GOD’S WORLD VIEW 

So, what is your world view?  “My what?” you might ask.  We all have an operating  world view; that is a core philosophy; a particular way we see and relate to ourselves, to others and to the world.  

What is your world view?  Allow me to help out a little.  I will briefly outline a three popular world views, and then you reflect upon which fits you the best or what elements of the three are in your world view.  Remember, these are rather broad generalizations and there are varying expressions within each one.  But here goes.

The first popular world view is what might be called the Modern-Techno World View.  This view asserts that life mainly consists of acquiring enough: enough knowledge, enough technology, enough affluence, enough security, enough power, enough leverage, enough whatever.  This world view believes that self-worth and the worth of others is linked to one’s ability to compete, to be useful and productive.  This world view would say something like, “I have value through what I accomplish, achieve and possess.”   This has been the dominant world view of American culture for a long time. 

A second popular world view is what might be called the Existential World View.  This view places supreme emphasis on individual experience.  In this world view the individual defines everything.  Real meaning lies in the decisions and choices made by the individual in the moment.  This view minimizes the value of community and devalues tradition.  Most adolescents go through an existential stage.  Parents know all about this.  You may not have known what to call it, but you know what it looks like and feels like: rejection of your values; rebellious attitudes; unwillingness to go along with family decisions, insistence on “doing my own thing,” and the like.  As adolescents come of age and bridge into adulthood this existential world view seems to be a stage of the journey.

A third popular world view is what might be called the Transcendental World View.  This world view asserts that life is too complicated and difficult to be a place of ultimate meaning and purpose.  This world view finds ways to escape the complexity of the present moment.  This world view looks for another sphere of reality within which to sequester or connect oneself: emotionally, physically or spiritually.  This view is expressed in romantic notions that envision idealistic situations where the harsh realities of life cannot intrude. Those of us growing up in the 50’s and 60’s saw this world view expressed in the idyllic worlds of “Father Knows Best” or “Leave It to Beaver.”   This world view can emerge in longed for retirement where life can mainly consist of endless rounds of golf and countless miles of 5^th wheeling. 

This view can have a special appeal to many religious and spiritual expressions, Christian and otherwise, who use religion and spirituality to escape reality, minimize the problems and troubles of life, and insulate the one from life’s undesirable people and circumstances.  The religious and spiritual expression of this world view can range from cold logic, to new age mysticism, to simplistic answers, to moral elitism, to a stained-glass window mentality that screens out the cries of hunger and groans of injustice. 

Few of us lives exclusively within any one of these world views, but they do exert their influence upon us, and we may pick and choose and adopt pieces of them creating a basis for the way we see ourselves and relate to the world around us.  Which one of these world views is most like your operating world view?  

There is another world view.  We might call this world view God’s World View.  God’s World View stands in stark contrast with each one of the previous mentioned world views at key points.  The core concept of God’s World View is that your view of self, others and the world arises from relationship with God and an understanding of the kingdom of God as expressed in scripture. 

Take the passage from Exodus for today.  It is part of the larger story of the exodus, the setting free, of the Hebrew people from slavery in Egypt.  So what is slavery?  Slavery, in a broad sense, is a state of living your life under the control and influence of forces that would rob you of your identity and force upon you an identity of the oppressor’s choosing.  By God’s saving initiative through Moses the Hebrew people were set free from being defined by the world view of Pharaoh, and today we see them on a journey toward a new identity; a journey from being slaves of Pharaoh to something comprehensively new; to being a “priestly kingdom and holy nation” which we could call the God’s World View.

The gospel, which we could call God’s World View in Jesus Christ, is the world view that sets us free from being defined, controlled and oppressed by all of these other world views that impose their agenda upon us.

In contrast to the Modern-Techno World View God’s World View says that meaning and self-worth is not found in acquiring, controlling, competing, garnering power and leverage.  God’s World View says that meaning is found in serving others, and self-esteem is rooted in being loved and cherished by God for just who we are, before we do anything at all.  In exodus this is expressed when God says, “I bore you on eagle’s wings and brought you to myself… to be a priestly kingdom and holy nation.”  To be a “priest” means to be consecrated for service to God.   

In contrast to the Existentialist World View God’s World View says that our lives are never exclusively private, but always communal. In today’s gospel we see Jesus calling the twelve disciples and sending them out as a community, not individuals. In contrast to the Existentialist World View we are set free, not to do anything we want, but set free from sin and fear to do what God wills for us to do.  Look at what he commanded the disciples to do:  “…cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers and cast out demons.” They were given a very specific mission as a community. (Matthew 10:8) 

In contrast to the Transcendental World View God’s World View does not provide insulation to the pain and suffering of the world, but rather moves us into the world to engage all that comes our way, no matter how difficult it may be or vulnerable we may feel.  “I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves…” he told his twelve disciples.   In our Romans Paul was so secure in God’s grace he was able to boldly and audaciously declare, “…and we boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us…” (Romans 5:3)  

God’s World View puts us smack in the middle of life in all of its brokenness; in all of its sorrow; in all of its despair; in all of its injustice - rather than escaping from it. 

Moments from now we will receive the simple elements of God’s World View, the tangible expressions of the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Take these into your being and allow his astounding life and forgiving love to begin to shape and reshape your world view.  

Before anything else see yourself as a beloved and cherished child of God. 

See everyone else as God’s children, even your enemies, for whom Christ told us to love and pray. 

See yourself not merely as an individual disconnected from others, but an individual placed in a very special community, incredibly designated as the body of Christ; a community given the purpose and mission to serve for Christ’s sake and in Christ’s name.  “The body of Christ given for you.”  “The blood of Christ shed for you.”   Embrace it!  Absorb it! Digest it!   God’s World View.