Bad Habits

I've noticed that one of the bad habits that people struggle with (which is rarely talked about) is the objectification of qualities that cannot be quantified; love is one example. Families often come into counseling expecting the counselor to quantify their problems and write them a prescription so they can start infusing a substance called love into their family. Parents are advised to add 'quality time' with their children into their schedule, sort of like adding fertilizer into their garden AND they expect noticeable results from the extra 15 minutes they've added per week!

Christians do the same thing with concepts like salvation; "can we lose our salvation?", some people ask, as if salvation can be misplaced or lost liked a set of car keys. "Salvation is guaranteed to those who say specific words, ask God for forgiveness, and really mean it;" as if, there is a giant salvation vending machine that dispenses salvation in small units for Catholics and nice large jackpots for Protestants. Justification is treated in the same manner, but because it is more abstract, it takes on the characteristics of a good recipe....'add a dash of grace; a dash of repentance; and a health helping of conviction; for baked Protestant justification; make sure to leave out to set - for goodness sake, DO NOT MIX! For a traditional Catholic justification dinner, add a sprinkle of baptism and mix 25 minutes longer than seems fit, just in case!"

Needless to say, God does not work this way! Theology, dogma, and language reduce God's message into something we can possess and it gives us the illusion of control. I know what is needed here - let me open my God Book and give the perfect verse for the occasion! I think many people become frightened when they realize that relationships cannot be quantified or controlled and they are certainly not predictable! Indeed, whether it is our relationship with our spouses, children, or God; we are responsible to participate, without expectation. No true relationship includes a contract or the delivery of goods on demand. Sometimes it seems like we are not only expecting a good, blessed life from God, but crowns in Heaven and eternal security, as if we were subcontracting for the Almighty and negotiating the terms in a binding legal contract.

The result of this bad habit is reductionism, legalism, selfishness, possession and control. The Pharisees made spirituality into an industry; one where they controlled the market.

It may come as a shock for some, but God simply wants to love us with no strings attached. We are being saved, justified, and sanctified as a bi-product of that relationship. Amen