Living in a Bubble

Last updated on: July 15, 2015 at 7:29 am by John Mark N. Reynolds

Living in a Bubble 2015-07-15T01:40:00-04:00 John Mark N. Reynolds

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Chik-Fil-A be warned. Standing in the Legion of Honor, a stunning collection of art in a beautiful building with a world class view of the Golden Gate, I got to listen to three students discuss the chicken company. One of them was being offered a job (“Can you believe it?”) in social media and networking when some other person was the intended recipient.

I grow.

“I think I will take it just to . . . ” she said loudly and then I lost the rest since I did not mean to overhear. In this room full of Dresden china, the conversation was shattering when heard because it was ugly and clueless. “When I am done, they will be . . . ” and it went on in a rant about wrecking and a joyful, confrontational firing.

“How could anyone oppose marriage equality,” one said, “it’s so stupid. Nobody is being forced to get married. Nobody is being harmed.” They had forgotten, I think, the previous conversation about wrecking and harming at Chik-Fil-A.

But this post is not really about marriage, but about the bubble those girls occupied. They had obviously never met an intelligent theist, heard a sound argument for marriage, or had anyone challenge their morality. For it was morality that mattered, whether it was the morality of fussing with a company they hated or sex or marriage.

They lived in a Northern California bubble. Nobody needs to remind me that Christians can live in a bubble, though if you love art, theater, and music as I do, “bubble living” as a traditional Christian is impossible. You hear many conversations like this one with the knowledge that in this space, their opinions were privileged. They could shout their disdain for my religion, but I could not shout a similar conversation.

As if I wanted to do so, when I was trying to let the artists of the china speak over time and teach me something. Thinking about politics, the ethics of marriage, or even bubbles was wrong. I was glad to be silenced.

I wanted to meditate on a krater in the hallway and so I left. The hateful speech continued down the hall. What did I learn?

I learned to love my enemies and try to understand what they were saying. I remembered being that age and being certain of things that I should have more carefully considered. Mostly, my desire was to break down every bubble in my life and love the beauty in front of me including the beauty of the image of God in those young students.

Judging? I knew what I thought about their “arguments,” but this thinking was distracting me from beauty. Those thoughts had to go and they went. Suddenly, those students seemed students, not opponents in a culture war. I pitied their education and prayed for them and moved on. They were wrong, but it was not my business (oh arrogant thought!) to straighten them out. They were God’s and nothing in their lives was my business.

I submitted myself to beauty, order, morality, and broke down another bubble in my life. This process did not reduce my commitment to morality, to marriage, and to justice, but it did bring humility, a sense of minding my own business, and loving my “enemies.”

I will not cease from mental fight, nor let the sword rest in my hand, but with the knowledge that my battle is not against people, but ideas, powers, and principalities. Devils are my target, not folk.

God help me, I saw beauty today in souls created in God’s image, so much His, that shouted error and ugliness could not overwhelm. The china is fragile, His image is not.

Art

Culture

Spiritual Reflections

Previous Post

July 14, 2015

Bernie Sanders on Education: Give the Grifters More

Next Post

July 16, 2015 Stop Talking about "Young People"

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Apologetics Art Culture Education On Books On Education Philosophy Politics Pop Culture Spiritual Reflections Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 July 2025 June 2025 September 2024 July 2024 June 2024 December 2023 June 2023 September 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What miraculous event saved Daniel's friends from execution by fire?

Select your answer to see how you score.

They outran horses They turned invisible They were hidden in a cave They were unharmed in a fiery furnace

Books by This Author John Mark Reynolds

See All Titles »