As long as I can remember I’ve wanted to play the piano. Not just play at it, as I’ve tried in the past, but skillfully and graciously let my fingers dance on the keys. When I was young, I would sit at the piano and pretend I could play, but that mostly resulted in noise and chaos. I lacked basic, important knowledge that would put me on the right path to really knowing how to make music.

So why, today, do I continue to want to play the piano and still not possess the ability to do so? Because I never went past interested to intentional. I never took the time nor made the effort to persue what I say I want. So, how interested am I, really?

Speaking of intentional, that is what I would say of Tim that day in the park. As we began to look at chapter 29 it was clear that the People of the Book were facing opposing forces that wanted them silenced. Even as I type that, I ask myself, “Why?” Why would anyone be angry and want to stop voices that were genuinely concerned about the Truth? Oh, that’s it, isn’t it? Truth. I’ll come back to that in a minute, but first let’s see what’s happening on page 129 of The Bridge from OneDayBow.

A person, who looked sixteen, was smiling in the crowd.

He listened to what Tim said, then waved and spoke out loud:

“I’m Joe. I’ve been near the Bridge and heard about the Son.

My friends packed a picnic lunch – we had some laughs and fun.

I like some things the Book says… but not everything.

Seems narrow-minded to claim there’s one way to a King.

But I think I’ll be alright. I’ve heard that He loves me.

I’m better than a lot I know, and almost bobble-free.”

In all honesty, I would be thrilled if some people that I care about would be willing to go on a picnic with me near the Bridge! (I think you understand what I mean…) But Joe’s words cause me to draw an obvious conclusion: Joe is interested, but definitely not intentional. “How can you say that?” some may ask. “Who are you to judge Joe?” No condemnation intended, just an observation based on his expression of thought.

Let’s break this down a little: Joe was near the Bridge. His assessment of that day was that they had some laughs and fun. He didn’t express faith in the King’s Book, but rather, he likes some things it says. And what does he do with the claim that there is only one way to the King? He views it as narrow-minded.

As I look at Joe’s statements, I’m kind of surprised that he didn’t write off the whole idea. After all, Joe didn’t get close enough to actually meet the Son, and he had doubts about what he thought he knew about the King. Maybe Joe was clinging to the hope he had heard, that the King loves him. Better safe than sorry? And, after all, he considers himself a good person, compared to others… mostly. It seems, Joe wanted the King to conform to his truth, which was not really Truth at all.

Now I’m not saying there’s no hope for Joe, but I can’t say Joe is good with the King because he got close enough to know that there is a Bridge (though other details were hazy or questionable). That’s like saying that I’m a pianist because I sat at the piano and banged on the keys. Joe, like me, needs to become intentional if he really wants to know. “Interested” was a good place to start with Joe, but Tim is going to be sure that Joe knows the whole Truth so that he can make an intentional decision about the King. Some people, and maybe even Joe, might think it wrong to question someone’s “beliefs”.  But Tim knows that when it comes to eternity, Truth isn’t a matter of debate – it’s a matter of life and death.