HOME BY ANOTHER WAY
I was preparing for a seminary class the other day and upon reading the first 12 verses of Matthew 2, I was suddenly seized by what I would call a massive jolt of perception.
Matthew begins his writings by telling the story of certain wise men from the east who were inquiring among the townspeople about the Messiah, or the 'king of the jews' who was born according to ancient prophesies. Now, at this time, they all had seen a star in the heavens and were now anxious to worship him. Herod encourages them to find this child and then to return to him to give him more information regarding his location under the premise that he too, would worship him. Of course, Herod's intentions are more vile because what he wanted to do was kill the child who threatened his position.
The wise men then follow the star and find the Messiah bringing him treasures of gold, frankincense and myrrh. After their brief visit, they were warned in a dream about Herod's evil plot. To protect the Christ-child, they all decided to go home by 'another way'.
A great many pictures thus breezed through my mind after reading these short dozen verses. I remembered a moment that happened 33 years ago when I was sitting on a window seat in an airplane that was to fly me back to Oahu, Hawaii to return to BYU after serving a mission in Spain. I had just spent a few weeks in my home in the Philippines and those weeks were marred by so much confusion, sorrow and dread. The morning I was to leave, my father, as usual, began yelling at me and throwing accusations and horrible labels at me. I do not even remember the impetus of this rage focused entirely on me but I do remember that on my 2nd night home, he opened my bedroom door as I was on my knees in prayer. Minutes later, he began to levy every kind of curse word on me--supremely enraged that I would have the audacity to display my piety and self-righteous behaviour on him. I was so confused and all I wanted to do was throw up. That would be the theme of his rage and abuse towards me all the time I was home. Though there were times when he was his 'nice' and fun self, he could become this terrifying alter ego on a dime's turn.
After my last morning of rancor, verbal abuse and terror and when I finally found myself in that jet plane, I remember feeling numb until the plane began to move forward. As it did, a huge flock of birds appeared outside my window flying the opposite direction. I felt a surge of relief. I was free! And then I knew. I just knew that home would be another place. I knew that the next time I came 'home', I would not be the same and that I will find myself a new 'home' somewhere. I did not know the hows nor the wheres but I did know that from henceforth, the way home would be another way.
The second picture that I saw in my head happened just about 3 years ago. My son was home for a few days and it was his last evening with us before he flew back to Provo, Utah where he was attending college. He was also returning to make preparations to ask his girlfriend to marry him. He was in the dark, in the kitchen, softly crying. I asked him what was wrong and he could not tell me. After a few minutes, he told me that he was just seized by a feeling that this was going to be the last time he would feel that this was his home but that that didn't make any sense. I felt a sudden tug in my heart and yet, I KNEW what he was trying so hard to articulate. I proceeded to tell him about my experience in that jet plane. And I told him that unlike my experience, this home---his family, will always be his family, his home. The only difference is that he is going to make himself his very own home, with his very own wife and children to be. And also, I explained that when he comes back, he will still feel all the love there is. It will be different, but better. He was in essence, simply closing the door on an old life and opening a new one that to him, at that time, was still to be experienced and therefore, still daunting to think about. He will have new experiences, new responsibilities, new goals---a new direction--- a new way. The next time he comes home, it will be by another way. Just like the wise men he will come home by another way.
Then, my mind also wandered to a time one night a few weeks ago. I was talking to a couple who was having difficulties with their daughter. I knew their daughter well and though I can believe all the complaints levied against her by her parents, I also see her beautiful suffering spirit---and how delicate and sweet it is buried under feelings of confusion, guilt, self-hatred and quiet desperation. I knew that she needed so badly for her parents to just put their arms around her and reassure her that she is loved and loved deeply and that no matter how much she errs and slips, that love will never wane. I asked them if this is possible. Adamantly, they both rolled their eyes and expressed to me how difficult that would be for them to do because they simply do not like her. Her father made a comment that he only sees her for 10 minutes every day, in the mornings and that's not even enough time to tell her how disappointed he is about what she did the night before. If you can only see someone you love for 10 minutes, do you really want those 10 minutes to be spent letting her know how disappointed you are in her? That is a no-brainer! I challenged him to indeed just forego his need to reprimand her and just find something that is positive about her even if its just that she did her hair nicely and then put his arm around her and just tell her that he loves her. He said that that would indeed be nearly impossible to do because of how he feels about her EVEN if he knows that that is the right thing to do. I told him that the Spirit often compels us to do something that is INDEED hard to do and oftentimes against what we believe is our nature--but isn't this how it works? He agreed but said he can't do it. I felt bad. He wanted to stay on the same course even if it takes him to the same place where nothing changes. It was time for him to 'go home by another way'. But he couldn't. I hope that he finds his way 'home by another way'. Putting our arms around someone may not solve everything right away but gee whiz---it's time.
