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We have something to learn from little Lisa Simpson.  Well, she is a Simpson, isn’t she – the source of all wisdom and understanding for an entire generation?  In fact, I am sure that the whole postmodern mind-set could be traced back to this perpetually youthful 20 year old family.  And to Lisa specifically.  Somehow.

I was impressed with an episode I saw recently.  Lisa decided that she is to become a vegetarian.  She, like all new converts, becomes very passionate about her new ideas.  And be damned anyone who opposes her viewpoint.

Early on in the show, I thought that it was a strange commentary to be making.  In an age of supposed tolerance, Lisa, the quintessential postmodernist, is taking an extremely arrogant position.  What sort of can of worms were they opening?  Is it alright to be intolerant, as long as your position is liberal, and not conservative?  Can you take a dig at the Ned Flanderses of our society for the same attitudes that they are now promoting?

Well, the writers redeemed themselves. Here is the clip: (http://youtube.com/watch?v=0pll9RaP7A8)

Ok, ok – it’s a little preachy, and they are obviously making it a point here.  But I think it is an extremely valid point.

What impressed me most about it is that they didn’t invalidate attempts at trying to influence others.  Apu even says ‘You know, you can influence people without badgering them always’.

And so can people of faith.  If the message of Jesus is truly good news (and it is) is it then something that we need to dress up, sell or force to get others to accept?  It’s like the mother feeding her toddler the ‘good-for-you’ meal.  You know it – the pre-packaged goop of a constitution made up of the vegetables that the rest of us won’t eat.  I know a secret.  They are put in those little jars to keep the swede and turnip farmers in business, because it’s good for the economy.

The scene goes like this.  Put Franky in the high chair.  Put spoon in jar.  Remove spoon from the jar and insert with food into Franky’s mouth.  Remove spoon from mouth.  Collect food from chin and bib.  Follow mouth with spoon from side to side waiting for Franky  to start verbally objecting so you have an opportunity to ram the spoon in again.  Once again collect the food from chin and bib.  Try the airplane trick.  Collect food yet again.  Start trying to reason logically with a person who has not yet learned that a pencil does not belong up your nose.  Frustrated, try some reasoning that you know Franky will understand.  Finally, give up and reach for the sugar loaded apple custard treat that you know sweet little Franky likes.  Continue this pattern for the rest of Franky’s childhood.

At this point some may say that I’ve shot myself in the foot.  The vegies are good for you, and a good Parent would have forced Franky.  Ah, but that isn’t the point.  The Gospel is truly good.  You can get children to eat and love vegetables if you feed them good vegies from when they are young.  Once at a party, we told our children they could have one last item from the table.  The table was full of the usual party ‘goodness’.  My son – three or four at the time – went for the ‘trees’.  Broccoli that is.  Fresh crisp broccoli, of all things.  I swear that it’s true.

He didn’t need to be convinced to eat what was good for him.

Another illustration, and I’ll keep it brief: a courtroom on trial we have the Message of Jesus.  Those who aren’t convinced are the jury.  And we also have;

• The Judge:  This is a no-brainer, but we don’t seem to get this one.  We aren’t the Judge.  It’s not our job to ‘convict others of their Sin’.  Not even to point out wrong-doings.  Hey, accept it our not, but its not even up to us to point out that their way of thinking is wrong.  Who are we to do such a thing without risking the same treatment?  Jesus was pretty clear when he said: Do not judge, and you will not be judged;  do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven.  Now here’s a liberating thought: Father God doesn’t even do this.  He’s not the meanie we make him out to be.  He gives this job to Jesus, and Jesus took all our crap with him to the cross.
• The Lawyers:  And this one’s a trap.  It doesn’t have the politically incorrect connotations that judging has.  Here presents the opportunity to sound wise and convincing.  To boast about how many people we have led to Jesus.  To be the expert in Apologeneutics with the sermonary degree on wall.  To confound the ‘world’ with our Ally McBealesque charm and intelligent sounding logic.  But this one’s the job of the Holy Spirit, who alone touches people powerfully, inexplicably and life-changing(ly) when we share the Good news as -
• The Witnesses:  You know, to all Jerusalem and stuff.  Jesus talked about this somewhere.  It’s simple really.  We know what Jesus has done for us.  The effects should be evident in and through our lives.  If it is really true then it will be seen.  We will be the evidence – the living proof - of a loving, saving God whom all can know through the “good news”

So what am I saying?  I guess it’s that we perhaps should spend less time on the soap box, and more time living and sharing and caring, and showing people that God is real.

And there, I’ve used this year’s SIQ (Simpson’s Illustration Quota) already.