God and Geometry, Part I

The shortest distance between two points is a straight line. This is a vital axoim in math, but for comic Stephen Wright it was disastrous in baseball: "I tried to steal third from first and argued that second was out of my way."

I'm a bit of an outside the box rebel, like Wright - eating cereal with a fork. Too many rules are one too many. Likewise, when I am out to get what I want with a burning desire and unbridled focus, I am not a fan of the law of God, specifically the oft quoted "wages of sin is death" (Rom. 6.23) I recall as a non-Christian seeing this as obnoxious and cumbersome, another in the long list of reasons why God sucked and I wanted nothing to do with Him. "You're so great, God, how 'bout some rules that work in my favor?!"

Theologically, this is much easier to explain to someone who holds God's will for their life as the highest cause. Until I became a Chrisian, my plan was the only plan. Being a Christ follower, I discovered, carries with it the assumption that you are doing just that: following Christ. He even stated he had a perfect will for my life. Your life. Geometrically, before him, we were stuck at point A or A and a half. But now, He has something far better than point B, He's got a perfect will for us call it point "X" - the highest and best purpose for your life.

Sin, in God's eyes, is anything that we do that creates a curve on our path from where we are to point X. I can't think of a better word than "death" for what that earns us - relational death, financial death, emotional death. If perfect relational, emotional, fiscal, or physical health is His plan, what else do we call voluntary failure to live up to potential? Distraction? Sure, but distract my fresh basil from the light for a day, and what ensues? Wilting and death... Not all that desirable, eh?

The Bible teaches that we live in a broken world, ruled in part by the enemy of God, and are thus prone to be distracted by anything that catches our eye. We are in bondage to shiny, sparkley, sexy, sleek, stuff which will constantly take us off the path from A to X. It's like spiritual ADD.
Reminds me of a favorite joke:

Q: How many kids with ADD does it take to screw in a lightbulb?
A: Let's go ride bikes.

Today, let's start with the basics. Let's all, Christians or not, imagine that the Bible is right, inerrant, and true and that there is a God who loves us and invites us to call Him "Father". Let's imagine that He really is all knowing and all powerful and refuses to mess with free will. Next, let's imagine He's got a plan to prosper us and not to harm us, to give us a hope and a future and abundant life. Now, let's imagine He's trying to explain how to get to that life, point X, but we're busy with our Quest for Stuff, Power, Prowess, Fame, and/or Other non-Point-X-Miscellany. He's stuck talking to ADD boy.

So, what are you up to? What's disctracting you from His plan for your life? What's your purpose in relation to what His picture of your ultimate role in the eternity long saga could be? I've never said "God, I know you're wicked smaaht [Bostonian for "beyond intelligent"], but I have a better plan, so why don't you just tend to the orphans in Africa and I'll get back to you when I need you to bail me out of the mess I'm about to create."

At least, not in those words...