Boxes

The preacher made a good point in church this morning. We, as people, try to put everything and everyone in a box.

[question] "Who is that girl?"
[answer] "Oh, she's that spoiled girl from school."

[question] "Why don't you like Obama?"
[answer] "Because he's a democrat."

[question] "Which one is he again?"
[answer] "He's the fat one, remember?"

Everyone does it. And we do it all the time. Even if we don't know everything there is to know about a person or subject, we feel compelled to describe everything as one thing...she is this, he is that, this is stupid because it's this, etc. It's as if we can be identified by one adjective only, and the adjective that someone chooses for us will remain attached to our personalities until we can prove that another adjective is more befitting of our current situation.

Why do we do this? Do we have some compelling need to organize everything into neat, little categories to make our lives more manageable? Or do we simply grant people one descriptor to ensure that we remain ahead in certain categories? Whatever the reason, its not a practice in which to engage oneself. It leads to discrimination, biased thoughts, and judgmental attitudes.

We as Christians are called to imitate Jesus Christ, and in doing so we are called to treat everyone 1.) as Jesus treats us, 2.) as we would want to be treated, and 3.) as we would treat Jesus.

This morning, Max Lucado eloquently described the scene of Jesus' transfiguration on Mount Herman, explaining how the disciples had put Jesus into one small box, and this moment on the mountain was when he burst out of the box. But this was not the only "box-bursting" scene for Jesus in his life. He lived counter-culturally to everyone's way of thinking, and when everyone said it couldn't be done, Jesus did it. Thank God that Jesus refused to be pegged as a liar and hypocrite when everyone said he couldn't die for our sins! So although Max didn't say this, I assume that Jesus would want all of us to stop placing people in those same boxes.

What if we as Christians were eternally pegged by the word that best describes us when we drive in traffic? When we engage our fellow co-workers or school mates? When we interact with our families? When we're alone? I love the fact that each morning I can wake up and be free from everything in past and future without fear of judgment or condemnation from God Almighty. I love have a blank slate every day on which to draw the new descriptors for my life. And so my new challenge in life is to be that forgiving with everyone else around me, and that includes being less judgmental.

Boxes are good for clothes, food, books, blankets, toys, appliances, and shoes.

But they are not good for Jesus, and they are not good for you and me.

Good night, and good luck.

--Jeffrey D. Edwards