Someone ask me what my “take” was on Dana relative to her actions in the narrative where she lost track of time practicing and failed to fulfill the commitment she had made with her friends. What’s so nice about narratives is that they have the ability to approximate, reflect and capture the exigencies of human existence. Actions we do and the choices we make are very rarely straightforward and clear cut. We are bag of mixed motives – of which many we are even unaware. Dana is a Christian and being such it depends not so much on the “what”, but the “how” as to whether it was pleasing to God or not. She could have fulfilled her duty – quit practice early enough to make it to her friends house and help prepare the meal for the less fortunate family – and still not performed that which is “pleasing to God”. We often think that the opposite of sin is virtue. What we forget is that “in relation to God we are always in the wrong” – hence faith. Therefore the Christian Faith teaches us that the opposite of sin is not virtue, but faith.
Whether one does or doesn’t live (exist) in “faith” in a moment determines the value – virtue – of an action. The one who lives – “abides” – in faith lives in God (see 1 John 3 & 4). I can see how this might rub someone the wrong way, especially if you pride yourself in “doing the right thing”. But this takes us back to a discussion from an earlier post that not every act of love (the “what”) is a loving act (the “how”). It may appear to be loving, but in actuality the loving act serves the lovers selfish needs rather than truly being a loving act for the other. The scriptures are full of these examples of “moral ambiguity” – Abraham, Jacob, Rehab, and Esther to name a few. The import from these stories is that despite the appearance of moral impropriety they were living – existing – in faith.
Let’s imagine that Dana’s seeking to be the best she can be at golf is her faith-filled response – offering back to God the gifts that God has given to her in the hope of and as a means to living in the Divine life. And in an effort to become her best, to offer her best, she gets lost – that is, she gets swept up in the activity itself of practicing – hitting a golf ball – and God showed up in vivid way in that moment. What if through the “activity” she got lost in the experience of God, that is, she gets lost in communion with God? Has she sinned, or is she doing exactly what she is supposed to be doing?
What happens to us as we grow in communion with God? Through our participation in the Divine we are changed, that is, changed into who we are individually meant to be. In philosophical terms we become a “self”, a true individual. More theologically speaking, we grow in the likeness of God – radiating and reflecting his bliss, beauty, peace and love. Perhaps we do become characterized by the “fruits of the Spirit” – “joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” – but even more fundamental is that we become evermore lovers of God and fellow man (whatever shape that might take).
Dana’s guilt arises from poor Christian concepts for which I hope this blog helps straighten out. Furthermore, we are going to feel conflict – pulled in many different directions – because there are so many choices and thus ways to serve God. This is a good problem to have! Finally, if Dana’s friends are Christian and seeking themselves to live a faith-filled response to God, they will understand and build Dana up.