This follows on my post of August 31 entitled, “A Vision Gone Awry.” I invite you to take a journey to a museum, the museum of your mind. As you enter, your attention immediately is drawn to a painting that is multicolored and extraordinarily busy. It’s not quite Victorian or Impressionist, not exactly Cubist. Perhaps, it’s more a collection of polychromatic mottles in the nature of a weird stain-glass window designed for La Catedral de La Familia Sagrada in Barcelona by Gaudi. But, you’re here neither to admire the work nor to criticize it, neither judge it nor misunderstand it. You’re here to play a game with it.
Close your eyes. In that Museum of the Mind, with the mind’s keen eye, stare at the painting. Keeping your head static, move your eyes in a clockwise circle, taking in the borders. Move the circle tighter and tighter until you arrive at the center. Now, back away, and look at the work as a whole. You are playing the game. Can you guess what the game is? Any ideas? Look again, this time, let the focus of your mind’s eye concentrate with peripheral vision. You are looking for something – something sinister.
No, it’s not “Where’s Waldo?” The game is to see the green dragon hidden in the picture and, with your mind’s paintbrush, using ever so gentle strokes, to paint the green dragon red. Need inspiration? See Revelation 12:3.
Hold that thought. Think of the 23rd Psalm, “Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies.” Psalm 23:5. KJV. At this point, you are probably wondering what these two things have in common. You could play a guessing game and try to figure it out, but, that’s not the point. Follow along, if you will.
See Luke 16:19-31. You’ll find the parable of Lazarus and the rich man. Some will argue that this is not a true parable because it names a person, Lazarus, but I’m convinced that it is a parable. We’ll proceed that way. Perhaps Jesus had Psalm 23 in mind in his parable of Lazarus. Interestingly, the name “Lazarus” means “the one whom God helps.” Later commentators have named the rich man Dives, but I submit that such adds little to the story.
As you will remember, Lazarus has lain for years at the rich man’s gate hoping for table scraps, but the rich man has never acknowledged him. They both die. Lazarus is taken by angels to “Abraham’s Bosom,” the Second Temple Period conception of the place of the righteous dead, while the rich man is cast into Gehenna or “Hell. The rich man asks Abraham a series of questions concerning his condition and that of his brothers. The punch line is that Abraham tells the rich man that while the rich man feasted in life leaving Lazarus to beg at his gate, there is a gulf between them that cannot be crossed, so the rich man is basically “out of luck” while Lazarus is feted and banqueted by Abraham. Remember: “Though preparest a table… .?”
Middle Eastern scholar, Kenneth E. Bailey comments in Jesus through Middle Eastern Eyes, among a veritable plethora of points, that even though Lazarus has every right to enter into the conversation between the rich man and Father Abraham, he holds his tongue. For our purposes, Lazarus does not judge the rich man, rather, Lazarus remains the same gentle soul that he was in life. He leaves the judgment to Father Abraham.
Recently, in my ever-consuming quest to read, in the words of the 1897 New York Times slogan, “all the news that’s fit to print,” I’ve become convicted of my allowing politicians to become my “enemies,” some of whom I actively despise and others for whom I merely have contempt. Sometimes, like one of my Sunday school classmates, I yell back at the TV or screen. The difference between my classmate and me is that my yells are probably not as tame as those of the classmate. By the end of the newscast, my blood pressure is maxing out and I’m spent, spewing venom in three languages on the order of the Herculean Cerberus of Greek mythology.
May I submit that Jesus would look at me and just shake His one head, “Really?” He would, and has, pointed out that it’s not my place to judge people. That’s the job of “Father Abraham” in the parable or of the Lord, Himself in the Bible. Jesus said, “Judge not, lest you be judged.” Matthew 7:1, et seq. Rather, He would urge, “Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.” Luke 6:36. KJV.
Bearing those commands in mind, let’s “think first, and curse later.” Should I ever condemn a person made in God’s image, vile though I may think the person to be? No, God calls me to love that person as one of God’s creatures as God loves such person. Admittedly, this is difficult because, in my view, some of these “people” barely rise above the level of “creature,” but then again, that’s my carnality talking. (Tell me YOU never felt the same way.)
How about this for a plan. First, I refrain from reading or listening to that which I know will agitate me; Instead, as Paul says, “. . . whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Philippians 4:8. KJV. Emphasis added.
Secondly, upon learning of “evil tidings,” I should withhold complaints about policies that I merely don’t like and may not even understand until I have taken the time to attempt an understanding. Even so, how much good does it do to yell at the TV? Does the “offender” care if I post nastiness on social media?
That’s where the “Red Dragon” comes in. If I want to do something useful, perhaps I should analyze the situation and with God’s help, distinguish between fact and fiction, real news and “fake” news, and truth from lies. When I see a dragon, paint it blood red. Only when I have “painted the dragon red” do I have the right to complain. Hereinabove, I do not at all mean to imply that proper criticism is the be withheld. Perhaps, “re-channeled” would be a better term.
Thus, my third suggestion. Many times, I have the right, perhaps, the duty to protest that which God has revealed to me to be injustice, oppression, mistreatment, or such of the same ilk. After I have prayed about it, if I want to be heard, I should convert my words of protestation and outrage into positive actions, positive action that will help someone. Return good for evil.
Re-channeling ignorant anger into positive action lowers my blood pressure, helps someone in need, and above all, pleases God.
So let it be written, so let it be done.
johnthebaptist15 