A New Phase of Life

“My people come to you, as they usually do, and sit before you to hear your words, but they do not put them into practice. Their mouths speak of love, but their hearts are greedy for unjust gain.”
Ezekiel 33:31 (NIV)

Wendy and I really enjoyed her sister’s visit this past week along with her wee ones. There’s nothing like a couple of toddlers to make the house an exciting place. We haven’t had the child gates up in front of the stairs since the kids moved to Des Moines in May. And of course, like a magnet, little Rosie immediately found a couple of the lower outlets that had their child safety plugs removed.

Along my life journey, I’ve observed that parenting changes. This is not because I changed, but because our daughters changed with age. There were tactics required with a toddler like Rosie who is still struggling to comprehend simple rules meant for their safety. The tactics change as children get to the age when they know the rules, they can comprehend them just fine, but they willfully choose to disobey. The tactics change yet again when a child reaches the age of accountability and they must start navigating the world making their own choices and suffering the consequences.

As I have read and studied the Great Story for over 40 years, I have observed that the Story itself is the story of God’s relationship with humanity. I often hear people struggling to understand how God related to humanity in the ancient books. Of course we do, because we live in a different age. Not only are a lot of the historical and cultural contexts lost to us, but also humanity itself has matured over time. It’s silly to think of giving our adult daughters a time-out. In the same way, I have to recognize that humanity itself was at a different age in the days of Ezekiel.

Today’s chapter marks a turning-point in Ezekiel’s life and prophetic works. Until this point, Zeke was only able to speak when God gave him a prophetic message. In today’s chapter, his tongue is freed just a word is on the way that Jerusalem had fallen and was destroyed by the Babylonians just has Zeke had been predicting. Zeke is told that his role has been like that of God’s proxy-parent. If he warns the children of their behavior and the threatens them with the consequences like a good parent, then great. If, however, like a bad parent there is no warning given for playing with fire and kids burn the house down, who’s to blame?

I have observed that fundamentalists typically cling to the tactics of the ancient prophets. They are always yelling and condemning like angry parents threatening the children with hellfire consequences of not obeying Dad “because I said so!” In doing so, they believe that they are “saving” people by urging sinners to repent of their ways, as well saving themselves by warning others just as God described to Zeke in today’s chapter.

But humanity has changed. Humanity is no longer a child. The life, teaching, death, and resurrection of Jesus was a turning point like a child entering the age of accountability.

I sometimes see our adult children making choices that I think they’ll regret. Can I ground them? Give them a time-out? Send them to their room? No, but I can lovingly warn them. I can tell them what I learned from making similar choices when I was their age. Ultimately, an adult child has to learn from the consequences of their own choices. In the same way, Jesus taught His followers that it was time to approach humanity with new tactics for a world emerging into a new phase of life. Love, humility, and servant-hearted acts of goodness are to be daily examples for all to see. It’s kindness, not condemnation, that leads others to repentance. Yes, there are love motivated warnings to give when it is necessary, and even relational consequences in extreme situations. But those are the exceptions, not the general rule. Humanity has matured, so must our love and tactics.