But Some…

Earlier today, Leonard Sweet tweeted about a blog post from his editor John Blase and asked, “If Jesus had his “But somes,” why do I think I should be spared?” A sample (and yes, you should go check out the whole thing):

There is more than one occasion in the gospels when Jesus is speaking or teaching or doing that gospel magic on a paralytic or something, and the very next verse contains these two words: but some. Those two words are then followed by someone(s) critical response to what Jesus just said or emphasized or healed. The But Somes. Do you know these people?…

 

John 5.39-40 - You have your heads in your Bibles constantly because you think you’ll find eternal life there. But you miss the forest for the trees. These Scriptures are all about me! And here I am, standing right before you, and you aren’t willing to receive from me the life you say you want.

This gravitas scares many folks to death. Little do they know it scares most of us dreamers as well, but we keep on sailing. We’ve no choice. They cannot imagine anything beyond the flat scripture and the tales we tell, to them, are nothing more than fiction, legend, fairy tale at best. At worst? Well, our tails are toast….

 

First of all, I’m now a John Blase fan. I’ve subscribed to his blog and highly recommend that you go check him out. 

Second? Well, one of John’s points is that we should pick our battles with the But Somes in our lives. I have to confess that I struggle with this. In my time in organized Christianity, But Somes have been my biggest sources of hurt and pain. And this has inspired some questions that caused his post to resonate with me:

• Should we really be more prone to critique than to celebration?
• Is cynicism the ultimate (and Biblically-unlisted) spiritual gift?
• Why is it our communal reflex to assume devilish backing to every good thing that comes along?
• Should we really worry that the Church’s reputation is harmed by the miraculous and the mystical?
• Is Satanic temptation so much more powerful than Holy Spirit-leading that we should trust nothing (and ignore most things)?

I say “no” to all the above but way too often I’ve felt the jabs from other Christians’ “yes.” What about you?

Posted by email from Ferndale Tonight (posterous)