IMAGINATION - A GIFT FROM GOD

Before someone stepped on the moon, someone had to imagine it could be done.

The “imagination”… not a listed Spiritual gift but a gift from God, to us, as part of our creative design. I do not speak for others, though I do imagine how others come up with some of the things they say… or describe. I am speaking more directly to the things of scripture than those things outside of scripture.

Here is an example that might help you see where my imagination is on Jesus confronting sin and the sinner. In Matthew 21, Jesus becomes angered. He turns over tables… kicks the wares being sold… opens the birdcage doors and sets the birds free… verbally puts these people in their place. I like to imagine these events unfolding. I see, in my mind, people who are frightened and confused… angry and bewildered… fleeing the scene before they get hurt. I see Jesus telling all who could hear and all who would listen what the house of God is for – a place to pray – a place to commune with God the Father. I hear His voice as stern and the veins in his neck enlarging as He speaks directly with emotion - of them turning the temple into a “Den of Thieves”. A highly demonstrative righteous anger... in action.

God hates sin and deals with it, as He knows best.

Compare the holy outburst over the sin and sinner in the passage referenced above to His dealing with a sin and the sinner in a different manner. In John 8, a woman was brought to Jesus. This woman was caught in adultery. Yes, the men who did this were attempting to set Jesus up to accuse Him of a spiritual crime. I see Jesus kneeling down beside the woman… lovingly placing His hand on the woman’s shoulder… looking at her with eyes of grace and with a gentle calm voice telling the woman to go on about her day but stop living within the sinful choices she has been making. A highly demonstrative act of grace and compassion... in action.

Do you see the different tones from the way the stories are shared, by God… to us?

I know I can always demonstrate grace and I know it can be helpful. I still have trouble demonstrating righteous anger (I think I keep getting in the way of the righteousness part) so I choose to be more gracious and less judgmental. Can you imagine a world where Christians would do likewise. Maybe it will only, always be, in my imagination. I pray not.