One of the things I love about living in the Pacific Northwest is the proximity of the Cascade Mountains. I've lived in the Rockies, spent time in the Alps, and even dabbled on the edge of the Himalayas, and while I won't sit here and pretend that the Cascades are superior to any of those, I will say they provide a uniqueness that I'm fond of. That uniqueness is the individual mountain peaks that stand alone above the rest of the range. There's something idyllic about them that I just can't get enough of. Part of it is probably that their volcanic origins give them a conical, prototypical mountain shape that the sentimentalist in me really enjoys.
The fact that the peaks are so much larger than the rest of the range, makes them visible from impressive distances and from many different angles. This makes them substantial landmarks as well as useful directional references. The funny thing is, when viewed from a long ways off these majestic peaks could easily be mistaken for smallish, ordinary hills. It's only our built-in depth perception that clues us in to the fact that they're a really long ways off and therefore quite large.
Depth perception is a fascinating thing. If you're not impressed by it, try closing one eye and then walking around your house for a little while. You'll more than likely be able to do it without falling over, but it's going to feel a little funny. You can see with one eye, but the combination of both is what tells you where things really stand.
What if we thought of Spirit and Truth this way? One or the other is useful on its own, but together they give us depth perception and the ability to see things for what they really are.
Jesus said that the time was coming when true worshipers would worship the Father in spirit and truth. Am I the only one who feels like the majority of denominations/churches in America seem to be pushing hard towards either Spirit OR Truth? Think about it. We have Bible thumpers and Holy Spirit crazies, but very rarely under the same roof. Like my Pastor says: "there are ditches on both sides", and I think this issue is no exception. In life as in driving, large over-corrections take less concentration and finesse than frequent, more precise adjustments. In driving we don't get away with it for very long, but in life it tends to take longer for us to realize that we've veered off course. This has led us to the culture of extremes that we find ourselves in, both inside and outside of the church. Someone has a bad experience with something and they go careening over to the other side. Balance is a delicate thing, but that doesn't mean we can just give up on it.
I believe we need to keep both eyes open so that we can correctly see and decipher the times we live in. Are those mountains or molehills in the distance??
