It is always good to be challenged. Once, a long time ago, a woman I admired said that she always tries to be pushed to be more open, liberal, accepting of questions. I took that to heart. My parents also spent my teenage years trying to get their first born, traditionally minded daughter to see beyond her black and white parameters. Perparing me for the gray that would surely cloud my vision.
Last night, I led a discussion on the nature of Jesus. It was a pretty broad, scratch-the-surface conversation that started at the request of someone who read the book The Jesus Dynasty. I haven't read the book and it isn't overly important to the conversation. Except that it completely changed how this young person things about Jesus. So I guess it is a little important. The book would fall into the area of archeology and the search for the historical Jesus.
Knowing that the whole group would never read the book, I broadened the topic to Jesus' nature. Billing the conversation as, Who do you say that I am? I gave a brief introduction, saying how I wanted actual conversation, I hoped that when I spoke they wouldn't hear it as "the" answer or that they "had" to agree with me, etc. Then I asked the question, Who do you say that Jesus is?
I said, that he was the one that brings me back from the dead and the one who assures me that God is for me and on my side. (Incarnation and Resurrection) I have a fairly 'high' view of Jesus Divinity. (apparently.)
The next person to speak said, "Well, I think Jesus was a prophet. I'm come to believe he was the best prophet but I don't think he was God."
My little, open minded, liberal, question embracing heart, stopped. Just a little. But it did. Internally, I panicked. While I believe as a pastor my job isn't to force people into faith or encourage everyone to see things just as I see them, for just a moment I felt like I had failed this person. That I was getting a failed grade on my pastor test. Part of me wanted to say a whole lot of words to get them to see Jesus from my viewpoint. I wanted to argue and push and pick at the flaws in this thinking.
And all of a sudden, I really wished I hadn't given my "open minded, embrace the questions" introduction. I hate having to live up to my own expectations.
So, I nodded and sat back. and listened.
(I am going to leave this post here...a work in progress.)
1 comment:
I think that the person that made the comment about Jesus has not moved on to a mature faith. It's childlike faith to see God as "God" and Jesus as "man." In a way, that is what we teach our children. Jesus came to earth as a baby, grew up, died, and lives in heaven with God. The Holy Spirit is difficult enough for adults so we gloss over with children. Where/when do you learn about the Triune God - we say it in worship but do people really UNDERSTAND what that means. I tend to think not. Mature faith takes a lot of work and a lot of time. I can see how as a pastor someone not "getting it" about Jesus would be upsetting. Just think of that person as a work in progress. And you are good with "works on progress"! Look at me, I still like to think of God as an old, white, grandfather figure. But I'm coming around! ;)
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