Truth: Do you want fries with that?

Hello reader.

It's hard to believer the month of September is almost at an end. It seems as though it stumbled in the front door, tripped through the house, and is about to fall comically out the back door.

Here in Israel, the time has already changed, so the morning sun creeps in rather early, and leaves all too soon in the evening. That, and we are in the middle of the High Holy Days. Last week was Rosh Hashanna (new year), Yom Kippur (day of atonement) is this week (sundown the 25 to sundown the following day), and Sukkot (feast of tabernacles) is following close behind. (I think I will take time later this week to talk more of the holidays.)

This morning as I was raking leaves (which I find to be quite satisfying), I was thinking about this blog, and what I wanted to write about. I haven't written in a while, so I thought maybe I should write something about Israel and the holidays and whatnot. However, I have decided to take a different approach and write on something completely different, though not at all irrelevant. 

I was talking to a believer who started asking all these hard questions. For instance, why does God let this happen? Why didn't he just stop with creating the animals when he knew we were going to mess up royally? Why? Now don't balk or start judging. We've all been there if we are really honest and vulnerable. We've all wondered if God is "soooo good" then why does he let us go through whatever or allow whatever to happen. Why am I going through this when I'm trying so hard to follow hard after you? Even the strongest of believers (like this believer I was talking to) have times where their inward being groans with the weight of a fallen world. It's not that they'd ever give up on their faith...because they know-they've tasted and seen. They just need someone to come camp out on the battlefield beside them, and listen. Someone to offer a cool drink for their parched throat, and balm for their wounds. 

So, here were all these questions being pointed at me...begging for an answer. So what did I do? I let her question and would reply the only way I know how-"I don't know." Now, don't sit there so shocked. I know you were expecting me to answer her with some profound truth or pull out some fantastic bible verse. But the truth is, I don't have all of the answers. Believers don't have all the answers. There. I said it. The secret is out guys.

It's like believers are the workers at a restaurant. You've got people (believers or not) coming in wanting food. And instead of giving them real truth, we sugar coat it or give some warmed over cliche.

"Hi. Welcome to Tasty Truths. How can I help you?"

"Um...well I'm feeling a bit down. My life is just a mess and I'm not sure what to do. Maybe you have something that can pick me up?"

"Why yes. I can get you the TheresAReasonForEverything Special. It comes with the FizzyWarmFuzzy drink."

"That sounds amazing."

"Yes. And would you like fries with that? They come with our special DontWorryBeHappy sauce."

Come on people. Really? I don't want that. And I don't want to be like that. Not really, if I'm honest. I don't want to believe something just because it's a "truth" I've been told my whole life. Some nice little saying that I've heard passed around since I was young. I don't want to be offering twice baked cliches that will only make the sickness worse. That's not what it's about. I'm tired of living that way. I want to offer living water-I want to love well. I want to serve with a cheerful heart. Even if, sometimes, it means I swallow my pride and say, "You know, I don't know." I think it should go more like this:

"Hey. You alright?"

"No. I'm feeling..."

"Go on, you can tell me."

"I'm just feeling a little lonely today is all; the kind of lonely where you feel it even if you're in a crowded room. I don't know why."

"I'm sorry you feel lonely. I'll just sit with you a while and hold your hand. And if you'd like I'll cry with you and cry out to God with you about your hurt."

That's what I'm finding here where I am. In the midst of the day-to-day messiness of humanity. It's funny, people are people, no matter the culture or language. I can't fix it all. I can't answer all the questions. I can't lay out some magic formula for happiness.

But I can be real. Utterly real and human. And, sometimes, that's the best approach. So, that's where I'll be, not serving fries warmed by the lamplight of apathy, but on the battlefield squatting by a fellow traveler and warrior offering a hand to hold or an ear to listen.