Dancing with the one who brung us ...

“Dance with the one who brung ya,” so the old saying goes.  It means to continue with the people, strategy or methods that have proven to be successful over time.  We utter it as a means of focus and resolve, a reminder in the face of uncertainty or challenge.

Who “brung” us into the kingdom of God?  Did we muscle our way in with Works?  Did we masquerade and go with Appearances?  Of course not!  When we had no hope, Christ invited us to the celebration and escorted us in ... and paid dearly to do so.  Jesus brung us!

Why then, upon arriving, do we dare approach the dance floor of “godliness” hand-in-hand with Appearances, or waltz there with Works?  They can no more change our hearts than save our souls.  And acting religious?  It’s like dancing solo in a pas de deux.  (“How gauche!”)

God does call us to live godly lives, which is to say lives that respect and revere him.  But attempting it on our own is out of step with his plan.  On the contrary, godliness is a person – a person who takes the lead.  Paul explains ...

     Beyond all question, the mystery of godliness is great:

     He appeared in a body,
         was vindicated by the Spirit,
     was seen by angels,
         was preached among the nations,
     was believed on in the world,
         was taken up in glory.
                                            1 Timothy 3:16

Just as Jesus is our life, he is also our godliness.  He’s the one who brung us!  And we dance life freely, ever made more like him.

[To see the daily reading from 1 Timothy 3, click here.]