Sunday, July 13, 2014
Skateboarding on the Parthenon
Over the years, I have had the chance to be overwhelmed by the Grand Canyon, walk amidst the ruins of ancient civilizations, travel dusty roads in Africa, and work in the centers of our government. I'm glad for all of these experiences.
But… I will say that once examined closely, none of them are so grand. There is trash on the floor of the Grand Canyon, Rome was dirty and dangerous, and the offices in the West Wing are tiny. Each was grand, but also sad in their own way. Close examination revealed the dings and the dents, rather than a greater grandeur.
One of the remarkable things about the Gospels is that they cut the other way. Each time I visit the life of Christ I find something surprising, confounding, and new. His life and teaching were challenging and unsettling at every turn. Unlike these places, that place of faith becomes grander upon closer examination.
The world we have created can never be greater than ourselves; the world God urges us to always is.
