Doghouse

LIkey??

Dad did this to us! Made us like Ed Grimley.







My friend C recently wrote me and asked what I thought about God "liking" us.

I suppose she meant it to be light (whereas she has a serious streak like myself). But my mind goes where it will and such questions sink like hard stones into deep waters in a natural way.

Does God like me?

Having settled the looming larger question of being loved by God...this is a practical matter...a daily one.

It is important to make a clear dictinction first between people and God. People are not good at either loving or liking in a selfless way. And it is only in a selfless way that both can thrive.

There is a passage in the New Testament that says "love covers a multitude of sins". Having already dispatched the deadliest ones on the cross, one is left to believe that nominal ones are so covered in daily interaction. In this we are "little Christs" in the sense that C.S. Lewis and Merton speak. We mirror this small graciousness and reflect the glory of our Creator and Redeemer in this small way.

In fact, you do this every day in small kindesses that are unneccesary.

I believe our Creator likes this about us.

*******

Freedom is the crucial issue and God has given as a terrifying amount of it. people complain about all the bad things people do and about God's supposed silence. I think this is wrong=headed and these very same people (myself included) which scream to the highest heaven if we were deprived of our blessed freedom to utterly mess things up. Let's say it just occured in the silliest of ways...that whenever you swore at another human being God muffled it; or your car would not, on any street, go over the speed limit or stay still when you tried to double park and use your flashers. Let's say that any check you wrote for anything not really needed became invisible while writing and your ATM didn't work when you make an unwise purchase.

Still worse, at least 90 percent of your cable channels would not work. All glorification of adultery, usury, greed and corruption would go blank.

Oh, you would like that very much wouldn't you?

Not to mention that when you wished to gossip your voice would become like the parents on Peanuts. More serious sins would also become out of bounds. You could not look upon a woman as an object solely for your own pleasure. Murder would become impossible, George Bush would never be seen again, there would be no government, media or police. The Dalai Lama would be the only one who was not utterly confused and afraid to move.

But this is not God's way. His is the way of freedom and free will. And only in such a context can love or liking exist at all.

God's love is irrational, but His liking is not. Love is a decision, liking is an aquired taste.

And the one leads to the other. Once I decided to love my father no matter what, I started to like him a great deal more. Since I had made the decision to love him dispite his humanness and shortcomings, I was free to see the things truly likeable. I was also able to then see him as just a guy...and not like some symbol..blah blah blah. And he is a very likable man...funny, good-hearted, passionate about justice...honest and he is always trying to better himself

I think God likes these qualities in him too...especially the honesty and good humor.

I really like my kids...and it is for some of these same reasons. They are funny, kind, honest. They say strange things and we all laugh. I guess I think God sees me that way. I'm a weird kid (don't get me wrong) but I am funny, and serious, and honest. I also cry easy which means my heart is not hard and I care for others.

Liking is not about earning. We cannot earn the love of God, only receieve it gratefully. But liking is a result, or good fallout from love.

I have to love my kids. It's hard-wired. But I do not have to like them. I do happen to. I like each one of them and they are all very different. I few hours with Sean is wildly entertaining and frenetic. I like the way his mind works and how he smirks. Thomasis very much like the poem I wrote for him when he was three. I will reprint it later today (The Tea Garden). There is a settleness in him that I admire and enjoy...and he has a good smirk too.

Adam, as I have said before, is maybe the best hearted person I know. I like his self-respect and how he carries himself...vulnerable and open, yet pretty wise.

And Camille is just fun...and smart and aware. She is most like me of all of them. I can see her deciding in her 20s to become an artist or novelist and doing either extremely well.

I think kids assume love whether it is there or not. But being liked by your parent is maybe even more important in a sense. Isn't that what you wanted and want?

posted by Obi-Mac BakDon @ 8:02 AM