Cheryl Mendoza

February 5, 2025

“Simple cures to complex problems are almost always snake oil”.  – Mike Cosper

It was just a couple of days ago I read that statement and it made me stop for a moment to ponder.  I was in the middle of Mike Cosper’s new book, “The Church in Dark Times,”  and while the comment made me stop, I didn’t stop for long. I found the connections interesting that he was seeing between what has been happening in the church and some of the observations of journalist Hannah Arendt. As I thought about the quote from the book, it really brought my mind to the state  of our country, and even our world.  Then out of the recess’ of my mind came a word, or at least a part of a word.  Funny thing was, I couldn’t really remember where the word came from or what it meant? Luckily for me the internet can take half remembered thoughts and provide the information needed.   That thought, is a Gordian Knot. 

It was funny, I had no idea where that came from or what exactly was a Gordian knot?  I was telling Mike about it, and he said we had heard it in a documentary about  Alexander the Great.  So I read more and understood why it came to mind.  This Greek legend in a nutshell is this…. There is an oxcart that is  tied to the palace of the former kings of Phrygia.  It has a storied history and the oxcart itself was dedicated to a Phrygian god.  This oxcart was tied by an elaborate knot that was unable to be untied, and that my friend is the Gordian Knot.  An oracle had proclaimed that any man who could undue the knot, would rule all of Asia.  Centuries passed and the knot was still fully tied.  No one had been able to untie the complicated knot though many had tried in their desire to rule.  Then comes Alexander, not Hamilton, but the Great.  He arrived in Phrygia and immediately wanted to untie the knot.  Now in the end, he was able to get it loosed, and does eventually rule all of Asia.  Hence the moniker…. “the Great”.  

The first version of the legend I read stated that when Alexander came and was unable to unravel the confusing knot, he took out his sword and sliced through it.  “It makes no difference how they are loosed,” he is rumored to have said.  This solution is looked on as “bold or unconventional action taken to remedy a difficult problem”.  And what a story!  There is though another ending, and I was surprised to hear this very different way the story was resolved.   

So in this version, Alexander observes the knot and the complicated structure, and instead of pulling out his sword he takes the time to get a different point of view.  He pulls the lynchpin from the pole that the yoke was fastened, and slides the knot off the pole so he can see the underside.  When he does, he is able to see the ends of the knot and untie it.  Taking the time to see the underside, gave him the ability to untie the knot.

What was so interesting, were the different ways the problem in the story was resolved.   One way shows a decisive, if all be it quick and maybe even brutal decision to slice through the problem.  The opposite solution took the time to look at the problem from all angles.  In doing so, he was able to see a different perspective that revealed the solution.    

So why does this remind me of life today?  Well, as soon as I thought of the knot, I immediately saw it in my mind.  The knot wasn’t made of rope though, it was made of people.  A mass of humanity lumped together so tightly, that they couldn’t be easily separated.  I could see us together, tightly intertwined. Like a cosmic game of twister, with arms, legs and whole bodies entangled with one another.  The knot is uncomfortable and painful even, but why?  

 I wasn’t sure what held the knot together, until a few days later.  I was listening to a podcast, and someone was talking about a study with monkeys. The monkeys were trying to get a snack out of a container, and while they could get their hand in, as soon as they grasped the snack their fist wouldn’t come out.  It was then I wondered if that was what was holding my knot of humanity together?  

We each have our hands around that thing we desire.  It’s in our grip and we won’t let go.  Now they may not necessarily be  bad things, but they are so important that we lose perspective on everything else around us.  We hold on tightly even if it brings pain to ourselves and other people.  

It seems to me, that we all are looking for the same things in life, with minor variations.  Safe neighborhoods, a good education for our children, a place to work that not only fulfills us but actually can pay the bills!  Housing that is clean, safe and affordable, healthcare that you are able to access that won’t break the bank and a city where there are services and events that bring together our diverse communities.  If there is so much common ground, why does this life feel like me vs you so much of the time?

Can our beliefs, point of view or individual experience be more important than someone else’s?  Are those “things” more important than a person?   It seems these days, we’ve put those “things” over real people.  The worst part is we’ve actually let these “things,” and those who talk about them daily, color how we feel about people we know and do life with.  The one who calls you when the dog is loose, or picks up your mail when you’re on vacation.  They are  the people that you work, attend church and do every day life with.  You laugh and cry with them, they are your community.  And we have seen people drop neighbors like “it’s hot” for some talking head on TV.   Shame on “we”! 

