Just Do It

Today's "crazymaker" (12 "Christian" Beliefs That Can Drive You Crazy) is: Just doing the right thing is more important than why I do it.

This is the assumption that God looks at our actions more than our motives and internal spiritual state (p.177), that he wants obedience for obedience's sake (p.181). But this attitude helps people avoid personal responsibility and follow-through, which is what the Bible really values (p.178). Cloud & Townsend define obedience as a "structure to train us in maturity, not an end in itself" (p.181).

Following God's commands always has a purpose (p.181).

My startling "a-ha" came reading quotes from Deuteronomy, such as: "The Lord commanded us to obey all these decress and to fear the Lord our God, so that we might always prosper and be kept alive" (6:24). I had always believed that these verses meant that prosperity and life were a reward for obedience. You obey, you get a good life. Which of course is confusing when it doesn't seem to come true (what am I doing wrong?). This morning I realized that God gives us these things so that we will grow (p.181), not because he's some kind of control freak. Prosperity and life are then the natural result of growth. (Aside: whenever I read about "life" or being "alive" in the Bible, I read with a different understanding of what it means to LIVE, based on the work that I've done, and that gives a whole new, more significant meaning to the passage than I learned growing up).

The chapter goes on to explain six problems with the "just do it" assumption: it substitutes sacrifice for true obedience; ignores the wholeness or integrity of a person; discourages a sense of responsibility (for our true feelings); promotes lying (you can't heal what you can't own); denies our fallenness (we can't do it alone); and devalues the power of the cross in our lives (grace) (p.182-191).

Just do it; don't ask why.
I gave up trying to talk to other Christians long ago because most of them seemed threatened by my questions. They tried to steer me in the right direction with advice like "just have faith" and "give it to God" or offering to pray for me. I've been blessed to encounter four deeply spiritual (and Christian) individuals who welcomed--even celebrated--my struggle, who taught me that I can ask because I believe, and never sent me away with pat answers (or any answers, come to think of it; just more things to look at!). Cloud & Townsend say "asking why allows us to work together with God" (Phil. 2:12-13), and that "God himself asks us 'Why?' to make us think"(p.186-187).

Beware of authority figures who demand instant, unquestioned obedience. Not only do they not represent the character of God, but they probably also have something to lose (such as control over you) by your having information (p.187).

I still struggle with church because I feel like it is the place where we should receive the most grace, and see the least. I know I shouldn't hold them to a higher standard than any other humans, because they are just human. So ironically, I am least gracious towards the church as a body (I'm learning to see individuals)! This is also my problem with "accountability", incorrectly applied. When people fail, we just tell them to try harder. We want to tell them what they did wrong, exhort them to go out and do it right, but not show them how. And I'm including myself. Instead we need to extend grace, acceptance, love, and seek to understand "what gets in your way?" so that we can truly serve each other and help each other grow. But we can't extend to others what we can't receive ourselves. And that's the hopeless cycle at church. Maybe I'm being unfair, maybe it's just not visible at my level of involvement. I'm obviously still working on this one.

The Safety Net Called Grace (p.190):

1. You try.
2. You fail.
3. You receive grace and forgiveness.
4. You suffer consequences.
5. You learn from the consequences.
6. You try.
7. You do a little better.
8. You fail.

When we know that we won't be condemned when we fail, we grow faster... Grace protects us from loss of love as we mature through trying and failing (p.191).

I know I won't be perfect until after this life is over, so I'm off the hook! (And because I'm off the hook, I can let others off the hook. That's my work, cut out for me...)