“Thinking as Humans” by Beth DeCristofaro
But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD. I will place my law within them, and write it upon their hearts; I will be their God, and they shall be my people. (Jeremiah 31:33)
He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Simon Peter said in reply, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Jesus said to him in reply, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. … From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly from the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised. Then Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke him, "God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you." He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do." (Matthew 16:16-17, 21-23)
Piety
Place your law within my heart, O Merciful Creator. Hold my heart softened and ready always to recognize your face, my Jesus. Guard me, Holy Spirit, to share law and love through my life for the glory of God and the building of the Kingdom.
Study
In “Why You Will Marry the Wrong Person” (New York Times, May 28, 2016), author Alain de Botton argues that people make the important choice of life partner for so many wrong reasons that we are almost assured of failure. While I do not agree with all of his reasoning, in some respects he made me ponder Jesus’ phrase to Peter. de Botton implies we “think like humans do” thinking which is willful, misguided, ill-prepared and, often, so self-centered as to be unreliable. We choose a mate based on what we think we want and need, led by emotions and societal pressures. If we can step back and not take these allegations too personally, he has a point.
Peter’s courageous and faith-powered witness to Jesus’ true identity was indeed inspired by God. Christians including myself have meditated on this moment; I wonder if I would have had both insight and conviction to speak aloud as Peter did. But just like Peter I frequently find myself thinking like a human and missing the mark dramatically in my words, my actions even my hopes and goals.
In a recent interview[i] Alan de Botton admitted that upon his own marriage he discovered that he had given short shrift in the article to the give, take and very willing compromise that loving another person requires. I would say even further that the give, the take, the compromise is holy work and is rooted in what Jesus asked of the disciples and obliges of them and us. Jesus asks that we accept him as the Christ, Son of the living God, consubstantial with the Father and through whom the glory of the Father flows to be shared through the disciples to neighbors and creation. And suffering, holy suffering, is part and parcel of all human relationships just as in our relationship to our Brother and Lord, Jesus. To deny it denies part of who we are, part of who Jesus is, part of who we are as the People of God.
Action
Had de Botton considered a spiritual way, he might have recognized that the mate we so unwisely choose will never fill the God-shaped hole at the center of our being. Choosing God but not trying to shape God to our image (Peter’s desire to “save” Jesus from his passion) takes God-shaped and God-inspired grace. What in my life misses the mark for me? Where are my places of lack, failure, the loneliness which God alone can fill? Spend some time face to face with Jesus your brother and give over to him what keeps you from him because you have chosen other than God.
[i] On Being with Krista Tippett, http://discover.onbeing.org/episodes/alain-de-botton-the-true-hard-work-of-love-and-relationships-aug2018/
Illustration from a free download: https://all-free-download.com/free-vector/download/fingerprint-heart-vector-graphic_267053.html
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