A map - I don't think so

I wrote this blog a few days ago even though I couldn't put it on the internet until today.

8-12-06


I have heard that the Bible is like a map to life since it guides a person to a destination. Well… yes and no. Mainly no.

Life contains many specific situations. The New Testament contains general principles. I guess I could take the position that the general principles guide the behavior to manifest in specific situations. But that’s a position that doesn’t hold true very many times.

Maybe I don’t know how to apply the general principles. But, here’s an example. A woman castigates me to her supervisor, who in turn complains to my supervisor, who double-checks what I said and did. What is my reaction to the immediate circumstance? And since I have to work with the original complainer for the long term, what should be my standard working relationship? I guess I could apply the principal of being slapped on one cheek and turning the other to her in the short term and continue to be nice to her and pray for her as an enemy in the long term. Or, I could say that Jesus doesn’t mention anything about how to treat subordinates, and go confront the woman. Or, I could take the way I would want a person to address me if I had lodged a complaint against someone. Or, I could consider her a sister in Christ and take a witness to let her know of her offense to me. Or, I could ignore her behavior and chalk it up to the passage that refers to the attitude of allowing the filthy to continue in their filthiness and the righteous continue in their righteousness.

All of the above is just dealing with one circumstance. What would happen if I tried applying principles to the daily little circumstances that arise? I suppose that is why Jesus promised that after he left, there would be a spirit to guide us, stand beside us, and allow us to understand what a correct reaction would be.

Of course, the above statement opens up a whole other can of worms. But that is a matter for another day.