Nothing Is Innocent
We’d wake the dead
With voices in our head
We’ve gotten used to ignoring the truth
We close our eyes
And breathe and eat the lies
That tell us we’re so much better than you
Silence is loud
Humility is so proud
Nothing is innocent now
All the king’s men
Will serve scrambled eggs again
When white-washed walls come crashing down
We’ll blink and nod
And say, How odd
And wonder why old friends don’t come around
Silence is loud
Humility is so proud
Nothing is innocent now
The acid rain
We fear the pain
Will blister and burn the skin
But what is more
The fear we bore
Will eat us alive from within
Silence is loud
Humility is so proud
Nothing is innocent now
For you and me
In the land of the free
Is anything innocent now?
The answer is a big no. Nothing is innocent now. It's not with me or you or anybody. We see through a glass darkly and too much of the time we live and act as if we see perfectly. Or at least good enough to go around confidently telling others they are wrong, even though if we were all honest enough, we would have to confess the times we were so convinced our selves about many things only to find out we were wrong. If that makes sense? Some might be finding freedom from living a life of alienation, but none us us are absolutely free. We perpetuate the nightmare by attempting to coerce others and force them to "see" things as we see them. The worst example of this is thinking our tribe is enlightened and the others are not and because of that we feel justified in pouring judgement out on them. It effects personal relationships on one end and our existence in the world as nations on the other.
Do you think that maybe this is at the heart of the God of all creation coming to live among us in the flesh? Choosing to humble himself so as to show us a better way.....the only way out of the nightmare? God came into the world (and remember he didn't see in part like we do) and even still he chose to suffer as a servant instead of "lording" it over others and forcing anything on them.
I've been thinking about the account of the Tower of Babel in scripture. Why did God choose to confuse mankind and create such diversity by bringing about different languages? Was it punishment because of man's arrogance or was this an act of love? I'm coming to see the dangers of "group think". God scattering mankind was providence. Isn't rallying people of like mind so as to strengthen our positions about our beliefs and then punishing others or destroying them if they don't conform to our way, opposite what Jesus is about? Nations are notorious for this.....yes, even ours here in the USA. It's how nations survive and I don't expect anything other than that out of them.
For any of us who desire to know the God of the Bible, the one that came in the flesh, in Jesus, and walked among his people, it seems we need an adjustment? Everyday I become more and more aware of the adjustment I need. God in Christ just didn't do it the way the world does it. He sees all things clearly and yet he chose to suffer and make a way out of the nightmare for all who believe in him and follow him. He could have executed judgement and justice perfectly, and he did not. Or did he? Wasn't his life, death, and resurrection the judgement? Didn't he clearly marked the line between what is LIFE and what is DEATH? He walked in a way that had nothing to do with worldly power and superiority to convince or compel anyone to do anything. He loved....he accepted people...and he died for us all. He was the first real human that lived totally free. The way he lived and the way forward that he opened up for us all and invited us to join him in, is the only power that there is to live free.... to really live free of the nightmare.
The only thing that counts is Faith expressing itself in Love.
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians%205;&version=49;
2 comments:
The problem with condemning nonbelievers too is that the lessons that Papa is teaching them (yes, even outside the camp) are lost, because then their shame and their defensiveness kicks in.
I loved Wayne's story on TGJ podcast about how he and his brothers would earn money doing horrible work, grape picking. And then the fair came to town, and he and his brothers went a bit crazy and asked their father if they could have their grape-picking money to spend at the fair. Their father in his wisdom warned them before giving it that they might live to regret taking all of their hard-earned money and blowing it, but Wayne and his brothers were full of Tilt-a-Whirl abandon and wanted to extend the experience. And so their father gave them what they wanted, and then they blew all their money and were disappointed but learnt a great lesson.
It's the same in the world. And unfortunately, Christendom then goes and muddies the waters and brings the whole shame thing back in again. I think the world is more aware that our shame has been taken away than we are, sometimes.
Painting in broad brush strokes here, you understand ;)
Kent,
I loved OTR, but when they did this song, it really stopped me in my tracks. This is one of the songs that still haunts me. I still hear it in my head... ( that and Born and The Trumpet Child... Oh and I LOVED Trouble, too!)
It is so true. We are not innocent! And we (collectively) have such an overwhelming superiority. I know my comment comes a while after this post, but it is just so scarey to think about our country now entering Iran!
How do we, the people, live a life that has impact when our country seems to have gone mad!
I'm loving catching up on your posts. I've been out of the loop for awhile... again!
Post a Comment