Only a Boy

I found something I want to do before I die - learn to pick a lock.  Ligitimately, I want to be able to pick a lock with a paper clip or something similar.  Half inspired by the article in wired, half because my mom could do it and showed me how a long time ago.  My mom used to keep pennies, nickels and dimes in a small metal “bank” that she could pick the lock on with a hair pin.  I was in elementary school, so I’m sure I couldn’t remember how to do it now, but I’d like to learn again.  Add it to my bucket list - though I cringe at the name “bucket list”.

I’ve said before that I see metaphor, to some degree, as a sign of intelligence.  The ability to see one thing and relate it to another, the ability to make connections, not everyone is good at doing it.  However, I think metaphor, or simile, is really important.  The ability to relate two things, to show how they’re alike is all through Jesus’ teaching.  What is the kingdom of God?  It’s like a mustard seed in a garden or like yeast worked into dough. (Luke 13.18-21)  The same method is apparent in marriage as a metaphor for Christ and His church.

If Christ thought it was important to compare things for the sake of teaching, and if much of the world is wired to reflect God’s glory through our comparison of creation to who God says He is, why do we not place more importance on pointing out each metaphor we see?  Why do we keep these glimpses to ourselves?  Would it not be life-giving to be able to look anywhere and see some truth about who God is, through His creation?  Would it not inspire?  Would it not be helpful in evangelism to be able to point out one thing or another and say “God is like this and He is like that?”  Maybe it’s that we aren’t good at seeing the metaphors in the first place, perhaps that’s the reason we don’t share them – we never see them in the first place.

I see that the work of metaphor, the work of comparing, while all will ultimately fall short, is extremely necessary and important - so important that we need people doing it more. Metaphor is inspiring.  We need the people who see metaphor everywhere, to inform the rest of us.  We need teachers who are like Jesus in the way they teach - perhaps as much as we need teachers who are of Jesus in the way they walk.  We need to have the eyes of God…

Note: This was for a class project, in response to certain articles, and limited to 3 pages.  Hopefully that explains how incomplete this paper is.  I also ran into the deadline, ran our of time.  With those disclaimers, enjoy…

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Generally I agree with the sentiments expressed by the various writers of the articles we read.  I agree things should change but I have questions regarding feasibility.  In particular, some of the food articles – On Trial: Industrial Agriculture and Mean or Green are two examples – proved to be rather adept at pointing out the flaws, without suggesting much in the way of feasible solutions. I think it’s generally very important to not only point out the problems but to cast vision for the future, in both steps toward the solution and examples of current, working solutions – much as McDonough (Cradle to Cradle) and Brukardt (The natural Step to Sustainability) have done.

Feasibility aside, my other main question is that of motivation.  In other words, why?  Specifically, why should I do something?  Why should I go to the trouble?  To build new systems, to retrofit the old, to change whole industries, to do away with other industries is a huge undertaking.  Even to simply rework one American life to be truly sustainable is a vast undertaking. Again, I credit environmentalism with being very adept at pointing out the flaws in our systems, but apart from the writings and reasonings of a select few, I have yet to see much in the way of motivations that are not rooted in guilt, shame, selfishness, or fear.

So what’s wrong with guilt and shame as a motivator?  What’s wrong with selfish motivations?  Ironically none of those motivations are sustainable. Take the speed limit laws for instance. These laws are fear-based.  The average American’s motivation for keeping the speed limit is rooted in the shame of getting a ticket or the fear of losing money – which, is really a self-centered motivation at it’s core.   As a result, most people push the speed limits to what they think they can get away with.  They don’t truly believe in the spirit behind the law, they only obey when it is convenient or when they feel threatened.  If, however, someone understands and believes it is good to have those limits, they will adhere joyfully, and even when it is not convenient.  It is my belief that only obedience or expression rooted in joy is truly sustainable over a long period of time.

I am particularly concerned with the motivation of the individual.  Both McDonough and the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI’s Core Principles) have both done an admirable job showing that sustainability can actually offer companies a competitive advantage, but a competitive advantage does not work for the individual. It is possible to be sustained out of personal gain, but when personal gain, or self-centeredness, is pitted against the good of others or the good of the environment, what will happen?  Because after all is said and done, for the self-centered, justice issues have no real ROI save perhaps pride.  The self-centered person should have no care for the world around them, so long as they are receiving what they wish without much hassle.

