A
few days ago a man began telling me about his fiancée. His only
reason for being where he is rather than where he wants to be is that
he is waiting for his visa to come through, so that he can go to her.
In
our conversation I learned that he is 50 years old,
and that he has known her since before she attained majority,
a period of 6 years. I could have reacted as others have toward me
when they hear things from me that they do not want to hear. Instead
I reminded him that a very long time ago a child was born—a
very special child. In fact, this child was quite different.
In
most relationships the parents do not choose their children—and
the children certainly do not
choose their parents. Such a thing would be unheard of. Why, it would
violate societal norms! Such
a thing just is not done! This child, though, was
different. This child chose the parents to whom He would
be born. This child is the one in command.
How,
though, did He choose? Did He follow comfortable
expectations? Did He adhere to societal norms? Hardly. He
chose to put his own mother in danger of divorce, public ridicule
(which still reigns to this day, by the way), destitution, and even
death by stoning.
How
is that for societal norms? The societal norms, comfortable
expectations, and indeed, the Law, was that girls would marry as
virgins. To do else was a stoning offense. This child, though, made
His own mother be with child before marriage.
Societal
norms? Really?
Do
you really want to speak of societal norms and argue that God will
adhere to them?
OK,
then. Let’s talk about societal norms. Shall we?
What
is the one ubiquitous common denominator of all human
societies? Can you name it? Because I
can: it is sin—filthy,
disgusting, stinking sin. That is the
one and only common denominator as regards human
relationship, both to each other and to God.
Societal
norms.
People
have a tendency, I think, to believe that the way they live is
how God wants them to live. It
is the “I’m OK, You’re OK” view of reality. That view
of reality, though, is seriously flawed, because not one of us
lives the way God wants us to
live, “for all have
sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” i
And when you multiply that effect on
a global scale, it truly turns the Divine Stomach.
There
is no right society on earth, and there never has been. The
very idea that God should adhere
to the norms and expectations of a society
that cost Him His one and only Son is the very height, breadth and
depth of sinful, filthy, human hubris—and
nothing more.
Oh!
Now you want to speak of avoiding the very appearance of sin! Was
Mary allowed to avoid the very appearance of sin, or did God bathe
her in that appearance? In that society, women were stoned for less!
Again,
people have a most unfortunate tendency
to think that their way is the righteous way. The problem there is
that, “there is no one righteous, not even one; there is
no one who understands; there is no one who seeks after God; all have
turned to their own way
and together become useless; there is no one who
executes righteousness—not
even one.” ii
Those
who think they are living well and good think they know more than
God, think themselves better than God, and in fact, could not be
further away from God than where they really are.
God
is not obligated to seek approval from
them before He acts in
this world, nor is He obligated to adhere to their
expectations. God is only obligated to be God.
“For
unto us a child is born; unto us a Son is given, and the government
shall be upon His shoulders, and
His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Father of Eternity, Prince of Peace.” iii
Mighty
God.
Mighty
God!
Mighty
God!
Isaiah
saw it. How is it that, even after the fact, you do not?
God
chose His parents for His sojourn in this world—and
He did not follow societal norms when He came. Joseph is said to have
been a righteous man. Even he would have divorced her quietly, to
avoid the scandal that he thought she deserved. Even her own family
largely did not stand by her. Indeed the only family that did stand
by her was the only family who was herself pregnant by a miracle of
God, that being her elderly cousin Elizabeth.
Everyone else thought scandalously
about her.
That is what God brought upon her by His divine choice of how to
enter this world.
Is
God evil?
Societal
norms.
Either
societal norms are good, or God is good. You cannot have it both
ways.
Societal
norms shoehorn people into comfortable rebellion against
God—and all while being so convinced
that they are living righteously. Don’t
you see that God is so pleased with them? Indeed, so pleased
is He that He sends fires, earthquakes, floods, storms, mass
shootings; disaster after disaster He sends, and all the while they
sit back in their comfort and say, “It’s
not because of me! I follow societal norms!”
Societal
norms!
Don’t
you see that it was societal norms that drove Jesus Christ to the
cross?
Don’t
you see that it was societal norms that caused God to commit suicide
on our behalf?
You
don’t like hearing that, do you?
Explain
to me, then, how laying oneself upon the
cross, knowing what was to come was not suicide!
God
committed suicide so that He would not have to execute you in your
societal norms!
Societal
norms, indeed!
Do
you want God dead?
Or
do you want Him alive and well, and beckoning you into His
arms?
“Take
up your cross and follow me!” iv
That
is the command. “Take up your rights”? No. “Take up your
comforts”? No. Take up your societal norms”? NO! NO!
NO!
Take
up your own execution! Take up your cross!
And
follow Him.
Expect
persecution. Expect vilification. Expect lies.
Expect false accusations. Expect slander. Expect betrayal
from those whom you thought your friends.
Expect martyrdom.
Expect
death.
Expect
the cross. Expect the cross to loom large and undeniable in your
life. And then…
Expect
Jesus Christ!
Why
would I receive a gift so fine,
A
treasure beyond worth?
Why
would such a wretch as I have been
Be
treasured upon the earth?
Am
I only imagining?
Or
am I hearing clear,
That
the Creator of all would give
To
me a gift so dear?
I’ll
take Jesus, thank you very much!
You
may keep your societal norms!
iRomans
3:23
iiRomans
3:10-12
iiiIsaiah
9:6
