A Narrow Path, A Crooked Line, Fly

Some have a style
That they work hard to refine
So they walk a crooked line
But she won't understand
Why anyone would have to try
To walk a line when they could fly
-- The Bangles

Some of you are probably wondering what I mean by this surreptitious *freedom* I speak of. Well, here goes. I'll probably get in trouble for this post; but there is no rest for the wicked.

I easily recall something I learned growing up in the 70's: We are all Free to be You and Me. This stuck with me all these years

Here's the rub. God created us each to be unique...to be beautiful in our differences...this is what I call "freedom"...the freedom not to conform to every so-called Christian ideal, the freedom to be who we are...with one single, necessary sameness: Love God with all your heart.

When I say "unique", I am not necessarily suggesting you all should get your noses pierced and dye your hair rainbow, unless those things speak to your uniqueness. Your uniqueness, is, well, unique. It is the sum of your life experiences, your strengths, your creativity, your personality. Whatever it is, your uniqueness has intense and amazing value; for if we work to become alike, abiding the same rules and boundaries, our journeys become altogether similar. We will then lose the color and texture and beauty that a life of being unique-in-all-the-world might offer to each of us, and collectively as people.

The freedom to be unique brings something else to the table; it enables us to have a journey all our own where we might learn our own lessons and come to our own conclusions about which lifestyle, behaviors and beliefs are worthwhile and which are not. Is that heresy? Possibly, in some eyes. I would simply ask you this: in biblical accounts, were all the people who followed God the same? Same lifestyle, same attitudes, same perspectives? So you suppose today they would all have the same political views, the same theology?

I suppose there are two ways to look at human purpose on earth, as Christians; one speaks of grace and love, the other speaks of judgment and death. Are they two sides of the same coin, requiring balance, or are they opposite ends of a spectrum, requiring a choice as to how and why to live? I wonder.

One of our primary purposes is to share this journey called life, speak what we have learned in our uniqueness, and love on others. I believe we exist for the benefit of others; resoundingly not so we can be *right* in our lifestyle, theology, or appearance by some arbitrary but binding interpretation; nor to exert this *rightness* on other people. Certainly not to create massive entities which outline some considered-to-be-righteous lifestyle we must all live by, at the expense of our unique place and purpose.

Am I saying there is no sin? Of course not. If that were true there wouldn't be millions of people suffering every day from it's effects. However, many of the things the church has taught to be sin are not. They are simply evidence of uniqueness, nothing more sinister.

I suggest rather than defining sins, we spend our energy making others' lives better by sharing what our uniqueness has given to us...a story, a dime, time. For regardless of how many rules you adhere to; if you are not kind, you are not right.

Some say the way to God is a straight and narrow path we must walk. Stay in the lines, don't stray.

However, I tend to think it's much more fun to fly.

Pt 1: Chili All Over the Kitchen
Pt 2: Harlots, Heretics and Hussies
Pt 3: Liars and the Men Who Love Them
Pt 4: A Narrow Path, A Crooked Line, Fly