5.2 Don’t Miss the Dance
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In the previous segment, we discussed the first half of "The Healing of the Lame Man" in the fifth chapter of John’s story and focused on the significance of desire. Desire is not a wish, hope, or physical urge but an intense internal longing that motivates us to act. It is not the same as short-term goals that we establish, achieve, and repeat. This constant yearning, placed in our hearts, must be fulfilled. It calls us to rise above our small selves and move towards our meaningful life. Discovering this desire and working towards it is the essence of life.
In the second half of this healing story, we will discover other intriguing points to ponder. We begin at the end of verse 9.
Now that day was a Sabbath. 10 So the Jews said to the man who had been cured, “It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your mat.” 11 But he answered them, “The man who made me well said to me, ‘Take up your mat and walk.’ ” 12 They asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Take it up and walk’?” 13 Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had disappeared in the crowd that was there. Rock My Religion
Interestingly, the man did not obey Jesus because he recognized him as the Messiah and believed Jesus was the Christ. He “did not know who it was.” No repentance was required, no rules to follow, and no verses to memorize. Just act. Wow! That rocked my religion.
Perhaps this man is symbolic of all of us who carry crippling beliefs about ourselves through life. It may be time to change our consciousness and realize that no one is coming to help us. No, we must act our way out of our self-imposed paralysis, take up our mat, and walk into the person we were meant to be.
Jesus did not see the man as lame, which sparked a change in the man. We must allow (1) our consciousness to change, (2) our consciousness to change our actions, and (3) our actions to confirm our consciousness. Of course, just like in this story, others will be quick to question any transformation because it threatens their awareness.
For more on dealing with limiting beliefs, check out Adam Grant's current bestseller, Think Again. "That's my opinion, and I'm sticking to it" is a self-limiting way to live. People who never let go of their views never evolve. Growth is not just about embracing new ideas; it's also about rethinking old ones.
14 Later Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “See, you have been made well! Do not sin anymore, so that nothing worse happens to you.” Imagining the scene makes me smile. I can envision Jesus walking into the temple and seeing the man, both breaking out in huge smiles and embracing in a vigorous man hug. I'm sure they had a much longer conversation than recorded here, and the man's first question must have been, "Who are you?” Then, they both shared their backstories and went about their business.
Rethinking Sin
While telling the story, John wanted to ensure that one thing was not left to the imagination. During their conversation, Jesus provides the man with a follow-up plan, advising him to "not sin anymore, so that nothing worse happens to you.” What sins are we talking about here? I mean, really, he's been disabled for 38 years! What sins could he have committed? Pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath, or sloth? Come on! Let's give the man a break.
I need to think out loud about this one. Perhaps his sin had been in his thinking, ”missing the mark" on the vision of himself. When he took his mind off the others not helping him and focused on his desire to walk, he immediately "took up his mat.” Could Jesus be reminding me that "faulty thinking,” or what Zig Ziglar called "stinking thinking,” could put me on the sidelines of my own life, blaming others for not being more help?
Jesus teaches us that we are divine beings, created and infused with the intelligence and vitality of our Creator, which guide our thoughts and actions. Shelby Spong says John’s story is not about God becoming human but rather about bringing God out of the sky and redefining God as the ultimate dimension of the human. It is about the spirit transcending the limits of the flesh and opening the flesh to all that it means to be human. It is about seeing Jesus as the doorway into a new consciousness, which is also a doorway into God.
Would You Care to Dance?
Life is meant to be a joyous dance to the rhythm of the universe, and being whole and healthy means being “on the mark” and in sync with that rhythm. To sin, then, is to fall out of step with the music of our souls and see ourselves as ordinary creatures with unique limitations.
Jesus asks in verse six, “Do you want to be healed,” highlighting the importance of actively aligning oneself with the rhythm. When Jesus asks the disciples to follow him, it's like saying, “Would you like to dance?" In verse 14, Jesus asks, “Do you want to stay well?” It says, “Don’t go back to thinking the way you were thinking, or you will return to the same situation.” Again, we must decide to keep in sync with the music.
John shares the story of this healing to inspire us to cleanse the lens of our mind and perceive ourselves and the world with clarity. Once done, we can express our unique dance to the melody of the universe. This is the essence of the “good news” brought by Jesus.
