Better Teacher
July 8, 2009, posted by Jeff, under The Practicing Church | | 1 Comment
I believe that love is a better teacher than a sense of duty, at least for me. – Albert Einstein
Often, when discussing the practicing church, the issue of “works” comes up. Many times, the past few months, people worry about “working their way to heaven”. While all of us have been both the victims and perpetrators of legalism, I think that otherlyness encompasses more than duty.
Many times Jesus started his sentence with:
Let him who has eyes, see – and him who has ears, hear.
Hearing that statement, I often have one of two reactions:
- “Alright, I’ll try and and open my eyes.” [Picture my 13-year-old, when asked to take out the trash, acting as though I've condemned her to go to the quarry in our back-yard and pound sand.]
- “Here’s a chance to learn – if I listen or see.”
#1 smacks of duty – something I should do.
#2 goes deeper, it taps something in me – my learning. At the same time, it taps something in you – in the other. If we want to learn, if we want to be surprised, then love definitely is the better teacher.
Does duty remain?
Sure.
Is duty a bad thing?
No, we could all do with a greater sense of responsibility for ourselves and those around us. [Jesus included neighbors and enemies in those "around us". Chesteron once said Jesus mentioned both because they're often the same person! Can you tell I'm visiting family this week?]
However important duty is, it doesn’t motivate like love. If love is at the center of this whole gig then the other – my neighbor or my enemy or my crazy relative, can teach me. Like the sheep who don’t even know that they’ve “done these things” for Jesus, may we each continue to learn from love, from loving “the least of these” – just like Jesus loves (and likes) us.
more beautiful stuff from Jeff