Brick Walls, Trampolines, Mortgages, and Faith
What does Jesus think about my mortgage?
I’m not entirely sure. But I know it matters.
And no, this is not a blog about money at all. It’s not about how to save it or spend it or even give it away. So, relax and just keep reading.
I spend more on my mortgage most months than I do on food, savings, and even more than I give. It’s the biggest chunk of our family budget. Therefore, more of my blood, sweat, and tears go to that thing every month than go to any other category of the budget. So, I do wonder what he thinks about it.
I know that what I think he thinks about it has changed over the years. In regard to changing beliefs, a pastor friend of mine put it this way:
“Live passionately by what you believe and know that much of what you believe may change in a decade.”
My point is that much of what we believe about certain aspects of life change over time.
Don’t believe me?
Think about how you viewed parenting before you were a parent. I bet that has changed. I remember when I was 17 thinking that if I could make $20,000, I would be set for life…. That has definitely changed.
So, asking Jesus what he thinks about important things in life matters. In fact, exploring our subterranean beliefs with Jesus and allowing him to alter our assumptions and beliefs can be very transformative.
I’m talking about getting to the question below the question -- getting to the subterranean layers of my heart and to my core beliefs. As A. W. Tozer reveals in The Pursuit of God, our true beliefs live far below our creedal statement.
It is our actions, he explains, that express our true beliefs. How I live says much more about my theology than the creed that hangs on my wall.
In his book, Velvet Elvis, Rob Bell explores the various structures of these subterranean beliefs through two metaphors. First, he explains that for much of his life, the structure of his core doctrine was profoundly static and impenetrable. It was…
“like individual bricks that stack on top of each other. If you pull one out, the whole wall starts to crumble. It appears quite strong and rigid, but if you begin to rethink or discuss even one brick, the whole thing is in danger.”
As his intimacy with God’s heart deepened, Rob discovered that the structure of his core beliefs was changing as well. His core doctrine shifted in form from a brick wall to a trampoline. Instead of something he was afraid would inadvertently crumble, his worldview became something he could “jump on” and a source of dynamic joy. And reassuringly, he found that just as a trampoline maintains its fundamental shape no matter how hard you jump, so did his core beliefs but with a breathability and capacity for engagement.
One of those “bricks” that needed to crumble away for me was my deeply subterranean view of God.
You see, I had a very religious upbringing - for which I am very thankful. But somewhere along the way, I picked up a view that God was an angry Father that is just waiting for me to screw up so that he could release all the “I told you so’s” along with levying whatever punishment he sees fit.
It was a very unsettling relationship that I was under. On one hand, I loved God, and on the other, I was deeply afraid of him. To be honest, I really did not enjoy him.
But in my late 30’s, I began to explore some of my deeply held beliefs about God.
Maybe, God is not like an angry Father. Maybe, God is more like the father in Jesus’ parable about the “lost” son that returns home. Maybe, his love for me is not conditional on how I behave. Maybe, he does want to throw a party for me.
And slowly, it took a few years, my views of God shifted from the oppressive, tyrannical, rigid wall into the fun and excitement of a trampoline.
The invitation of the Gospel is to engage, root down, and lift off. Enjoy your life with Jesus, like a child enjoys the experience of a trampoline. Enjoy the life-giving, interactive “trampoline” beliefs about God… and jump.
Now I’m not saying abandon everything you believe. Inherent in this metaphor is the fact that a trampoline must have its own dependable, essential structure if it’s going to be safe and fun to jump on. The most basic creeds of the church provide the rich and immovable foundations of my trampoline.
But it’s the other stuff; the hundreds of other categories of life that must be carefully considered in light of Jesus’ heart, Word, and way. In particular, it is the aspects of our convictions that are more informed by our culture than by the revelation of Jesus that we must allow him to reshape.
Which brings me back to my mortgage and what Jesus thinks about it.
I’m not entirely sure. But I know my beliefs have changed over the years.
What does Jesus think about your mortgage? Your cell phone? Your calendar? Your relationships?
And more importantly, what does Jesus think of your beliefs about God?
Ask him until you are confident that you know.
And keep jumping.
Resources:
Link to last week’s message - Beyond Ordinary
Books:
The Pursuit of God by A. W. Tozer This is considered a classic Christian book. It is not an easy read but it is a blueprint for living a happy life closer to God.