This week Natalie and I asked a group of friends to reflect on their spiritual lives and to create a metaphor that they felt describes them. We then asked them to flesh out the metaphors and to help us understand the how and the why behind the intersection of the metaphor and their lives.
As I was listening to their metaphors and their descriptions, I was struck again with the power of metaphor and the power of our stories. There were so many rich layers of meaning and insight that became visible, but there were also a host of latent messages that whispered through the metaphors, keys to helping elucidate how these friends are currently experiencing and engaging God, the spiritual life, their hopes, fears, dreams….
Now, all metaphors have weaknesses. They are helpful but imperfect guides. They inherently are prone to limitations, misunderstanding and abuse. But I like metaphors. They stretch our imaginations and draw us into self-reflection and introspection. They also call us to discernment as we try to understand what they define, how they guide, and what are their limits and weaknesses.
They also summon us into life, both with God and with each other. They force us into reflection and engagement. They open up new worlds of insight and the understanding of others, but also the need for ongoing dialogue and discernment as those in relationship try to make sense of how the metaphors really define and describe the life of this person with whom they are in relationship. They are also a gift of grace, for they provide us a door into the soul, a small space to tread in the lives of others. And that is real estate upon which we dare not tramp frivolously. No, these are times to unstrap the sandals, slip off the shoes, and tread lightly, humbly, for we find ourselves on holy ground.
I was truly humbled by the metaphors our friends shared. I wanted to share them briefly with you. I know that something is lost in the medium, for you don’t know my friends, you weren’t a part of the conversation, and, therefore, you may read with more questions than answers. But, I think it just might be helpful as you think about how to describe your own life, how to find some metaphor that helps make sense of your spiritual journey.
You also need to understand that most of these folks are currently struggling on their journeys. That is part of the reason we get together. Natalie and I are trying to serve as guides and encouragers, as well as fellow sojourners, on the journey. As you read these metaphors you might discover how the same metaphor could fit multiple seasons of life, depending on the lenses through which you are experiencing and interpreting the metaphor. So, here they are. Read with reverence. You are standing on holy ground.
Mountain with
A Progressive Dinner – When life is a progressive dinner, you are graced by the hospitality and care of others. While at each house, you find yourself feeding not only from the goods on their table but from also from their lives, as they help invite you to learn and experience life. But you are always a stranger, on the margin of life in the family, simply invited for a time, always aware that the time will end and you will have to move on to the next home and start the process over again. One question constantly haunts the recesses of your mind: Will I ever host? Will I find a place of stability and belonging to which I can invite others and help feed them from the rich resources of my own spiritual life and hospitality?
Race Track – You circle round and round. You find yourself oscillating back and forth between the same questions, same struggles, same hopes, same failures. You vacillate between feeling that you are Christian, an atheist, and an agnostic. Is there a road that leads out? Where is the path that leads to escape from the cycle?
Great CD that You Put in Your CD Case – You’ve probably got one, maybe two. You buy it, knowing that there could never be any music that could be as sweet to the ears, as moving for the spirit, as inspiring to the heart. You listen not just diligently, but passionately, and you are changed a little more each time you hear it. But, after time, the CD finds its way into your CD case. It slowly works its way from the front, where it is among the frequently played, to the middle or maybe to the back of the pack. You pull it out occasionally and are once again inspired by its creative power on your soul, but relegate it to special times, moments, and seasons in life, even though you know deep down inside that this music is far too important to spend most of its time in the case.
Hamster Cage with a Spinning Wheel – There is something about the cage that is comfortable, safe. It doesn’t matter where you take the cage; the hamster is always at home, safe in its own environment, nesting in its wood chips and running on its wheel. But there is something deceptive about this safe haven, for it often leads to complacency and actually stunts growth. Sometimes the wheel actually tricks you into believing you are running and making progress, keeps you from exploring the dangerous, but liberating world.
What a gift to hear these metaphors and to try to unpack them with those who owned them. You can tell a lot about a person from their metaphor, and you can learn a lot about yourself. Sometime soon, try to find a group of people you feel like you know and trust. Ask them to think of a metaphor that describes their spiritual life. Then, spend some time together unpacking its meaning and import. I think that you will all be blessed and challenged as a result. (And you might just find yourselves a little bit closer as spiritual companions at the end of the conversation.)
No comments:
Post a Comment