Stay open to guidance from 'above'.

Accepting a Challenge

“I have a tendency to be dogmatic…Being dogmatic shuts us down and can shut life out. The universe will challenge our prejudices, though.”
Melody Beattie (Journey to the Heart)

Every reading I came up with today was about being challenged: first, Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus about being ‘born again’, and then Beattie’s challenge to give up being dogmatic. When there is a synchronistic coming together like that, I assume that I am to write about it. Let’s be clear—writing about either of these readings challenges me!

In John 3, Nicodemus, an elder of Israel and a learned man, merely says to Jesus that he recognizes that Jesus has come from God because of the miracles he’s performed. Instead of acknowledging this, Jesus immediately challenges him to be ‘born again’ in order to see the Kingdom of God. Some commentaries say that the way Christians today use the term ‘born again’ is not what Jesus meant; that the Greek term meant born from ‘above’ rather than ‘again’. It’s quite confusing for us, so we typically just accept the dogma of the church, that Jesus meant that Nicodemus, and we, should accept him as ‘Lord and Savior’. Now, nothing in me wants to struggle with this, but since my task today is to be ‘challenged’, I cannot push it away.

Here is my two-cent, for what it’s worth, translation. I believe that Jesus was saying to Nicodemus that just as we are born from the amniotic fluids (the water) as infants, we must be born into mature spirituality as adults. Infants are essentially born blind and only over time does our vision clear. We must decide, as we ‘gain our sight’ how we should live. In Jesus day there were strict dietary codes and even stricter living codes for Jews. Many laws were imposed by the religious hierarchy to keep Jews separate from others who lived among them. Those restrictions were hurting rather than helping people, especially the poor. I think Jesus was saying to Nicodemus, ‘get out of your ivory tower and look at the hardship you are imposing on the least of these. Stop blindly following dogma and start allowing spirit to guide you. It is not enough to be a blind follower; it is required that you ponder with your heart and allow your mind to be open to guidance from above.’ In my world view, Jesus is still saying this to us today. And, it is still a challenge.

In the spirit,
Jane