So, I often try to find a certain balance when I write these things. I realize that some of you who read this stuff self-identify as Christians and some do not. Some of you practice other faith traditions and I know of at least one or two professing atheists who may roam here from time to time. I appreciate that. I’m a firm believer that diversity of experience and perspective is helpful to all of us as we seek to find meaning in our lives. Which means that there are times I shy somewhat away from “preaching” a certain thing to be true. This is probably not one of those times.

On rare occasions, I feel called to write about a particular person and the qualities in them I believe deeply enrich the lives of others. For obvious reasons (like I know a lot of exceptional people and I also know that they don’t like the limelight), I don’t do that often, although I frequently find a way to get them into the mix one way or another, even anonymously.

Today, I’m going to specifically mention my friend Gary, although this will really not be about him. After all, when we were talking this morning about what he is facing right now and how people around him are responding, he said, “It’a a Ponzi scheme.” We laughed and I agreed.

(It strikes me right now, for those of you familiar with how Jesus taught in parables, he frequently said “The Kingdom of God is like … fill in the blank.” For now, “The Kingdom of God is like a Ponzi scheme.”)

Gary is one of the most committed Jesus-followers I know. I’m not sure I know anyone who has been involved in more acts of service, while also carrying on an extremely demanding career as an exceptional scientist, while being a husband, father and friend. His weekly (and more) visits to prison, his leadership at church, and in the Emmaus and Kairos ministries, his commitment to an orphanage and school in Kenya, his participation as a Stephen’s Minister (many of these alongside his wonderful wife, Ginny) are all about reaching out to those who struggle with things that are truly overwhelming. Throughout, not a person would describe him as arrogant or assuming. He is humble and transparent, willing to share weaknesses and doubts. If any of you reading this have a certain view of a Christian as overly judgmental, haughty and self-righteous in manner and deed, you are not describing Gary. Gary’s life for the last twenty years ago has been all about surrender and it shows.

But, there’s surrender and there’s surrender.

When Jesus said to those first fishermen on the shores of that large lake we call the Sea of Galilee, “Follow me,” and when we hear the term in Christian circles, “Take up the cross,” these are calls to surrender. All of us are used to surrender but how many of us wake up each morning wondering how we’re going to surrender today? Addicts in recovery do. To what are we addicted? And if we don’t think we are, maybe we should rethink that.

Gary has never really been sick, and tomorrow at 5pm he will submit to a neurosurgeon who will bore a hole into his left temporal lobe to try to to get at a small alien growth deep in his brain. The objective will be to find that small growth and get enough tissue to ascertain how dangerous it really is. Gary is unused to being a patient and submitting to the will of physicians. He has been around many others who have faced this but he hasn’t faced this personally so this is a new experience. It’s hard. It’s hard to lose control. It’s hard to face mortality up close and personal. And, it’s also very hard sometimes for people who are used to graciously giving to graciously receive. This is a thing that Gary is learning to surrender. We should pay attention.

Which brings me to Ponzi. Now, technically, what I am about to share is not a Ponzi scheme because that was about how to defraud people out of their money by promising tantalizingly high returns on their investments … the source of which was the contributions of later investors who were promised the same thing. We can also refer to it as a pyramid scheme which is a common tool for some enterprises whereby the ever-expanding base funnels resources up to higher levels. You all know what I’m talking about.

What motivated Gary to mention this is his experience in the last 24 hours, a thing he finds quite surprising, which is interesting because he should know better.

Here is what happened and then I’ll finally get to my point.

We worked to devise a format to communicate what Gary (and Ginny) are and will be going through. It was way too burdensome to expect them to continually update family and friends who care. So, I asked them to give me the email addresses of people they’d like in the loop. In the afternoon, I sent an update to about 70 people, giving information and also asking for prayers. I became aware, that in short order, some of those people were forwarding my email to dozens and dozens of other people in their own networks, most of whom had no idea of who Gary is. Some of those emails are asking those next groups of people to stop what they are doing at 5pm tomorrow to pray for Gary, the doctors and the outcome, among other things. It is not a stretch to realize that by tomorrow, there could be hundreds of people aware of what is happening and pausing in their lives to act in love. And, some do not even know him.

This struck Gary hard. As it should.

I could see why he said it’s a Ponzi scheme. A simple mechanism is devised to call attention to a single thing … to bring a kind of return. And, then it grows geometrically or exponentially. It replicates outwards at a seemingly dizzying pace. What is really happening here?

