Act 3 (Trinity)

"I want to learn about God. That's why I ask." 

Enter student 3. 'You just want to pick a fight.'

Mostly serious but still skeptical "No, really. What has God done for you? Tell me what He's done in your life." 

'I can't tell you because you don't want to hear it. Your... perspective.... is too limited.'

"Uh, I'm a pretty open-minded person."

'But you wouldn't understand the significance of what I would be trying to tell you. You just want to argue and I'm not going to waste my breath.' 

[[Student 3- feel free to correct this dialogue, because my memory isn't well to-day]]

Student two turns back to student one. "Ok, so anyways, [name]... how do I get to be God?"

What? I don't understand your question. 

"Can I be an angel? How do I get to this?"

Woah, wait. You can't be God or an angel. You're human, that's what you were created to be. 

"Why not? You're like, Jesus or something." Cracks up laughing. 

Horrified. No, no! Don't say that! That's blasphemy! 

"What's blasphemy?"

Pauses. What exactly is blasphemy? It's like, speaking against God or the Holy Spirit. Like if you call someone else God or something, that's blasphemy, because you're saying a human being is on the same level as God, which isn't true. Smirks Far from true. 

Smiles "Ok Jesus." 

Student one rolls eyes and grimaces. 

"So really, God's just teasing us." 

What? 

"He's all great and whatnot and we're just here sinners." 

We're suppose to be Christ-like, not Christ. 

"What does God look like? Does He have a face and hands?" 

I think God can look like whatever He wants to look like. But the Bible says we are made in His image, so yes, I think He probably does have a so-called body. 

"Why would I want to follow someone or something that I don't know or understand?" 

I think a more appropriate question would be why would you serve something you fully understood. Why should you have faith in something that you 100% knew, and you could predict all of its action? That would be like following another human being. Pointless. 

Gap in conversation as the teacher directs the class to play a matching game. Student two is silent. 

Talk continues. 

"It's like I want to believe so bad but I just can't. I'm a logical guy. I need to see things and feel things... I don't know about God. I don't believe, but I don't not-believe either." 

Student 3 'There's no in-between. Either you believe or you don't.'

Can I show you a Bible verse?

"Sure."

Flips through Bible to the book of Revelations, chapter 3, verse 15, and begins reading. I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth! You say, 'I am rich. I have everything I want. I don't need a thing!' And you don't realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.... I correct and discipline everyone I love. So be diligent and turn from your indifference. 

"I don't understand all of it."

It basically says to not be indifferent towards what you believe. 

"Do you have to tell other people about Jesus? Like, is it required?"

It's called the Great Commission. The Bible says 'go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, spreading the Good News...', something along those lines. But telling others also increases your own faith. Like, I'm glad you're questioning me, because it helps me to strengthen my faith and make sure what I believe is really what I believe, because I have to explain it to someone... does that make sense? 

"Yeah. It does. Thinks and says, not rudely, But just because you tell me about it doesn't mean I believe it or whatever. It's something I have to believe for myself." Said as if discovering something. Light bulb. 

Exactly. But I'm planting a seed that will sprout at an unknown time. It might grow today, or tomorrow, or in eighty years. God makes it grow. 

Bell. 

This is the house that [Pride] built.

This is the house that Pride built. 

This is the fault

That lay in the house that Pride built. 

This is the girl

That made the fault

That lay in the house that Pride built. 

This is the world

That taught the girl

That made the fault

That lay in the house that Pride built. 

This is the sin

That lives in the world

That taught the girl

That made the fault

That lay in the house that Pride built. 

This is the heart with judgmental eyes,

That wakened the sin

That lives in the world

That taught the girl

That made the fault

That lay in the house that Pride built. 

This is the mouth that delights in lies,

That encouraged the heart with judgmental eyes

That wakened the sin

That lives in the world

That taught the girl

That made the fault

That lay in the house that Pride built. 

