Are You a Light Bulb, a Vacuum, or a Window?

I think metaphors are kind of exciting.  They appeal to so many people because regardless of your level of intelligence, metaphors make it easy to understand almost anything.  Well here's a good metaphor I came up with for our relationships with God.

Are you a light bulb, a vacuum, or a window?  

Light Bulb:

Light bulbs are pretty cool.  They glow.  They give light.  They are a wonderful invention that has changed so many people's lives.  Well light bulbs, in people form, are pretty cool too.  They give stuff to people all the time.  They share their light with the world, they always try to please and make people happy.  And really they live a pretty good life.  A light bulb in a gym could light up a pretty good bit of the giant room.  Maybe not all of it, but one single light bulb can provide a lot for a LOT of people.

That is until they burn out...  That's the problem with being a light bulb.  You run out of your own personal power.  It fades away eventually.  And the danger with light bulbs is, if you really run out, then you're done.  You gotta get new parts to be a functional light bulbs again.  You run out of strength, resources, abilities.

Light Bulbs think they are enough without God.  They think well I can just not think about God that much and eventually I will achieve perfection.  Maybe a light bulb believes in God, but they don't spend any significant amount of time improving that spiritual relationship.  Well that can be really depressing.  The issues with light bulbs is that they believe that if they constantly give to people they might get something back... but unfortunately, in the long run that's not the case.  Light bulbs never get filled up again.  As their energy burns away, they are wasted away.  They spend so much time trying to make everyone realize what a pretty, awesome, fun lightbulb they are and that they can give so much to the world that they don't have any spiritual aspect to their lives.

Vacuum:
Vacuums are incredibly efficient.  They suck things in really really well.  They do a great job at taking things in and holding them close and not letting them go.  Vacuums, like light bulbs, are a one way street.  Vacuums spend SO much time focusing on God and internalizing their spiritual relationship.  They take in all that God has to give them.  They pray, they study, they think, they worship, just all God, all the time.

Well the issue with Vacuums is the get filled up and aren't nearly as efficient anymore...  They eventually run out of space to take in.  They get numb to the beauty and power that God is pouring into them.  When they have taken so much in but it just gets packed with everything else, it doesn't mean anything anymore.

Vacuums think that they can suck and take and pull from God constantly.  Even though thats not bad, its not enough.  They are only living half a life.  If by chance a vacuum does release their God stuff they have pulled in, its usually dumped in the trash and wasted.  No good comes out of it once it is gone from the Vacuum's spiritual self.  They spend so much time trying to show God that they love him and want him for themselves that they completely deny that God has other people he wants us to love too.

Window:  
Finally the window.  Windows, so long as they are open, freely share air, smells, sounds, physical stuff, and occasionally people (lol).  Windows can take stuff in, but they never really hold it long enough for it to get boring.  Windows constantly are sharing things that they take in with either the outside or the inside.

There is no "but" to the windows.  They aren't dependent on any self sponsored energy, they don't get filled up too much with stuff that it gets wasted.  Windows experience God, worship, love, and relate to him, and allow God to move through them to the world around.  Windows sometimes take in from the world.  Sometimes they take in from God.  Sometimes windows are a method of communication from God to people.  Sometimes windows see people as evidence of God.  Windows are OPEN.  To everyone, to God.  They are in touch with both their spiritual and relationship aspects of Christianity.  They aren't afraid because so long as they exist, they are able to just be, and God does all the work.  Windows don't require any energy, they are pulled out of and poured into by the force of those giving and taking.  Being a window is the greatest, most peaceful way of living.




I know a lot of windows.  They all are amazing people who are just genuinely happy.  That doesn't mean we all aren't a vacuum occasionally.  Or a light bulb.  We all have to experience different aspects of Christianity.  Being a window is just a happy medium.  I have experienced (In my short 18 years of life) a little bit of all three.  I can honestly say that the times I've experienced being a window were the happiest of my life.  If you've ever read any of the Bible... then you know that God wants us to love others.  Being a window is the greatest way to do that.  There is so much beauty in loving God and doing what he asks us to do.  I'm going to begin to spend my time trying to be a window.  I have a feeling God will give me more than my heart can desire.  

