether or not I’ve experienced it. Together, we can explore my lawn because description isn’t difficult. I think that as much as we can, writers need to describe. Our job is to create scenery and place ideas in it. Then we can show our readers how they interact. I like to use ideas that fight like small children who have just had too much of each other. Regardless of how good we are at this, our words aren’t necessarily enough.
Not even good writing can replace experience.
Perhaps as writers, we shouldn’t seek to entertain so much as to lead. Maybe we can feed readers details and ideas that get them started on a journey, but at the end, nothing will happen without their participation in something greater than the pages or glowing screens that proudly showcase our books and blogs. I think the same is probably true for faith.
You should have guessed that I’d drag Jesus into the picture somehow.
I can’t have faith for someone else. My salvation doesn’t work in proxy for another human. I can pray for friends and family, give them Jesus-books and take them to Jesus-events but in the end, I’m not Jesus. The books aren’t Him and neither are the concerts, crusades or potlucks. He’s the Man that words can’t entirely explain. He is the Word but then again, John said that all the books in the world couldn’t contain everything Jesus did (John 21:25).
I think we should try to elaborate on the inexplicable, enigmatic scenes and philosophies that happen every day. I don’t think we’ll ever be able to fully explain a sunset, Kant’s theory of perception, or Jesus. Especially Jesus. Attempting to might just send someone searching after their own adventures, understandings or even a relationship with the Christ. All we have to say is,
Dude, you gotta see this.
I truly enjoyed your post! I’ve never been a fan of the Christian approach of hammering one over the head with dire predictions of gloom and doom, threats of eternal damnation and other depressing concepts. I see God and the Universe in a different light, and so appreciated the fact that you write about finding that Presence in unexpected moments and experiences. This was refreshing and also entertaining…I laughed at the “eyes almost crossed” comment.
Very nice writing, my friend. I enjoyed my time here.
~ Dawn
Thanks Dawn! I’m glad that you enjoyed yourself! I think those are the only places we can expect God. We can try to force it, but I think we get religious when we do that- then when the established means don’t work, we’re lost!
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Great blog. Makes me think of the saying, God has no gradchildren” We are all sons or daughter and John 6:44 (King James Version)
44No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. I was listening to RC Sproul speak about the word Draw. The same word for draw in other parts of the NT is the word Drag. We must do our part to reach the lost but when it is all said and done the Father will drag the ones he wants in an irrestable way. The same way He drug(dragged)? you and I.
Thanks Alan! And I’ve never heard that saying before, but it makes complete sense.
Jake how long have you been wrblogs? I too love writing. I have really enjoyed your blogs. You have a great talent.
Mandy, I’ve been at it for… three years? I was studying communication at Boise State the year before that and my emphasis was in rhetoric, so REALLY, I’ve been writing longer. 🙂 Do you have a blog at all? I’d love to read something!!
Good job! I love how as people who write, we can write about anything and make it come alive due to the fact that our subject is the Giver of life and reason to all things. I always love the trips you take us on and look forward to the tie-in. A perfect ending because it points to the only perfect thing, God through His son Jesus Christ, “Dude you gotta see this”!
Thanks Floyd, I’m definitely learning this process. I’d love to be as talented as someone like C.S. Lewis someday. His books seriously blow my mind. I don’t even understand how he could have been so bright! You do a wonderful job with your writing, too!!!
Love it! I love when the Lord “surprises” me with some aspect of His personality.
It almost always is a surprise too, isn’t it? One would think that an infinite God, who’s been around longer than we have would have revealed everything- there wouldn’t be any more to learn about Him or from Him, but then he turns just a little and a whole new aspect to His character is displayed. I love it.
I love this perspective. I think too often we assume it is our job to get people to make a decision for Christ. We push, we pressure, we try to show them how they are sinning (even if they don’t see it as sin) and that they need Jesus, when really, we should just be showing them how great He is. God doesn’t want people following him because they don’t want to go to hell or are scared of what might happen. He wants us to follow Him because He is worthy of it. We have to show them He is worthy.
It’s true. I think that all the pressure we place on people gets in the way. It’s honestly stupid and ridiculous, but it’s what we’re trained to do from day one. We get introduced somehow or someway and immediately, we’re pressured to go out and start telling people not only our testimony, but we’re pressured to get our heathen friends into church as well. Ugh. Clearly, there’s a balance to be struck somewhere around here…… right?
I sure hope there’s a balance! I think the reason most people are unwilling to try a different way, is that the current way (show them they are wrong, get them to think the way we do) is measurable. We can put numbers on how many people’s lives we’ve impacted. And that makes us feel better about what we’re doing.
But I always wonder, how many of those decisions were made out of fear, compulsion, emotion…and how many will actually stick with it. When we sell Jesus as a fix-all to our problems or a ticket to get to heaven, we miss the point and teach them something that isn’t true. Following Jesus isn’t easier. It isn’t necessarily better (depending on your definition of better). His disciples were imprisoned, beaten and killed. They went to places no one wanted to go to. They gave up lucrative careers to follow Him. I have yet to hear the salvation message that says that – even though it’s more true than Jesus make your life easier.
Love this dude. Seriously.
Thanks Tony!
“A man who tells secrets or stories must think of who is hearing or reading, for a story has as many versions as it has readers.
Everyone takes what he wants or can from it and thus changes it to his measure. Some pick out parts and reject the rest, some strain the story through their mesh of prejudice, some paint it with their own delight. A story must have some points of contact with the reader to make him feel at home in it. Only then can he accept wonders.”
John Steinbeck, The Winter of Our Discontent
Kathy, you always have good quotes and insights. I love it!