Week 37—Tuesday James 1:22-23
Week 37—TUESDAY
GAINED A PRECARIOUS LIVING BY WASHING
ONE ANOTHER’S CLOTHES
“What is there in this man’s words? He gives orders to the unclean spirits with authority and power, and out they go” (Luke 4:36, NEB). What is there in this man’s words? This: This man’s words were the Word become flesh. And therefore it was with authority and power. With us it is different; we quote authorities and become powwow.
Theological discussions are largely raising and refuting other theologians’ ideas—reminding us of the people in the South Sea Islands who gained a precarious living by washing one another’s clothes. It is all about as effective as the top tile of a roof in Japan which is usually some symbol of water so that the roof will not take fire—the word of protection become symbol, a word. A fire hose would be the word of protection become flesh.
The break of Christianity with Christ, turning him into the Word become word, was the most disastrous break possible. For it gave up the one thing in Christianity that makes it unique—the Word become flesh. All the other faiths have the Word become word, but only the Christian faith has the Word become flesh.
The Bhagavad-Gita, the most popular Hindu book, has in it many parallel ideas with Christianity. Difference? It is the Word become word. It is a philosophical treatise with no historical reality. The historical Krishna was not worth looking at and the philosophical Krishna never existed. It is a philosophy with no facts—the Word become philosophy. No wonder salvation is said to be found by touching the feet of a guru or teacher. In one place in Bhutan the sight of the temple brings salvation. Or salvation comes through bathing in sacred rivers or sacred tanks, which brings forth from Tagore the comment that “washing away sins which are moral by water which is material is materialism.” Where there is no historical reality in the guru—the Word become word, then there is no historical reality in the salvation—it is verbal and word juggling. No reality in the faith nor in the faithful.
O Jesus Lord and Savior, save me from make-believe. You who are Reality make me real. May my words be indistinguishable from my deeds and may my deeds be indistinguishable from my words. In your blessed name. Amen.
AFFIRMATION FOR THE DAY: John the Baptist tried to make people better; Jesus made people different.