I see Christianity as being uniquely gifted to address the motivation behind “doing good.” The Christian Bible has much to say about God, man, creation, poverty, redemption and Christ. The bible lays out God’s plan for the world from beginning to end.  This metanarrative can be summed up in four words – creation, rebellion, redemption, restoration.   Each of these four stages hold implications for not only man and creation in relation to God, but also man in relation to man, and man in relation to creation.

The Bible opens with the words “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.“ (New American Standard Bible, Gen. 1.1)  The Bible goes on to say, “Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’ God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. God blessed them; and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.’” (Gen. 1.26-28)  These two passages give us two ideas.  One, God created everything, the heavens and the earth, which means that all creation is in some way “good” because it was created by, and is from God.  And two, God created man in his image to fill, subdue and rule over the whole earth.  Psalm 8.3-9 puts it like this: “When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained; what is man that You take thought of him, and the son of man that You care for him? Yet You have made him a little lower than God, and You crown him with glory and majesty! You make him to rule over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet, all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, the birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea, whatever passes through the paths of the seas. O LORD, our Lord, How majestic is Your name in all the earth!”

As creator, God deserves full obedience, respect and honor from His creation – which is exemplified in Psalm 8 above.  Genesis 3 tells of the original rebellion against God, but every day every man continues to rebel.  Every time I feel as though my job or my spouse, what I will eat or what I will wear, is more important than the Creator of the Universe, I evidence this rebellion inside me.  But because God cannot be just and allow rebellion without punishment, he subjected the earth to futility.  In Romans 8.19-23 Paul writes “For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.  And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body…“  So God subjected the earth and all of creation to futility, but He did so in hope.  The subjection to futility is the punishment for man’s rebellion and is evident in the pain and suffering of the world.  The hope spoken of is both Christ’s redeeming work and the eventual restoration of man and all creation.

Christ, in Heaven with God, was and is in perfect relationship with the Father.  God sent his Son to earth as a sacrifice for the rebellion of man, in hope and from love. (John 3.16, Rom. 5.8) The bible puts it like this, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.” (2 Cor. 8:9) In other words, we were poor because of our debt to God in that we had rebelled against the Creator and had not given him what He was due. Jesus Christ was rich in the fact that His relationship with God was perfect, there was no brokenness between them - there was no rebellion. But Christ made Himself poor, He took the justice of God which demanded payment for man’s rebellion, and in doing so reconciled man to God. (Romans 4:8)  Christ was the sacrifice that has made man rich, and will in the end save the world itself.  With Christ’s death and subsequent resurrection, He redeemed creation in the sight of God and saved those who will believe.

The last step in God’s plan is restoration.  In the end God will form a new heavens and new earth, not unlike the earth now, but the world will no longer be subject to the fall.  “But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.” (2 Pet. 3:13)  We also see that as Christ walked the earth, the miracles he did were, for the most part, restorative.  He healed men and women. (Matt. 12:22, Matt. 15:30, John 9:1-7) He fed the hungry. (Matt. 14:13-21)  He spent much of his time with the socially outcast and those in poverty.  While Christ walked as a man He restored the broken.  In Christ’s death He restored the broken.  And in the end, when the time is right, God will restore all things that are broken.

So what does all of this, this metanarrative, this talk of Christ, what does all of this have to do with sustainability, with motivation, with caring for the poor, with tending to the environment? God made creation and because God charged man with the stewardship of creation, Christians have a unique reason to care for the environment – to honor and glorify God by doing His work.  Because of their understanding of the fall, Christians have a unique understanding of the poverty and brokenness evidenced in the world.  Because Christ made Himself poor and gave of Himself unselfishly, and because Christians know that they were all poor at one time, Christians have a unique motivation and model of radical sacrifice for, and service to the poor.  And because God is moving all of history toward restoration, Christians have a unique reason to pursue justice and restoration for all in all aspects of earthly life.  The truth of the matter is, Christians should care for the world much better than anyone else because their motivation should is born from a joy-filled, radical, grace-given worldview. If they truly understand the life and work of Christ, there is no way to ignore the suffering of those in poverty and the degradation of creation.  In Christ, I see a unique hope of sustainable care for the environment and the poor that I do not see elsewhere.

Works Cited

Brukardt, Mary Jane. “The Natural Step to Sustainability”. Wingspread Journal. Spring 1997.

Featherstone, Lisa. “Mean or Green”. The Nation. September 11, 2006.

Holy Bible, New American Standard Version. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2002.

Horne, James E. and Maura McDermott. “On Trial: Industrial Agriculture”. The Next Green Revolution. 2001.

