Last night we had the first gathering of the Trinity Plunders, a group whose goal is to plunder our culture in order to better communicate the gospel. In the midst of our brainstorming on video clips, music and drama, Tony asked some great questions that made me wake up this morning pondering such big issues such as Christian perfection and the strengths and weaknesses of the metaphor of journey for the Christian life.
Somewhere I read that the metaphor of journey was supposed to appeal to men and the metaphor of homecoming was supposed to appeal to women. However, the metaphor of journey has always resonated with me and some of the greatest writings related to the Christian life as a journey were written by women (the Interior Castle by Teresa of Avila and Hinds Feet on High Places by Hannah Hurnard).
Of course the journey is one of the archetypical metaphors that crosses culture, religion, and time. Whether it is Homer’s The Odyssey (or for those of a more modern mindset Joel and Ethan Coen’s “O Brother Where Art Thou?”), Bunyon’s Pilgrim’s Progress, Mark Twain’s Huck Finn . . . well we can go on and on . . . journey is an important metaphor for humans.
Even my business background emphasizes the importance of journey when management experts speak of an emphasis on process rather than product.
And actually, the difference between process and product is one of the reasons that I think the metaphor is so important for Christian life. Christian life isn’t about product, it is about relationship. Whatever we may think about the idea of Christian perfection, the goal of Christian living is not perfection but relationship with Christ who calls us to “Follow me.” As our Bishop says, we are on the road (on a journey) with Christ.
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I have a t-shirt that I bought when my Sunday School Class at Epworth (whom I referred to as the Extreme Sunday School Class but was otherwise known as Heart, Mind and Soul) went on a class retreat that included a trip down the Ocoee. The shirt reads, “The Journey is the Destination.” The class thought it was a very appropriate shirt for me because it seemed to reflect the theology I preached and taught.We talked last night of other possible metaphors, such as expedition, excursion, passage, and trip. But for me, journey will remain the strongest metaphor for the Christian life.
So what is your favorite metaphor for the Christian life?
7 comments:
I will have to agree with you. i've always referred to my walk with Jesus as a never-ending journey.
amy
First, can't agree with you. No shock there. The journey is the journey: destinations come a go, but the journey is it's own fantastic glorious adventure.
Second, my favorite metaphor for the Christian life?
A garden. No shock there either.
Why? Because you get fruit, you get a result, there is (at some level) a concrete destination of sorts.
Besides, Jesus calls us to bear fruit, even demands it ... lest we not be known as his disciples. If we just flit around all day and night on the jounrey and produce no fruit or evidence of our discipleship, then what the heck are we doing (and why do we suck at it)?
However, with fruit in hand, belly or preserve jar, the journey continues until that blessed and ultimate destination, where night too shall be beautiful and blessed and all its fear shall pass.
Cheers!
Trav Wilson
If your walk with Christ is your journey, then "The Journey is the Destination" to me, means that finding your walk with Christ is the ultimate purpose. (btw; i like that. i need that shirt). Of course the journey is the journey... but your journey should be your purpose, right? "The journey is the destination"........"the walk is the purpose"
i like the garden metaphor.
i dont know.... im rambling. Trav, dont you miss having me in disciple????? haha.
I agree that fruitfulness is important, but if we are journeying with Christ then we will be fruitful.
Maybe its because I'm not a gardener but the image of a garden doesn't resonate with me. A garden seems rather tame, passive, and fenced in. Even the idea of me as a gardener (perhaps because I don't garden) seems rather tame and doesn't seem to imply my obligation to those outside the garden.
I confess though that agricultural and sports metaphors don't generally work for me ;-D
I think we need a sermon...."the journey is the destination" (Sherill? ....anyone?)
As I said in the meeting I am not a great fan of the metaphor, however, I do understand it. So did John Bunyan.
Maybe it is just overused.
I have always related more to relational metaphors like friend of God, Growing in Christ. Adoption as children etc.
O.K. I'm about to get off the beaten track here; but Sherill since you don't garden, you may not realize what a jungle it is out there! Weeds, weeds, weeds! So you either take the risk and pull up the good with the bad as you weed or your are forced to harvest all and let the master gardner separate the wheat from the chaf. The metaphors abound; maybe that's why Jesus tells so many agricultural parables!!!?!!
The journey ... all very internal stuff. Sometimes we are with people and God; sometimes only with God; sometimes, by our own choosing, in darkness by ourselves. But a journey is a very internal thing; only we can say what our individual path means. We pack for our journey through study and worship; we plan for our journey; or we just go to where the sidewalk ends and experience what God has put in our path. But, I think that maybe the crossroads are the milestones of our journey. Where we intersect with God and each other is where there is opportunity for transformation and service. I know that I am inspired by others and their journey, so it is most rewarding to walk with someone or somebodies to do the work of the kingdom. And the more we can travel with the bigger the party becomes! There is so much work out there, but so many blessings in the work. So let's journey together beyond the end of the sidewalk into the weeds of the garden, take a few risks and hopefully reap the bountiful blessings of God! I'm packing; are you?
Blessed by the Gardener!
Marty
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