Herod, himself a Jew, represents Satan well. Truly, he who would be so willing to slay innocent children---not just male but both male and female innocents-- is not to be trusted. He, like Satan, would fleece all wise men of their gold, frankincense and myrrh. He, like Satan, would viciously and surreptitiously deceive us so we can be complicit in destroying the "Christ-child" or more clearly, anything god-like that is engendered in us. He, like Satan, lies in wait to sabotage our goals and steal from us all things that we are entitled to as children of our Heavely Father. So just like the wise men, do we have the gumption, the wherewithal, the strength of character to boldly 'go home by another way?" I sure hope so.
Reading these verses also reminded me of a song I heard only once, a long time ago sung by James Taylor. I tried to find the title of the song on the internet and it wasn't until I had the bright idea of looking on iTunes that I found the song. It is a little known tune and hardly ever got air time but the lyrics are so earnest. And dead on.
I am going to post below the lyrics to that song. And then below it, the video that I put together today. It was a full day's work but so worth it. I gave up shopping at Anthropologie to do this. There's always Monday to go shopping anyway.
Here goes:
Those magic men, the Magi, some people call them wise
Or Oriental, even kings; well, anyway, those guys—
They visited with Jesus. They sure enjoyed their stay.
Then warned in a dream of King Herod’s scheme, they went home by another way.
Yes, they went home by another way; home by another way.
Maybe me and you can be wise guys too and go home by another way.
We can make it another way, safe home as they used to say.
Keep a weathered eye to the chart on high and go home by another way.
Steer clear of royal welcomes; avoid the big to-do.
A king who would slaughter the innocents will not cut a deal for you.
He really, really wants those presents; he’ll comb your camel’s fur.
Until his boys announce they’ve found trace amounts of your frankincense, gold and myrrh.
Time to go home by another way; home by another way.
You have to figure the gods saying play the odds and go home by another way.
We can make it another way; safe home as they used to say.
Keep a weathered eye to the chart on high and go home by another way.
Home is where they want you now.
You can more or less assume that you’ll be welcome in the end.
Mustn't let King Herod haunt you so
Or fantasize his features when you’re looking at a friend.
Well it pleasures me to be here and to sing this song tonight.
They tell me that life is a miracle, and I figure that they’re right.
But Herod’s always out there; he’s got your cards on file.
It’s a lead pipe cinch, if we give an inch old Herod likes to take a mile.
It’s best to go home by another way; home by another way.
We got this far to our lucky star, but tomorrow is another day.
We can make it another way; safe home as they used to say.
Keep a weathered eye to the chart on high and go home by another way.
Matthew begins his writings by telling the story of certain wise men from the east who were inquiring among the townspeople about the Messiah, or the 'king of the jews' who was born according to ancient prophesies. Now, at this time, they all had seen a star in the heavens and were now anxious to worship him. Herod encourages them to find this child and then to return to him to give him more information regarding his location under the premise that he too, would worship him. Of course, Herod's intentions are more vile because what he wanted to do was kill the child who threatened his position.
The wise men then follow the star and find the Messiah bringing him treasures of gold, frankincense and myrrh. After their brief visit, they were warned in a dream about Herod's evil plot. To protect the Christ-child, they all decided to go home by 'another way'.
A great many pictures thus breezed through my mind after reading these short dozen verses. I remembered a moment that happened 33 years ago when I was sitting on a window seat in an airplane that was to fly me back to Oahu, Hawaii to return to BYU after serving a mission in Spain. I had just spent a few weeks in my home in the Philippines and those weeks were marred by so much confusion, sorrow and dread. The morning I was to leave, my father, as usual, began yelling at me and throwing accusations and horrible labels at me. I do not even remember the impetus of this rage focused entirely on me but I do remember that on my 2nd night home, he opened my bedroom door as I was on my knees in prayer. Minutes later, he began to levy every kind of curse word on me--supremely enraged that I would have the audacity to display my piety and self-righteous behaviour on him. I was so confused and all I wanted to do was throw up. That would be the theme of his rage and abuse towards me all the time I was home. Though there were times when he was his 'nice' and fun self, he could become this terrifying alter ego on a dime's turn.
After my last morning of rancor, verbal abuse and terror and when I finally found myself in that jet plane, I remember feeling numb until the plane began to move forward. As it did, a huge flock of birds appeared outside my window flying the opposite direction. I felt a surge of relief. I was free! And then I knew. I just knew that home would be another place. I knew that the next time I came 'home', I would not be the same and that I will find myself a new 'home' somewhere. I did not know the hows nor the wheres but I did know that from henceforth, the way home would be another way.
