The Slippery Slope
Conditioning is a term used to describe the effects of previous situations on your future behavior. The most famous example is Pavlov's Dogs. Basically Pavlov rang a bell right before he gave the dog a treat. Over time the dog associated the bell with the treat and began to anticipate the treat with a watering mouth, excited temperament, etc. The same holds true with humans. The previous events of our life factor into the decisions we will make in the future. Some of these decisions we are aware of, and some are subconscious. There are countless examples of this behavior in love, abuse, education, etc. I'm drawing some pretty broad conclusions here but you get the point. Simply said, we relate to the world using only what we know, our previous experiences. So here comes the big question...how do we relate to a God we have never met, or have no experiences with? Tough question I know. It's only natural to assume that we relate to God like we relate to each other, because it's all we know. The problem is that we project human qualities on a God who is above our emotions and needs. Humans are fallible, and God is not. But having each other as our only frame of reference we often project those human fallacies onto God. All too often I have heard people say they do not believe in God because of war, poverty, violence, and the general mess we have made. Well don't you think God is just as disappointed in those things as we are? What these people have done is allow the actions of a human person define how they relate to God. I've heard it said that "if you allow someone to come between you and God, that person is still closer to God than you are."
But the question remains, how do we relate to God? The obvious answer is the Bible. It is God's complex letter of love that is still as alive and mysterious today as it was when it was written. The Bible itself is a slippery slope unto itself. Some believe that it must be taken at face value only and that its text is the exact and perfect word of God. Others believe that it is merely a guide open to interpretation and context. I believe that extremes are rarely right and that truth lies somewhere in the middle. Read it for yourself and listen for the voice of God. Two people can read the same verse and derive totally different meanings, but both can be relevant to how they encounter God. That's the problem and the beauty of scripture. Each passage can mean so much.
The second way is through each other. Now I know what you are thinking. I just said that problems arise when we use each other to define our experience with God. And it is wrong to let any one person carry the burden of your relationship with God. You must realize that at some point, the person whom you trust the most will let you down. If you have based your relationship with God on this person, then it will surely fail. The way we interact with each other is only because of God, not the actions of God.
Finally, Jesus the Christ is alive within each of us. We must learn to look beyond the fleshy sinful coating, and see the Glorious Goodness in us all.
Chris Jones
Director of Recreational Ministries