To me, this is much more than the contemporary phenomenon of things that going “viral.” In that sense, information goes out, grabs everyone’s attention, gets its brief shelf life and then we go on to the next distraction.

As I was contemplating this process early this morning, before I spoke with Gary, but being aware of what is happening, I began to think about neurons in the brain and how they are networked. This is not a new topic for me. I think about this from time to time.

“The Kingdom of God is like a neural network.”

Before I actually experienced this, I probably paid no attention if and when I ever hear someone say the Body of Christ. Aside from the obvious that Jesus (the Christ) had a body, I most likely would have dismissed it as a simple way to describe a group of people who followed him and the Christian faith. Maybe a little like Raider Nation or the such.

Now, theologically, there’s a whole lot more to it and it can be a thing that is oft-putting to some. And, I can understand why!

On a weird but not so far-fetched level, it’s kind of like the terror movie “Invasion of the Body Snatchers.” Or, when the Borg face off with our Star Trek heroes. Believe me, I know how this must seem to some people as they discover that someone threw a switch and a friend or family member went off the deep end and was “born again.” The stuff of cults and all of that, for goodness sakes.

This happened to me and, believe me, I got (and still get) some of that reaction.

Well, yes.

It IS an invasion of the body snatchers. Theologically, it’s called the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, part of the triune God that takes up residence and connects us in the most remarkable ways.

Like we are individual neurons (specialized cells that transmit energy), networked for a single purpose. Yes, we are distinct but are inextricably connected and relate to one another at light speed. For all practical purposes, instantaneously.

In this hyper individualized world which idolizes pride of self and raises ones “feelings” as supreme and the most objectively true things, we lose sight of what binds us together. Yet, when the bonds are created so quickly and out of love, the purpose of the neurons is revealed.

The Body of Christ is like a human brain. After all, the scriptures say we are created in God’s image. The purpose of the human brain is to organize all function in order that we may live and be the thing we were designed to be. All systems are connected and ordered to that end. The purpose of Jesus is to show us who and what God is and to invite us into that world. When we accept that, we become part of what we may call the Body of Christ. I realize this does not sit well with many people. It can sound exclusive and strangely unnatural. After all, who wants to have their body snatched?

So, is the Kingdom of God like a divine Ponzi scheme? Well, yes, to the extent that things flow outwards and upwards at a frantic pace, ever expanding, building capacity in the things that truly matter, like Love and Grace. No, to the extent that it eventually topples because it’s made on quicksand. It’s exactly the opposite. Rock solid. Is the Kingdom of God like an invasion of the body snatchers? Well, yes, to the extent that we are really not our own. We belong to someone and some thing greater than ourselves. And, that thing connects us with others who realize the truth of that belonging.

In the horror movie, which was originally about the threat of communism, those so invaded instantly recognized their own and, in a sense, were zombified. In reality, I can bond instantly with someone from a different race, vastly different culture, different socio-economic status and even political leanings, and be hugging them quickly and entranced by their story. Some of you may claim that makes me a zombie.

The danger of course, is for people like me to distance ourselves from others not of a like mind. This is wrong. I have said before that my job and life right now is to have one foot in each world. I know of no other way to do it.

Here’s the bottom line to me and the reason why circumstances like what is happening to Gary ripple out so quickly. When we answer Jesus’ call to follow and surrender to the message and meaning of his life, we find ourselves surrounded by opportunities to connect with others, especially those who suffer. Those connections are forged in foundries constructed of love and grace and they seek, seemingly of their own accord (but not) to issue forth, constantly constructing a network with the same divine DNA. Jesus said he came to set the captive free. The captive often has a name and it is called Lonely. The Kingdom of God is anything but a lonely place. It is vibrant and shimmering. It closes distances at light speed. It is a bonding of matter and energy with a focus and purpose.

Jesus said there are really only two main things. Love God and love one another. With everything we have. If this is just a platitude with no real substance, then so be it for people who think that way. But, if it’s actually true, then we need help because these two things are not easy. The Good News is that help is always available, however we want to characterize that in fun. We just need to surrender and ask.

Although my friend Gary has spent a lot of time living in the world I am describing, he is finding new ways to be both challenged and completed. He is witnessing what it is like to receive grace and be loved by so many people. One does not emerge from such an experience unchanged. Thank God.