The second picture that I saw in my head happened just about 3 years ago. My son was home for a few days and it was his last evening with us before he flew back to Provo, Utah where he was attending college. He was also returning to make preparations to ask his girlfriend to marry him. He was in the dark, in the kitchen, softly crying. I asked him what was wrong and he could not tell me. After a few minutes, he told me that he was just seized by a feeling that this was going to be the last time he would feel that this was his home but that that didn't make any sense. I felt a sudden tug in my heart and yet, I KNEW what he was trying so hard to articulate. I proceeded to tell him about my experience in that jet plane. And I told him that unlike my experience, this home---his family, will always be his family, his home. The only difference is that he is going to make himself his very own home, with his very own wife and children to be. And also, I explained that when he comes back, he will still feel all the love there is. It will be different, but better. He was in essence, simply closing the door on an old life and opening a new one that to him, at that time, was still to be experienced and therefore, still daunting to think about. He will have new experiences, new responsibilities, new goals---a new direction--- a new way. The next time he comes home, it will be by another way. Just like the wise men he will come home by another way.
Then, my mind also wandered to a time one night a few weeks ago. I was talking to a couple who was having difficulties with their daughter. I knew their daughter well and though I can believe all the complaints levied against her by her parents, I also see her beautiful suffering spirit---and how delicate and sweet it is buried under feelings of confusion, guilt, self-hatred and quiet desperation. I knew that she needed so badly for her parents to just put their arms around her and reassure her that she is loved and loved deeply and that no matter how much she errs and slips, that love will never wane. I asked them if this is possible. Adamantly, they both rolled their eyes and expressed to me how difficult that would be for them to do because they simply do not like her. Her father made a comment that he only sees her for 10 minutes every day, in the mornings and that's not even enough time to tell her how disappointed he is about what she did the night before. If you can only see someone you love for 10 minutes, do you really want those 10 minutes to be spent letting her know how disappointed you are in her? That is a no-brainer! I challenged him to indeed just forego his need to reprimand her and just find something that is positive about her even if its just that she did her hair nicely and then put his arm around her and just tell her that he loves her. He said that that would indeed be nearly impossible to do because of how he feels about her EVEN if he knows that that is the right thing to do. I told him that the Spirit often compels us to do something that is INDEED hard to do and oftentimes against what we believe is our nature--but isn't this how it works? He agreed but said he can't do it. I felt bad. He wanted to stay on the same course even if it takes him to the same place where nothing changes. It was time for him to 'go home by another way'. But he couldn't. I hope that he finds his way 'home by another way'. Putting our arms around someone may not solve everything right away but gee whiz---it's time.
Herod, himself a Jew, represents Satan well. Truly, he who would be so willing to slay innocent children---not just male but both male and female innocents-- is not to be trusted. He, like Satan, would fleece all wise men of their gold, frankincense and myrrh. He, like Satan, would viciously and surreptitiously deceive us so we can be complicit in destroying the "Christ-child" or more clearly, anything god-like that is engendered in us. He, like Satan, lies in wait to sabotage our goals and steal from us all things that we are entitled to as children of our Heavely Father. So just like the wise men, do we have the gumption, the wherewithal, the strength of character to boldly 'go home by another way?" I sure hope so.
Reading these verses also reminded me of a song I heard only once, a long time ago sung by James Taylor. I tried to find the title of the song on the internet and it wasn't until I had the bright idea of looking on iTunes that I found the song. It is a little known tune and hardly ever got air time but the lyrics are so earnest. And dead on.
I am going to post below the lyrics to that song. And then below it, the video that I put together today. It was a full day's work but so worth it. I gave up shopping at Anthropologie to do this. There's always Monday to go shopping anyway.
Here goes:
Those magic men, the Magi, some people call them wise
Or Oriental, even kings; well, anyway, those guys—
They visited with Jesus. They sure enjoyed their stay.
Then warned in a dream of King Herod’s scheme, they went home by another way.
Yes, they went home by another way; home by another way.
Maybe me and you can be wise guys too and go home by another way.
We can make it another way, safe home as they used to say.
Keep a weathered eye to the chart on high and go home by another way.
Steer clear of royal welcomes; avoid the big to-do.
A king who would slaughter the innocents will not cut a deal for you.
He really, really wants those presents; he’ll comb your camel’s fur.
Until his boys announce they’ve found trace amounts of your frankincense, gold and myrrh.
Time to go home by another way; home by another way.
You have to figure the gods saying play the odds and go home by another way.
We can make it another way; safe home as they used to say.
Keep a weathered eye to the chart on high and go home by another way.
Home is where they want you now.
You can more or less assume that you’ll be welcome in the end.
Mustn't let King Herod haunt you so
Or fantasize his features when you’re looking at a friend.
Well it pleasures me to be here and to sing this song tonight.
They tell me that life is a miracle, and I figure that they’re right.
But Herod’s always out there; he’s got your cards on file.
It’s a lead pipe cinch, if we give an inch old Herod likes to take a mile.
It’s best to go home by another way; home by another way.
We got this far to our lucky star, but tomorrow is another day.
We can make it another way; safe home as they used to say.
Keep a weathered eye to the chart on high and go home by another way.
