Sustenance for The Spirit
Fake news is old news now, but when President Trump first coined the phrase, there was a general consensus of agreement with the idea. When you open the faux door in the world of today, news is not the only issue. There is falsehood all around us, and has been for years. In fact, I have grown up with things like margarine, mellorine, plastic, magic acts, screen entertainment, makeup, photoshop and costumes. If something on this list puzzles you, it could be because familiarity has created an acceptance of a fake stand-in.
A few years ago I had a small group of running buddies, and I mean that in a faux sense of the word, “running.” We had fun traveling to 5K’s, 10K’s and even some half-marathons, and although I’m not sure if I would call the actual race(s) “fun,” overall it was a life-growth experience and a source of great joy. One of the things we joked about was the use of the word “runner,” since for most of us, any running was actually more of a jog and it was interspersed at regular intervals with a great deal of walking. But, we could definitely look the part. One among the group in particular was known for the latest headband, ear buds and cutest running apparel (including the shoes…runners notice the shoes, believe me). That idea of “fake it till you make it” was our unspoken motto. If we didn’t perform quite like the “image” of a runner, we could certainly look the part. Those were some good times.
As a young boy, my son was known for dressing in whichever uniform was appropriate for the sport, hero or persona he was playing. When he ran inside while playing in the yard or driveway, I could usually count on a uniform change. It meant he was switching from football to basketball, or hockey to cowboy. Ironically, his young daughter now changes costumes frequently, depending on which princess she wants to be. He even built her a costume cabinet to house the dresses, jewelry, tiaras and boas. Psychology tells us this is developmental, helping youngsters grow into the people they are meant to be. The real people. At some point, we do have to make that transition.
The reason I have named the Facebook page and Blog I write, “Actual Food” relates to this issue. The concept came about as I was conversing with a friend who happened to be my boss at the time, that every diet seemed to boil down to eating actual food…fruit, vegetables, meat. When you strip things down to what is real, you usually get the foundation of what we need, in order to live and grow in a healthy way. Then I realized that although this was true for physical things like food, it was also true for our spiritual well-being. Therefore, we must recognize real spirituality, discerning it from a view or perspective that steers away from the real.
In his book, Practicing the Way of Jesus, Mark Scandrette says, “The Scriptures have been given to us to inspire us to be awake to the Creator’s reality and purposes so that we might risk obedience. Jesus repeatedly urged his audience to listen with the intent of action: “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46) Mr. Scandrette touches on the reality of Scripture and how it connects us to God’s reality and purpose in us. The Bible is more than words on a page, although that is what we see, real words on real pages. However, it reflects the real Spirit of God who lives within and breathes through us. Eugene Peterson relates it this way:
“This is the Wind/Spirit that created all the life we both see and can’t see (Genesis 1:2); that created the life of Jesus (Luke 1:35 and 3:22); that created a church of worshiping men and women (Acts 2:2–4); that creates each Christian (Romans 8:11). There is no accounting for life, any life, except by means of this Wind/Spirit: ‘Thou sendest forth thy spirit (breath/wind), they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth.’ “(Psalm 104:30, KJV)
Whenever it starts to feel like God’s Spirit is less than real, I only need to look at Scripture. I am reminded of how God’s Spirit has been actively working God’s purpose for thousands of years. Then, when we experience those things that can only be explained by a Spiritual interference, let’s try to accept it as such and not be quite so surprised that the Holy Spirit of God did something awesome in our lives. Let’s be aware of a real Spirit within us. Let’s be open to God’s breath and presence in our world. Let’s discern it as real and never fake. Church is real, and I’m not talking about bricks and mortar. Christian friends are real, although definitely not perfect. And there is no such thing as a faux God. Live in the real and have a wonderful day!
