Gangs and Bullies IV (RV)

When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. 

 - From Luke 9

Jesus went to a solitary place to pray.

God walked in the cool of the Garden.

Moses went to the mountain, for 40 days and 40 nights. 

It's axiomatic . . . if you want perspective, wisdom, balance, depth and breadth of understanding . . . then go off on your own. Go into nature. Do without pleasures, and even food, for a period of time. Remove distractions. And then listen.

It would make sense, for people to crave being part of a noisy crowd, in the era of attention deficits. I would bet that if we conducted a scientific study on how frequently people mouth the words: "I'm bored," that it is on the increase over the past generation. We do not like being alone with our thoughts. We can't handle an "awkward" silence. 

To test this out, in conversation, try including a deliberate pause to construct, carefully, your words. See how long the others around you can politely wait for you to finish, without trying to finish your sentence for you, or making a head or hand movement of impatience. 

We do not like silence. And it's gotten worse. And it has made the noise and confusion of a crowd, whether crazy, or angry, very appealing to us. 

What if people in the "Me Too," or "BLM", or any of the "Resistance" movements began to separate themselves out, strictly for the purpose of gaining wisdom and enlightenment? What would Wisdom say to an angry crowd, that demands "What should we do next?" The conventional answer from Wisdom is always: "Maybe you should go home to your families, and make sure they're okay." Or, "Have you called your grandmother today?" Or even "Isn't there a shut-in a half a block from where you live? How is he doing?"

Crowds make noise. But wisdom listens. 

There's a lesson for bullies, too. Bullies are really just angry crowds comprised of one person. Wisdom also says to Bullies: "Go get some peace and quiet for a couple days. No TV. No Sports. No friends. No parties. No School. No beer. Very little food. No talking.

Just listen.

How would it make things in the world better . . . if we all just got out of those gangs, and out of those me-first patterns of thinking . . . and deliberately, and purposefully, listened?

After the Transfiguration experience, you would think there would be spotlights and an adoring crowd surrounding the Son of God. 

You'd think He would be lifted up still, and trumpets blaring and angels attending, and praises ringing. 

But instead . . . Jesus was found alone. They had to kind of go looking for Him. 

And when they found Him, all they found was . . . Jesus. Just like He had always been.

Alone. 

The answer to the crowd impulse, and to the magnetism of bullies is: go off by yourself. 

Because when you're alone . . . this is where the Master can find you.