Fables and Faith : The simple wisdom of 'The Shack'
Posted on Monday, January 12, 2009
I just finished reading the novel "The Shack," byWilliam P.Young. The subtitle on the front cover is what intrigued me first: "Where Tragedy Confronts Eternity."Yes, it is a book that is a New York Times bestseller - a fact that doesn't always mean good reading - and yes, more than 2 million copies are in print. Hopefully, for the author, most of them have been purchased.
The main character in the book struggles with the timeless, yet unanswerable question: "Where is God in a world so filled with unspeakable pain?" Mackenzie Allen Phillips, the main character, suffers what most parents fear the most - a young daughter abducted, and then evidence uncovered in an abandoned shack deep in the Oregon forest pointing to her death.
"Mack" - the father - receives a strange note seemingly from God inviting him back to that shack for a weekend. What Mack finds will change his world forever.
Throughout the book, I encountered numerous short statements that I call "Z's" or zingers, and a significant number of concepts to be considered that could become for each reader what I call "Significant Emotional Events."
This book will not give you easy answers to all of your grueling questions, but it will allow you to come close to a God of mercy and love. One very well-placed line in the book attributed to Jesus came as Mack and Jesus were having a conversation about religion. Mack said, "You're not too fond of religion and institutions?" Jesus replied, "Like I said, I don't create institutions; that's an occupation for those who want to play God. So no, I'm not too big on religion and not very fond of politics or economics, either."
Jesus then said, "It's really all about relationships and simply sharing life, ... being open and available to others around us. My church is all about people, and life is all about relationships. You can't build it. It's my job, and I'm actually pretty good at it."
Another of my favorite quotes is in answer to Mack's question about appearance. The character Jesus said: "Being always transcends appearance - that which only seems to be. Once you begin to know the being behind the very pretty or very ugly face, as determined by your bias, the surface appearances fade away until they simply no longer matter."
One chapter begins with a quote from Buckminster Fuller: "God is a verb." It's a great chapter, and I hope you will read and reread it. I just hope you pay close attention to the nouns "responsibility" and "expectation" and how they change when they become verbs.
One final thought. I was touched by the lyrics of a song supposedly composed by Mack's daughter after her death. Hear these touching words: "Breathe in me ... deep that I might breathe ... and live. And hold me close that I might sleep soft, held by all you give. Come kiss me, wind, and take my breath, till you and I are one. And we will dance among the tombs until all death is gone. No one knows that we exist, wrapped in each other's arms. Except the One who blew the breath that hides me safe from harm."
Beautiful words, intriguing book - or you decide.
Shalom.
· · ·
Bob Haynes' column appears on Mondays.
FEEDBACK:
Something to say about this topic? Submit a Letter to the Editor online
