Walking in the Master’s Path: 21st Century Conformity or Liberty and Freedom?
Many people introduce themselves in categorized or labeled ways. Some might do so by describing themselves as a "Southerner" or a "Yankee" or politically as a Conservative or Liberal. (Since I live in Washington State, my sister calls me a "tree-hugging, mocha-snarfing Northwesterner.")
Our primary spiritual foundation as Christians is our "walk" in the Master's Path or, as my daughter has expressed it "my walk with Jesus." Yet the very diversity of Christian churches and the diversity even of congregations within national church organizations demonstrate just how fully our walk is a matter of private interpretation.
The conformity of doctrine and dogma and evangelized exhortation as to what those doctrines and dogma really mean are deceptive. Despite what looks like a commonality in meaning - for example the concept of being "born again" - that commonality does not exists except perhaps in the minds of those most prominent on the religious landscape.
A personal walk in the Master's Path is based on personal perception of how the Master viewed life and life's questions. The notion that you are not walking that path if someone prominent or someone personally important to you disagrees with your definitions is, as I have said many times before, borrowing someone else's magic.
The way in which we follow Jesus' path and pattern reflects that we have - permanently or tentatively - internalized certain assumptions about Jesus and the following questions:
Where did I come from? Beyond the Biblical references to a pre-existent life with God where the sons of God shouted for joy, how did Jesus' answer that question?
Those who believe Jesus was 100% God and 100% human then find themselves in a circumstance of attempting to emulate someone who in reality remains an impossible pattern to follow - because he had the BIG advantage being the "Boss's Son."
There are those who are more able to relate to the mortal Jesus' by placing greater emphasis on that mortality as a pattern of behavior and making choices. "What would Jesus do" is only a legitimate self-question if asked in the understanding that whatever Jesus would do is something we are capable of doing.
What we do know is that Jesus taught that we are the sons and daughters of God more so than He ever taught that "I am uniquely the Son of God" in a way that makes his life an impossible pattern. But life is not an impossible pattern and one principle cornerstone of His teaching is in fact a very personal relationship with God - unfettered by someone else's magic, interference or need to be a go-between. That relationship, that constant communion with God identical to the relationship Jesus demonstrated is ours to possess.
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