The Tension

I've been meaning to write this down for a while now, but blogging keeps falling off the "must get done today" list. A lot of days, things on that list don't get done. I got up at 6:30 today and felt like I'd slept in. Stupid responsibility. I hate you most days.

Anyway back to the subject at hand:

When God was creating, He made animals and angels and us*. Each were/are wonderful in their own way. Actually, He's the one who said they were "good". Although, when I see the fall, I wonder where the innate good went. But thats a much longer post though and other than my good friend who leads worship, most of you wouldn't care enough to keep reading.

Animals do what they want, when they want. Their entire existence is summed up by saying they do what they feel like doing, regardless. It's me at my worst. My biggest shame comes from the times I acted like an animal and did what I felt like doing, when I felt like doing it, regardless of who it affected and hurt.

Angels have zero physical desires. They aren't physical beings. They don't get hungry. They don't marry and have the pleasure of having sex with the one you love. They don't burn with passion and lust. They've never gotten angry and overreacted. There are not throw downs in Heaven because one angel slept with the other's girlfriend when he was on a special mission for Jesus. For years legalists have burdened the church with the lie: Living like an angel is possible and desireable. Deny that you burn with passion. Deny things taste good. Deny love and pleasure, even in the right context. Paul called this teaching demonic and said the men who taught it were insincere liars who's consciences are numb*.

After angels and animals God made us. Like animals we desire. Like angels we need to not indulge in everything under the sun. It's like in us, the characteristic that separates us from an animal or an angel is the ability to choose what's best. It's in the tension that makes us human. It's the tension to choose what's best for our relationship with Christ or what's best for our family or what's best for others feelings that reflects the image of God.

And here's what the fall does: It tries to get us to pick a side and go headlong overboard in that direction. The fall is trying to get you to act like an animal. The fall is trying to get you to act like an angel.
So here's how it plays out:
Cancun on spring break - Animal
Skirts and buns - Angel
Jersey Shore - Animal
"Christian" Music - Angel
Porn - Animal
Teetotalism - Angel

There is life in the tension. There is joy.

When you live like an animal, it ends like Solomon, starring at your indulgence and screaming, "I hate you - you betrayed me. You promised me fulfillment but you left me wanting. You were the wind, I could never catch you."

When you live like an angel it ends with hypocrisy. Everytime. Or for those of us who aren't hiding our sin and are a bit more truthful, trying to live like an angel ends with, "Screw it! I can't keep these rules. Maybe some people can, but I can't. Eff it, I'm done trying to be good."

The tension acknowledges that sex and beer are good, but without maturity, boundaries and accountability to someone or something, they'll ruin you. But won't everything ruin you without limits? How many young couples divorce because they are too busy with their kids extra-curricular activities like soccer and little league baseball that they've forgot to spend time together?

Wrestling with the tension is part of what it means to be a Christian. Wrestling in the tension brings life and joy. Finding out what's best is what it means to be human. And the fall is going to fight you to the death to get you to act like anything other than what you were created to be.

*I got this idea from a Rob Bell book for those of you who recognize plagiarism.
*1 Timothy 4