Copy-Cat… November 16, 2012

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God is a copy-cat.

If you aren’t aware of this, you may have the mistaken idea that He is sitting on His heavenly throne, constantly trying to think of new ways to bail you out of your problems and salvage you from your own inconsistencies.

No, God is not a bail bondsman, nor is He is a doting, rich uncle who for some reason or another, can’t see any fault in you whatsoever and is perplexed as to why you are having so much difficulty moving forward. He is not an adoring parent thinking that every one of your finger paintings bodes the possibility of you becoming the future da Vinci.

He is a copy-cat.

He waits to see what human beings do and then adds on His interpretation of the effort, as confirmation.

It’s why religion does not help us very much. It’s the practice of worshipping an imaginary creature from outer space who is pulling all the strings to a massive puppet show. It just ain’t so, Joe.

Jesus taught us that God is a father. As a father, He has two responsibilities: the first is to refuse to run from His offspring, no matter how embarrassing they may be; the second is to make sure that He doesn’t manufacture a favoritism that keeps them weak and insipid instead of encouraging them to grow.

So even though we may want the grace of God, it will not come forth until we offer mercy to others. Once again, God is a copy-cat. I get just as much grace as I am willing to offer in mercy.

Without this understanding, we start walking around in a dizzying, fretful tizzy over why the God of the Bible, whom we’ve read about since we were children, isn’t flexing His muscle to aid us in our plight.

We want salvation. God has salvation. But He doesn’t use salvation unless it’s rubber stamping forgiveness. If we’re not willing to forgive other people and establish a definition of salvation, we should not expect to receive much evidence of this particular gift for ourselves.

We talk about heaven–God sits  back and watches carefully to see what we do with His earth. I mean, if we don’t give a crap about the earth or its people, events and problems, why should He offer us a second creation to ignore?

The church touts the value of baptism. Yet merely being immersed, poured or sprinkled with water is rather meaningless unless we have already demonstrated to our heavenly Father that we are ready to commence a full renewal and transform our own thinking in the direction of rejuvenation.

God is a copy-cat.

You can come and talk to Him about healing and pray all night long, but He is going to give you just as much healing as you are willing to pursue good healthy choices. In other words, don’t expect to be cured of lung cancer while buying a pack of cigarettes.

Now, there are people who may be offended by this notion, thinking that I am putting forth the theory that it’s all a big negotiation. In other words, “we work our way to heaven by our good deeds.” Actually, what I’m saying is that good deeds, good choices, good ideas and a good heart are necessary to even make us visible to the eternal spirit. Without those attributes, we blend into the surroundings like a chameleon crawling through a forest.

For instance, I watch people take communion in church, thinking they are absorbing the body and blood of their savior, when really what is going on is that they’re just eating bread and drinking wine if they haven’t already decided to be inclusive of the people around them in their own lives. You see, symbolism only works if we actually know for a fact there is a real thing. Yes, I am saying that communion is useless if you haven’t already decided to commune with your fellow-man.

And as far as miracles is concerned–you probably shouldn’t expect mountains to be removed until you’ve been faithful in dealing with your own hills.

God is a copy-cat. He has found the perfect balance in parenting children. Gently, faithfully and specifically, He gives them back exactly what they give out to the world around them.

Could this be why many people who attend church services have begun to lament how mediocre, uninspiring and unfulfilling the experience has become? You can’t show up at a gas station without either a car or a can. And you can’t come into the presence of God empty and devoid of inspiration and expect Him to generously fill you up with euphoria and a born-again sensation of life.

God is a copy-cat. So even when you start coming into His presence with praise, worship and prayers, He still brings about as much of Himself as you and I have brought to the people we have come in contact with during the week. He listens to us with the same quality that we listen to each other. He aids us with the equivalence that we have given out to others.

Even though there are many folks who tearfully and almost angrily discussed the recent Hurricane Sandy that hit the northeast corner of our country, wondering why God let such a tragedy happen, I, on the other hand, celebrated the wisdom of the local leaders, evacuation plans and first-responders who became “God” in the situation. Because they did, hundreds and maybe thousands of lives were spared.

We are blessed through technology and science–which, by the way, God favors. We have found ways to predict the unpredictable. We have shown God that He can extend us generosity because we have generously hit the books, researched and come up with great discoveries about His creation.

God is a copy-cat.

• If you want grace, start giving mercy.
• If you need salvation, forgive somebody.
• If you’re yearning for heaven, make a prototype here on earth.
• If you need healing, just start to work on your health.
• How about a miracle? Be faithful to your present cause and stop abandoning projects in the middle.
• And if you need the presence of God, start recognizing and honoring the people who are already present.

Now, you may disagree with this premise and believe that faith is a supernatural mystery that boggles the mind, and that God is never predictable, but instead, completely encompassed by a heavenly cone of confusion. Feel free.

But as you sit in the room with the dwindling numbers who share your convictions, keep this in mind: If all of this “God-stuff story” has any truth to it whatsoever, each one of us will one day stand before our Creator and offer an explanation for our choices. As in our own judicial system, failing to understand the law does not make you free from punishment–and deciding to become uninvolved can still leave you complicit with the crime.

I choose to believe that God is a copy-cat: He is waiting for me to come up with something original so He can confirm the power of it with His own review.

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