This is the mind that carries despise,

That instructed the mouth to delight in lies

That encouraged the heart with judgmental eyes

That wakened the sin

That lives in the world

That taught the girl

That made the fault

That lay in the house that Pride built. 

This is the plague that spread demise,

That corrupted the mind that carries despise,

That instructed the mouth to delight in lies

That encouraged the heart with judgmental eyes

That wakened the sin

That lives in the world

That taught the girl

That made the fault

That lay in the house that Pride built. 

This is the kid who was cast aside,

That was stricken by plagues that spread demise,

That corrupted the mind that carries despise

That instructed the mouth to delight in lies

That encouraged the heart with judgmental eyes

That wakened the sin

That lives in the world

That taught the girl

That made the fault

That lay in the house that Pride built. 

This is the "Christian" who's hypocrisy tries,

To snub the kid who was cast aside

That was stricken by plagues that spread demise

That corrupted the mind that carries despise

That instructed the mouth to delight in lies

That encouraged the heart with judgmental eyes

That wakened the sin

That lives in the world

That taught the girl

That made the fault

That lay in the house that Pride built. 

Act I, Scene 2, Take [the rest of my life]

Grins mischievously into her face. "I'm not going to believe something just because. How do I know your faith [your God] is for real? I'm going to challenge you."

Good. I probably need it. 

More serious. "That's another reason I don't just say 'oh, I'm a Christian', because so many people do a bunch of [crap] and say it's ok because they're 'Christians.' I'm not like that, I know I sin. But I'm not going to just jump onto the Christian bandwagon. I don't know what I believe. Like I know there's a God, I guess, but I don't know if I'm into it like that."

You're always going to have hypocrites. It doesn't matter if you're Christian or Buddhist or whatever. Just keep that in mind. 

Flashback to the beginning of class. Student 1 already at desk, student 2 slides into the seat next to her, almost late. 

Grins. "Sup yo!"

Ha. Hey Sly. 

"Man, I'm ready to talk about some Jesus today!" Laughs like it's the best joke ever. 

Raises eyebrow. Really. 

Teacher asks students to open workbooks and begin activity ten. 

So what did you do this weekend? 

Sings "Because I'm not the old me, the old me is gone...!"

What?

"Dude, that's like my favorite song. I decided this weekend that I'm a different person." Falls into long tale about skipping school with girlfriend, getting caught, etc. 

And this makes you a different person how? 

Sincere. "Because we skipped and I felt really bad about it; like I hate lying. I don't know, it just felt wrong, so I apologized to her mom and all."

That's good. 

"Yeah. And I decided that me and [girlfriend] aren't going to have sex anymore."

Surprised and caught off-guard. Really? How did this happen? 

Explains almost eagerly. "Well like, she was telling me about how her sister cried on her honeymoon when she got married because her and her husband had done it so much before they were married, it was like it wasn't even special or whatever, and I don't want it to be like that for us if we, you know, end up together...." 

Ah. What does she think of this?

"I haven't talked to her about it yet." Laughs. 

To audience Why is he laughing? To companion And so is this what makes you a different person? 

Incredulous "Uh, yeah?" Starts singing again "It's a brand new me, I'm not who I was...!"

She takes out a sheet of paper and draws a tree. It's a bad drawing (she can't draw) and depicts a thick tree, the ground, and underneath, a few fat roots, on which she writes "Sex", "Lying", "Cheating", and such. 

Shows it to companion. Ok, I'm going to make an analogy of what you just told me. 

"Oh great. Are you going to pull out the Bible?"

Laughs No, it's still sitting under my lunch box. But look, here's the tree, right? Writes "Sly" on the trunk of the tree.

"That's me?"

Yeah. And here are all of your 'roots' that you stand on; everything that you held on to in what you say was your 'old life.' Points to the root labeled "Sex." Get it?

Sighs and looks wary. "Yeah." 

