Spiritual Formation (Spiritual Reading part 3)

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Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. (Holy Bible: New American Standard Bible, Romans 12:9)

But how can I help believing it?  I have seen the truth – it is not as though I had invented it with my mind, I have seen it, seen it, and the living image of it has filled my soul for ever. (Dostoyevsky, The Dream of a Ridiculous Man, Kindle location 96361)

           

           Fyodor Dostoyevsky is not normally associated with Spiritual Formation, nor do any of his works appear in Foster & Smith’s Devotional Classics.  However, the unnamed narrator in Dostoyevsky’s Dream of a Ridiculous Man embodies the change that is the goal of Spiritual Formation; moreover, perhaps his dream can be understood as formation.  Before you read this short story, be aware, it goes into very dark places and touches on sensitive subjects.

Dostoyevsky rightly expresses the pessimism and emptiness that is the logical consequence of a life without God.  We will refer to the unnamed narrator as the dreamer.  An ego-centric man has become numb to his existence and his surroundings, including the cries of a little girl for help (Ibid. 96180).  However, this numbness is then confronted with the idea of paradise.  A world untouched by sin and people living in harmony with each other, their surroundings and their animals (Ibid. 96260).  It’s the perfection of the world that affects the dreamer.  But when paradise is lost, these people change; they learn lying, form groups and shed blood and discover science.  Science becomes the new god of that formerly perfect world, and those formerly perfect people think that science will lead them back to perfection.  Something that science is incapable of doing.

Therefore, The Dream of a Ridiculous Man can be understood as a Spiritual Formation text, because we are in the same place as the dreamer.  When he awakens, he knows there is no amount of human effort that will restore what has been lost.  Human ways and sciences could not restore the dream world, nor can they restore this world.  The dreamer is now convinced, the truth is the only answer.  The dreamer’s world is our world.  His realization is our realization.  And his path is our path.  You see, we are the dreamer.

Written by Pastor Ozzy

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Works Cited

Dostoyevsky, Fyodor. 2015. The Complete Works, Novles, Short Stories and Autobiographical Writings. n.a.: E-artnow.

1995. Holy Bible: New American Standard Bible. LaHabra: The Lockman Foundation.

Spiritual Formation (Intro)

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“Be imitators of me [Paul], just as I also am of [Jesus] Christ.” 1 Cor. 11:1 NASB

It is likely that almost every modern American has heard the slogan, “What Would Jesus Do?”  Perhaps with good intentions, this is a reminder of how a person should behave. But is imitating Christ only about how a person should act in a given circumstance?  One may ask a serious question, how does a person living in Montrose Colorado in the 21st century imitate a 1st century Jewish Messiah?

Every year movie studios spend billions of dollars to create movies where audiences buy into an illusion.  We accept that Chris Hemsworth is not a mortal man, but is a superhero based on a Norse god.  We escape into fantasy from a long time ago and in a galaxy far, far away to learn how a scruffy-looking nerf-herder ended up in a Cantina on Tatooine.  Finally, we believe that Jim from The Office now lives in a Post-Apocalyptic world with monsters.  Could this be what Paul means by imitating?  To act?

It is unlikely that Paul intended his readers to perceive himself as merely playing a role, but wanted them to understand how he lived his life for God and to imitate him.  Paul wrote, “See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people” (1 Thess. 5:15 NASB).  This is more than a course of action within circumstances and instead is a lifestyle principle.  Moreover, you can tell Jesus’ influence on Paul.  Jesus taught his followers, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you...” (Matt. 5:43-44 NASB).

Perhaps, you have read these words of Jesus before and wondered if He is setting too high a standard.  Maybe He is setting forth an ideal concept, or these actions are only for uber-spiritual people.  After all, all of us have encountered people who, to be polite, are challenging to deal with.  Jesus could not have intended a rude neighbor, an ill-tempered co-worker or a hostile in-law, could He?  By way of analogy, have you ever met or seen a person incredibly gifted in a specific talent?

 If you witnessed a group of four people juggling bowling pins to each other, would you believe that they only started juggling an hour before, or do you think that each one spent hours learning the skill and then worked together to develop rhythm and pattern?  Again, if you saw a man about to balance on a tightrope when doing a handstand, would you think that you’re seeing his first attempt?  It is far more likely that he has practiced for years.

Therefore, if your immediate reaction is not to love your enemies, do you think that will simply change or will it take work and effort?  Exercises that are intended to produce Spiritual Formation will be the focus of several blogs.  Many Christians from the time of Paul through the 21st-century have shared their experience in Spiritual Formation and here will be an exploration of that process.

Written by Pastor Ozzy

1995. Holy Bible: New American Standard Bible. LaHabra: The Lockman Foundation.

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