Keller, Timothy J. “Being the Church in Our Culture” Reform & Resurge Conference 2006. 23 Oct. 2008. <http://www.journeyon.net/media/being-the-church-in-our-culture.pdf>.

Keller, Timothy J. “Doing Justice” Reform & Resurge Conference 2006. MP3. Resurgence. 23 Oct. 2008. <http://theresurgence.com/r_r_2006_session_eight_audio_keller>.

McDonough, William and Michael Braungart. Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things. New York: North Point Press, 2002.

“RMI’s Core Principles.” rmi.org. 2008. Rocky Mountain Institute. 30 Oct 2008. <http://www.rmi.org/sitepages/pid66.php>.

Colby and I got into a discussion about game theory the other day.  He had never heard of it but it’s a topic I find rather interesting.  The basic outcome is being able to predict, mathematically, what decisions people will make.  If you know of John Nash or saw A Beautiful Mind, John Nash was innovative in a few fields, one being game theory.  I’m not sure how I got there, but one of the most intriguing articles to me was The New Nostradamus featured in Good Magazine.  The article is mostly about Bruce Bueno de Mesquita who has made a computer model that can predict the outcomes of international conflict. Very interesting.  Of course, if you’re looking to learn about game theory yourself you can do what I did and look into the open courseware available online for free.  And now I’m going to go tape the bridge of my glasses, thanks.

Edit: Also, game theory was really apparent in the latest Batman movie, The Dark Knight.  Check out the Prisoner’s Dilemma then go watch the movie.  Hint: Boats.

One should not rely on emotion to judge things of a spiritual nature.  Tears flow from many sources - both the religious and irreligious.  It is no significant sign that tears flow, only that the proofs outlined in scripture are present in one’s life.

This weekend JPaul quoted someone - I have no idea who - who essentially said “a man who thinks a lot sabbaths with his hands.”  This is really true.  It’s hard for me to stop creating, stop doodling, stop building when I am “resting.”  I either need to be out (asleep), reading a book, or creating/planning to create something.  Yesterday I sabbathed with Brad.  He did most of the work, but I helped him finish the piping for his french drain in the back yard.  It was a good time.  We talked a lot, spent a good amount of time in the sun, and got some good work done.  Then I helped him keep his kids for a while when his wife went to get her hair did.  It wasn’t how I planned to spend my sabbath day, but it was good.  Really good.  It was nice to run around barefooted all day outside.  After all, Moses had to kick off his sandles in God’s presence, why shouldn’t we do the same?

Mr X was the CEO of the financial business firm X & Son and was often hired to do consulting for major corporations internationally. Once he was walking alone in Asia when a 9 year old girl came and offered her body to him. He glanced up, seeing the girl’s pimp staring at him. He was not tempted by her inquiry but felt compassion for her. He stooped down and ask her in his best Mandarin if she’d like to be freed from the sex trade business and go live in his house in America where she would be well fed, taken care of - she could go to school and learn, etc. She did not know what to say, she could not imagine being free – what is free?  Why would you want to be free?  He stood up and walked away. The next day he returned with a million dollars and gave it to the pimp saying “I’m taking this girl back to the states with me.” The pimp accepted the offering and told him to take the little whore.

Mr X took the young girl back to his hotel room, stripped her. He filled the tub with warm water and lifted her into the tub. He scrubbed her down with a sponge, cleaning the dirt from her face, the blood from her body. He lifted her out and dried her, put her in new, clean pajamas and laid her in bed. She went to sleep almost immediately as he stroked her head and sang her sweet songs.

When she next woke up she was back in America laying in a beautiful bed with silk sheets. There were flowers on the dresser and light poured through the lace curtains into the room. She cracked open the door, then peaked her head out. Her room sat at the top of a grand staircase, the sweetest aroma filled her nose. She started down the staircase and saw a golden brown puppy bounding up the stairs toward her carrying a floppy bunny rabbit in it’s mouth.

She came to a table spread with juices and fruit, pancakes and waffles, muffins, bacon, sausage, pastries of all kinds - anything she could want was there and she certainly ate her fill.

Mr. X came down, and delighted, she ran and threw herself into his arms grateful for rescuing her from her past life of slavery. He had given her freedom – a freedom she could once never imagine.  She could eat, learn, have friends, play, chase butterflies, run, pet the puppy, pick flowers. She was truly free and for the first time in her life, truly happy.

But she soon wandered outside and noticed the neighbor boy standing in his yard. He must’ve been 17 years old. Something inside her still knew her past life and pulled her back.  She went to him and offered to sleep with him. He took her up on her offer - then she went home.

