If life were a field, image all the dust our culture must kick up with all the action and doings and business and noise. It may be said that we live our lives in a middle of the dust storm and this is why we are perplexed as to how to live. It is difficult to see and breathe when we are in the middle of the dust storm.
Many gurus out there talk about how to quell the storm, thinking that if we are able to act in a way that does not kick up dust then we can live in a better place. It is a wonderful idea, but it seems like it is a red herring. While we may be able to control our own actions and kick up little dust, the reality is life happens and dust is thrown in our face even without our permission. When the medication diagnosis is given or when your co-workers bring their tension into your life, dust is kicked in your face.
The @@Christian life is not about avoiding or calming storms, but learning to live with them.@@
One of the ways Christianity teaches about storms is knowing where to stand. The role of the church is to be a place that invites people to step away from the dust storm so that we are able to see and breathe deeply. This is why churches sometimes act slowly. Sometimes it is not fear that keeps the church from moving but it is the desire to have a place where one can see and breathe.