The Narrow Road

The Robert Frost's famous poem that alludes to "the Road less travel" has been used many a time in different places lately. I am reading the Shack right now, and it shows up (well sort of) in one of the quotes that quotes Frost's poem... if you must know from a Larry Norman's song. Then there was that woman at the aforementioned (in The Allure of Sameness) speech who used it also beside a number of conversations I had lately where the allusion did show up. Very interesting.

Lately I've been pondering on how things are not what they seem, and really how there really is no such thing as "normal" and how "generally" is such a subjective statement.

My thoughts are really scattered tonight as I attempt to sort it, so bear with me here.

A couple of nights ago, my darling and I finally got to watch a DVD that I had taken out of the library over a week ago. (Yes, I'm loving it that we can renew DVDs now!)

The Devil Wears Prada starring Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway was a good movie. I won't spoil it for those of you who hadn't watched it by talking about its plot here, but it really made me think about choices we make and the excuses we use, and how we can lose sight of our priorities and convictions in the grind. (If you don't care to watch it and want to know the plot, here it is.)

There a scene where the main character played by Anne Hathaway is taking notes on her first day at work at this high fashion magazine where Streep's character is the Editor in Chief and Hathaway's the new assistant learning the ropes. Hathaway snickers aloud at a very funny and serious exchange about which belt should be used in a spread and unwittingly gets all the attention from everyone in the room when she was supposed to be a fly on the wall. Streep's character is a very sharp to-the-point kind of character, well respected and feared, and quickly puts Hathaway into her place by pointing out how her drabby sweater she wears shows how she doesn't care about fashion and how she thinks she's beyond it, but in fact all along she very much has been part of and subject to the whole fashion industry. (i.e. she really is not beyond it at all.) You can see the snippet of it in this clip. It is only the very beginning part so don't get lost!

This took me a back.

It is an easy trap as a Christians to sort of get comfortable and let the pride get in to think "we've got it," ya know? I know for myself, I've been snug feeling "safe" in my place a number of times, only to find myself fall the next instant. Pride goeth before the fall, etc, etc. My beloved C.S. Lewis also had said something to the effect of "the minute you think you're humble, you cease to be one." Oh so difficult, this not being full-of-ourselves business!

There's another side of it, too, though, in this trap of getting so snug about being "right." It comes from our misplaced care for wanting the person to be in a better place. We're such subjective creatures, the minute we understand we're in better place than before, we automatically thing that would be the best place for others to be, too, when that may not really be the best place for them to be at all. I become impatient with the person's pace in coming to their own understanding about one thing or another, and my mouth opens to assert something stupid. Ok, maybe not entirely stupid, but really unhelpful.

Where does this come from?

My guess is that I'm lacking faith.

Faith that God is working on that person at the best possible way. Faith that God is meeting the person in the best possible way where they can receive Him the most. And ultimately faith that God is in control of EVERY ONE at ALL TIMES.

So it comes down to Sovereignty of God.

My fretting comes from not being able to see the bigger picture like God does, too, BUT it mainly comes from that allure or the misunderstanding that we should be the same because I am uncomfortable that we are in different place. Besides, I, who is not the embodiment of Love like God, could hardly be expected to handle knowing the big picture fully like He does. I am so limited that way, but it is by Design and that is ok.

As much as I'd like to believe that I'm less prone to wander in that direction than... say 10 years ago, I am not exempt from that still. My nature craves to be in sync with my friends more than being in sync with God and that in turn breeds this impatience. It is so contrary to resting in trust of God's Sovereignty over all the Earth... and everything in it.

That scene in the movie also touched another chord: my being somewhat proud of being "serious" than "frivolous."

Lately I have been more serious about lots of things. In fact, so much so that I had wished I didn't know so much so I could enjoy some "frivolous" eating out or a potluck without fretting about the choices that were already made (like the styrofoam disposible dishes!) My impatience creeps in unannounced and I can become quite a party-pooper. I assume it is the same for some of us who are more conscious of our environmental impact and the truth about food, but I just don't desire to be obnoxious, you know? There's a fine line and a slippery slope there.

Streep's character really nailed it. Whether we choose to be "frivolous" or "serious" we're part of the same thing. A part of a bigger thing means I am darn small! I quickly forget that it is not a bad thing contrary to the immediate feeling of forlornness that floods into me with the thought. Because He orders it all and I am well in Him. So I'm back to asking Him to fill me with Himself as to not leave room for "me" to get so full of.

Therefore, I need to let Grace spread around and not lord over what I consider "less" important because God doesn't see it that way. He sees each of His creation precious.