Let’s face it, in this world there are even good things that we desire so desperately, that we will allow our good sense to be suspended.  It’s happened before, and because there is nothing new under the sun, it will happen again.  

This knot of humanity is perplexing.  If we look to solve the problem by just slicing through it, we could wreak havoc, and cause repercussions that we can’t even conceive.  Potentially we could create an even more knotted up life in our future.  So, maybe the second ending of Alexander’s story holds a solution. At first I thought so, but now I wonder?   

That second ending seems like a more reasonable way out of the knot, but then my mind goes back to the monkey.  While we like to think the knot is more of a “they” problem than an “us” problem, I really think it’s a “we” problem.  The knot is not only made up of people, but we’re all a part of the knot and many of our actions continue to allow it to grow.  We have made it so tight and now that we’re in it, we won’t make the choice to let it go.  

Alexanders knot had a lot riding on it, but  no one was going to be hurt by either slicing through or carefully unknotting the rope.  Our human knot, well that’s a different story. It’s laced with the hopes and dreams of those who may agree with us, and others with different beliefs.  It’s made up of the lives of our family, friends, strangers and neighbors.   

No matter what style the problem solving takes, the question that really bears asking is….will it last? 

I am beginning to think neither way would solve our knot of people.  As soon as we think we have one section undone, our humanity comes roaring back, and we simply reach out and grasp what we desire.  So my question is this, how is the knot undone and how do we keep it from becoming so twisted and hurtful again?  The solution may seem simple, but it is definitely not snake oil.  

We let go, and we love!

“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And He said to him “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ Upon these two commandments hang the whole Law and the Prophets.”  Matthew 22:36-40

I know it sounds like a Hallmark card, but love IS still the answer.  This is not just any love though, it’s the love that God has for the humans He’s created.  It’s a love that when we accept it, and let it flow through our lives, brings healing into a dying world.  It’s the kind of love that moves you to seek good for the people around you, and may even compel you to lay down your life for others.  It’s the kind of love that gives us the strength to let go!

Letting go is hard though, especially when everyone is holding on so tightly to what they want, need or think they need.  It’s even harder to be the first one to do it!  I think that’s what really holds us back, or on a more personal note, holds me back.  If we all followed these steps, wouldn’t it be a better world?   No one would be in need, because we would each be looking out for each other.  If I am sharing with my neighbor and helping them, and they are doing the same for me, we each would have enough.  “What a wonderful world it would be”….to quote the amazing Louis Armstrong!

Ok… so we are good with the “loving God” part, but it seems we push back on “loving our neighbor.”  We ask ourselves the question, “If I love my neighbor, will my neighbor love me?”  Unfortunately, we think we know the answer to that question already, and only carefully give out this love we’ve been gifted.  So since I don’t trust you to let go, I will keep my own tight grip.  Which leads us back to our Gordian knot.    

Over the last couple of weeks, I have been both up and down as I asked myself these questions.  You see, when I am writing I am not really talking to you.  This is just me wrestling with God.  

As I hear the clanging gong of opinion daily through different outlets, It’s more important than ever to keep my priorities straight.   Each time I hear the noise, it makes me want to shrink further into myself and turn my back on people.  I want to hold tighter to my peace and security.  Most of all, I don’t want to suffer the judgement of others, so I tend to hold tight to my observations.  My hand is in the jar and I don’t want to let go.  You see….I have my own place in the knot.  

So as I was trying to finish this up, I went to church on Sunday and heard a message from John 15:9-17.

“I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.  I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!  This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you.  There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.  You are my friends if you do what I command.  I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me.  You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name.  This is my command: Love each other.

The sermon was a timely one for me, as it seemed to fit into everything I was wrestling through. The main idea was a simple one, but the simplicity does not detract from its impactful truth.

“Without love we will be lost.” -Chip Bungard

This kind of love is a matter of faith.  Am I really ready to live like Jesus asked us to? Will God protect and provide for my family if I let go, even if others don’t?  I believe that it comes down to trusting God to move things into place, one day at a time. It is truly trusting that the love He brought into this world will transcend anything that is weaponized against it.   And as we trust Him each day, we can let go of the things that hold us back.  Anything that gets in the way of loving others, as God Himself would love them!