Tuesday, January 14, 2020

Imagining That You Can Really Be Like Jesus

Each Monday I participate in a meeting – on a Zoom call.  Some of you may know what that is, but until I with joined Houston Responds as part of the Hurricane Harvey assistance, I had no idea. Zoom is a web-based video-conferencing service. Pretty cool actually. Anyway, at the start of each meeting, someone will give a short devotion.  Yesterday the devotion was centered on an excerpt from Mere Christianity, by C.S. Lewis. As often happens, what was said quickened my Spirit and I knew I should share it with you.

Very often the only way to get a quality in reality is to start behaving as if you had it already. That is why children’s games are so important. They are always pretending to be grown-ups—playing soldiers, playing shop. But all the time, they are hardening their muscles and sharpening their wits so that the pretence [sic]of being grown-up helps them grow up in earnest (p. 188).” Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis

The idea of “pretending” with respect to our faith is not suggesting we be hypocrites but rather that we have a desire to be  like Christ. That we would imagine that we can be and then act as if we are. That fact caused me to see Jesus’ parable about two sons in a different light.

A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go, work today in my vineyard.’ He answered and said, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he regretted it and went. Then he came to the second and said likewise. And he answered and said, ‘I go, sir,’ but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father? – Matthew 21:28-31

In the one case a son was struggling with obedience, but yielded to what he was told to do.  Even though he struggled with obedience, he yielded to his father. In the second, the son pretended to be obedient but was not. That son had no interest in being obedient, but wanted the appearance of being so.

There are two kinds of pretending. There is a bad kind, where the pretence is there instead of the real thing; as when a man pretends he is going to help you instead of really helping you. But there is also a good kind, where the pretence leads up to the real thing. When you are not feeling particularly friendly but know you ought to be, the best thing you can do, very often, is to put on a friendly manner and behave as if you were a nicer person than you actually are. And in a few minutes, as we have all noticed, you will be really feeling friendlier than you were. Very often the only way to get a quality in reality is to start behaving as if you had it already. That is why children’s games are so important. They are always pretending to be grownups—playing soldiers, playing shop. But all the time, they are hardening their muscles and sharpening their wits so that the pretence of being grown-up helps them to grow up in earnest.” C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (1952; Harper Collins: 2001) 187-189.

We must imagine that we can be what God has called us to be and then live that way.  If you don’t believe that God can indeed transform you, then you will never mature. Living by faith requires imagination.  The evidence of things not seen.  (Hebrews 11:1) That is what is imagined. If you allow your life, your failures, to define you, then you may find that you live your life pretending to be righteous, but inside you are disobedient. But if you walk in the light as He is in the light (1 John 1:7) then you will find that at the root of your pretending is Love which leads to obedience, which leads to maturity – but not perfection.  Perfection comes on the day we see Jesus face to face. 

To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.” – Jude 24-25

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone

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