Recently I had a conversation about the complexity of the human personality. This also tied into a variety of activities where I’ve been looking at stories and events that have shaped my life. Along the way I decided it might be important to share some of them with others. So while I’m not sure a format or things like that, here are some interesting potential insights into how I see the world.

To start this lovely little story telling process, I think it is appropriate to start somewhere potentially a little silly. Now if you know me you know that I love a good sense of humor. Which when I was younger I always thought the idea of God seemed a little strange. He seemed to be something of a strange combination of loving father and judge or king who tended to hand out a lot of punishments.

One day though I was reading through the Bible and stumbled across the following passage:

²³ Elisha left Jericho and went up to Bethel. As he was walking along the road, a group of boys from the town began mocking and making fun of him. “Go away, baldy!” they chanted. “Go away, baldy!” ²⁴ Elisha turned around and looked at them, and he cursed them in the name of the Lord. Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of them. 2nd Kings 2:23-24 NLT

The first thing that stood out to me was the insults that are in the Bible. The fact that there is a story of someone insulting someone for being bald over 2000 years ago is a pretty crazy story in and of itself. Next we have the reaction, where the power of God brings forth judgement in the form of BEARS!!!! The next thing that stands out to me is the fact that it was forty-two boys that were mauled. Were they just not sure what a bear was or why were they not running in random directions? How do two bears catch 42 of them. Were there more boys and some got away? Were these two bears the greatest players of Tag in the history of the world? So many questions.

I share this with you not to make you think that I want to punish boys who make fun of bald men. Rather the fact that this story is part of a collection of stories and history of God makes me see a variety of personality traits. On one hand we still see the punishment side of things, but there is also something to be said about the power of God being commanded by those who call on Him. Additionally, if you read this story out loud and don’t think it’s kind of bizarre or funny or at least a little random, then I’m not really sure how to tell you that your life might be a little too serious.

It’s this kind of randomness and unique nature that makes me want to know a God who in all his infinite designs saw it fitting one day to call on bears. It’s the same kind of God who gave me a unique imagination and character traits and sense of humor. This is the kind of God that I see myself wanting to understand and be with more because He takes on the role of the most interesting man in the world. When God is simple and binary it doesn’t seem that exciting. But when God is unpredictable and complicated, I find myself drawing closer and closer wanting to know more. But maybe that’s just me? Hopefully this story gives you a few clues about me and wasn’t too unbearable.