Friday, July 12, 2013

Inspired

Jesus inspired people.  But human nature was the same in Jesus' day as it is now.  So I often find myself wondering "the rest of the story" of those folks in the Gospels who experienced dramatic healing or were first-hand witnesses or heard Jesus teach in real time or stood at Calvary.  My guess is that some were changed forever and others reverted back to their previous lifestyle.  Why?

Inspiration only leads to change when we do something after the tingling stops.  The mistake we often make is acting like the moment of inspiration is an end in and of itself.  Every newly married couple has a sobering realization a few months into marriage that the wedding ceremony, which was meticulously planned for months, was merely an inspiring starting line.  Neither perfect fonts nor dazzling cake designs nor beautiful dresses nor quaint church buildings do anything to produce a healthy marriage.

We tend to fixate on the moment of inspiration more than the subsequent changes that are possible in us as a result of that moment.  This is why people can worship for years in an exciting environment and experience little to no change in their character and disposition.  Jesus saw this phenomenon in the religious people of His day as well.

Only hearts intentionally placed in the care of Christ experience sustainable change. And therein lies the challenge.  Great music, teaching, and community life can motivate people but they cannot make people better.  Only the internal work of God's Spirit can do that within a heart yielded to the Lord.

Finding inspiration more in the mundane than the magnificent will help us.  It's easy to experience awe walking into a gorgeous Cathedral or attending a popular conference at a megachurch but who does that daily?  What if instead we were awed by God's presence in the morning commute or doing laundry or studying for an exam?  God's work in our hearts during those moments tend to be better triggers for change than religious ceremony.

Let's love being inspired.  But let's love inspiration that leads to change more.  The spiritual, moral, and ethical challenges of our Day demand it.  It's impossible to be salt and light in this world if there is nothing different about us.  Maybe inspiration without change is more appealing because it allows us the safety of blending in.  But Jesus didn't die and raise from the dead on our behalf for that.  He did it to transform us in a way that is unequaled by the powers of mere mortals.  That is worth receiving.

Ex nihilo,

R.J. Rhoden



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