JR. Forasteros - March 11, 2018
For Goodness Snakes
What is the goal of faith? Is it safety? Is it a sense of control? Prestige and position? These were in Nicodemus’ mind when he sought out Jesus. But Jesus’ words to him are confounding: Jesus will become a snake, lifted up for the world to see. How does this image challenge our ideas of who God is and what God wants from us? How can Jesus-the-snake invite us to become more loving, more present in our world?
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How many times have y’all had to participate in trust building exercises? Maybe it was in couples’ therapy. Or in school. Maybe in the workplace.
I have a confession: I love those sorts of activities. I know most people hate them, but I think they’re so much fun. (What can I say: I’m an extrovert and I love games.) So whether it’s a trust fall or an obstacle course, sign me up!
We’re going to talk about trust today, so I was reviewing a bunch of these exercises. I think my favorite is the Blindfold Obstacle course. If you’ve never done this one, you set up an obstacle course – you can do it as simply as using chairs and string or something. Then you pair up. One person wears a blindfold and has to navigate the obstacle course. The other is only allowed to direct their partner using verbal cues. Stop! Turn left! Five steps forward! That sort of thing.
This is a trust-building exercise because the person wearing the blindfold has to obey despite the fact that they can’t see. It also reveals how differently we communicate. You can’t complete a blindfold obstacle course without learning to communicate and trust.
Communication and trust – two essential aspects of a strong, faith-filled relationship. That’s true for our relationships with each other – romantic partners, business relationships, friendships – and it’s true of our relationship with God.
What do trust-building exercises with God look like? That’s a trickier question, and one Jesus shows us the answer to.
