I once saw one of those TV shows where they show you real footage of people doing stupid things caught on camera. There was this lady who had stopped her car on the freeway and decided to get out and walk toward the oncoming traffic. At first glance you would have to agree that this is a silly thing to do. But what if you could get a second glance? What if there was a another story behind this lady's actions?
A producer of this program apparently did some research about the story and found out that the lady had just lost her second child in the space of a few years, and was totally overcome with grief. She had got in her car and just "zoned out" while she was driving, got out of the car, unconscious of her surroundings, and went for a walk.
In his book 'Jesus the fool', Michael Frost talks about a concept he calls, 'Reframing'. It's when you see someone, or something, in a different light to the first time you saw it. In this case the woman was considered to be doing something stupid when we didn't see all the facts. But when you hear about her grief, and the incredible sense of loss she must be feeling, we have compassion on her and understand her predicament a little better. Not too many of us have lost 2 children to sickness, but most of us can appreciate that it would bring a terrible strain on your emotions. This is called 'Reframing' her story.
When it comes to God, I believe that he did some 'reframing' with us as human beings. In the New Testament in Romans 5 verse 6 it says that 'Jesus Christ died for us at a time when we were helpless and sinful' (cev). Some think that God sits in the heavens on a big throne just waiting to punish us with a big stick when we get it wrong. But I don't believe this. We all have a story. We all have a bunch of history, and things that have shaped us and made us who we are today. Some of our past is good, some of it is nasty, and some of it is best left in the past where it belongs. The past events of our lives shape us, and mould us into who we've become, and much of it has been out of our control. Like the woman in this story: she could do nothing to save her children, but it shaped her life from the moment she lost them. It would be wrong of us to think she could simply continue on as normal as before. This, I believe, is how God sees us - helpless. Today this word means you're a loser; but what it really means is that you simply cannot do anything to help yourself! And I think this is exactly where God wants us - so that He can help us. Again in the NT in Hebrews 4 verse 15 the Bible describes Jesus like this: Jesus understands every weakness of ours, because he was tempted in every way that we are . . . And then in verse 16, So whenever we are in need, we should come bravely before the throne of our merciful God. There we will be treated with undeserved kindness, and we will find help.
I do believe that God frames our stories perfectly, and understands our helplessness. Read it again: does this sound like the angry judge I mentioned earlier? I think that some of us have our picture of God totally screwed up.
Maybe we can do something positive about this and 'reframe' our concept of who God is. I believe that he is compassionate toward us, and is touched by our failures and weaknesses.
Talk soon . . .
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