Meditation in a Toolshed

C.S. Lewis wrote an interesting essay entitled "Meditation in a Toolshed". He begins the essay by telling the reader he saw a beam of light shining through a crack in the door of his toolshed. He then goes on to explain his different experiences when looking "at" the sunbeam from the side, as opposed to looking "along" the sunbeam by standing in the light and looking through the crack. Lewis then applies this idea to human experience vs. human knowledge. One can know something, and explain it in cold scientific,historical, psychological, etc. terms, but whatever that "thing" is, whether it be religion, love, a historical event, it is understood in a completely different "light" by the person who has personally experienced it. Just one example of how something that most people would consider mundane and normal (a sunbeam shining in a toolshed) can trigger a reflective and applicable response in the mind of a person like C.S. Lewis who had a powerful philosophical insight.

To me personally, this idea of "looking at and looking along," or perhaps it could be more clearly represented by saying learning about something from head knowledge as well as by personal experience is part of the Christian's pursuit of Wisdom, which is ultimately the pursuit of Christ. Wisdom requires balance. Lets just say there is a straight and narrow path with two ditches on either side. Wisdom (walk of the Christian) is the path and one can fall into either of the two ditches by being imbalanced. If a person knows a lot about God, perhaps by reading theological books or even the Bible, but does not fervently seek Him in prayer, or by seeking for himself  in the Scriptures as a guilty sinner who is dependent on the grace of God through Jesus Christ for salvation, or by enthusiastically engaging friends in discussion about the Word, this person is liable for falling into a ditch. However, if another person prays to God often, gets very emotional about the Bible and about grace, but does not extensively read about Him, and seek knowledge about Him that he might grow in his understanding about God, he is liable to fall into a ditch. So, when it comes to faith, the exhortation found in C.S. Lewis' essay is this, learn about God from all sides. Know Him extensively so that your faith in Him pervades throughout your entire life.

It is true that this idea of looking "at" and looking "along" can be applied to other topics as well. But I think one ought to be careful with this. There are somethings that "looking along" will invoke the wrath of God. For instance, a young man says to himself, I can't really understand the problem with smoking marijuana until I experience it for myself. This is a gross error, because the Bible commands us to be subject to the higher power (government), and that power outlaws the use of drugs. Not to mention, a person who smokes marijuana is liable to make that drug an idol. Instead, one ought to look "at" that activity, and see that it would displease God if he or she were to engage in it. Or perhaps, that person could learn from the experience of his or her friends, acquaintances, etc. who have participated in that activity. Just think for a minute, however, what invoking the wrath of God means for the believing child of God. That means that this child of God is placing another sin, essentially another eternity in hell, upon the shoulders of Jesus Christ. True, Christ bore our sins willingly, but out of thankfulness let us strive to do good by discerning that which is evil before trying to "experience" it.