Losing our minds.
“In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities but in the experts there are few.”
-- quoted by Shunryu Suzuki
Suzuki says, In the begiiner's mind there is no thought, "I have attained something." He said all self-centered thoughts limit our vast minds. In begiiner's mind we can learn something. The beginner's mind is the mind of compassion.
I question if this is why Jesus liked children so much? For children have a sense of enthusiasm and wonder about the simple things of life, or may better stated, they have a sense of wonder simply about life. Children seem to posses “beginner’s mind”. It almost seems like the more we know, or at least think we know, the more jaded and closed-minded we become. Our closed- minds locks our beliefs into boxes that prevent us from opening ourselves to possibilities.
This seems to be especially true in religion.
It is ironic that Jesus said that we must become like children (childlike) and Paul said that we must give-up childish ways.
Childish means immature, juvenile, naïve, selfish, self-centered, adolescent, frivolous and unreasonable. These also seem to be the same words to describe know-it-alls or those who think they are or want to be religious experts.
Childlike means spontaneous, trustful, trusting, unaffected, unfeigned, innocent, simple, unsuspicious, unworldly, well-intentioned, well-meant, and wide-eyed.
Why is it that the religious experts often seem to be more childish rather than childlike?
Perhaps they think they know too much.
Jesus seemed to enjoy the company of folks who were not the experts on the religious laws, for the experts of religious laws were always looking to argue and pick fights with Jesus. They were the one's who walked around quoting the law, whereas Jesus walked around healing people. One was the way of knowing the other was the way of compassion.
He liked hanging out with kids, women, tax collectors, prostitutes, poor folks, and those on the fringe of society and who certainly did not adhere to the experts in the religious law. These seemed to be the folks who were most childlike and Jesus was really attracted to them and they to him.
The religious leaders were just childish.
They were more interested in being right than in being compassionate.
Two thousand years later here we are, and at times, it feels like the church has just simply lost it's ever lovin' friggin' beginners mind.
11 Comments:
I don't like saying this...cause who else is gonna be your right winger Baptist???
but...yep. you nailed it.
Why is it every time you write an entry, I find myself nodding enthusiastically to what I am reading? Once again you've spoken the words in my heart. I wish I could find a place to worship that practiced more preachings such as yours.
Thanks Jeff. I'll sent youa not.
Crissi, thank you for your encourgaing words. I too have longed for a place all my life where this was lived out. I know for a long time I was looking for love in all the wrong places or should I say "church in all the wrong places, same thing in many ways. I feel humbled by your comments and only pray for us to find the community we long for.
Ah, but the children are always open, and seemingly expecting, new revelations. The adults, at least in my church, seem to expect no further inflowing of the Spirit.
As we aim for self-sufficiency, desperate to believe ourselves sovereign, children operate under no such illusion. Despite the occasional childish flirtation with independence, the child never has to be reminded that the source of his provision is the parent.
My most childish tendency is to believe that I can exist on my own, even for a little while.
Whale of a post.
in becoming adults we build walls, only to find we need them painfully broken down again to become like children... rebirth - new life emerging! Love reading your blog, Rick.
Thanks - the fear of saying I don't know is debilatating, thanks for the warning
yes, this is perfect, through and through. now, if we could only get it through our thick skulls.
I love the way you write - it's impossible to read your posts passively. Every one of them requires something from the reader - from mere acknowledgement to an afternoon of mulling and searching. You have quite a gift. Thanks for using it!
but it has to or could start with us and we maybe could infect the CHURCH???
You really laid it out ...thanks b
I think a lot of us lose sight of the success of Silicon Valley was somewhat based on "childlike" thinking.
And, Silicon Valley needed SF, most of the brilliance commuted the 40 miles down the bay, bringing the "childlike" with it.
Fortunately, the better companies chose not to kill the "childishness" - nerf guns, etc., wisely not killing "childlike".
Well, I go off to "work", with my childlike job of driving a choo-choo, at a speed of 215,000 furlongs per fortnight.
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