Deep Thoughts–You Might Wanna Skip This One

I jumped out of the bed and ran to find a pen and a piece of paper. I had to write it down, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing and hearing.

I have watched many a commercial and have jumped up to write down that number (Billy Blank bought his Rolls Royce with my Tae-Bo money). But this time, I wasn’t interested in writing down the number but a unique phrase that grabbed my attention and wouldn’t it let go. Must-Call-Now

The commercial was for a crystal necklace in the shape of a cross (see image left) and if held up to the light the Lord’s Prayer would be visible.

I laughed at how hard it would be to read it through such a small prism much like finding the image in a StereoGram. I went blind trying to see but not see a space shuttle among a mix of pixels.

But this claimed to be the perfect Spiritual Accessory. That combination of words hit my mind. Can spirituality be an accessory? Is our beliefs only important enough to be worn only to enhance our true selves. My wife laughed (I’m not judging her intentions) and it was a silly commercial but I began to wonder how much truth is there to this “Spiritual Accessory”.

No, not whether the glass cross actually had the Lord’s Prayer, I have a Bible if I need to read it. By the way, I memorized the Lord’s Prayer as student in a Roman Catholic Elementary school.

Rather, as a Christian, has my faith become an Accessory. Something that adds to my appearance. Isn’t what Jesus meant by following him was that we would be totally consumed by Him (that we should die in Him and raised to new life). Is it enough to wear the cross, or dove or fish? I don’t think so.

This has always been my problem with American Christianity (possibly because of the founding fathers being deists): God is far off. He is not within reach. He sits in heaven and sees all that we go through. He might step in (and when He does, watch out), but He is always on the outside in. For Christians who know the lingo, we always ask for God’s Presence to be with us. We always ask for safety when we travel. We always ask God to guide and direct us.

These are not bad things, but it puts God on the outside, trying to influence the inside. I think there is a problem with this understanding. Isn’t Christianity about God being on the inside working his way into this world through his children? Wasn’t Jesus called Emmanuel, God with us?

Didn’t Jesus say that the Holy Spirit would live in us?
This is a country where millions of people attend Christian services every week but change is slow in coming. Is our current financial crisis a direct reflection of our spiritual crisis? I offer more questions than answers because the answers have to come from within. I know my answers.

I am convinced that Americans are great givers, sending millions upon millions to other countries for the sake of starving children and spiritual improvements. American influence in philanthropy is great and you will always see Americans giving from their pockets and their hands in times of crisis. We are great Crisis people, giving the shirt off of our backs in times of need.

But what else is happening to our country when there isn’t a crisis, or when the crisis is so removed that we throw money at it instead of getting involved in it.

Is God a Spiritual Accessory?

Or are we the accessory?

What kind of Certificate of Authenticity will we receive?

All responses are welcome.