A VARIETY OF IMAGES FOR GOD
There are a variety of images for God in the Bible and in the history of faith. We know that they are not complete in themselves but each helps us to relate to God in our faith. Some of the images we use are Rock, Redeemer, Creator, Shepherd, Light, etc. The danger of all images is that they also evoke other associations, some of which can be negative. Many years ago, when I was working in a poor section of Brooklyn, I learned that many of the teens I worked with had a very negative association with the term father. Sadly, for them, father was either a term for someone who had abandoned them or someone who would punish them with a beating. So I drew on other images for God that could be more helpful.
SETTING UP THE JOKE
I am working on a new book that will be out on Amazon this fall. The title of the book is God Laughs–Why Don’t You. The intention of the book is to introduce clergy and others as to the value of humor in their ministry and in responding to the stress of their calling. Both in writing the book and in experimenting myself with what makes a good joke, I realized how important the set up and the reversal is in humor. In the setup, the comedian recognizes and articulates for the audience a statement of reality. In a classic setup this is followed by a couple of statements building on that observation.
IT’S CONFUSING BEING A PASTOR
For example, you might make the statement, “Pastors have a very difficult job.” Then you build on that statement with a couple of other statements. 1. “We are supposed to know all about sin. 2. We are also supposed to have absolutely no experience with actual sinning.”
Then, with that set up, we are to develop a punch line that changes people’s perspective. 3.”That is a little like a fish teaching people how to hold a fish-fry without getting eaten.”
GOD’S PUNCH LINE
This got me to thinking about an image for God as a comedian. God seems to be an expert in developing the punch lines that reverses people’s expectations. When Abraham, in an act of obedience, was willing to sacrifice Isaac (meaning laughter), God provided a lamb, and preserved the place of laughter in the family of faith. Later, when Israel had destroyed themselves in faithless acts and been carried off into exile, God stepped outside the community of faith and chose Cyrus, a pagan empire, to be the messiah. See Psalm 126 for Israel’s laughter in response. Later yet, when the religious establishment teamed up with the political powers of Rome to destroy God’s gift of love in Jesus, God’s reversal was the resurrection. Can you hear the laughter of angels when that happened. When the early church was not able to break out of it’s narrow Palestinian heritage and was incapable of demonstrating God’s love in their own relationships, God called the violent persecutor, Saul, to become Paul and refresh the church.
GOD LAUGHS–WHY DON’T YOU
If God can be a good comedian who clearly observes the confusing reality of life and yet is willing to transform the world’s problems into punch lines, perhaps that is a good strategy for us as well. Begin by trying to make some serious statements about the reality of the church in our present world. Expand it with a couple of additional statements. Then let it sit with you for a few days while you listen for God’s punch line. Good punch lines usually empower us with a sense of hope and well-being. Try it. You’ll like it.
I would be delighted to hear some examples of what you discover. Perhaps I could share them in my blog.
