Dr. Robert Mulholland drew a half-circle on a sheet of paper and asked the graduate theological students gathered in his office for their weekly bible study what it was that was on the sheet of paper. The automatic responses were two: a crooked line or a half-circle. In typical professorial style, he leaned back in his chair and said, "How do you know?"
It's one of those moments that will be seared into my consciousness until I draw my last breath.
"How do you know?" Of course, the standard response was, "I know a curved line when I see one."
He asked again, "How do you know?" A little more give-and-take ensued, but this was going nowhere fast.
He finally said, "How do you know it's not a straight line? I'm here to tell you it's a straight line." More give-and-take ensured among the know-it-all graduate theological students.
Dr. Mulholland then said, "You know it's a crooked like because you have seen a straight line. If you did not know what a straight line looked like, then you would have no clue this is a curved line."
We were studying some of Paul's writings that morning, and the point the good doctor was making was that when we are confronted with what is the proper way of Christian life (thoughts, words, and deeds) then we can allow ourselves to measure where it is we are on our Christian journey.
I get asked often, "How do I know whether or not I am living the Christian life?" Let me ask a follow-up question, "Do you know how to differentiate between a straight line and a curved line?"
The beauty of participating in the life of the Kingdom of God through regular weekly worship is that we are consistently given a standard by which to measure our lives. Through the regular study of the holy scriptures and participating in bible study and/or small groups, we are shown that standard. Through the fellowship of believers, we come to share in the wisdom of God as revealed through our fellow believers.
See You Sunday!
Lamar
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