Have you ever wondered about Synchronicity vs Syncretism?
When are we as humans thinking along the same lines, discovering the same world, and finding things in common. When do we compromise our beliefs to ‘fit in’, get along?
There is a phrase, “Half truths make bad fellows” which wisely encourages us not to be conformed. But who can claim to fully know the truth of even our closest held beliefs? The phrase also doesn’t specify what to do when you find you have a bad “bed fellow”. Perhaps sometimes you need to get out of bed, and others you need to work together to explore the truth more fully.
The good news is that the DNA of God is in creation. Honest mistakes by us are to be expected, and our most holy stories include those of people who find themselves in bad bed situations. Once the light comes on and we recognise this though, we have choices to make. Change to engage with. “Memento Mori”
But also grace. For Christians this begins with the message that God is not just waiting for us, but actively running out the door to meet us. Grace might be found in time to adjust. Faith that all will be well. Or a surprising new life after hardship. It is often only recognisable in hindsight, so we rely on hope first.
So what happens when you read the skull and cross bones on tomb stones around Dumfries? Is the accompanying image of sand trickling through an hourglass simply a warning about the end of life, or can it be a reminder if how precious ever moment is now. The sugar skulls of South America are a continent and several cultures distant from them, but what could the sweetness and flourishing of life within them tell us.
Perhaps if we let the half truths die, we can be transformed. Eat divine DNA and flourish. Synchronise with the source and live.
