Inside Out

Inside out. I’m not referring to the extraordinary Pixar film that takes us inside our emotions- well maybe a little. Mostly, I’m talking about getting a handle on how faith can save us- in the here-and-now and in the hereafter. Bringing us together as brothers and sisters, in this Kingdom, and giving us hope for eternal togetherness with God in the next.

Churches emphasize these two aspects in different measures. Some concentrate almost entirely on redemption and the afterlife, with a kind of “Jesus or else” approach. Other churches focus on the here and now and how to live according to Jesus’s teaching. I look at this like a two-piece heart necklace, where the halves are designed to fit together perfectly. We are whole when both pieces are joined. As the Holy Spirit/God imbues our hearts and minds, we change from the inside out, and our lives reflect this. Through grace, we have hope for a future with God- whatever that looks like.

This is from 2 Corinthians 5: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”

I’ve seen two recent films that tie into this Uplift: “A Complete Unknown” and “Conclave.” One is about the early years of Bob Dylan’s rise to fame, the other about the election of a Pope. If you haven’t seen them, I’ll try not to give too much away.

In “A Complete Unknown,” there is a pivotal scene in an elevator, as Dylan flees a party where he is bombarded by unwanted attention and the demands of his fans and handlers. He’s like a circus clown in the center ring, which must have been excruciating for an introspective young poet. With the world at his feet, he is emotionally on the run. As he takes refuge in the elevator, he blurts out that he just wants everyone to “let him be.” A stranger steps out of the shadows to ask: “Be what?” When Dylan struggles to answer, the stranger says, “Since I’m not a horse, I refuse to carry other people’s weight.” Dylan is carrying a generation’s weight, and it has left him alienated and joyless.

In that stranger’s approach, I recognize the kind of peace that faith is able to bestow. A relaxed humility in the realization that we are not the center of the universe, God is. There is more to believe in than our own lives and accomplishments. And there is ample strength to lean on when we need it. The encounter seems to free Dylan to follow his artistic instincts. And the rest, as they say, is history. Later Dylan famously finds faith. We can't know how much it eased his burdens, but it sure produced some extraordinary music, like “Slow Train Coming” and “Saved.”

This is Mathew 11: “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for you souls.”

The other scene, in the film “Conclave,” is a climactic speech toward the end, words also delivered from the mouth of a stranger. The figure is a Cardinal, but one who is “a complete unknown” to the group of established insiders. Despite this, when he speaks, his words are recognized instantly as the truth. This is how I imagine people reacted to Jesus during his time on earth, as he taught how to live in this Kingdom while ensuring our place in the next. The song pairing is “The Stranger” (Turn Around.)

Until next time, stay safe, be brave and keep walking in the light.

The Stranger (Turn Around)
I was quick on my way
one late summer’s day
bound for town, when I turned around
and first saw the stranger.

His hair was wild like a storm
but his countenance was calm.
I offered water for his thirst,
He said, you take your drink first.
The stranger.

I know you brother, he finally said,
but I smiled and shook my head.
He said truly, just the same,
then he whispered my secret name.
The stranger.

He said brother, don’t you go into town
there’s trouble, turn around
there’s trouble, turn around
turn around.

Now I can recall
watching every foot fall
no more words as we walked along
and when I looked up, he was gone.
The stranger.

He said brother don’t you go into town…

How many times since that day
I wish I heeded what he had to say
but now it’s too late to consider
but he sure did seem familiar
The stranger…