lenses of levels (or hay baler envy)

I remember summer afternoons as a kid when I would sit on the fence with my head resting in my hands as I watched the older boys bale hay in the field behind our house. Very Norman Rockwell-esque. At 8 years old it seemed being on the back of that flat bed wagon lifting those heavy bales was the ultimate level of humanity. After I couldn’t stand it any longer, I’d go back in the house find my brother’s Sears weight set and nothing could stop me from one day having the sun tanned defined pectorals of the 17 year old hay bailer. I just had to reach that next level status of manhood.

When I began taking a deeper interest in my spirituality it actually didn’t look much different then the boy standing on the fence. God was the guy in the flannel shirt behind the wheel of the tractor hollering back, “Get’r done, boys! Advance the Kingdom.” And I’d look with envy on the qualified ones who seemed full of Bible and God knowledge, the great communicators, maybe seminary trained, and preaching their own sermons, etc. Not just anyone was qualified to grab those 75lb bales. You had to earn that role through a lot of hard work and a legit physique.

Getting to the next level? Advance or build the Kingdom? Did Jesus ever ask such things of us? And what about all the continual comparison of ourselves with others? Where do we come up with this crap?

“Let the guy who is without sin chuck the rock first.” Packed in that one liner Jesus dissolves any notion of levels spirituality. You’re all the same. Your sin and shame is the great neutralizer of us all.

That doesn’t mean we’re to be colorblind or that all of us are without our own intricate uniqueness. But it does mean that in our common shame there is solidarity with our unfamiliar neighbor- the Other.

We live, eat, sleep, breath in a culture of levels. Competition is what fuels our economy, educational systems, churches, and various forms of entertainment especially sports.  It makes perfect sense that our spirituality would be expressed in terms of the same layers.

Can you see the image of Christ in the least of your brothers and sisters? That’s the only description of the final judgment. There’s nothing about seminary degrees, how many people attend your church, or whatever form the hay bale takes.

Can you see the image of Christ in the least of your brothers and sisters? The ones who can’t play our levels games?  

Comparison seems to always leave us discontent with the current moment and at some level feeling shamed.

Even though I often keep trying I've never earned that spot on God’s hay wagon. I don't have to. Whether my role is stacking the bales or standing on the fence the only thing asked of me is to see with new eyes...

To transform my lenses of levels.

 

Comments

[DT]

Strong!