Tuesday, July 10, 2012
9:21 PM | 
Posted by
Erin
When I was seventeen and in the 11th grade, my literature teacher dedicated an entire unit on the life and works of Henry David Thoreau. I read and read and read. The father of transcendentalism, the philosopher, the peaceful rebel and the author of Civil Disobedience...I connected with him.
In fact, it was more than a connection.
He inspired me.
I'd had it up to here (think Mount Everest) with institutions...religion, education, religion. Oh, did I already say religion? So when I learned about Thoreau's philosophy, I thought, "Oh!! Him, too?!?!"
I started thinking like my new friend, HDT. That's what I called him: HDT.
Here are some of his words that I kept with me everywhere I went:
If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away.
I heard my own music.I walked alone.
I decided that no one was putting me in a box. If it could be defined, measured or confined...I didn't want any part.
I tip-toed in that gray area of not right and not wrong. For example, I had this bumper sticker on my car. In insinuated a bad word and this is what it looked like:
You remember when those were cool? Anyhow, I was at church one Sunday morning (because my parents MADE me go) and when I came out of the service, my bumper sticker was gone.
I had been bamboozled!At church, nonetheless!
Didn't these Christians know "thou shalt not steal" was one of the Ten Commandments?
Hypocrites.
That box? The "religious" box? I didn't want anything to do with it.
And so it went...for several more years. Until God changed my mind. He softened my corners and showed me a love that is too big to fit into a box. The irony is that I had spent all of those years avoiding things that could be defined, measured or confined. And when I finally gave in to Him, I realized that His grace cannot be clearly defined by man; His mercy is immeasurable; and His love has no walls.
All those times I thought I was walking alone, He was right there beside me.
The freedom that He gives, in a way, is the ultimate Civil Disobedience because I can see beyond today's political issues, the financial woes, environmental concerns, wartime/peacetime...He holds it all.
The problem with Christians is that we are human. We let our ideas and our personal beliefs dictate what we think other people should be doing. This is the "religious box" that I was trying so desperately to avoid.
Religion can creep in do silly things like take someones bumper sticker; it can judge the teenager on back pew because she has a nose-ring; it says things like "always" and "never."
Thankfully, God is so much bigger than people and He can even use these silly things for His good.
Like He did with me.
Oh, I still admire Henry David Thoreau. I think he was on to something with his idea of simplicity and I still fancy myself a "free thinker."
I just don't advertise it on my bumper sticker anymore.
Note: Thank you, mom and dad, for making me go to church even when I didn't want to. Also, if you are reading this and YOU are the one who took my bumper sticker, please don't tell me. Please don't feel bad. Please know that God had a bigger plan for that Fukengruven sticker than you or I could ever have imagined.
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5 comments:
I love this post, Erin! I feel that sometimes I am guilty of these "judgmental" thoughts that give Christians that "bad" name. God is bigger than that! He doesn't want us to isolate unbelievers with our judgmental and hypocritical thoughts and actions. He wants us to be like Him...and love them and welcome them! That is what the "church" is supposed to be. My church has actually been doing a sermon series on that. When we act judgmental and self-righteous, we are no better than those dreadful Pharisees, and we turn those non-believers "off" of Christianity.
We have some of the same heart sores.....Thank God we are healing, and Thank God for HDT.
I pray against legalism every day. There is a reason God gave folks 2 ears and only 1 mouth. People need to listen and love more; preach less.
I remember that sticker and used to laugh when i saw it, but i did not steal it!!
Chris
my husband and i have been walking "outside of the box" for some time now. growing up in the south (NC) i find outside of the box to be quite lonely. i also find that people seem shocked when grace is in the front of my mind, the front of my parenting, the front of my processing on most things. but god is there, has always been there, will always be there even when i don't think he's there. for that, i am eternally grateful!
grace and peace sweet friend.
Love this post. I feel you. In a very deep and real way.... this post resembles me. :-) In those times when you felt like you were walking alone He WAS with you, and that is awesome. My hope is that I can be a follower of Jesus who helps people who feel alone know they're not alone... in a practical way, you know? Because we all struggle. And because I've felt that alone just like you have. And just like I'm sure a whole lot of Christians (and non Christians) who have felt judged or looked down on or misunderstood have felt. Because the bottom line is that we are all sinners, we all stand totally at His mercy, and are all covered by the same grace. What an amazing thing. Sometimes I think it's too simple for us to be able to really grasp it. Love your honesty and your free thinking self. :-)
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