Dancing May Not Be For Everyone
15 The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well. 16 Therefore the Jews started persecuting Jesus, because he was doing such things on the Sabbath. 17 But Jesus answered them, “My Father is still working, and I also am working.” 18 For this reason the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because he was not only breaking the Sabbath but was also calling God his own Father, thereby making himself equal to God.Dancing to the beat of a different drum may seem simple, but John uses the Jewish experience to illustrate how challenging it can be. Like me, the Jews were deeply invested in their beliefs and found it difficult to open their minds. When our belief system is directly challenged, we tend to resist. Sometimes, resistance can even escalate into retaliation. Both the lame man and the Jews had to confront the question, "What might I lose if I alter my belief system?" It was simple for the man; he lost poverty, shame, and heartbreak. However, religious leaders could lose safety, security, salary, retirement, and prestige. Our common tendency is to struggle with adjusting our beliefs, especially when the stakes are high.
John returns to the dance in verse 17 by showing how Jesus’ driving force is his prime motivation. “My Father is still working, and I also am working.” Or, in my words, ”My father is still dancing, even on Sunday, so I am also dancing." This powerful and conclusive statement reinforces the importance of operating from one’s consciousness. Jesus is receiving intelligence and energy, setting it to music - the unique music of his soul - and converting it into action.
19 Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, the Son can do nothing on his own, but only what he sees the Father doing, for whatever the Father does, the Son does likewise. 20 The Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing, and he will show him greater works than these, so that you will be astonished. Working Side By Side
In this passage, Jesus is not trying to argue or be confrontational; instead, he wants to help his listeners understand his message. To do this, he uses an example that is familiar to their culture - a father and son working together. The son is an apprentice to his father and learns the family trade by working alongside him daily, following his every move. The father takes joy in teaching his son everything he knows, hoping that he will carry on the family tradition. This relationship between a father and son can be seen as a lifetime vocation, much like a dance. For example, Joseph taught Jesus how to be a carpenter, and Andrew and Peter learned how to be fishermen from their father.
Earlier, I interpreted this as Jesus telling of his unique bond with God, but now it takes a much more symbolic meaning. Explaining in these terms will help these men understand how Jesus sees his relationship with God, the creator of the universe. He sees himself as a son and a student, imitating his father's actions and inviting you and me to do the same.
21 Indeed, just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whomever he wishes. 22 The Father judges no one but has given all judgment to the Son, 23 so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Anyone who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. 24 Very truly, I tell you, anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and does not come under judgment but has passed from death to life.Time to Wake Up
What does he mean by "the Son gives life?” His words and actions have the potential to open the understanding of anyone who comes in contact with them. Anyone who embraces his beliefs in their consciousness will awake to a new and transformative life - not only later, but now.
Where does he see his father working, and what does he see God doing? He sees him in the seed that goes into the good soil, dies, and grows into a plant to feed people. He sees him in the rain that falls on the just and the unjust, as the shepherd who leaves the flock to find that one lost sheep, the father who runs to meet his returning son, the Samaritan who provides aid, and the widow who offers all she has. He sees God's wisdom and energy expressing itself as unconditional love. Jesus draws inspiration from this divine vision, acts likewise, and wants us to follow suit.
Remember, Jesus explains to these men why he has healed a man on the Sabbath. It's as if he is saying, “Let me be extremely candid with you. I have committed my consciousness to that Divine intelligence that created the universe. As I receive insight, I use its creative energy and act. I try only to do what I see in my consciousness. It is like ‘this intelligence’ is my father, and I am his son. As I sit in silence, I see what he's doing, what my role is, and what I need to do. I firmly believe He will continue to show me things that I will do that people may not understand, and it may breach specific protocols. Remember, it's all out of love and his desire to see me grow and improve. He wants my success more than I do.
One can almost hear Jesus saying, “Those who truly think about this way of life through divine intelligence will admire and embrace it—those who do not will not. If anyone believes and begins to act this way, they will receive a new, spiritual life. Again, the difference from the old life is like suddenly being awakened or, better yet, being raised from the dead.”
How does this play out in daily life? In my experience, it looks something like this:
Create a space and time for silence and meditation on this new vision.
Observe my thoughts.
Question those thoughts.
Look for insight or particular thoughts about what I might do.
Put that insight into my experience (action).
Review results to improve discernment/understanding.
Refine as needed.
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