One flew east, One flew west,
One flew over the cuckoo's nest
Ken Kesey
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Next (1963)
The quote from Genesis 13 is part of a response I made to Dr. Michael Schiffman when he commented on a recent blog post I'd written for my congregation's blog.
I know what I said earlier. That I wasn't going to blog for awhile. But this has been bothering me. Before going on, read my blog post If You Love Me. It'll give you the context.
Studying Lekh L'kha this past week, I couldn't escape noticing the extraordinary efforts Abraham took to maintain the peace between Lot and him, even to the point of allowing Lot (though he didn't have to) to select the best piece of land in the region for his herds and his flocks. Abraham said, "...if you go north, I will go south; and if you go south, I will go north." In other words, "no matter which way you go, I'll go the other way." Keeping the peace was that important to him.
I first read Ken Kesey's "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" decades ago, the first time I was an undergrad. What makes the poem and the quote interesting is that the cuckoo bird makes no nest of its own. Cuckoos always take nests that have been abandoned by other birds. You might say that a cuckoo bird steals what doesn't belong to it in order to use it. If you wanted to be particularly unkind, you could call the cuckoo bird a thief.
There have been times when I've felt like a cuckoo bird...usually just after I've been told by Jews in the Messianic movement that Gentiles who perform certain Jewish worship practices are misappropriating those practices...they're stealing.
That wasn't my intent, but certain voices in the Messianic movement make it seem otherwise. No, not all voices. Many have been extraordinarily kind and understanding. But there are still enough voices out there who say I'm in their nest and they want me out.
O-U-T spells outI've just been searching for some common ground; some place in the universe where the circle of Messianic Jews and the circle of Messianic Gentiles overlaps. Something that we can share. I thought if I couldn't find the overlapping point, I could participate in building a bridge between the two worlds. I don't know anymore. I feel like I've made a few friends, or at least a few friendly acquaintances among the Jews in Messianism, but there seem to be just as many who find the Gentiles who stray outside of their (our) churches and into the Messianic realm an "inconvenient truth", to misuse Al Gore's famous line.
Goose swoops down and plucks you out.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (poem)
There's no denying that Gentiles are included in the Messiah's flock of sheep (John 10) but implementing the practice of a theoretical co-heir status between Gentiles and Jews (Ephesians 3:2-6) doesn't seem to be a desired goal, at least for some. I don't know how Yeshua (Jesus) expected us to pull it off...not when the greatest enemy to enacting a life of faith is the human race. Yes, I know...by faith. We're supposed to walk by faith. I understand that. But I'm only one voice, and I'm tired, and I didn't come here to fight.
Really, I have no desire to rip anyone off. If this is your nest, I'll move on. If you go left, I'll go right. If you go north, I'll go south. One flew east. One flew west. One flew...
I'll continue to follow the Messiah. If anyone wants to share the trip with me, I'm not hard to find. If you don't want to share the road with me, then I'll walk alone. Peace be with you on the path you take; north or south, east or west.
17 comments:
The irony is, MJ leaces their nest in order to use/rent the nest of mainstream Judaism. They get rejected repeatedly, and when they come back to their abandoned nest they find you in there, and they tell you the same thing mainstream Judaism told them....OH, well....
What should be imprtant to you is Scriptures saying that you have a place at the feast table of the Lord. Don't let some people who are constantly repeating the error of Acts 15 stay away from the table.
Hi Dan,
I didn't forget about Matthew 8:11, but the Master says in Luke 14:7-11 not to take the best seat at the banquet. I'm just trying to stay out of the way of the rest of the guests and I'm waiting to see where the host wants me to sit.
"Don't let some people who are constantly repeating the error of Acts 15 stay away from the table."
That is to say Dan believes that the apostles and elders in Jerusalem made a "grave mistake" in regards to Gentiles in Acts 15 when they (and the Holy Spirit, btw, if you believe the author of Acts!) got Gentiles off-the-hook in regards to being bound to requirements of Judaism and all the various stipulations found in the Mosaic covenant. Just making sure everyone knows where Dan stands.
Dan, correct me if I am wrong in relaying your belief system.
James,
May G-d bless you and guide you into His perfect will!! I'm on the same path brother, take heart, be strong and very courageous is what THE LORD tells us!
I believe Acts 15 was a starting point for Gentiles to start learning more of Torah!
James,
So now there's "Judaism", "Christianity", and "Messianism"? Explain. What is this third religion that I now have to deal with?
Gene,
No one can correct you, being way over the line....LOL!
Acts 15:1. You resemble tee "men who came down from Judah..."
orgadol, "a rose by any other name", so to speak. Messianism = Messianic Judaism = Hebraic Christians. Different terms for the same concept.
