Re: Conflicts and confrontation

Quoting Jim Armstrong <jarmstro@qwest.net>:

> The same images of creation spoke to me in much the same way.
> In our experiential realm, nothing "poofs" into existence or metamorphs
> instantaneously at other than perhaps at subatomic levels.

-- except the very beginning when something came from nothing.

Do you all remember the parable about the servants who are given the talents,
and one who fears the master goes out and buries his? That last servants
explanation always intrigued me.

"I knew that you are a hard man that reaps where he does not sow..." And the
master never denies the servant's charges. In fact he seems to confirm them!
"So you knew all this, did you? -- then why didn't you put it on deposit so I
would at least have the interest?"

And the servant is cast out, his meager holdings taken. I've wondered if this
makes an apt analogy to those who have "peeked behind the curtain" with science
to see more details of how God's creative hand has worked.

"So you know that I didn't directly speak all species into being, but let my
creation unfold with untold millions of generations of life and death, cruelty
and beauty unfold into the present? So why didn't you put your knowledge to
work to glorify my name?"

Did the first servants not know their master as well as the last one? Given the
outcome I would find that doubtful. But they didn't let any hangups they had
about it compromise their mission for their master. This is one parable that
causes me to question our insistence that God is always a kind of gentle and
loving Grandpa who wouldn't hurt a flea. Ironically it was from the man who
"wouldn't break a bent reed" that we have this story.

--merv
Received on Tue Jun 6 12:46:51 2006