I saw a church sign the other day. Not that uncommon around here except that once in a while what they say catches my attention. Usually in a thoughtful way and I think that is good.
This particular sign said: Jesus is God.
The odd thing that struck me immediately was of all things – the Ten Commandments. In particular the one that says you shall have no other god before me.
The hard part for me is that this makes sense. As a sworn member of God’s Church it is difficult to put someone else in God’s place. Be it Jesus, Mohammed, Buddha or whom ever is the prophet of choice. It seems unlikely that God would want them elevated to the position of God.
God simply and always will be – God.
We humans lose sight of that on occasion. Part of our nature is that we like being told what to do. It matters not if it is a person, a book, a religion or what. In this case with Jesus as god we have elevated a teacher. A messiah, prophet, and guide who through example, sermon, and parables worked to show us God. By elevating them to god status they take the place of defining God.
Humans tend to listen to anyone or anything that professes to be of God. We just fail to distinguish when God is in fact telling us directly what it is we are supposed to do. In the end it is the preacher who from the pulpit defines us. Having faith in our own faith is hard. When you show your faith to others you always risk having the finger pointed at you. Judged as wrong. But if you stick to the rules, follow the leader then that does not happen.
Why you ask? For me the answer is simple. Yet it is the hard part. We like having someone or something to blame. To point to as a source. No one questions the prophet but if I say that God told me not to be hateful – well they look at you like you are nuts.
Who are you to think that God would talk to you. For me it is simple. God talks to me all the time. Tells me what is right and wrong. What is hurtful and what is not. That God is the judge of man and not me. Sometimes he even tells me it is not my place to say who or what is good or evil.
There are many paths with God. Some of us need different things from both God and the world. God knows this and has set guides in each of those paths. Ultimately though God waits for us. Patiently for that time when we know both God and our own heart well enough to stand along side neither lead nor chained. But with the free will given to us from the very beginning.
