10.21.09
Resurrection Part II
More thoughts on what the resurrection means in my personal life… (Click here for the first post in this series)
My nature is often deeply critical and quick to judge others by what I see without ever giving them a chance to truly be known. This sinful flaw in my character has recently been under intense scrutiny as I delve deeper into how the resurrection plays out in my life. I am reminded daily of C.S. Lewis’s words from The Weight of Glory:
“There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal…. Next to the Blessed Sacrament itself, your neighbor is the holiest object presented to your senses.”
If I believe that to be true then why can’t I get my actions to line up with my beliefs? I resonate with Paul when he bemoans the fact that his actions are in-congruent with the tenets of his soul.
So I started putting my belief into practice with the first test being how I responded internally to the people I come across in daily interactions. Lets take a bus ride as an example. I’m riding the #14 down Hawthorne, happily minding my own business…probably reading or listening to music on my ipod. Next thing you know, we’ve stopped and the driver is letting a few new passengers board the bus. A teenager passes by me on her way to the back of the bus. The music from her earphones is loud enough for me to hear above my own ipod and she yells at the top of her lungs to someone she recognizes. The very first thought that pops into my head is what an obnoxious and disrespectful person she is.
Next an older man shuffles on board and takes a seat directly in front of me. Frankly, he stinks. And he’s mumbling something unintelligible. Again, I’m annoyed and somewhat repulsed. Lastly, a couple with a screaming child settle into seats near the front of the bus. The woman is visibly upset with her tantrum-throwing two year old and keeps tugging on him while the man slumps back and ignores the situation. My immediate assessment: poor mothering skills on her part and absolute laziness on his and I won’t even share what I thought of their toddler. All this in about a minute and a half. It takes me only thirty seconds more to catch myself and rewind the whole thought process in my head; asking God’s forgiveness for my response to each person and trying my best to image them as He might see them. It’s harder than I think.
But this story gets to the very heart of this issue. It’s only one brief instance in life, particularly urban life where I am constantly interacting with society and confronted with hundreds of people to rub shoulders with on any given day. My prayer as this journey of discovery, conviction, and incarnation unfolds is that I will see the world through resurrection eyes. The eyes of Jesus who loves every one…yep I remind myself everyone.