Why do you feel you have to "deal" with anything?
As a side comment (and I hope you actually read this blog before commenting), even when I try to step aside and not get in the way, people keep insisting that I'm stepping on their toes.
"But I'm only one voice, and I'm tired, and I didn't come here to fight"
Yes, you are only one voice...but you have spoken for quite a few of us, James. There are many who would gladly share the path with you...and in fact, do. I guess when Messiah returns, He will have even more opportunity to be glorified when He straightens this seemingly insurmountable "issue" all out for us. Even so, come quickly, Messiah Yeshua! *sigh*
Thanks, Allison. It's nice to have company on a long journey...not that walking with the Messiah is lonely, but it's good to have other familiar faces around. I suppose this is part of what Paul meant when he said, "Fight the good fight of the faith" to Timothy (1 Timothy 6:12).
Nice post. Never saw the movie, but it one of my fav books of all time!
I feel your pain, James. Like Allison said, be encouraged in that you have spoken for many of us.
Thanks. :)
Actually, a rather disturbing thought occurred to me this morning that I want to blog on, but I'm up to my neck in (paying) work at the moment. When I get a break, I'll post the blog, but when I do, prepare for the protests to begin.
James,
I love your posts, and as someone who's been a non-Jew in traditional synagogues for four years now, I get feelings of "I don't belong here" or "I'm not wanted here" or "My home is not somewhere intended to be home for me" pretty well.
By "deal with" I mean that I already have a hard enough time living in between the two worlds of Judaism and Christianity and navigating conflicting loyalties.
Also, I would object to "Hebraic Christians" and "Messianic Jews" being equated, most of the "Hebraic Christians" in MJ aren't Jewish and Christian has a strong connotation of "Gentile Christian". Messianism = Hebraic Christians + Messianic Jews, maybe. (Pardon me, I can be a bit of a pilpulist about framing some times.)
No worries, orgadol. We're all desperately trying to thread a needle with a hammer while wearing welder's gloves, anyway.
I know exactly what you mean about attending a synagogue as a Gentile.
For some time, my family and I attended the local Reform synagogue. This was during a period of time when my wife and kids (who are Jewish) were moving closer to their Jewish identity and I was still trying to figure out where I fit in (in some ways, I'm still on that journey). I felt distinctly out of place, even though many people there tried to make me feel welcome.
"most of the "Hebraic Christians" in MJ aren't Jewish "
And most in "Messianic Judaism" are? LOL!
Shalom James
Many Jewish believers have experienced exactly the same feelings of being out of place when joining Christian "gentile churches". I believe that has been one of the motivations for the creation of "Messianic congregations". The opportunity to follow the (Jewish) Messiah expressed in a Jewish manner.
The problem comes when we be implication says that Messiah is not enough to bring us in the right standing with God. If this becomes our motivation for keeping Torah, we are walking on dangerous ground. For even those who were born as Jews, need Messiah to be reconciled with God! And if we live lives that are controlled by the Spirit of God, we will not break His commandments. But trying to live a life pleasing to God through keeping all the mitzvot while not having love (the greatest mitzvah of all), is worthless. And love is a fruit of the Spirit of Messiah.
Our unity is not because of uniformity; it is not because we cease to be Greeks or Americans or Jews, but because we are bound by the Spirit of Messiah as one body. It is important to keep in mind that we belong to One Master who alone is the Judge and that each one will give account for himself. And walking in love, let us make sure that Messianic Congregations are places where Jewish believers will not feel out of place, but a place of return to the God of Israel - while not breaking fellowship with those that He has called and cleansed from the nations. It should be a place without pretense, where we can be who God created us to be, where we learn from each other in humility, where the essential Jewishness of Messiah is not discounted, nor His grace towards all nations. Where it is understood that He is the only one ever to keep Torah without breaking a single mitzvah and that our righteousness will forever only be found in Him.
Our unity is not because of uniformity; it is not because we cease to be Greeks or Americans or Jews, but because we are bound by the Spirit of Messiah as one body. It is important to keep in mind that we belong to One Master who alone is the Judge and that each one will give account for himself. And walking in love, let us make sure that Messianic Congregations are places where Jewish believers will not feel out of place, but a place of return to the God of Israel - while not breaking fellowship with those that He has called and cleansed from the nations. It should be a place without pretense, where we can be who God created us to be, where we learn from each other in humility, where the essential Jewishness of Messiah is not discounted, nor His grace towards all nations.
I have no problem with anything you've said, Chavoux. But much of what I've encountered in the Messianic blogosphere tells me we haven't gotten that far yet in our congregations.
Post a Comment