Thursday, June 4, 2009

Who's (or What's) Up Front in Your Life?

Paul writes in Romans 8:14, "For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God." I am wondering about my own life, "Who is it that is up front "most of the time" in my own life?" It would seem to me that there are three common options: emotions, reason or others (Other).
Emotions remain with me, and you, based on a lifetime of relationships (good and bad) that impacted our development. I carry with me baggage from my childhood that may or may not have been confronted. I remember meeting a young lady who told me about her sister. When her sister was growing up, she regularly attended church, worship and children and youth activities, with her family. She was overweight and unattractive, and throughout her life was picked on, poked and joked at school. One day a group of boys from school (including a couple from her church youth group) beat her up with a baseball bat. As she grew up she rejected boys, church and found her only peace in Wicca, worshiping in the midst of nature (which in her experience didn't threaten or harm her). Not hard to figure out, huh? What's my (your) baggage regarding your image of God from family and cultural experience?
Others have rejected emotionalism altogether and turned to the mind as the greatest aspect of being human. Here we have remnants of modernity where man/woman/human becomes the center of the universe. Seeing emotions as immaturity, some have turned solely to intellect as their god. They can ONLY believe in a truth that is rational from and within the three dimensional world in which we live, breathe and have our being. Many of these folks become either cynics or skeptics. Skeptics would have a large lead over cynics. Skeptics believe there may be a "God," but don't think it possible for humanity to ever grasp the true understanding of that being (a bit more postmodern than pure cynics who are just cynical about anything unreasonable). I asked a skeptic recently, "What do you believes happens at death?" Answer: "The same thing that happened to me before I was born! Nothingness!" This person is still open for discussion, and I trust more in God's grace than my ability to "reason" someone into faith.
Finally, others may be up front in your life. Forbes latest poll on the most powerful entertainment figures listed Angelina Jolie as #1, just edging out Oprah, followed by Madonna, Beyonce and then Tiger Woods (click here for link to article). The other that we worship can be "The Bible," or "The Doctrines" (some little litmus test of items others must agree to with us), the "tradition" of our church, the "style of music" we listen to (church or secular), or Father, Son and Holy Spirit. If your answer is that you are led by the Spirit of God, what does that mean and how do you practice that? I'd be interested in your answers!
Steve