A fellow visits his doctor with a raging headache. The Doctor asks a few questions to identify the cause: Drink? No! Smoker? Absolutely not! Watch late night television? Never, all those sleazy movies and stuff! Eat bad food? Wouldn't dream of it, my body is a temple of the Holy Spirit! The Doctor asked: is it a shooting kind of pain? Yes, that’s it exactly. The Doctor replied the cause is simple; you have your halo on too tight!
Many believers have very high ideals and that is fine. When we try to live by those ideals, we easily become a person who is impossible to relate to or even live with. It is better to wear your halo loosely and tilted with the ease and grace of someone who is in touch with their humanity.
So many seemingly great preachers are featured on the Web. Each has their detractor’s websites alongside. (God intended it that way) I watched a great YouTube message from a fiery fellow the other day and felt really convicted. Alongside was another short video of the same fellow launching a searing self-righteous broadside at another (higher profile) preacher. It ruined the whole illusion for me. Such an attitude reflects a deep self mistrust within.
Jesus did so much for us at Calvary: Yes He did it because of love; John 3:16. But more than that, He could have simply demonstrated that love some other way and died later in his sleep! But no, he was whipped and mutilated in a kind of unrestrained savage fury that we knows lies latent in humans hearts. When we think of that we cannot truly comprehend the furious love of Jesus. We can relate to the love demonstrated in the movies when someone will go through amazing things for a person they romantically love. But how do we relate to the blood drenched torn body of Jesus? Are we lost in wonder, praise and gratitude or in the theology of it because it is too hard to relate to.
Jesus reveals his Fathers love beyond a cold stone impassive remote God. I John 4:10: This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. When we see that dimension of Love we are converted to TRUST in the Lord because there is no logical explanation.
To believe deeply as Jesus did, that I am his beloved child makes me free to trust. This profoundly affects the way I relate to myself and others. For them I wear my halo tilted on a rakish angle.
Legalistic people with tight halos are less sure of his grace and love and so mistrust themselves and others. They think of God in ways that reflect fear and so it leaks out of them: I John 4:18: There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. Legalists are afraid I will say something that is not doctrinally correct. They are waiting to pounce!
What would we do with Rahab the harlot? What about the woman who anointed and kissed Jesus feet? The pagan so-called “good” Samaritan? (non Jew) What about the “good” thief (terrorist) who was crucified alongside Jesus? His loved embraced them all and embraces us so we can trust…
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