I LOVE LEGOs!
Ever since I was a lad, I've been fascinated by construction. The simple fact that we can take unassuming materials and synthesize them into something of greater use blows me away. As a child I was impressed by innovations and the inventors who brought them to life. That we could design and create using the minds and faculties given us still puts me in awe. Although today my awe is not of the materials, nor of our making, but of that greater Creator who has placed in us this ability as a reflection of Himself.
Still, I enjoy those little plastic building blocks. I have all of the Bionicle: Glatorian and Matoran first runs, with most of the vehicles as well as some of the Creator series plus whatever still exists in my parents' attic/basement. So . . . I'm a nerd but I figure being 24 doesn't mean I can't be 12 sometimes and I'm constantly being inspired by some of my kids' creations.
The great thing about LEGOs is that one brick is worthless by itself but, when combined with others, they can form a spaceship, a fire station, or a castle. They are the foundational materials for creation when placed in the hands of someone with a brain (which most people have - thus why zombies are a fear of those who don't use it).
Herein lies the point of this post: playing with LEGOs is analogous to working with logic.
In every situation we are presented with a problem. These problems have at least one solution each. To reach these solutions, we apply logic to the situation. We use combinations of the building blocks provided in the problem statement with those from our memory of similar experiences to reach each of the potential solutions following set patterns of logic. This is kind of like using the same blocks provided within a LEGO set to build different models by following different sets of instructions or developing our own models with those blocks using instructions from our memories to access new solutions based on how it "should" look. Essentially, we rearrange building blocks of thought to help us through the day and the methods we use to rearrange these blocks are made up of their own sets of blocks. It is all continual construction from fundamental discoveries mostly made early in life and some suppressed to the subconscious for those who don't choose to actively use logic. As such, we should be able to choose all of our outcomes through a simple completing of the set.
It seems simple (or I can break it down to seem simple); however, this process is marred by one problem: our LEGO set is defective.
Blocks or instructions in our minds are missing or faulty. We don't have complete knowledge in every situation and, by virtue of others' missing pieces, most of our interactions become further steeped in mystery. Logic fails where knowledge is lacking. In this system the best we can achieve is a few extra blocks to work with later.
So where does faith fit?
Faith is an action taken based on belief. It recognizes the imperfection of knowledge in our logic process and follows the path highlighted by belief. Faith says, "no," to all of the lesser but clearer options and says, "yes," to an option not seen by natural logic. Or, as the author of the epistle to the Hebrews puts it, "Now faith is the substance [building block] of things hoped for [the desired outcome], the evidence of things not seen [the logic path to that desired outcome]" (Hebrews 11:1 NKJV, emphasis and inserts mine).
Now faith may seem illogical to many as it takes a step to the side of natural understanding and holds onto a supernatural ("beyond/outside of the natural") understanding. Faith may even seem counter-active at a smaller scale but can work up to a positive outcome on a larger scale.
Case-in-point: Genesis 22:1-18
Here we have the case of Abraham. Told to sacrifice the "impossible" child of he and his wife's old age to the God who gave him this gift in the first place. The entire situation doesn't make sense. God has promised Abraham that He will make him a father of many nations through Isaac and yet here He is commanding Abraham to slaughter and immolate the boy. AND ABRAHAM IS GOING THROUGH WITH IT!
Obviously Abraham isn't being logical. Or is he?
Abraham knows that:
- God gave him Isaac (an improbable gift) in the first place.
- God made him a promise in Isaac that is based on the boy's survival.
- God has told him to sacrifice Isaac.
Numbers 2 and 3 appear to contradict in the realm of natural logic and this is precisely what piques Abraham's interest. We have evidence of Abraham's thought process from what he says to his servants in verse 5: ". . . we will come back to you" (emphasis mine).
Abraham, recognizing the oddity of the situation, goes with it knowing that he will get Isaac back no matter what happens. He could not necessarily see the end result but he knew Isaac had to make it through and that it is worth it to obey God (that's how he got Isaac in the first place). Abraham took his "leap of faith" to complete the defective LEGO set. He figured that God would give him back Isaac in some way but he didn't know how, nor did he know why he was being asked to do this. He completed the logic using faith so that he could move through and beyond this decision. From this, Isaac was given a positive example of faith and his father's love. Abraham received his son and the blessing was passed on.
Everyone fills their logic gaps with something. Either emotions, 'feelings', or some other form of faith. Abraham acted on his faith in the relationship he had with God - Whom he believed had the perfect knowledge to complete logic.
It's impossible to avoid choices.
You have to fill the gaps with something.
How will you complete your defective LEGO set?
