Resonance

Have you ever had deja vu? You know, that strange feeling that comes over you, where you feel like you've passed through that same moment in time, that same thought, once before? It's a really odd, other-worldly feeling.

Like deja vu, and equally intriguing, are moments I have experienced that I can only describe as "glimpses of God". Perhaps you have experienced these moments too.

Let me explain, first by making an analogy.

Remember physics class? Not a favorite topic for many folks, I realize -- so please bear with me for just a minute. Anyhow, one of the concepts we learned in physics was that of "resonance." Every object has a certain mass (think weight), and also a certain resonant frequency. The resonant frequency is the rate at which a particular object prefers to vibrate. A light object, like a leaf, prefers to vibrate at a different frequency than something heavier, like a bowling ball. If you wiggle an object (force it to vibrate) at its resonant frequency, it will vibrate wildly, almost out of control, compared to any other frequency of vibration you subject it to.

A good real-world example of this is the Tacoma Narrows bridge. On November 7, 1940, this suspension bridge was hit by exceptionally strong gusts of wind, which in turn caused a vibration in the bridge at the bridge's resonant frequency. At first the roadway on the bridge started waving like a ribbon in the wind, and eventually it shook so wildly it actually broke apart and fell into the river below. Check out this amazing actual video.

In our lives, there are certain times when something we've seen, heard, or experienced strikes a chord in our heart, and causes our emotions to resonate wildly out of control. Something that makes your heart well up and your tears flow, and you're not quite sure why.

Have you ever experienced these moments?

I believe these moments are common to all people, believers and non-believers alike. Why? Because God created all of us in his image, and those things which are part of His character naturally resonate in our hearts: things like love, honor, bravery, compassion, honesty, humor, loyalty, and beauty.

I also believe these experiences are given to us by God as a means to point us toward him. To a musician, a triumphant symphony approaches sonic perfection, and perhaps makes him wonder who wrote the "rules" that make music work, and why these sounds make him feel so good inside. To a nature lover, perfection is found staring up at the stars through a moonlit virgin forest with awe, and it might cause her to wonder how a such an incredible setting could be just a product of random chance.

When we read a story or see a movie that perfectly captures the concept of true love (Sense & Sensibility), or forgiveness (Les Miserables), or hope (Shawshank Redemption), or bravery (Saving Private Ryan), or wonder (The Velveteen Rabbit), or selflessness (Le Cadeau de Temps), we are intensely experiencing certain aspects of God's character. And those moments resonate in our hearts, for we are designed in his image.

In today's busy world, these moments are few and far between. But every so often, without warning, something comes along and makes me feel alive, full of wonder. It helps me catch a glimpse "through a glass, darkly"...

A glimpse of God.

"George"

Have you every met someone filled with joy? Someone who brightens your day every time you see them? The kind of person where you always feel better after being with them than before? I think we all know people like this.

On the other hand, have you ever me someone exactly opposite this? Someone who is perpetually negative, who can find fault with the most beautiful song, the prettiest flower, the best situation? A person who never fails to sap all the joy and energy out of you?

Well, I met one of those negative people yesterday. In fact, I meet him once a month.

For the sake of this blog post, we'll call him "George." George is my barber.

As a barber, he is great. Excellent attention to detail, very thorough, never knicks my ear with the scissors, etc. But, George is one of the most negative people I have ever met. He has "no use" for most things that normal people enjoy. As you can imagine, this makes for an extremely awkward half hour in the barber chair!

Our conversation yesterday went something like this:

Brian: Hey, George, how have you been!
George: All right.

[Brian sits in barber chair, followed by three minutes of awkward silence.]

Brian: So, did you have a good Christmas, George?
George: Survived it. Glad its over.
Brian: Did you have your kids and grandkids over?
George: No. They've got their own families. We've got ours.

[Five minutes of awkward silence.]

Brian: Say, George, do you ever go to downtown Greenville? They've really got it looking nice...
George: No reason to. Nothing they have down there I can't get here at home. Except crowds & traffic.

[More awkward silence...]

Brian: So, um, has business been pretty good?
George: Same as always. Work six days a week, standing up all day. Prices go up, but my pay never goes up. ...


Well, you get the idea.

I've given some thought to my encounters with George, and here's what I've come up with:

1. When I get older, I do not want to be a negative, grumpy person. Life is too short! I want to be the positive, joyful, edifying person, the one who makes peoples lives better. Negativity breed more and more negativity, and the result is...well, George.

