No To No

I personally think that irony is one of life’s greatest teachers. One has to scratch their head when you consider that we park on our driveways and drive on our parkways. And then there’s the Oxymorons who live next door who eat jumbo shrimp and just ordered clean dirt for their garden. Jesus seems to enjoy the merits of paradox in the upside down theology of the first will be last and the last will be first. What all this ordered chaos has in common is that it reminds us that we live in a conflicted world. Jesus is right that the one who thinks only of himself, will be the last person you want to be around while the person who has a servant’s heart and puts others first will be the first person you want around. That is, in this fallen world motivated by greed, self-centered pleasures and pride it seems dog eat dog is the rule of the day. So, God had to stand tall on a cross to reorient the world to forgiveness, love and sacrifice. Rebellious mankind ironically killed it’s greatest citizen thinking it would stop his mission but unwittingly secured their only hope of salvation. Death brought life and open the door to eternity. And maybe just as importantly opened the door to see how upside down this world has become.

Now, here’s the sacred dilemma in its day to day reality. I swat my grandchild on the backside after she hits me, sternly saying, "We don’t hit!" And I muster all my Pappy Pomposity to affirm, "We don’t say, ‘No!’" In this swirl of irony I pray, "Lord, help me let my yes be yes and my no be no!" That is, in this conflicted world where I hit to teach that we don’t hit and I say no to no, let there be some wisdom from above that makes sense out of the nonsense.

And here’s the voice of God that I think whispers to me in a still small voice… Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight (Proverbs 3:5,6). That is, our paradoxical lives will only find wisdom by trusting God enough to supply insight to a balanced life that knows how to stand firm on both sides when it’s yes and when it’s no. I have no doubt that God continues to teach us through our grandchildren that we live in a ironic and chaotic world whose only hope is God! -DAN