Where would some very special people be if they believed that their past was a major factor in predicting their future? What if Moses thought that being a murderer was the only thing he could be in his life? Jesus’ family tree would have been unavoidably altered if Rahab had believed that being a prostitute was the sole determiner of her future contributions to the world. And Zacheus, short in stature and short in spiritual fortitude, would have remained a hated and despised collector of taxes rather than becoming a disciple of Jesus. Does part of you, or a loved one, believe: “My past history is an all-important determiner of my present behavior; because of the earlier influences on my life, I am what I am, and will always be this way”? We are not harnessed to our history with no options for change. We are, if open, able to receive God’s guidance to new and more wonderful paths of living
The healthy, rational restatement of the relationship among the past, the present and the future is: “Although I have been influenced by my past experiences, I can profit from them and, rather than be overly prejudiced or biased by them, I can apply what I have learned in the past to act differently in the present and to plan better for the future.” [Recipe reminder: repeat as often as necessary to quiet the “roar” of the irrational thoughts and feelings in your head.] The most awe-full and wonder-full part of this series is that it works, if we work it. And it works consistently from the collective wisdom of many different cultures and people.
We can access the learning of the Greek Stoics (c. 500 BCE), the writings of the Holy Scriptures from Judaism, Christianity and Islam, the teachings of the great Eastern philosophers, the best knowledge of present-day social science as well as the growing findings of neuro-biology, all telling us the same thing: we can learn, grow change and be healthier in body, mind and spirit throughout our lives. Luke writes that “Jesus increased in wisdom, stature and in divine and human favor” (Luke 2:52, NRSV). As can we.
Just repeating the rational restatements, however, will not transform our entire lives. The repetition will create new neuron paths in our brain and will make a change in behavior easier, however, the behavior change is essential to optimal revitalization. Moses had to actually go back to Egypt and confront his Hebrew neighbors and eventually the might of Pharaoh. Rahab had to risk her life and the lives of her family members by helping the Jewish spies escape from Jericho and then join herself with the Jews, marrying one of the new immigrants. Zacheus became a convert and practiced the new loving actions that he was learning from Jesus, including making amends and restitution to the people he had harmed.
See what was. Step up to what is. Stride out toward what will be. This is a condition we share with the Saints. Paul tells us: “You were taught to put away your former way of life, your old self, corrupt and deluded by its lusts, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to clothe yourselves with the new self, created according to the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” (Ephesians 4:22-24)
Paul is one of the “good guys”, mainly because he speaks the truth of his experience even when that speaking does not put him in the best light. Paul shares his own struggle with spiritual and emotional health. He also is very clear in suggesting specific behaviors to assist in our growth. He invites us to be “new creations in Christ” (II Corinthians 5:17), states unequivocally that this change in our inner nature is to be a daily process (II Corinthians 4:16) and then gives pages of behaviors that are prescriptive and proscriptive in Ephesians 4-6. Even warning that in this process we will need to “put on the whole armor of God” to accomplish our goal. March on as captain of your own hadj (spiritual pilgrimage), rather than as a captive of your past history.
[Next installment: Perfectionism – “There is a right and perfect solution to all problems if one looks hard enough for it. I must find it.