2. Despite his demeanor, Jesus died for George. Even thought it is very difficult for me to LIKE George, much less LOVE him, scriptures command me to love him. I need to show Christ's love to him. Even if he never changes, I need to be a positive Christian example to him, once a month. Maybe God will even use me to change him...

3. I don't know what George has gone through. Maybe George has suffered a variety of things that, through God's grace, I've never had to endure. It's easy for me to judge, to say "look at what a great person I am compared to this negative man." But maybe God just wants me to offer friendship and encouragement, and not judge his character.

So, if you are the praying type, pray that God will give me the ability to be consistently positive, joyful, and Christlike every month when I go see George. Pray that George will come to know Jesus as his Lord and Savior, that God would change him from the inside out. Pray that Christ will plant a seed of joy in George's heart, and that it will grow wildly and uncontrollably, covering every dry and dusty clump of negativity in his soul.

God is good - let's live that way!

Linus

Tonight, Cathy and I watched my favorite Christmas program of all time.

The Charlie Brown Christmas special.

Made in 1966, a year before I was born, this Christmas special gets better every year I watch it. It could very well be the perfect Christmas presentation, IMHO. It was Charles Schultz's masterpiece.

First, the music. From the classic Peanuts piano jazz intro, to the "loo-loo-loo" version of "Hark the Herald Angels Sing", to the relaxing swishy snare drum brushes... Just one minute in to this show, the music has taken me back 35 years. Awesome.

Second, the dance scene. Come on, you know you love it. You can picture all the dancers in your head... The twin smiley girls swishing their hair from side to side... The guy doing the running man in the back... The guy doing the shoulder-shrug dance... PigPen thumping the upright bass...

Third, and most importantly, the message. At the beginning, Charlie Brown expresses to psychiatrist Lucy his feelings of alienation and confusion. What is Christmas really about? Lucy tells him he needs "involvement", so he signs up to direct the Christmas play. But involvement doesn't bring him any happiness - the other kids continually tear him down and label him a loser. Even Snoopy has given in to materialism, with his neon-glowing doghouse.

In perhaps my favorite TV scene of all-time, Charlie Brown asks Linus if there is anyone who knows what Christmas is really all about. Linus says calmly, "I'll tell you what Christmas is about, Charlie Brown."

And for the next minute, Linus gives the complete account of Christ's birth from Luke Chapter 2. And from that point on, Charlie Brown realizes what Christmas is all about, and leaves with a completely changed attitude.

That scene always brings a tear to my eye. It is such a beautiful, simple, non-threatening, childlike presentation of the greatest news ever told. It occurred to me that this scene may be the ONLY presentation of the gospel message that some people will ever really hear. I mean, when was the last time you heard a Bible account on prime-time TV?

My Christmas wish this year? I hope that as the years go by, the TV executives will still choose to air this wonderful Christmas special. I hope that millions will watch it, hear the simple message of Luke 2, and come away changed like Charlie Brown.

Kudos, Mr. Schultz.

Success

Today, driving home from work, I somehow got thinking about success.

What is success? Am I successful now? When my life is over, will people consider my life to have been successful? Will God?

Back when I was 23, and had just become a true Christ-follower, I read a book called "Man In The Mirror". The author talked about success, as defined by the world versus as defined by Christ. I decided then and there that I would not get caught up in the rat race, trying to be successful by the world's standards: money, fame, power, position, material possessions. Instead, I would define success in my life as God defines it: putting Christ first, treating others well, giving, serving, loving, bearing fruit for His kingdom.

Since then, 17 years have passed, and it occurred to me today that in many ways my life so far has been a success, according my own definition. Though far from perfect (ask Cathy), I have been a faithful husband t0 my wife. We raised our two sons in a Christian household, and they have grown up to be fine young men who are following Christ and actively serving Him. Of course, we must give Jesus full credit for these successes, for it was His strengths in us (not our weaknesses) that produced these good things.

In some other ways, I feel I really have not hit the mark: putting Christ first, growing in my relationship with Him, learning the Word, prayer. And I realize that these are some of the most important things Christ wants me to be successful in.

So driving home today, looking at the beautiful fall colors, it hit me that as a 40-year old empty nester, I really need to evaluate how I will use the years I have left. As the old question goes, if I found out I had incurable cancer and had six months to live, what would I do differently today? This week? By the end of the month?

Then why not do these things now???

I'm beginning to give some thought, in the back of my mind, to what God wants me to do in the next five or ten years. A couple things have bubbled to the surface, and I am praying about them.

Stay tuned -- when the Holy Spirit is done revealing them, I'll let you in on it.

God is good.