Now the free-thinking goat did not show up for the arraignment of his owner, who violated a village ordinance against the ownership of free-thinking goats. It was, however, just as well, because the goat may have also received due punishment if the village elders deemed that the free-thinking goat was its own master now, and, in ownership of itself, the goat would either have to alter its free-thinking ways or stop being a goat.
Where was the free-thinking goat, and why did it not come to the defense of its former master? In the morning of the day in question, the goat was in fact on the move. The goat was a free-thinking being after all, and its current thought was that it should look towards its hunger, to sate its desire to eat.
Point of fact. Free-thinking goats might be free-thinking and all that, but like all normal, mundane beings, food, drink and rest are quite high on the list of things to think about. Free-thinking goats would be free-thinking dead goats if they did not.
So it was that the free-thinking goat happened upon a tasty-looking plant high on the mountain pass. The plant was certainly tasty-looking - full of juicy berries, lush green leaves, and a milky stalk that looked so crisp and crunchy that the free-thinking goat drooling with anticipation. He had been this way before, so why had he missed this luscious, tasty plant on previous travels? The free-thinking goat started to get anxious. He must eat this plant quickly, before other goats, free-thinking or non-free-thinking, found this perfect plant. The tasty-looking plant had no thorns to pester him, had none of the warning signs of poison that would send chills down the free-thinking goat's back.
The free-thinking goat sighed. He was hungry, and the plant was just about perfect to eat. What more could there be to life? What more could the free-thinking goat ask for?
So with that, the goat turned away from the plant and trotted down the path toward less tasty plants he knew to be down by the mountain stream. The freedom to choose was only good if exercised, and this particular free-thinking goat believed in freedom, even over food.
***
I can understand why some people believe that the murmured discomfort of a small few and plaints about a forced church membership drive is overstated; these people believe, probably quite rightly in fact, that the church membership / vision statement combination is really nothing new or anything to get worked up about.
And, I can understand the polar opposite view, which is that this a fairly big deal, that we are being asked to give our fidelity before God to follow the pastor despite not having a firm idea of where we are going, and that current memberships are being revoked unilaterally and an entirely new process being instituted for everyone without congregational vote, etc.
But I think both perspectives may not be properly focused on what is important, because the meaning of the vision statement is being lost in all of this, and the pastor may not been able to transmit the meaning of the vision statement in a way that gets people to completely understand, or maybe not everyone has been listening or paying attention.
A true application of the vision statement will be an inexorable transformation of reality, and it puts everyone who shall follow Christ into immediate "resident alien" status in this world. And an authentic and consistent living out of this vision statement can be, frankly, incredibly daunting. I say this because if we are to undertake this vision statement, it only makes sense to do it if you do it 100%. And a true and authentic living for the worship of God will make for incredible changes in the way that many of us, or most of us, live our lives, or, if I speak for myself alone, in the way that I, live my life.
But there are questions:
1. Is this God's plan for each of us, as believers.
2. Is this God's plan for the church.
3. Is this an accurate interpretation of the Word, as applied to us?
I would guess that the pastor would answer yes to the first, yes to the second and yes to the third. So that's it.
Yet the greatest question to be answered for Christians who live in this day and age, is how to live in this day and age. Since I know less than the pastor, I would have to say that the pastor is, very likely, quite correct in his interpretation of the Word, but the implementation of his interpretation will be an incredible balance of culture, finance, family values, social networks, employment choices, everything. But is this church spiritually mature enough to undertake this vision at this time? One wonders whether Moses felt the same way about his people and whether they were mature enough to take to the desert and out of slavery.
One wonders whether the pastor sees himself in a Moses-like role, leading the people of this church out of financial, emotional, social and family security, and into a wasteland of nothing, so as to focus our attention on what is important in a God-centered life. I guess the question is, can you live a God-centered life while remaining in this world, in this reality, or is it just the degree of hypocrisy that you are able to swallow.
I would deem any degree of an inauthentic life as hypocrisy, because we are all able to live a God-centered life, if we so choose. The question is not whether we are able, but whether we are willing. And willing to lead an authentic life 70% versus 100% may be noticeable to the outside, but we are talking about the Holy Spirit here, and the Holy Spirit is not fooled by being mostly devoted, as opposed to fully devoted.
But if nobody can be perfect anyway, then is this just about intent rather than actual living, or a mostly pure mind-set? Each answer reveals more questions. I am holding a mirror while facing a mirror, and the stretch is infinite.
-David
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