Ok, so I'm going to erase this root. Erases root. Now, you say you've gotten rid of sex. But what about all of the other stuff? Has erasing that one root made you a new tree?... No. You're still the same tree, you just plucked off a symptom of the real problem. 

Stares at picture for several seconds. "You just ruined my favorite song." 

The discussion resumes after some silence, and lunch passes. Finally, it's the end of class. 

"...I don't know if I'm into it like that." 

You're always going to have hypocrites. It doesn't matter if you're Christian or Buddhist or whatever. Just keep that in mind. 

"I can't see it. I can't feel it. I need proof. If He touched me, I might believe more." 

Taps him on shoulder. There. He just touched you. 

He gives her a weird look. 

Grins He lives in me. I just touched you, so.... 

The bell rings. 

"Cut!" 

Lights. Camera. [Action?]

Lights on. 

"Round it up! Places, please, places....." 

Scurry. Classroom scene, hard tables lined not quite symmetrically across the stage. One table center stage occupied by two students with lights focused. Others scattered randomly, mouths move silently. 

"Ok, let's get this thing done. Ready? Act I, Scene I, take 17.... rolling!" 

Zoom in on center table. 

Picks up book and flips through. "I don't get it."

Deep breath, as if expected. Get what?

"This says 'I find it easier to share when I think of what he gave up for me'. What did he give up for me?"

Aside to audience. (Oh man. The big question.) To partner. Everything. He gave His one and only Son for you. Because He loves you. 

"He gave his son? I thought they were the same person."

He gave Himself. To audience. (Was that right?) To partner. He gave Himself so that He could direct your life into something more than you could make it on your own. He can give you so much more than what you think you have now. 

Lifts eyebrow. "What do you mean? What can God give me that I don't already have? What can he give me more than money?" Laughs.

Girl blinks and pauses. Freedom. From sin, I mean. Like, we're controlled by our sinful nature, and He frees us from that. 

"Everyone sins." 

Of course. But when we accept Him we aren't bound by that sin anymore. He gives us freedom from death. You know, that verse 'for the wages of sin is death.' Through His freedom He gives us eternal life, beyond death, when we choose Him.  

"Well we're going to die anyway."

Ha, true. But more than that. It's eternity in heaven, which is more than we could ever imagine, versus eternity in hell. 

Thinking. "Yeah, but here's what I don't get. What about all of those people who haven't heard about him and they die? Like not everyone in the world has heard of Jesus, so what happens to those people? What kind of God would send them to hell for something they'd never heard of?"

Longer pause. Honestly, I'm not sure. I can tell you all of the theological ideas about it, but I really don't like theology because it's tricky. I personally think God always reveals Himself to us, through multiple ways. It doesn't just have to be someone physically telling you about the Gospel. We're suppose to live out our faith, too. 

Nods. "I guess. Like I know for me, maybe I never got into the whole Christian thing because I never knew about it. I mean my family believes in God and all but my parents never talk to me about it or taught me anything. Sometimes we go to church but I don't know, I just can't get into it. It's like I never went enough so no one ever taught me about him."

You have to be careful about chur—

Someone claps their hands. 

"Cut! Save the church stuff for the next scene, that's too far into the script. Ok, enough for the day! Let's take a break, people." 

Lights off. 

Passion for He Who Made Us

"Let your will be done (in my life)

Let your will be done (in my life)..."

My thoughts are very jumbled. They feel like yards and yards of twine that have been rolled up and twisted and I can't find they ends. Father, bring clarity. You are a God of order, not confusion. And Lord, I feel the intense needs to talk to you, such as I've never felt before. I can feel the tug at my soul to be with you, walk with you, ask you everything and wait for you, day-by-day. Father your word is a lamp unto my feet and a guide to my path... I trust you. Enlighten me, Abba, and yet keep me in your place of humility and gratitude constantly. "As the deer pants for the water brooks, So my soul pants for You, oh God." (Psm. 42:1)

Daylight, and you splash earth with dew, 

Lord the painting of creation sings of You,

Every cloud rimmed with gold in the sun,

Every light-flecked ocean, every day filled with fun,

God your joy makes all creation sing, 

Father, you're in everything. 

