God the Lawyer... A Slob Like One of Us?

Today's Readings

"Make justice your aim: redress the wronged, hear the orphan’s plea, defend the widow. Come now, let us set things right, says the LORD." - Isaiah 1: 17-18

What if God were one of us? Just a lawyer like one of us.

 While that's not quite the lyric from the awesome Joan Osborne song "One of Us", I've been dying to reference this tune for a while. The excerpt from Isaiah offers us a glimpse of God who wants to negotiate a plea or a deal with us. Like one of us, He just wants a fair agreement. If you follow the Truth, and do the best you can to help those in need, He'll "set things right."

The actual lyric from the Osborne song is "What if God was one of us? Just a slob, like one of us. Just a stranger on the bus, trying to make his way home." If justice is the goal, then lets defend the ones who need the help! The wronged, the orphan, and the widow... Society's forgotten ones. While they're not necessarily slobs, they do fit the intent of the song...

God IS one of us, as He is present in the lives of the needy,
He IS the stranger on the bus, trying to LEAD US ALL HOME!

Joan Osborne - One of us by Jo_Bidjoba

Return to Sender

We have seen for ourselves, and can testify, that the Father has sent the Son as savior of the world. When anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwells in him and he in God. 1 John 4:14-15

What does this passage say to you?
Does it give YOU the exclusive "Get Out of Jail Free" card?
Is Jesus the "Way, the Truth and the life"?
What message do you think I am really trying to share by simply offering this quote?

In an attempt to continue the preparation for the project I am working on, I am illustrating the simple concept of Sender -> Message -> Receiver. I am also challenging the implied intent of both sender and receiver as compared with the intended meaning of the original message. In other words, what was the intended message of the writer of 1 John 4: 14-15 as compared to the way I want to use that message as it's "sender"? Also, how do YOU, the receiver, perceive the intent of ME the sender, and that of the writer of 1 John 4: 14-15?

So, this is the reason why we converse with one another, and not just tell one another absolute facts to be trusted. It is extremely important that you allow people to process information, and reply with attempts to understanding that information. The give and take of conversation and time always reveals the truth and "The Truth". Sharing a reading from Scripture like this is designed to be a "door opener" for people, and not just a statement of fact. It invites folks to consider The Way to understanding God's place in their lives, especially as exemplified in the life of the "sender".

So let it be...

Sender -> Message -> Receiver
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