Thursday, September 21, 2006

RETHINKING "LOST"

A way of making sense of something we don't understand is to label it. When we can put a label on something then we feel safer, like we have handles on it. When we label something/someone we get handles on it. Labels are usually very general, and does not take into account individuality and even exceptions. Labels paint a very broad stroke - and is not usually very fair....

Take the label "Christian" for example. It is said that 70% of South Africa label themselves as "Christian." Yet it is evident in our society that there is no way that 2/3 of our population live the way Jesus modelled. When we think about our Christianity its very much in a bounded set - fashion. We draw a box, where everyone is "IN" who does specific things, go to specific places, speak specific things. Its also distinguised by what is NOT said/done/attented. On the other hand, those who do say/do/attend are "OUT". This reinforces "Them/Us" thinking and practice. Some Christians refer to these as the "LOST".

When we use this label, we tend to be very proud of our "spirituality" and "righteousness". Without realizing it, we become judgemental of others who is not "in" the box. The "LOST" senses this, and feel isolated and pushed away.

Maybe a better way of seeing ourselves, is in to relation to Jesus - where Jesus is at the center of life. When we then look at our lives, we consider what areas of our lives is submitted to the Lordship of Jesus. This is a humbling practice. So even though there is stuff that I have put off, I am still aware of so many attitudes, ambitions, mistakes that is not in the spirit of the One I follow. Where the bounded set/box thinking remained stagnant - where I could be comfortable with myself - centred thinking motivates and inspires me to keep on moving, to keep on changing in following Jesus.

We get the label the "LOST" from the parables in Luke 15 of the lost sheep, the lost coin and the lost son. I have read a suggestion that when we think of these stories that we dont concentrate so much on the "lostness" of the items, but that we think more in terms of something/someone valuable that is "MISSED". The shepherd and the woman sets out to find the missing sheep and the missing coin because it is valuable and important to them. They leave everything behind in search of the missing....

How will it change the way we interact with people when we realize that this individual might be one of those Jesus misses most?

Brian McLaren uses the following analogy with regards to "lost". If I send a package to a friend in another country and it doesnt reach its destination - what do we say of that package? We say it is LOST..... when God sends us to the world, and we withdraw from it, and do not engage with the world in love and grace arent WE then "LOST"?

May we learn to see our friends, our neigbours, our family members as the people Jesus misses most, and may our lives be an invitation to be found....