Walkin The Tightrope

our world is a maze of contracting viewpoints all clammoring for a bit of time and space.
each has a heartfelt passion that calls for cold hard belief. people are moved each day to put their thoughts down on paper, blogs and in song to push a point of view or a belief that demands a side be chosen.

so many of these views and ideas slide for the less friction route. easy, non committal and comfortable.

others are diametrically opposed thoughts that try and work in several thoughts in order to justify actions.

kids were becoming to competitive, so we stopped keeping score at T-ball games, so as to teach them equal time and fun. but recently, the end result has become a society that is all competition. from dancing to singing, the thought is if you are not good enough, the tribe has spoken.

almost every aspect of daily life is affected by these to conflicting views.

Faith for instance.

the spiritual realm in our country is quickly becoming an exasperating list of "what if's". each view point (as well as mine) rushing to the Areopagus to stand and be recognized as valid. all looking for acceptance, but few things changing in our land.

more is written about faith and spiritual issues today than any other time in history, yet we as a people still look inside ourselves for justification and acceptance.

we bring down the majesty of a holy god by deciding to make him human. we put human characteristics on him, demand he be fair, stand in his presence with no respect as we call on him to change others, cry out for injustice when we experienceing the least bit of suffering, all the while deciding that he conform to our thought process concerning history, his word, and his purposes.

of all these things, I am chief.

yet my soul yearns for all that he is. having settled it in my heart that he is more, I am forced away from the mirror and driven to my knees.

we all walk a tight rope of sorts. some struggling to get ballance, others hoping there is a net. while still there are others who know the net exists refuse to go very far from the comfort of a hand rail.

we hope god is as we picture. we hope that our theology is how we think. can there be so many conflicting views? can we talk of a god who who is one way with such a confidence so as to be forced to ask the really difficult questions?

can so many be wrong?
can so many be right?

I fear we ask only the questions that we are alowed to ask...here, in the safety of free speech. for what good is a question of faith and belief if it cannot be ask where it is against the law to ask?
can we be so confident of our views and thoughts as to be willing to die a death left only for so called blasphemers and heretics?

ours is a country of convenience where a generation rests on the shoulders of those who were willing to sacrifice for a cause. this is a generation that has sought for the niceties of scoreless t-ball games, but screams for the competition that allows for a better than you reality.

Jesus spoke of a narrow road and a recognition of the Master when a life of service had been lived and poured out like an offering.

the reward of an eternity with the one who created us has been replaced with blue prints of a big mansion to pat us on the back for a lifetime of pew sitting and being part of the "not club."

with so many who claim to have been enlightened with truth, why is it that so many remain without hope? with so many books written about how to find a purpose, 10 ways to unlock your financial blessings in Jesus, setting free the blessings in you, becoming all you are meant to be...one would think that attitudes about self and church would be different.

Caught up in a whirlwind, can't catch my breath.
Knee deep in hot water, broke out in cold sweat.
Can't catch a turtle, in this rat race.
Feels like I'm losing ground, at a breakneck pace.

Afraid of my own shadow, in the face of grace.
Heart full of darkness, spotlight on my face.
There was love all around me, but I was looking for revenge.
Thank God it never found me, would have been the end.

Walkin' the tight rope, steppin on my friends
Walkin' the tight rope, was a shame and a sin.
Walkin' the tight rope, between wrong and right.
Walkin' the tight rope, both day and night.

Lookin' back in front of me, in the mirror's grin.
Through eyes of love I see, I'm really lookin at a friend
We've had all our problems, that's the way life is.
My heart goes out to others, who are there to make amends.

(Walkin' the tightrope) Trying to make it right
Every day and every night Bring it all around.
From the lost to found. Streched around the world.
Save the boys and girls. Let's make it right.
Do it, do it tonight.
Walkin the tightrope.

Stevie Ray Vaughn