And every star in the sky knows your face, 

Jesus every season portrays your beautiful grace, 

In every crunch of leaves, you're whisper stays,

Every sweet spring wind holds your breath in it's place

Yes creation testifies to what you bring,

Father you're in everything. 

Everything, all that we are

God is for you. 

For you. 

Polarity

So. 

It's been a while. Too long, in fact. We almost never talk. Well, I take that back. We talk, but it's not good. It's wishy-washy and I sometimes even fall asleep; sometimes I cry to you (which has been happening too much lately) but I'm having this listening problem. I think I fill up your ears and can't hear you talk over my own talking. It's a problem. 

So let's talk. 

I've been doing much thinking lately (surprise!) on what we feel is "fair" to us. It was probably spurred by the message a while back, but even afterwards there have been numerous things come up that have twisted my mind back to those points. Like, we have no rights. What are our rights to you? We have no sense of "fair". What is fair to you? And because we have no rights and are owed no fairness, who are we to judge, accuse others of judging, or force someone else to take sides? Who are we to choose which side we are on? We are chosen- we don't chose. 

This whole discipleship thing... well I understood that it was going to be hard but now I understand it's implications. A bad tree bears bad fruit, period, end of story. And when you said the world would have no interest in us (wasn't it Paul who said that because his interest in the world had died, it's interest in him had died, also?) I didn't realize that the "world" means our world. Our day-to-day life world. The term "world" is so relative. I think people don't understand quite what Paul was saying because they don't realize what "world" stands for. My world is my friends. My family. My goals and my dreams and my teachers and my peers. You're saying those things will despise me when I strive to live for you? Hm. I thought they loved me... wouldn't they want me to throw in the towel on this world and become yours alone? You said the son of man does not live on bread alone, but on the word of God. That means I should need nothing else but you. Wow... that's a revelation.... there's a light bulb over my head and I hear the hallelujah chorus. 

I'm going to start being very selfish in my relationship with you. You demand first place. And it's a tough thing to adhere to and I am sure there are going to be many, many failures on my behalf. But please, see my heart. Encourage me and strengthen me for you're glory, the sake of your name.... not for me. I want to point others to you. I don't want to cary them. I don't want to push them. I don't want to have to defend you because you are bigger than all of my defensiveness... you don't need me to stick up for you. You don't need me at all- but you love me. Tell me that's not life-changing in and of itself! 

Here's another idea that just popped into my mind. If I find myself in you, if I'm reborn in you, if I say you are in me, then my whole identity is in you. Which means that the only opinion I should care about is yours, and if I'm following your lead and someone else doesn't like it, they can deal. You're leading them, you're leading me... we're not leading each others. What you're doing in me is not what you're doing in someone else and visa versa. I can't see what you're doing in someone else's heart just as they can't see what you're doing in mine. Which brings me full circle back to judgement. IF we are so focused on you as we should be, we shouldn't be so concerned with how someone else sees us, because we know we are in you and you are in us. 

And one last thought. 

We were never meant to change through someone else's eyes. As in, it is not someone else's duty to tell us what we're doing wrong and how to fix ourselves, because they could very well be wrong. It would be the "blind leading the blind." How does someone else accept the responsibility of telling another how to get their act together? You're the only one in charge of changing people's hearts and attitudes. And praise be to you for that! I have seen myself screw things up too many times trying to help someone that you are trying to work on all along. I have messed things up in my own life by thinking that another human being could help me! It never works- we were born to fail in order to prove our deep need of you in our lives. 

Lord, the one thing I have learned is that mine and yours relationship is a day-to-day thing. I have to work these things out every day. It's not a checklist. That's the hard part. 

I love you. Let's talk more often.