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Mrs Paul drives me nuts sometimes. If “the surfaces” are bright and shiny and clear – all is good. So when I look for something and find a drawer … a cupboard … a wardrobe … crammed full of stuff – and then look around at the calm exterior (but chaos that is out of sight) … I sigh. Doing “a job” is not doing “a job” (before finding the bit needed to do the job).  And finding that can take forever. Love without condition is testing at times.

I drive Mrs Paul nuts sometimes. Stuff in those same drawers, cupboards or wardrobes she mentally catalogues with (almost) infallible accuracy.  To her my frustration is unwarranted – my frustration is unnecessary!  And, anyway, she tells me – if “it” is so important – then I should have put it away without needing Mrs Paul to do it.  Love without condition can be testing sometimes.

Two people who have lived together for many years!  One might think we would have cracked this kind of stuff by now.

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I was taught that we approach the world in one of three different ways: a) what we see – it “looks right” (or wrong) … b) with how we think – “there are three ways this makes sense” (or not) … c) sensory touch – “something here isn’t right – it feels wrong – it’s “off” somehow” … I was taught we favour one with a second in reserve.  I was told this “worldview” is how we process the world and all that comes to us.

And THAT explains why we struggle to agree on so much.

Of course this all science.  But the bible has the Tower of Babel: how “we” were so good at doing stuff together that God made us not.   So the bible and science seem to agree: we are not built to live without disagreement.

And – to me – that makes perfect sense …

If we all see-think-feel the same way about the-same-thing-every-time … how do we avoid getting wiped out by something that “seems to make” perfect sense – but isn’t?  How do we fill our weaknesses with the strengths of another?  How do we expand our knowledge and experience if not challenged by “a different way”?

How do we “live”?

So whether by science or bible THAT makes perfect sense to me (no matter which my preference for viewing and reviewing the world).

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Of course, because we are so sophisticated – we have added something:

We are all equal and should be heard.

Which comes with an inbuilt-weakness:  We all hear differently – speak differently – and all “see/think/feel” the very word “equal” differently.

And then other words like “religion” … “creation” … “evolution” … “God” … “climate change” … “politics” … “taxes” … “Love” … and “social media” (I could keep going but I’m aware of the growing word-count).

Because when “we” talk “I” hear stuff that makes no sense.  And asking for clarification just bogs us down in ever-increasing detail.  And those that “see” will hear words that are their own pictures.  Just as those who “sense” will hear words that are their own sensations.

So the words that come back are not the words that were said – and the words that were said are not the words that are heard.

And then power-politics, social-etiquette, and relational-hierarchy are all involved.  So  those qualified in God are listened to over those who are not … those who are active in volunteering and have committees and mission titles and privileges of service are listened to above those who are not … which leaves you and me – a niche “what about us” category …

That is fractured as soon as one of us IS heard and listened to (or one hears something that makes perfect sense – but not to the other).

And THAT is why I love reading about Jesus.  THAT is why I strip the bible of all the “religious stuff”.  THAT is why I am left with “The greatest of these” and “You have seen it written but I say”.  THAT is why the bible is really simple for me …

Take all the words and make a list – turn that list into one picture – add touchy-feely stuff … and what is left is always Love Without Condition …

And the consequence … ?

Bible blind – Law blind – right and wrong blind – heaven or hell blind – saved or unsaved blind – go to church or enjoy being Church “blind” – being religiously lost or religiously saved “blind” … all of it (and in every way of living with “my worldview”) comes back to … “So what … ?”   Everything comes back to kindness.

Everything comes back to “Me, You and (something) Connecting”.

Because without “The (something) Connecting” we have no reason to be kind – no reason to Love without Condition – no reason to be “the bigger (wo)man” …  Which means we bitch our way to our own extermination.

Which, to me, makes no sense at all – scientifically or biblically.

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