From our birth He has been sowing
affirmative feelings in our hearts.
When the young person rebels, He will
find ways to stir some feelings inside
her, and inspire her to see something
good. This message from an angel is an
insight that causes her to think: “These
things I’m rejecting are really true. I
ought to reconsider.”
How often have we experienced
this? A teenager or young man seems
set on the wrong path, and suddenly,
for no apparent reason, changes
direction, and seems to believe the things he was rejecting. We are so relieved,
and we hope we find the wisdom not to say, “I told you so.”
The fact is that this aggressive rational ability is with us for most of our
lives. Parents have it. When the teenager questions us, aren’t we tempted to
say: “Enough! I know what’s right, and you must just accept it. No, I don’t want
to discuss it.” Do we try to force our experience on the child, saying: “Believe
me, I’ve lived 25 years longer than you have and I know I’m right, so just do what
I say.” (Ironically, we are saying that our external experience is the authority,
rather than the truth). Our aggressive rational reacts to their aggressive
rational and we have a fight on our hands.
And throughout life we have this “fight” instinct. The angel told Hagar
that her son would be a wild man, his hand against all. At first we misuse our
rational power. But this is only a stepping stone, if we still let the Lord lead us.
For Isaac was born. He represents true rationality – the ability not to win but
to show love and caring and to be wise in doing so.
So the message – for us and for our children – is not to be too scared of
the Ishmael quality. In truth it is not meant to linger in us forever. But it is
a stepping stone. The Lord created it in us because it’s the only way we can
become truly rational. We just have to learn to use it rightly, and to move
beyond it. Is that a struggle? Well, yes. Is a good struggle? You bet!
So the message – for us
and for our children – is
not to be too scared of
the Ishmael quality. In
truth it is not meant to
linger in us forever. But
it is a stepping stone.
The Rt. Rev. Peter M. Buss Sr. is Bishop Emeritus of the
General Church. He and his wife, Lisa (Sandstrom), live in
Longmont, Colorado. Contact: [email protected]
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