I was so full of being right...that I couldn't see

Being right, they said, who to love,

Jesus said, do what is good.

 

Being right, they said, obey the Sabbath,

Jesus said, do what is good.

 

Being right, they said, forgive this many times,

Jesus said, do what is good.

 

Being right, they said, you can't hang out with those people,

Jesus said, do what is good.

 

Being right, they said, you can't touch those people.

Jesus said, do what is good.

 

Being right, they said, you have to worship here, like this,

Jesus said, do what is good.

 

Being right, they said, which law,

Jesus said, do what is good.

 

Being right, they said, faith is this,

Jesus said, do what is good.

 

Being right, they said, you get eternal life this way,

Jesus, said, do what is good.

 

 

 

The people that we're struggling with faith in their every day life in Jesus day were always being bombarded by the " They said " noise that seemed to fill every space of their life, it was hard for them to get away from. I think many people come to a place where they move into the wilderness, into a closet...where the noise volume and intensity is turned down and tuned out...and you finally here what, Jesus said.

It's amazing to come out of that place and discover a faith that you can carry around in your pocket...everywhere, anytime. For a lot of people it's a bit scary to download everything into something as small as a tweet...but is so profoundly redemptive that it has the ability to change reality around you.

A song that spoke wisdom to me when I was in the midst of my transition, is " The Color of Right ", by Canada's progressive rock trio " Rush." Have...a listen.

 

04 The Color Of Right

I don't have an explanation 
For another lonely night 
I just feel this sense of mission 
And the sense of what is right 

Take it easy on me now --- 
I'd be there if I could 
I'm so full of what is right 
I can't see what is good 
 
It's a hopeless situation 
Lie awake for half the night 
You're not sure what's going on here 
But you're sure it isn't right 

Make it easy on yourself 
There's nothing more you can do 
You're so full of what is right 
You can't see what is true 

A quality of justice 
A quantity of light 
A particle of mercy 
Makes the color of right 

Gravity and distance 
Change the passage of light 
Gravity and distance 
Change the color of right

 

(Words by Neil Peart, music by Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson) 

I think that it was a life changing moment in my journey when I realized I was so full of " right ", that I couldn't see what was good, and what was true. It really is the quality of justice, and the quantity of light...nothing more than a particle of mercy...that helps us see good. And it's truly when we immerse ourselves into the world around us, getting close to the marginalized, the poor, the oppressed, the homeless, different faiths, gay people, differnt cultures, different races...it's when we close the distance between ourselves and others, that we increase the gravity...changing, exchanging the passage of light.

"They" will tell us a lot of things, things that are right...but Jesus said merely do what is good, and worry less about right.

Comments

[Bill Dahl]

Yo!!! Brotha Ron!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I speak "YO BROTHA RON!"(and Neil, Geddy and Alex!!).

Thanks for the piercing pick up man!!! Just lit up the monotony of my day....writing a journal article for a behavioral economics journal.

Bitchin' truth baby!

A necessary RUSH!

so true man...me too....