Walking Off of the Edge

I'd love change to happen at a quiet table, with a good book, while in deep thought. I can't tell you how much I desire for my heart to follow the orders of my mind as I sit back in my chair and reflect on some profound quotation. It would be so nice if my life would fall perfectly in line with the waves of information that I shove into my head.

As it turns out, however, things don't quite work that way. While I would never discount or discontinue study, reflection, and learning, I am becoming more and more convinced that most significant life change comes from further experiential situations. A person may very well learn to trust a rope by studying, reading about and reflecting upon the nature and right use of a rope. But he will never cling to that rope until he leans over the edge of the cliff - until he rests his entire life upon the rope.

And this is the Christian call. This is Christ's call, is it not? We must love Christ fully and cling to him tightly as he calls us to step off of the "love-your-neighbor-as-yourself" cliff. Clinging to Christ saves us, but if we never step off of the edge in obedience, we soon find it easy to loosen our grip, or even set him down while we pay attention to other things. This may be a reason why Paul, in Romans, refers more to the second commandment than the first.

Sure, while we sit, we may discover things about the rope which are quite interesting and beautiful. We may tell people all about how strong it is and how it can hold a certain weight without breaking. But if we will not love others, we will never cling to Christ (our rope) completely. And if we do not cling to him completely, we will never change convincingly.

Don't get me wrong, I love a good education. But I am not convinced that our current methods of educating are the best. The more Christ breaks me apart, I am realizing that one biblical, experiential situation of love - especially when loving doesn't make "self-preserving" sense - is worth a few hundred books or blogs that I have read. I fear the demand for thousands of Christian books to flood our marketplace is due to the fact that we, as a church, simply refuse to change any other way.

That's why we're all so tired. And that could also be why many are tired of us. We're trying to change ourselves with education, rather than trusting in the Holy Spirit to change us as we walk by faith in love.

We are conveniently convinced that reading is more economic and obedient than loving. That change comes from reason more than revelation. And that revelation is best experienced in quiet places where we are most in control. I simply cannot believe this any more. Christ doesn't work this way. Following him demands entering situations where he alone is our survival, vitality and strength. When we follow him, our experience will simply not allow us to let him go. This is the essence of faith, experienced best in obedience.

All I am saying is the Christian life is so much more than Christian education (though Christian education is an important part of that life). All knowledge, without the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit working in love, by faith alone, is nothing more than a pharisaic pacifier we use to make us feel good about our lack of true obedience to our Lord's commands. Again, I would like nothing more than to sit and learn in a classroom or coffee shop for the rest of my earthly life; but, according to the Scriptures, this would be less than clinging to Christ, and that is a price I am unwilling to pay. He is a treasure to valuable to let go.