Living Color

Now that basketball season is in full swing, I was reminded of a conversation between Dennis and Marcella.  This conversation took place on a Sunday morning several years ago after the UConn Husky women thrashed one of their opponents.  Dennis asked Marcella how she could watch such a lopsided game.  As Marcella started to answer him, they were interrupted and did not finish their conversation.

Like Dennis, I take no pleasure in watching blowouts, however I do enjoy competition.  Marcella, on the other hand was not absorbed in the contest.  Marcella was experiencing the game as an art—like listening to music or looking at the details of a painting.  What I heard Marcella describing was the harmony and the majesty through unselfishness, precision passing, and calculated positioning by the players to give their teammates a wide open access to the goal.  Marcella was watching the game from a different point of view.

The conversation between Marcella and Dennis reminded me of something I read, “When we read scripture, do we see it black and white or do we see it in living color?”  From hobbies to theology, life is about perspective.  And it’s especially true about relationships.  How do we look at the people that we are in relationship with?

Sometimes we view the people that we know in black and white.  This is because we’ve known some people for a long time and we know what they’re like and we know how they will respond in certain situations.  They are consistent in their character.

However, it’s not a good idea to assume that we know people so well that we know what they will say and do in every circumstance.  We should anticipate and expect an occasional surprise or even shock by their response.  It’s not because the person has suddenly become indecisive or schizophrenic.  It is because the person may see something about a situation that we are blind to.  If we are attentive to the subtleties in people, we can behold them in living color.

When we look at the world, examine life, and reflect on scripture how often are we startled by the splendor and radiance of God in it?  When we read about Jesus, do we hear the same old story or are we frequently amazed and astonished by this Person?

After being with Jesus, John writes, “We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).  I don’t think that John was speaking of a one time event.  I think John was fascinated by “Immanuel”, that is, “God with us.”  I think that John saw Jesus in awesome living color and I think many of us do too.

Yet, I wonder how many of us look at the God of the Old Testament and see Him in black and white.  I wonder how many of us see a petty, spiteful, intolerant, and short tempered God.  It’s almost as if we’re saying that the Old Testament God is not the same God as the New Testament.  Either that or we’re saying that God is schizophrenic.  I don’t think that the Old Testament writers would agree.

Jeremiah said: “Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:22-23)

What I hear Jeremiah saying is that we are not worthy or deserving of standing in the Presence of a Righteous God.  However, when we behold the kindness of God, we will witness the grandeur of God afresh every day.

David also helps us reframe our point of reference. When David was confronted with who he was, he cried out, “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me” then he begged God, “Do not cast me from Your Presence or take Your Holy Spirit from me.” (Psalms 51:10-11).

LORD, help us to be like David.  Help us to see You for who you are, that we might join our voices with David’s and declare, “You who are my God and Savior, I will sing of Your righteousness.” (Psalms 51:14).