Remember the time when we all believed that we shouldn't plant more than one crop in the same field? Or when we were against shirts of two different fabrics?
How about when we believed that adultery was a crime punishable by death?
What about those times when football was illegal?
What? You don't remember when those were true? Check your Bible. Specifically Leviticus 19:19 about the whole crops and shirts thing, Leviticus 20:10 about killing adulterers, and Leviticus 11:7-8 for why football is wrong.
Maybe those in my particular faith tradition may remember these: when we couldn't dance, or where neckties. How about when we believed that we [Church of God, Anderson, IN] were God's chosen people, destined to bring the 'evening light' to the world, righting the wrongs of Catholicism and Protestantism?
[If you are particularly interested in this last tidbit be sure to check back for my upcoming blog: CHOG's Napoleon Complex, coming sometime next week]
All this leads to the question the title is built on: What won't we believe tomorrow?
Way too often we hold up a certain set of beliefs/rules/criteria that is TRUE!!!!!! Until it isn't.
I know that is is especially true for myself. When I was growing up I had a certain belief system that strongly delineated between right and wrong, black and white, sinner and saint. As I grew in maturity, in wisdom, in humility I was able to see that many of the ideals I held to for so long were actually so right and wrong, black and white, sinner and saint. This happened in small steps and in leaps, sometimes it was something as simple as a throw away line in a movie [The Patriot] that caused a shift in my beliefs [from pro-war to pacifism]; other times it was like a light had been switched on [reading Velvet Elvis] and I was finally able to believe all those things I wanted to believe, but was too afraid to.
The person I used to be would label the person I am today, and it wouldn't be very nice labels. The old me would have quite a lot to say to the current me and where I could go, or was already heading. The old me wouldn't have cared about why I thought what I thought, just that I thought it. The old me wouldn't have cared about my feelings or my beliefs, in his eyes I would have just been another enemy to obliterate. There are times that I wish I could go back and try to talk some sense into that me, but I fully realize that the old me would only have listened well enough to formulate his plan of attack.
The very same thing that is true of me is also true of the church. We used to destroy so many people that we now count as members. And just as I am sure that my metamorphosis hasn't finished, I believe that the church is still in flux as well. A wise friend of mine once said that the church is about a generation behind the rest of the world when it comes to progress, so don't you give up hope for Jesus' whore of a bride just yet.
Peace and Love,
Pastor K
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