She felt dirty again but she still got to enjoy the perks of living in Mr. X. He had given her freedom beyond comprehension and joy but for some reason she still wanted more. She decided she’d go try to hire herself out. So she would tiptoe downstairs and sneak out the back door to go into town where she would offer herself for money two or three nights a week. Soon she had a business with many regular customers. She was making more money, but for some reason felt dirty doing it.

Periodically someone would walk by and ask if she was lost, ask why she was out so late, ask if she needed help getting home. She would always flee back to the house when they asked, but would sneak out again the next night.

One night a man she was with got drunk at beat her till she was bloody, black and blue. As she limped home she became fearful of the morning.

Soon she began skipping breakfast because she didn’t want Mr X to know she was hurt, for she knew she would have to explain herself.

One night she was beaten so severely she passed out and was dumped in a gutter.

She woke the next day hurting - her body was broken, but she was clean and laying in her bed. Mr X was sitting over her stroking her hair and singing to her. He smiled at her as she looked at him. He opened his mouth at spoke “My child, I have bought your freedom, I have given you access to all joy, I have breathed into your dead body new life, I have taken you from a foreign place, from being an orphan, and have put you in my house and adopted you as my own. I have cleaned you with my own hands and fed you all you could eat. And you began sneaking out at night… you began whoring yourself out once again, returning to the slavery I freed you from. Do you think I did not know? Do you think it did not break my heart? I wept every night, waiting for you to realize what you were doing. I knew you would have to learn your lesson the hard way. And now I beg you, stay here. Learn from the pain of bondage, open your eyes and see the life I am offering. Stay with me as you did the first weeks you were here in my house. Never again whore yourself out. Stay here, live, breath, have life, have all that is good, eat to your fill, be clean, enjoy the good things that I have given you, but do not return to the bondage you were once subject to. You can have all I have to give, all I ask is that you do not return to your old life. My child, cling to all that is good, abhor all that is evil. Stay here with me forever.”

Ryan and Don are both musicians and designers.  Their music venture is Demon Hunter – a band that has not only done very well in the Christian-Core scene, but has also managed to infiltrate the secular hardcore scene.  They are very good at what they do, one of the top Christian bands in their genre and one of the “Top Ten Artists to Watch” in the secular scene.  They are also designers – they own Invisible Creature and have done work for everyone it seems like.  Their CD Artwork is everywhere and they’re been nominated for multiple awards.  They’ve done work for Nordstrom, Kanye West, Foo Fighters, and a whole slew of Christian bands.

I think that’s cool for me to see is that they are the best, or one of the best, in their field, as Christians.  They are being Christ in Culture - it’s inspirational.

I’ve been thinking a bit lately.  This happens most when other things in my life clear up.  This instance of thought is brought to you by the end of school semesters.  My head clears and I feel like throwing up on paper (digital paper as it may be).  Here are a few random thoughts:

Something in connectivism rings true in me.  I think they’re on to something.  I think the way we learn is changing to be how well we recognize pattern, how adept we are at finding information, and how well we can either process, or find tools to process, the information we find.  Here’s a link to a project I was working on.  And here’s the proposal about it that should tell you something of what I was trying to accomplish, though I have yet to finish it.

Tim sent me an article a colleague of his wrote for the New York Times on Digital Intimacy and the fact that we’re all becoming exhibitionists and voyeurs, however it may not be a bad thing (as it may force us into introspection).

I skimmed an article from wired about the new NIN concert production and started drooling.  They’re doing things with art and technology that makes my heart very jealous.

I’ve been thinking about something Tim Keller talks about quite a bit – culture and how the word for culture and cultivate are the same.  He talks about how we’re all essentially farmers – we create something out of some raw materials.  A photographer takes the raw materials of light, object, optics and film and creates something out of it.  They cultivate those things to grow into something greater.  And this is key for a Christian approach to work – we are to create flourishing.  We are to cultivate the raw materials around us to create human flourishing.  This means we create beauty, we impart knowledge and wisdom, we relieve suffering – all as a way to point back to Christ ultimately, but this is a way to be Christ to our neighbors.  Ultimately God created the world in such a way that it promotes human flourishing.  It is God’s work we do when we participate.  When we farm, in some way, we are mimicking God – no matter what field you’re in.  I happen to cultivate young minds and also ideas/technology in my field.  We are all farmers, whether we embrace it as such or not. So the question would be, are you looking at farming as a way of life/love and in what way do you farm? In what way are you cultivating that which will create human flourishing (in the name of Christ)?