Intrigued?!?!

7-18-06

Brian McLaren states that “clarity is sometimes overrated and that intrigue is correspondingly undervalued.” Ok… I’m intrigued.

What does he mean when he says this? I like clarity. I like to “see clearly the rain is gone.” I like to see the bottom of the pool when I swim so I know what I am swimming in. I like to see clearly as I drive down the road so I don’t run in to anything. Clarity is overrated…how do we rate clarity? I can see how we rate clarity pretty high on the scale. Ok, I agree that it has a high rating. What about intrigue being undervalued. I find that intrigue is used to draw us in. I am intrigued as to what he is meaning so I am drawn into the conversation. I want to know more about what he means. Intrigue is used to draw us in but then we abandon intrigue in the search for clarity. So we have a minimal use of intrigue and an intense desire for clarity.

What is clarity? Seeing something clearly, understanding, having something figured out. In our relationship with the LORD we want to see Him clearly, understand Him…figure Him out? Can we figure God out? Can we really see Him clearly in the state of decay that we are in? Our bodies are in a state of decay while our spirits are in a relationship with Him. Ok, back to intrigue, I am intrigued by Him. My intrigue draws me in. If I am constantly intrigued does that mean I will be constantly drawn in? Maybe we really do undervalue intrigue. If I was intrigued by the LORD more often wouldn’t that be the key to more clarity? I said that clarity is seeing Him clearly, understanding Him, trying to figure Him out. We want to have the clarity, but we overrate it. We see the value in the end, not the process. The process is what takes us to the end. We can not find the clarity we desire without being intrigued. Where does this intrigue come from? Can we make this intrigue come from ourselves? When I am intrigued by something it is that thing that intrigues me. I do intrigue that thing. God must intrigue us. The relationship begins with Him. The pursuit begins with Him.

I agree with Brian in that “clarity is sometimes overrated and that intrigue is correspondingly undervalued.” When we enter into the relationship with the One that brings clarity we will receive it…but the clarity is not the point…the point is the relationship.