(Here’s something I wrote a few years ago.)
[I overheard this conversation last Friday. Couldn’t quite figure out who they were, but maybe you can.]
Why? Why do you let things go on like this?
Excuse me?
What? Who was that?
Who were you talking to?
Uh, you?
Are you asking or telling?
Wow. If it’s really you, then what’s your answer to my question?
I don’t see why you blame me, on this day of all days.
What do you mean by that?
OK, what I’m saying is, what haven’t I done?
Well, you could tell us what to do.
I tried that. In fact, I believe I gave lengthy instructions.
Oh, yeah, that. Well, why didn’t you SHOW us what to do?
That’s what I meant about this day of all days. I tried that too. I felt the reaction was a bit excessive. I mean, beating, torturing, abandonment….A simple “no” might have sufficed. But I knew it would be like that. I predicted it.
Wait a minute. That was you?
Who did you think it was? Who did I say it was? Who did I tell you it was going to be?
So you’re saying that when disaster strikes you are ….
… Right where you want me to be. Absent.
But I thought you were running the show?
Please. Give me more credit than that. I’m not running the show. You are. And your friend. The one you chose instead of me. Ha, friend. With friends like that, who needs enemies?
You’re saying it’s our fault?
Exactly. I put you in charge. I gave you everything you needed. And what thanks did I get? You gave it all to my worst enemy. You believed him when he said I was holding out on you. Fine. You’re in charge, you can do what you want. That’s what being in charge means. But now you come and blame me for the mess you got yourselves into.
But you’re the one with all the power.
Power schmower. Sure, I could make you do exactly what I want. I could put you all on invisible strings and pull them and you’d dance to my tune. But what fun would that be? That’s not why I made all this. I wanted children, lovers, friends. And what did I get? Mistrust, suspicion, fear, hatred. Look, my dear. The first thing is to be able to tell the difference between your friends and your enemies. When you get that figured out, come back to me.
But how can I be sure?
You can’t. Trust by definition excludes certainty. But again, on this day of all days, can you believe I would ever do anything to harm you?
Uh, about that ….
About what?
You’re saying that when you actually showed up and offered to help, we were having none of it.
That’s exactly what I’m saying.
And you just took it? You didn’t do anything to stop it?
No, I didn’t.
Why not? I mean, you can’t save others and you couldn’t even save yourself when it came down to it.
You are wrong. So wrong. I have saved others. I’ve saved you all, if only you could realize it.
I don’t get it. You were weak and broken. How could that save anyone?
Because you are all weak and broken. So I took that on myself. I lifted that burden. I disarmed your “friend” and his evil companions.
But all the senseless death in the world ….
That’s why I did what I did. I could never solve your problem as long as I left THAT lying around. But now it’s mine. I have the key to that prison.
So you’ll just let the death continue ….
What does that matter if I’ve conquered death. But no, I won’t just let the death continue. I’ll be back. And then, well, I’ll take the gloves off then.
That sounds ominous.
Do you think I like my beautiful creation to be what it is now? I made it a paradise but you’ve turned it into a hellhole. Well, I’m sorry. I didn’t make it what it is, and I won’t leave it like that either.
Why are you waiting?
Well … it’s hard. I see all the people who don’t know their right hand from their left … I want to give them every chance. And from time to time one of them hears, and it’s party time!
How do I get in on that?
Just come. Come. Anyone who wants. It doesn’t cost anything. Just come, drink of the water of life. It’s free.
Sounds so easy. But the problem is ….
The problem is you have too many things holding you back. I know. But all that stuff will all go away. It’s all just stuff. It doesn’t last.
I guess I just have to trust.
Yeah, you do. But remember. You want to see me the way I really am? Just think about what happened on this day, some two thousand years ago. And that’s how I am and how I feel about you.
Just to be clear: you’re talking about ….
Yeah. About that. That was me. That IS me. For you. All the way. I gave it all so you could have it all. This is love.