Why its OK to Question God

Yes, you heard me correctly.  I just said It's OK to question God.  Well bear with me because I haven't been struck down by lighting yet.  It won't kill you to consider the idea.

Let's just talk about this theoretically...  A parent has a child that runs into the street.  From the parents perspective running into the street is a terrible idea because the child might, oh I don't know, get hit by a car and become a pancake.  From the kids perspective, who has no legitimate idea what a car hitting him would do, just is trying to catch his ball.  So the parent has to instill into the child's mind that he must NOT go into the street no matter what.  The parent spanks the kid, and tells him, "DO NOT GO INTO THE STREET" and when the child asks why the parent responds with "BECAUSE I SAID SO".  Well the kid learns absolutely nothing but to try to hide from the parent when running into the street.  Now the spanking might have done the trick, and child may still mind.  This isn't a commentary on parenting styles because I'm not a parent, nor do I have any experience to claim to know anything about parenting styles, so don't take that out of this.  What I'm asking you to think about is how that was already an incredibly frustrating thing to hear.  "Because I Said So"

Maybe a situation more relevant to you might help.  Well what happens when your boss tells you to do something that makes no sense to you at the time.  Does it not really make you mad?  Especially when the boss gives no other explanation than, "Because I said so...".  Its infuriating.  We want to constantly know why.

Now God is very different.  First off because he's always right... So it is inherently silly to question him.  But I'm a firm believer in the fact that humans are imperfect... So why don't we allow our imperfections to teach us lessons in this life?  Questioning God, in any sense, is a form of communication.  It's not a slap to God's face or a disobedience.  Yes, God asks us to trust him.  But don't you think the Bible would be a LOT shorter if God intended us to just blindly trust him without any kind of explanation or reasoning?

I think it is healthy to interact with people of other belief systems, other religions, other denominations, other genders, cultures, communities, and races.  God gave us this massive community of life to learn from.  You don't have to change your mind about what you already believe.  You don't have to change their minds either.  Just let it happen.  Just experience it.  Do not be afraid of it.  Learn to understand people, and loving them, the greatest commandment, will be so much easier.

If speaking with someone makes you question God, then no, its not a terrible thing.  Its your humanity.  You aren't God.  I'm sorry but theoretically you have something in your head that you believe about God that is probably wrong.  Same for me.  Not a single one of us is capable of understanding God to his full extent at this point int time.  So maybe you will change your mind.  Maybe you won't.  God won't leave you.  Go talk to him about it.  If you talk to a person who isn't a christian in the way you are that makes you question God, then go talk to God about it.  It's what you do when you get confused about a relationship with a person here on earth.  Tell God, tell him you need help understanding.  Allow him to guide you to the truth.  He won't leave you hanging.  If you are hungry for the truth then he will satisfy you.  Do not be afraid... He will accept your questioning with open arms and be thrilled that you want to go deeper with him.

I LOVE to question God.  Because every time I do, my faith grows stronger.  Don't be so closed minded.  Don't be so obsessed with what you think the truth is right now on earth.  If God had taught you everything you needed to know by now, then there would be no point for you to be here anymore. It would be time for you to head on up to Heaven.  So if you are reading this I assume you aren't in heaven yet.  So God is NOT done with you.  He hasn't finished teaching you.  So honor him with your questions.  Respect him by not blindly pretending that you believe everything that he tells you right away without any questions.  Don't pretend with him.  Be REAL.

And question God.  It can become a beautiful thing

The D Word... Denominations

Denominations.  Church of Christ, Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Catholic, Episcopal, Non-Denominational

All different words used to describe self-proclaimed Christians.  What kills me is the bitterness between them all.  I was raised Church of Christ, My Dad went to a Southern Baptist Church, I attended a Methodist Church for some time, I sang in a choir in a Presbyterian church, and my two best friends were Catholic and Episcopalian.  So I would say I have at least SOME kind of experience with most of them.

The first question I want to ask is how many people actually chose to be in the denomination that they claim for themselves?  Most people were told by their parents to be a part of it, encouraged by friends to join a particular church, many people stayed in the church they fell in love with God in.

What I'm here to say is THAT IS TOTALLY OK

The concept of going to church is a modern one.  I will typically take a Garden of Eden perspective on these things so here's the Eden approach...

