"Knock and the door shall be opened unto you." - Mt. 7:7
So what's on the other side of the door? If the teachings of Jesus really are about transformation, and not simply self-improvement, who is the 'self' that is on the other side of the door once we step through?
I understand that we all have at least some desire to be the best we can be, whether we actually do anything about it or not. Maybe we don't see much potential for our lives but I would guess that most of us share a desire to live up to whatever potential we do see, whatever that might mean. And there's nothing inherently wrong with this. It's not 'wrong', it's just limited. It's coming from a perspective that says human development and growth is a linear affair.
In many ways, it is.
But not every way.
Being "born again" is not about simply becoming an upgraded version of who you already are. So if you walk through this metaphorical door, who are you? What is the nature of spiritual transformation? Are we the same person only nicer? Do all of our secret, nasty fears and desires vanish without a trace forever? Will we still know how to tie our shoes?
I think Jesus was all about transformation. "New wine for new wineskins," and all that business. But how many people really believe this is possible? We might believe that we'll be transformed in heaven but what about now? I think many of us, if we believe in any kind of deep and profound spiritual transformation, relegate such things strictly to divine intervention that we have no part in and which likely won't happen this side of the grave.
But then I wonder, what if such transformation is possible, here and now? Would we believe it even if it slapped us in the face? We, understandably, have a hard time knowing who we would be after this kind of radical shift in identity. We think, "If I'm not me, who would I be?"
Well, if you weren't 'you,' who would you be? Imagine it, if you would. WHO ARE YOU??? When you stop focusing on your ideas about who you are, when all of that falls away from your attention, what is left?
Who are when we let go of all of our ideas about who we are?
To answer that, you have to really do it.
In a few days, I'm going to be devoting 24 hours to meditation, to experientially exploring these questions by giving a significant chunk of my time and energy to living them out. If you'd like to support me in some way or want to find out more, you can visit here. I'll let you know what I find but I have a funny feeling that you might not believe me when I tell you...
So what's on the other side of the door? If the teachings of Jesus really are about transformation, and not simply self-improvement, who is the 'self' that is on the other side of the door once we step through?
I understand that we all have at least some desire to be the best we can be, whether we actually do anything about it or not. Maybe we don't see much potential for our lives but I would guess that most of us share a desire to live up to whatever potential we do see, whatever that might mean. And there's nothing inherently wrong with this. It's not 'wrong', it's just limited. It's coming from a perspective that says human development and growth is a linear affair.
In many ways, it is.
But not every way.
Being "born again" is not about simply becoming an upgraded version of who you already are. So if you walk through this metaphorical door, who are you? What is the nature of spiritual transformation? Are we the same person only nicer? Do all of our secret, nasty fears and desires vanish without a trace forever? Will we still know how to tie our shoes?
I think Jesus was all about transformation. "New wine for new wineskins," and all that business. But how many people really believe this is possible? We might believe that we'll be transformed in heaven but what about now? I think many of us, if we believe in any kind of deep and profound spiritual transformation, relegate such things strictly to divine intervention that we have no part in and which likely won't happen this side of the grave.
But then I wonder, what if such transformation is possible, here and now? Would we believe it even if it slapped us in the face? We, understandably, have a hard time knowing who we would be after this kind of radical shift in identity. We think, "If I'm not me, who would I be?"
Well, if you weren't 'you,' who would you be? Imagine it, if you would. WHO ARE YOU??? When you stop focusing on your ideas about who you are, when all of that falls away from your attention, what is left?
Who are when we let go of all of our ideas about who we are?
To answer that, you have to really do it.
In a few days, I'm going to be devoting 24 hours to meditation, to experientially exploring these questions by giving a significant chunk of my time and energy to living them out. If you'd like to support me in some way or want to find out more, you can visit here. I'll let you know what I find but I have a funny feeling that you might not believe me when I tell you...
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