Changing course
Adapted from an article published in The Christian Science Monitor, May 15, 2017.
Patterns of destruction and corruption are at the heart of many problems today—from the abuse of power in politics to the conflicts creating famine in Africa. When solutions require a redirection away from destructive behavior, is it reasonable to expect that we can make a course correction?
This question is rooted in the fundamental and timeless inquiry of what we actually are. If we believe that humanity is stuck in repetitive cycles of selfishness, greed, and dysfunction, it may be difficult to believe a change of course is possible. But discovering our being as God-created gives a basis for effecting healing change.
A good example of this is seen in the Bible story of the Apostle Paul. As he was traveling en route to carry out acts of religious-based terror, he had a vision of Christ Jesus, which unveiled to him the error of his ways—and he was changed (see Acts 9).
The transforming power he encountered was the Christ, the true idea of God and man presented in Christ Jesus’ life and teachings. Jesus taught that each one of us is a child of God, who is Spirit and creates only good, as illustrated in the first account of creation (see Genesis 1). This is in contrast to the story of dust and decay as illustrated in the story of Adam (see Genesis 2). By looking more deeply into the nature of man—for the physically unseen spiritual reality of God’s child, even when the human appearance was sin, disease, and death—he showed that we are spiritual and good. This discernment of the spiritual man gave Jesus power to cure the incurable, reform the incorrigible, and forgive those who struggled to live up to their full potential as children of God. His word and works proved the efficacy of Christ’s healing power.
As that power reached Paul in the form of a vision, he heard a voice asking him: “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me? It is hurting you to keep on kicking against the cattle prods” (Acts 26:14, International Standard Version). Kicking against the cattle prods is a good metaphor for reasoning in the wrong direction to justify bad behavior. Paul took the Christ-message to heart, changing his course from destructive “dust” or matter-based thinking and living to Christ-based thinking and living, which wakes us up to our full potential for good as God’s children. He later wrote, “For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive” (I Corinthians 15:22, New International Version). Paul’s reformation illustrated that even the most inveterate wrong can be rooted out through Christ.
Saul’s transformation didn’t happen in a vacuum. He was surrounded by a faithful community striving to follow Christ Jesus’ teachings in every detail. As we follow the Christ-path to love and bless, we will be better equipped to do good and pray for others—even those apparently intent on harm and destruction. Discerning and defending the true nature of God’s children, as blessed and as a blessing to others, enables us to effect a healing change of course.
Adapted from an article published in The Christian Science Monitor, May 15, 2017.
