I am the first to admit that I love working with kids and adults who have a youthful side. I also have to admit that I tend to react to people who are control types and don’t understand that most people, teens – adults, respond better to grace and mercy than legalism. I was listening to something I down loaded off of itunes U from Cal – Berkeley. The prof was discussing different types of theories that described life from an individual’s experience. Honestly, I can’t fathom that the students in this class really understood what he was saying but at least you pretend it makes sense. (I have read Kant, Heidegger, Sartre and others.)
I have a rather unusual background from my schooling with a Biochem degree, a philosophy degree, my M.Div and also the equivalent of a lifetime of being a concrete contractor. I say all of this to help myself see that I have multiple personalities that interact at times. I usually think this helps me relate better to people who are different than me but not always. One of the confusing arguments or discussions in today’s philosophy or science arena is whether life is orderly or totally chaotic? As a follower of Christ I tend to stand on the order side because God is someone who is by his nature orderly who has created with a design that seems obvious. I also see life at times as being something, which is unpredictable and exciting. There are some scientists who see chaos or unpredictability as the explanation for life and the universe. They are ok not having all of the answers to life today. Not that any science type or Christian can ultimately explain the details of life without some type of faith venture. I know that the goal of science is to explain what is there or reality. There does seem to be that impression that at some point the Einstein type of person will come up with an equation that explains everything. Yet, I am starting to see that we like to talk this way but the daily experience isn’t this because I live in flux or change that I have to by faith come to accept and understand.
I live in the inner city or hood of Phoenix. I live in a neighborhood that looks great on the outside but is rather deceptive. We have a diverse neighborhood that reflects our South Phoenix area. I love this but also know that it would drive most people crazy because of safety issues, wanting everything to be a certain way and then the obvious language or culture barrier. These things are what I love about my area. It is always exciting and fun to be around people who are so different. Yeah there is a language challenge that isn’t just understanding Spanish but gestures and accents. I have come to the conclusion that if I ever think I have figured this out I am in trouble. So life is a journey that for some is frustrating because you want everything ordered in your little box you call life.
I use to talk about different sized boxes as a means to show how we have differing views that have some cross over. I now tend to use circles that have some overlap or crossover and reflect that we all have something in common but than have much which is outside our normal circle. So what does this entire mean – Dave?? I have to take the time and expend energy to get to know people in their circumstances. I can’t force or expect people to walk into my world and relate back to me on my terms. So do I have to understand the Berkeley Prof of Philosophy to understand life? Yes in one sense I do have to make a noble attempt to appreciate the thinkers of yesterday and today. Yet the simple message by some of the ancient thinkers is that life is full of flux or change and that there are very few things that are constant. I don’t want to end up like Plato’s analogy of the man in the cave who lives his whole life assuming that he has really seen the sun but discovers later that he has only seen shadows.
Can I learn to live in the midst of chaos and order? I want to believe that is possible. I also know that people are different so there will always be some, regardless of their background, who will shine when there is conformity and others who will die when stuffed into any box. I seem to come back to Paul the Apostle’s example of the journey of learning to understand what makes different people and cultures tick. His goal isn’t to force someone into his box but to get into someone else’s box whether it is orderly or chaotic to reach them for Christ. Yes, I do feel more comfortable in my box and would prefer other people to cross over into my zone.
The opportunity, which is there all of the time, is to view life as an adventure that gives many doors into seeing reality from a totally different perspective when we listen and learn from those around us. This is one of the lessons that continue to hit me, I can actually learn from those around me who haven’t read their Bibles a whole lot or some of my philosophy favorites. Life is lived in the present but appreciated from both the past and future. So yeah I go back and forth from being a guy who likes the order answer to life and also see that it doesn’t always work.
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