PARADOX

Tag: Remember in the last blog promised to write a blog illustrating a paradox? When we talked last week I shared this illustration with you...but I will write it here for you and others who stumble across this blog.

This is a paradox: "a seemingly contradictory statement, but in fact it is true."

As you know we live near the SeaTac Airport and friends who wish to travel from there often leave their vehicle at our house, and I take them to catch their flight and pick them up when they return.

On approaching the airport drop off ramps there are four lanes, two mark the ramp for "Arrivals" and the other two are signed for "Departures". I always naturally tend to head down the wrong lane. Mentally it is a struggle as to which lane I should be in. For years I have had this same struggle, and until now have not understood or really thought about why.

Last week it finally dawned upon me why I always start out in the wrong lane: we, my friend(s) and I, are 'arriving' at the airport from our  perspective, right? But my passenger(s) is 'departing' from the airport from Airport Management's perspective. So, we need to be in the "Departures" lanes, not the "Arrivals" lanes which is where I feel naturally I should be. And when I go to pick them up, they are 'departing' from the airport, right? But, from the Airport's point of view they are "Arriving" passengers, so I need to be on the Arrival Ramp to pick them up to depart from the airport. If I don't get my mind thinking from the Airport's perspective I find myself on the wrong ramp and have to go around about two miles to try again to get in the 'right' lane.

So, we see this as an example of a paradox. In order to be in the 'right' lane we need to transform or conform our thinking to the Airport's point of view. There is no other way that I will get to where I want to be unless I transform my thinking to that of the Airport.

The Bible is full of paradoxes. One of these is the concept of 'freedom', freewill, choice, verses; providence, guidance, testing and God's purpose for us.

How can these two opposites coexist one might ask? This is a paradox: "a seemingly contradictory statement, but in fact it is true."

The answer lies in the difference between our point of view and God's. I think I am free when such and such conditions are met; but God sees me as free when a different set of conditions are present. Since I am in His world, on his road, it benefits me (that is I get where I really want to go) to read His signs from His perspective. For example; I may think 'money' will provide me with freedom, but God says, "seek first my interests, my kingdom, and all the things will be there for you; and by the way, money is the root of all evil."

There are many other examples. When you come across one, or someone points to one as an inconsistency in God's Word, think back to the signs at the Airport. Then look and find a way to see these paradoxes from God's perspective.