My past two weeks have had their share of queues – mainly in airports, waiting for something to happen – to deposit bags, to enter the security area, to be scanned, to go through passport control, to get a coffee, to board the plane, to leave the plane, to get the bags, to leave the airport. I’m sure this is familiar to you. I had the longest exit on one occasion from an airport – having been in the longest queue in my life (as far as I remember! 😉 ) – it took me 140 minutes to leave the plane and to get in the car waiting for me. (I’ll inflict on you the story of how I know this to the minute if you ask me! 😉 ) In all these experiences, I became aware of how I was viewed – and treated accordingly – an old white man, a man wearing a Wallabies shirt, a grandfather with his son and his family, and it created the occasional confusion – I speak with an Australian accent but presented a British passport. When by myself, please stand here, sir. When with my son and his family – notably a baby and a pram(!), please come this way, sir.
Categorising people and analysing performance are very much part of our world. In fact that is how the world works – and often we’re happy with it because it helps us know what to do in social situations and we’ve all grown up with versions of ‘doing something right the first time is the best way to do a job’. We all think that people should be accountable for their actions and we’re prepared to take some contexts into account when determining the reward or punishment due – but the principle stands. Do the right thing and that is good; do the wrong thing and that is bad. Of course, the world – well, people – don’t work so ‘neatly’ – and with corruption or power or assets or privilege – one’s performance does not necessarily result in getting what one deserves! And we can also categorise people in such a way that is simply harmful and a denial of truth. But this is the world in which we live and queue and make the best life we can.
That is why Christianity is so radical because we take our categorisation and analysis – how we live in this world – and expect deities to act similarly. Not so the Christian Triune God! And here we discover a story of grace and mercy, of paradox and the unexpected – that a cross is the symbol and message of life – that God’s power is made perfect in weakness – that our performance towards this God always results in his forgiveness and he never tires of forgiving – and that real living in this world is about following Jesus – taking up a cross and denying oneself to live life full of faith, hope, and love!
At Pentecost even the categorisation of language gave way to revelation as people heard the disciples speaking in their own languages! The message to all people is that God views us as loved by him and needing him to live in this mess we have created. The Holy Spirit brings about the only two categories of humanity that have any eternal importance – those in Christ and those who reject Christ. The message all people need to hear about Jesus (from Genesis to Revelation) always has the goal of the best life worth living – with Jesus. We are still ourselves – in all the categories we are found – and our behaviour will still be analysed by this world’s standards but fear and terror are gone and peace and joy can be found because Jesus helps us live our life better than we ever thought possible. How God views us is the best perspective to have whatever is happening each day!
GS