Excuses

For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.*

What if... we stop making excuses? would you go for a run? write that email? fill out that form? call that person? start that business? catch up with that friend? try something new? be that extra bit kinder? wait a little bit longer? ask more questions? be open to change? Listen with an open mind? investigate the evidence?

I read the question in 2011 on a sign in the city while on a bus. I remember the moment I saw it clearly. I was going into uni, each banner in the city had a different ending to "what if...". For me, at that moment, the question was exactly what I needed. A wake up call, a chance to get out out and try something new, to stop making excuses for not changing, for not being firm with my decisions. When I allowed myself to think without the excuses I was amazed to find that I could think in a clear line, rather than the viscous circle I had been in before hand: I tried, I failed, I gave up, I hoped, I tried, I failed, I gave up again, I hoped... Coming clean with my thoughts was one of the best things I did that year. And so, I still pose that question to myself every now and then, to see what excuses are keeping me in or from things.

In my personal, volunteer, and professional life this question was significant at the time. But it was also important for me spiritually. Over the next month, I was challenged to think about how I shared my faith, how I viewed my faith, how I dealt with failure, how I approached God, how I saw myself in His plan for the world. One of the lessons I learnt was that people are never forced into believing things, either by threat of pain or force of argument.

"It is as absurd to argue men, as to torture them, into believing."^

A lot of Christians throughout history, I fear, have tried both to argue and to torture people into believing. I am ever more firmly of the opinion that that is not the way things are done! Faith is chosen freely, or else it is false. When we consider that Jesus shows that God is a God of love, who steps out into our world, with patience and acceptance, nurturing and shepherding people, answering and relieving fears. God shows himself in so many ways, He declares that none of us are without excuse, because all of creation screams of its Maker. If we are to follow Jesus as Lord and God, then should we not also follow his practices?

Jesus said, "“A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’ And the servant said, ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’ And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.’”"***

Those invited might make excuses, but that doesn't mean the party won't happen, just that others will be welcomed in! I can only image how sincere the original guests were in their excuses, but really who wouldn't want to stop and have free food! And how annoyed must the master have been to be refused again and again. So many lame excuses! I love how generous and open the man is, letting in everyone from off the street. A full house makes for an exciting party, as they say 'the more, the merrier'. This man might appear to care only about his party bring lively, but really the story is teaching us that one and all are welcome before God, and he doesn't have preferences to just "his friends" who -when it comes down to it- seem too busy and full of excuses! Instead God opens the doors of His love to one and all, not forcing in the reluctant, but welcoming those who don't put up barriers between them and Him.

The hard part about the loving approach, is people can still say no. Jesus found that himself, when a rich young man walked away sad because he didn't like what he had to give up.** Some wrestle with the ideas and then make informed decisions, others trust the opinion of friends or experts to make their decision. Some make excuses why not to explore, or why not to believe, or how it can't be the way it seems. Ultimately, each and every one of us makes up our own mind whether openly or not. Cardinal Newman sums up this free will by saying, "We can believe what we choose. We are answerable for what we choose to believe."^

What if we stopped making excuses? What decisions will we make? What choices will be settle with? Where will it take us? Do we really have good and sound excuses? Are we happy with what we currently have? Are we satisfied with what we have chosen? What are the excuses keeping us from? What fears are hidden behind out excuses? Are we prepared to be answerable one day for the choice we make?

*Romans 1:19-20

^Cardinal John Henry Newman (1801-1890)

**Matthew 19:16-22

***Luke 14:12-24