Today's post is written by Wesley Davey. Wesley is a 2011 (MDiv) graduate and is currently pursuing a PhD at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Raleigh, NC.
The other day I was struck with a thought which, while basic, uncovers the impetus for every choice I make in my day-to-day routine: life is nothing more than an enactment of one of two storylines, one of two scripts.
(1) Script 1:
(a) Director: Adam
(b) Main character: me
(c) Plot summary: life ultimately revolves around myself. Consequently, every decision I make should aim to enhance my reputation, promote my causes, protect my honor, and satisfy the longings of my heart. Anything or anyone which/who compromises or attempts to thwart the agenda of self must be discharged.
(2) Script 2:
(b) Director: Jesus
(c) Main character: Jesus
(d) Plot summary: life ultimately revolves around him for whom I was made. Consequently, every decision I make should aim to enhance his reputation, promote his causes, advance his renown, and embody the longings of his heart. Anything or anyone which/who compromises or attempts to thwart the agenda of self must be realigned (so it fits life's aim) or discharged.
This concept of "life being an enactment of a script" isn't original. In Romans 5, Paul has the audacity to to locate all of humanity in one of two camps, "in Adam" or "in Christ." Further, we find in Romans 5-6 that the code of ethics--the master story, the "way of being"--which the two camps endorse are fundamentally, irreconcilably at odds. To be "in Adam" is to follow Script 1; to be "in Christ" is to follow Script 2.
And this is what struck me: because Jesus is the author and director of my story, and because I've already begun to participate in his "way of being" by being buried with him in baptism and raised to new life, there are certain ways of thinking, ways of talking, and ways of acting which are henceforth impossible in that they're incommensurate with my script.
Life's hard. Granted. But at the end of the day it really isn't all that complicated. We know how this is supposed to go down. The only question is: will we read from the right script or not? Yes, it's going to mean getting stepped on, mistreated, taken for granted, abused, maybe killed. But it also means we get to keep pretty sweet company. And it stands to reason that we'll want to be on the Author's side of the battle lines when the story which is this crazy, beautiful world comes to its conclusion...which, as it turns out, is itself a beginning.
Originally posted on The Pannenberg Circle.