Imagination (Part 1)

Thank you, God, for giving us minds.
Thank you, God, for giving us ears.
Thank you, God, for giving us love.
Thank you, God, for giving us tears.

Jesus is the Incarnate One. The one who we turn to when we're depressed, lonely, down and out. Sometimes all we feel we must do is get out. Get out of all our boxes, as Lauryn Hill would say. Jesus, like 2Pac, was a rebel from the underground, a Savior so completely different than what the majority of Christians accepted, he was hung for upsetting people's perception of his reputation. When people, particularly in the majority, are convinced something is 'wrong,' it takes a pretty huge leap to overturn that line of logic/thinking. It takes generations really. It took over a hundred years for people to even consider the idea that slavery (as America practiced it) was wrong. Inhumane. Disrespectful. Wrong. And we're still reaping what we sowed. We still are in the process of unlearning.

Sometimes I wonder how much imagination it will take for us to unlearn all the misinterpretations we've been fed from Scripture. From the practical to the academic level, there are lies floating around everywhere (sure) but there are also lies being masked as lies, yet, they are really true. Can we spot these? Can we see the Bible as Whole enough to see these sections of Scripture illuminated only by the Holy Spirit?

I think I'm more in agreement with the Gospel of Mark and Nick Cave on Jesus' redemption for our lives, really. I think he did come to save us, yes, but he also came to give us back our imagination. He came to ignite in his a passion to look out for the poor, the needy, the broken, the tired, the weary. I don't know about you but I haven't been doing too much of that lately. I've been saying I should, but I haven't.

I talk, yet don't walk.
Speak, yet don't listen.
Law, yet don't love.

How do I begin to unlearn this? With the help of Christ, yes...but what does that look like? How does God see me? How do I think God sees me? These are some of the most telling questions we can answer if we want to truly know who we are (and if we want to catch a glimpse, of who God is).