Flies part 3
I can't believe centuries of religion have been built on the idea that scaring people is a good idea. And, listen, I love Halloween. (Sorry if that offends you "religious folk" out there, but it's true.) I love dressing up and going trick and treating. Funny aside, I got pretty tall pretty quickly so now that I have Logan I actually CAN go trick or treating again. Free candy! But I digress. My point in here somewhere is about how scaring people is FUN but it's not the best way to "make them behave." One thing that I've leared from being a parent is: People do what they want to do. And I mean, I KNEW that, but when I all of a sudden became 100% responsible for another human life... the point really got driven home. I can tell Logan a million times not to run out into the road. I can tell him how dangerous it is, how cars might be coming and blah blah blah. But if it's what he wants to do... guess what? He's gonna run out into the road. UNLESS I give him something better to do. Because people will always take the best choice they see. So instead of trying to force him to do, or not do, what I want for him (even when it's clearly the best thing for him) what I've learned is that it has to come from HIM. True "change" can only come from the inside out. So instead of fighting about not running into the road, I give him better options. "Hold my hand and we'll go together." That sounds like the Holy Spirit leading and guiding us into all truth, doesn't it? Instead of this idea we have of God slapping down rules and regulations and zapping us with a lightning bolt if we step out of line. "Get right or get left." Give me a break. "Obey God or you're going to hell." Yeah... that's something I want to dedicate my life to. If the best we can hope for is staying out of trouble... I don't know. That's not very abundant. And look at Titus 2:13, "Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ." The blessed hope is the appearance of the Father and the Son. The RELATIONSHIP between Father and Son that we can now experience and enjoy because of the Holy Spirit leading us. Those who are led by the Spirit are the Son(s) of God! So this man-centered, performance based, fear driven religion has got to go. God is NOT mad at you! He's mad ABOUT you! He proved on the cross that He would rather die than be without you. And He swore that He would never leave you nor forsake you. So instead of trying to pressure people into "serving" God--which is strange anyway since Jesus said He came not to be served, but to serve us--we really ought to just show people how good we've got it. Give them a better option than the world and I guarantee you they'll take it. They'll stop running FROM God (running out into the road) and they'll start running TO God (taking His hand and walking said by side with Him)!