The God Who Doesn't Think

If by thinking we mean what we do, then God doesn't think. In Mt. 16v.23, Jesus made this point clear, "You are thinking not has God does, but has human beings do."

He insists even in today's Gospel, that God thinks differently. He says whoever wishes to follow him must at least do two things: (i) self denial and (ii) taking up the cross, *Mt. 16v.24ff.

These two acts for Jesus, represent a way of thinking that is different about: (i) ones life and (ii)the world.

Human beings work towards self-preservation. Evolutionists believe that self-preservation is a natural inclination in mankind, but I tend to ask myself these questions: where is self-preservation in mothers, who out of love, jump into fire to save their children? where is self-preservation in love? 

The notion of the survival of the fittest seems to be at odds with Jesus. It seems to be at odds with my culture. We like it or not, we are unfit to survive. At a certain stage or at some point, at least in our old age, or illness, or when we will stumble upon a stone, we will need the help of others. We are never fit to survive on our own. In fact what is weak today in our eyes is strong tomorrow and what is strong today is weak tomorrow. A different thinking therefore sees this theory as a theory of a FOOL who tells himself that self-preservation is survival of fittest. There is no such thing as survival of the fittest because nothing survives in the sense of surviving anyway, for even the fittest die. Nothing survives on its own in the first place. Think different, think realistic. Think survival beyond surviving.

BEYOND SURVIVING

Think of the parable of the rich fool. Think of all the plans that he had for survival... the bans that he stocked, the mansions that we build for the future, clothes that we preserve, all our plans for what will be, and now think of how they are defeated by death. How death conquers our greed.

Dear reader, it is wise to say at this point, that it is unreasonable and foolish to work for self preservation. The only way of preserving ones life is to save others. Save others, for others will in turn save you when you are in need or old. And I think this is what Jesus says when he says think different about yourself, when he says deny yourself and pick up your cross. YES, pick it up right now, you will need it to cross over the other side. Deny yourself and accept others for others will in turn accept you. I am simply paraphrasing here!
He says "whoever saves his life will loose it". That is to say, whoever works for himself works for nothing. Whoever works for his children and indeed the community in which he lives works for something. He works truly, and in the process he works for himself.
And so Jesus says again, ONES CONDUCT REPAYS!
This is a different kind of thinking! And it is a proper way of thinking!

....below in the picture is Abbot Francis Pfanner, a typical example of a man who thought differently...

ONE MUST DIE FOR OTHERS AND NOT KILL OTHERS TO SURVIVE.

Peter, speaking for us, told -Jesus that as far as we are concerned this is not a correct way of thinking about (i) ourselves and (ii) life. And that certainly that was not a correct way God's anointed king, or Messiah must be think.

So the reasonable think, the natural thing, the next move was,
to sit down and plan their strategy: "if he's the king, and if his people are going to be like the house built on the rock, then they must figure out how to get rid of the present kings and priests who are ruling Israel (or, more accurately, misruling it).

The obvious solution would be this: march on Jerusalem, pick up supporters on the way, choose your moment, say your prayers, fight a surprise battle, take over the Temple, and install Jesus as king. That's how God's kingdom will come! That's how 'the son of man' will be exalted in his kingdom!" That, we may be sure, was something like what they had in mind.

Jesus' way of thinking seem to be wayward, to be NOT THINKING.

"Yes, we'll be going to Jerusalem. Yes, the kingdom of God is coming, coming soon now. Yes, the son of man will be exalted as king. But the way to this kingdom is by the exact opposite road to the one the disciples- and especially what Peter- had in mind. It will involve suffering and death."

Jesus will indeed confront the rulers and authorities, the chief priests and legal experts, in Jerusalem; but they, not HE, will appear to win the battle but neither Peter nor the others can regard this as good thinking. For them he was talking nonsense, in fact dangerous nonsense.

Jesus insists that God thinks differently from us. God sees differently; or, perhaps we should say, God sees everything the right way, whereas we don't.
So, the call goes out to follow to all of us who think we are cleaver than Jesus.
The call is to follow him. And this call rings down to all of us like a great bell from a distant

church, calling us from whatever we're doing and thinking.
The bell is saying: Deny yourself, deny yourself, deny yourself
It is saying pick up your cross and follow me, pick up your cross and follow me.
Imagine its sound resonating through shops and offices, through schoolrooms and hospital wards, through bustling tenements and lonely apartments: pick up your cross and follow me.

Imagine yourself coming out of your thoughts about life and this world, opening your door to think differently about everything.
This Jesus, is a compelling and mysterious figure.

Following him will cost everything but it will give you everything.