2 hours to Edinburgh
Sunday, September 6, 2009 at 21:13 So, I'm on the last leg of a four day, car and ferry trans-European trip to collect our dog from Denmark, and immigrate her to the UK. After miles of roadwork on the Autobahn, 5 extra hours due to delay, and driving 22.5 out of 26 hours with a three hour nap in the car, I was just north of Newcastle, gassing up and buying a cup of coffee at the petrol station. I needed caffeine...badly. I only had 2 more hours to go before I was home.
After confirming some directions, the man behind the counter says to me, "I'm hesitant to say this, but, you must be American, right?"
"Right." I replied. "Why are you hesitant?"
"Well," he said, "sometimes Americans and Canadians sound the same to me. So, why are you moving to Scotland?"
"Graduate Studies"
"Aye. In what?"
"Ethics."
"Aye. Why? What do you do?"
"Well, I'm an ordained pastor," I said. He sent back a blank stare, so I followed up with, "A priest."
"Oh, aye. So, what made you become a Priest?"
Suddenly, I realized, this was more than a gas and go. I looked up from the debit card keypad and said, "Faith."
The man said, "Oh, right. Well, I've been baptized, but I'm actually a non-believer."
I suggested, "Well, it's not about belief, it's about faith."
He paused for a second, and sensing he had a willing (if not sleep deprived) conversationalist, he bravely said, "Allright. One thing, though, and you have to agree with me on this. How can there be a God, because if there was, the twin towers would never have happened, aye? Why didn't God just give all of those guys heart attacks the day before they were going to do it? Right?"
I put my wallet back in my pocket and said, "No. That's not God's fault, it's ours. Violence was a choice of free will for those men. And if God hadn't given humans free will, then there would be no point to being human, now would there?"
A big smile shot across his face, like something had been released. He pointed at me and said, "Damn...you may have a point there."
Of course I do, and all I really wanted was a cup of coffee.
Violence, pain and hunger always seems to challenge belief in God, which seems bizarre to me on the surface because it's not God's fault. Violence comes because we fail to be satisfied and secure with our own lives, and we fail to satisfy our neighbors. If we were emotionally, physically, and spiritually satisfied, who or what on earth would we violate? We'd have no reason to. But, people are insecure with their religious and social identities, and they are hungry...so, in our homes and our nations we fear and we fight for power and food. When we see the violent results, how can we rationalize a belief in a loving God? I have a hunch that this is really what the attendant was wrestling with. And we all do. How can we believe when we see peace violated and people hungry? That's why we all need to think about the role of Christian Ethics in our daily living.
Jesus told us to pray, "Give US this day our daily bread." Not me, us, and then he asks us to share. We'd like to think that everybody receiving their own "bread" would be suffiecient proof for rational belief. But the issue is not whether you can believe in God, but if you have faith in what God has done and what God is asking us to do. There is plenty of bread to go around - food, wealth, health - life abundant. But we have to share. Then it's not just an act of belief, it's an act of faith. I think God has asked us to worry a bit less on our belief, and a bit more on our faith...and just like Thomas, when you see faith, belief is the easy part. Truth seeking acts of goodness, belief active in faith, practical theology - that is the very definition of our Christian Ethics. So, with all of this is swimming around my mind in an instant, I got back to my caffeine and petrol peddling friend's question:
Violence is not God's failure to make peace, it's our failure to satisy and be satisfied.
Suffering is not God's failure to give life, it's our failure to nurture.
Hunger is not God's failure to provide, it's our failure to share.
God is faithful to his end of the covenant - how are we doing? Ponder that...and in the meantime, can I please have my coffee? I'm tired and it's 2 hours to Edinburgh.
Reader Comments (2)
what else can I say?
: )
xx oo
-marci
ps.
xx oo
This is Scott Moore from Sanderson. I am sure you won't remember me. But this link was passed along by Teresa (Johnson) Brenan and I found it very enjoyable. It is always great to see friends from all walks of life understand the true nature of this life and its purpose. Thanks for the spiritual jolt this morning and for your faith and diligence in Christ. I share your prayer that we may all be more giving and loving and kind.
Your brother in the Lord,
Scott Moore