In the beginning Adam and Eve walked with God in the Garden, they ate of the fruits, they talked with God, they loved and spent time together and with God.  They were so unashamed to be open with God they did not even feel the need to wear clothes!


Now notice something... I didn't say "Adam and Eve walked with God and went to church that God had built".  I said that Adam and Eve LIVED with God, experienced him through each other and through God's works.  They didn't have to attend church because they were with God.  P.S. I really hope you don't think I'm encouraging you to attend church naked... even in the most radical of churches that might come off as highly inappropriate...  


Then the fall of man happened.  We acted like children.  Humanity messed up.  Big Time.  So God sent us back to school.  He saw that we were too weak to handle the freeform of just existing and loving God.  He saw that we chose not to live the way he intended.  So he gave us a LOT of structure.  If you have ever read Genesis and some of the following books, there are chapters and chapters on the way church is run.  


Now don't hear me knocking church.  Even though God may not have intended that we have the structure of Church in Eden, he has called us to it now.  But knowing this, I believe that there are a few things that will prevent the bitterness between people over denominations.  

1. Think in terms of how it was intended
Love each other, experience God and share with each other.  Fellowship, share meals, make sure to wear clothes!, but just BE together sometimes with the people of your church.  There is beauty in appreciating the way God intended it.

2. Remember that Jesus came to free us from the law...
Galatians 5:1 says, "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery."  Jesus set us FREE from the law.  He made it to where we wouldn't be burdened by our mistakes and by the old way of doing things.  Otherwise we couldn't eat bacon and that would suck.  So that means that if you don't go to church every single sunday and wednesday, Here's some good news.  I'm pretty sure that isn't your ticket to hell.  Don't get so burdened and caught up by worrying that you might miss a church 

3. Its not the  building or the time thats important
Its the people.  its the love.  Its community and fellowship and some of it is the structure.  Its not that Sunday morning is the only time you can reach God.  I encourage you to act like you are in church all the time.  Or make church be more normal and comfortable like you live the rest of your life.  GODS PEOPLE ARE HIS CHURCH so that means that you should exist worshipping, praising, learning, teaching, loving.  Always.

4. So that means don't judge. Don't.  Don't do it.  

If someone is in a different denomination than you let me enlighten you... hating them for it will NOT change their perspective, perception, or opinion.  Please talk to them, encourage them, question them about their beliefs and opinions, but don't hate them.  Especially if you didn't choose your denomination after seeing and experiencing all the others.  Think critically about your faith.  Study the teachings of your church.  I can almost guarantee that at least 50% of church going people will disagree with at least some of the teachings of the church they regularly attend.  Because we are human!!  There are too many differences and variables.  We can't all believe the same thing exactly word for word because honestly when has that ever happened??  Be aware of what you are agreeing to by being a part of a church, but once you find what you believe most with, don't hate other people for believing differently. If you believe someone is risking their salvation then by all means, approach them.  But do it out of love.  I've never seen judgement used as a good thing.  Ever.



So Let Me Get Radical...
Here's my radical perspective.  I believe that some people need to be in certain denominations.  My Dad couldn't be anywhere but Southern Baptist because he NEEDS the concept of salvation that they have. He would not be able to love God the way he does without it.  Is that right?  Maybe not.  But it means that he is loving God in some way and so I am happy for it.  My Grandmother NEEDS the structure and laws of the Church of Christ.  She is about as structured as it gets and she sees beauty in order.  She wouldn't love God the same way if not for it.  Its about peoples experiences, understanding, and perception.  And people may even end up changing denominations.  I think thats ok too.  So think of church as a lifestyle.  Don't get bogged down by the requirements.  I do not believe God will hate you for missing church one morning.  I even think that if you really trust God, that if you one morning are dreading going to church, then don't go.  Take some time by yourself or with your family to pray at home.  Don't carry out the motions without the love and intent behind it.  LOVE God with all your heart and soul and mind.  That is the first command.  So do it.  Then LOVE your neighbor as yourself.
There is beauty in the differences of humanity and i love it!!  So share with one another.  Your church is not just the building you attend, rather it is the entire community of believers and non-believers all over the world.

So treat other people like they are your church family.  Allow yourself to lean on others, experience their love and affection, support them in their time of need.  Don't let denomination be such a dirty word anymore.