This Human’s Condition

Have you ever heard the phrase “the human condition?”  Whenever I hear or read those words, I just have to smile!  I always get this picture in my head, and I think, “Yes, what a condition we’re in….God’s poor little handmade organisms floundering away on this tiny speck of sand, floating around in this massive cosmic ocean.”  It always makes me think about how naturally inept we truly are, as humans, to deal with our world around us.  I think about how incompetent mankind can be in dealing with the trials and tribulations of the world.  It seems to me that, no matter how smart and civilized we think we are as a human race, there is always a mountain of evidence to show just how difficult it is for us to cope and to do what we’re expected to do.

We’re taught that God made man in His own image, and I suppose that’s true.  But I have to believe he left out some very important parts of Himself, like ultimate knowledge, universal wisdom, and complete understanding.  For some reason (entertainment value?) He left a few things for us to figure out on our own.  On top of that, he somehow felt obliged to give us our own “free will”, which we use all the time to move both forward and backward, advancing and declining, or just generally screwing things up.  And then on top of all that, he parked us on this rock we call Earth, which is filled with His own awesome power which we call Nature.  You don’t have to look too far to be reminded of Earth’s grandeur and beauty, and be thrilled and inspired by it.  But some of those very same elements of nature can instantly smash us like a fly under a gigantic fist.     

One scholar described “the human condition” this way: 

“The human condition” is a phrase typically used to describe, in general, the situations that humans face as we try to get along with each other and the world, situations that are difficult to encompass in some way because of hang-ups or predispositions of one kind or another or just simple ignorance and ineptitude. 

Gary Larson has always made me laugh with his Far Side comics.  He is a master at depicting the human condition in a way that is sure to make us laugh at ourselves.   Like this one:

Or this one:

For the first time in my life, I’ve decided that I’m going to take the season of Lent seriously this year. I won’t be fasting, but I do have a plan to work on strengthening my spiritual life, including a prayer discipline, listening to a reading of the Gospels during my daily commute, and just trying to be more in tune with God, listening for Him.  My own Human Condition is not what I want it to be right now, but with God’s help, I can get there!    

For some reason, the meaning and significance of Lent has been lost on me for most of my life.  This is embarrassing to admit, but I remember walking into a Whataburger in Victoria, Texas one Wednesday morning, back when I was in my late 30’s, and seeing all these people with strange ashen cross marks on their forehead.  In my ignorance, I instantly began wondering what sort of clan or cult was there meeting at Whataburger!  Then someone mentioned Ash Wednesday, and it all made sense.  

I like this, from the Upper Room Devotional book:

So what is Lent?  At Jesus’ baptism the sky split open, the Spirit of God, which looked like a dove, descended and landed on Jesus, and a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, My Beloved, with whom I am pleased.”  Afterward, as told in Matthew 4:1-11, Jesus was sent into the wilderness by the Spirit, where he fasted and prayed for 40 days.  During his time there he was tempted by Satan and found clarity and strength to resist temptation.  Afterwards, he was ready to begin his ministry. 

(Speculation)
Maybe Jesus needed some time with God to sort through the major changes happening in his life.  Maybe he needed to get away from family, friends, and the familiar routine in order to see God (and himself) more clearly.  Perhaps he wanted some intentional time with God as he searched for direction and answers, like you.  Like Jesus, we may need to take some serious time to pray and listen for God.

No matter how sad, crazy, mixed up or pitiful our own individual Human Condition may be, God has assured us that we are His children, and He is there beside us all the way.  No matter how far we stray, how lost we may become, He waits, with his arms open.  Thanks, God!