Fearless Faith

The “duck pond” is how we affectionately refer to the shallow hole in the driveway where we park. It is reliable in the role of rain gauge of sorts in that it takes at least a half inch of rain before water begins to stand. Likewise, the larger pothole near the driveway entrance has taken on characteristics of a small lake. Each trip through its depths contributes even further to its width and capacity. We don’t know whether to fill it or eventually market our place as lakefront property.

These holes are nothing new. Yes, they are our current aggravation, but we were intrigued to hear a neighbor, a former feed delivery driver, share that the lake-size hole had always been there, even 40 years ago. Well-meaning attempts to fill it have failed over time, though we doggedly continue in that pursuit. Our most recent efforts have employed a new strategy. The first phase is now in place. Instead of hauling in washed gravel or road base to fill the hole, we have now opted for crushed gravel in hopes that it will move less while hopefully working its way downward into the bottom of the hole. We really are optimistic about it this time, perhaps because we are attacking the problem from a different direction. Time will inform us of its success.

Filling potholes is not rocket science, yet it takes a bit of determination and patience to see it through to a helpful conclusion. A pothole can appear to be repaired, but time and traffic is the litmus test. Persistence, perhaps even stubbornness in not giving up, is called for.

When we address the potholes of our faith, the theological places which rattle our teeth and confound efforts to repair, why do we so often insist in quick fixes and easy answers when life informs us otherwise? The understandings we were raised with or have been driven into our subconscious are not always easy to put a base or bottom to. We forget that the current issues we struggle with are also representative of the issues our forebears battled.

Some would have us believe there are only particular fixes to understanding faith. Fear-based religion represents a quick fix, but sooner or later unless there is a solid foundation, the pothole continues to wash out and become deeper. We then tend to avoid it altogether which is not helpful. If we are devoutly faithful, we should question everything, including the culture of fear that surrounds much of mainstream religion. We should question a vengeful God. We should question what it means to read scripture literally. We should question the institutional church daily on what it is accomplishing (or what it is not). We should ask just what the deuce it means to be ‘saved.’ We should challenge with a world view and engage cultures worldwide. We should open our hearts and minds to the ineffable, the sacred, the divine. That’s a difficult thing to do when one is in a blaming mode in order to abdicate their own responsibilities in the matter.

What kind of base do you prefer to dump in your potholes of faith? A quick fix or something that endures over time? Be choosy and picky, think it through. Then be prepared to start all over again when the potholes re-occur. A vibrant faith may result, not to mention a smoother ride in life.