Becoming

“A school is wherever a man can learn, Mr. Shafter, do not forget that. A man can learn from these mountains and the trees, he can learn by listening, by seeing, and by hearing the talk of other men and thinking about what they say.”
~ Louie L’Amour (Bendigo Shafter)

Years ago and far away from here, EJ and I knew a man who told us that whenever he read anything in a book that he disagreed with, he immediately stopped reading it and threw it away. It’s possible that we misunderstood what he meant–I hope so–but it sure sounded as if he never finished a book that he didn’t 100% agree with. This was surprising to us because the man was a high school teacher. We had thought that a teacher would have intellectual curiosity and develop the ability to think critically–and teach his students to do the same. We know better now.

I must say that I think it’s ok to have preferences. I don’t like every genre or author’s style of writing. I don’t like stories that aren’t well-written with believable characters and plots. I don’t believe every book has value or is worth reading. I don’t think every statement is true, every opinion is valid, or every conclusion is correct. I do not feel that I have to read every type of book to prove that I have an “open mind.” I have the right to be discerning and selective in what I choose to read.

At the same time, I think it’s very stunting to never read anything that challenges me. How can a person ever grow if he never reads anything beyond what he already thinks? Even my favorite authors occasionally write things I don’t agree with. Surprisingly, now and then I come across interesting quotes by authors I dislike. Even opposing views can sometimes be helpful.

For example, years ago I used to enjoy reading advice columns in the newspaper. Sometimes the columnist gave advice that I thought was very helpful. However, if I disagreed with the advice, I didn’t tear up the newspaper and throw it away. Instead, I considered why I thought the advice was bad and what advice I’d give instead. In the same section of the newspaper, there was a column written by a “minister.” I think a more accurate term would be “heretic.” He didn’t believe in the divinity of Christ, that the Bible was the infallible Word of God, or many other things that are foundational to the Christian faith. How can a person call himself a “Christian minister” if he disbelieves everything the Bible teaches? Very irritated, I would sit down and write out a refutation to his articles of why he was wrong and what the Bible actually says. I never sent these on to him because I was certain he wouldn’t hear me. However, although I absolutely disagreed with his beliefs, his articles caused me to search the Scriptures and actually strengthened my own beliefs. I was able to find for myself why I believed what I did and the Scripture that supported it.

EJ grew up playing card games and he uses that as an awesome metaphor for considering information. He says that when playing a card game, he picks up a card and considers whether it’s useful or not. If not, he discards it as soon as he can. If it’s useful, he holds on to it. If he’s unsure, he holds onto the card for a while until he decides whether to discard or keep it. Information is the same way: When either of us encounters new information, we consider whether it’s true or not. If not, we refute and/or discard it. If it’s true, we hold on to it. If we are undecided, we ponder it. Often new information causes me to ponder perspectives that I wouldn’t otherwise have considered. Sometimes I’ve happily wandered down interesting rabbit trails as I explored whether something is true or not. There are times when my first thought is “That’s crazy!” However, as I pondered it–for hours or days or years–it challenged and stretched me. At times, I’ve been able to correct my own mistakes or wrong beliefs because of what someone wrote. Occasionally, what I’ve read has altered my life.

Several years ago, I read a “crazy” article written by Skip Moen, a Hebraic scholar. Here is a quote from it:

“…Instead of teaching that actions and attitudes produce human beings, we struggle to understand why “human beings” act in ways that are morally despicable.  We have converted relationship requirements into ethical paradoxes.  Let me put it another way.  If becoming human is a process accomplished through choices in cooperation with divine aid, then we are not born human.  We become human when we act as the Creator acts.  We earn humanity over the course of our lives.” (Full Article)

Crazy, huh? But Moen’s article reminded me of something C.S. Lewis wrote:

“…I would much rather say that every time you make a choice you are turning the central part of you, the part of you that chooses, into something a little different from what it was before. And taking your life as a whole, with all your innumerable choices, all your life long you are slowly turning this central thing either into a heavenly creature or into a hellish creature: either into a creature that is in harmony with God, and with other creatures, and with itself, or else into one that is in a state of war and hatred with God, and with its fellow-creatures, and with itself. To be the one kind of creature is heaven: that is, it is joy and peace and knowledge and power. To be the other means madness, horror, idiocy, rage, impotence, and eternal loneliness. Each of us at each moment is progressing to the one state or the other.”

At first glance, it sounds a bit crazy to think that people might only BECOME human as they choose God. However, I have observed lawless people who are hostile to God acting so hideously that they seem more monster than human–burning down buildings, jumping on cars, breaking things, looting, raping, murdering. So maybe it’s not as crazy as it first appears.

EJ is a CNC machinist. The more perfectly he makes a part conform to its design, the more “in spec” it is considered to be. Sometimes an imperfect part can be reworked and saved, but if it’s too “out of spec,” it is discarded. If God designed us “in His image” then wouldn’t we be conforming to what He designed us to be when we choose Him and less if we reject Him?

I’ve enjoyed pondering this for several years.