Thursday, March 4^th, ‘10

All rights reserved © message by Kris Jackson

HAUNTED HOUSES

“…a haunt for every unclean and detestable bird” (Revelation 18:2 NIV)

Don’t mean to sound ghoulish here but there is such a thing as invited disquietude. The verse in Revelation speaks of Babylon in type but the infestation can be domestic and emotional as easily as spiritual. For instance, Richard Neutra, the architect that designed the “Crystal Cathedral” in Garden Grove, CA explained to Dr. Robert Schuller, “Some houses really are haunted…designed in such a way that the sun never shines in…The ceilings are so low, they come down on you. You feel oppressed instead of liberated and surrounded by light. The corners are gloomy. Hence the structures produce the moods that will haunt the human spirit with depression and gloom” (Tough Minded Faith for Tender Hearted People, Thomas Nelson Publishers). Such a house doesn’t need exorcism, it need remodeling. With Mr. Neutra’s skill and Dr. Schuller’s vision an all-glass cathedral was constructed that opens worshipers up to Southern California fresh breeze and sunshine. Today’s stuffy, caulked-shut homes could take a lesson.

Faith needs ventilation. The human spirit needs sunshine. Wind blew into the Upper Room. And it is needed for our mental health as well. There is the domestic pig-sty that depresses, then again there are homes equally cluttered with eclectic bric-a-brac yet it causes eyes to twinkle in reflection. Home is where the heart is so too much shouldn’t be read into design, but design does have an effect. One likes quaint while another turns claustrophobic without lots of living room space. Have you ever considered the impact that a room can have? Heaven is a model in environment. Eden aimed at beauty. There is a new word in use today called architorture, or, really messed up building design. You can feel that torture when you walk into some homes and offices. Dan Rice wrote, “There are three forms of visual art: painting is art to look at, sculpture is art you can walk around, and architecture is art you can walk through”. Others have termed architecture as “frozen music” and “inhabited sculpture”. You can tell whether the trip to the dentist is going to be a positive or bad experience by the feel of the lobby. Same with restrooms at the restaurant.

Haunted houses, they can get that way through strife ricocheting off the walls, but that is another sermon. For now, consider atmosphere. What can be done? Even if your space is a small cubicle at work, there probably are no restrictions on putting a fresh flower in a Styrofoam cup. We send flowers to hospital rooms because the rooms are so hospital-like. Invest in lighting. Don’t fret over the added electric bill; mausoleum mentality is not healthy. And dust has a poor reputation throughout the Bible (Gen 2:19, Mat 10:14, etc), so a quality vacuum is worth its weight in gold. Be frugal with the thermostat setting but don’t freeze out creativity. A home should be an incubator of hope, love, vision, possibilities, even miracles, not a “haunt for every unclean and detestable bird”. Ultimately, whether Christ has been invited into the architecture is the deciding factor.