Williams, Wesley, and Mayer

I had prepared some thoughts around the idea of the 'tortured genius' but I haven't shared them. In light of the passing of Robin Williams and the struggles he faced, I think it's important for us to remember his genius and the darkness that often accompanies it.

Here it goes: 

John Wesley was a weirdo.  John Wesley also changed the church and the world.  Weirdo/Genius - These two often go hand in hand.  When we look at Wesley he holds a special place in our hearts.  But I bet that if we ran into him on the street he might make us feel uncomfortable.  He probably had a bit of social awkwardness about him, most geniuses do.  He was thinking of things that we rarely think of still today.  He was a contemplative that drew from the traditions of the past while making it real for the need of the people of his day.  Living in the Holy Club mentality while being a social reformer at the same time equals weird.  It’s a tough line to walk.  He did it. 

Geniuses are not great at everything though.  What about a Wesleyan view of marriage or parenting?  He can’t really help us in these areas, at least not from his own personal experience.    Remember – John Wesley was a weirdo.  He did strange things.  How about preaching on top of your dad’s grave because you weren’t allowed into the pulpit that day?  Begging for alms for prisoners on a cold Christmas Eve is not something many ‘normal’ people do.  Wesley did it, but he wasn’t normal.  He was a genius.  You can call him a ‘folk-theologian’ all you want, but I think his true wisdom is revealed in the awkwardness of his ordinary parts of life.  I am fine with Wesley’s lack of normality.  I need him to be weird.   

I got to thinking about this idea after I saw John Mayer in concert.  I am a fan.  Most of the time when I mention that, someone responds by saying something about a not-so-recent-scandal that Mayer had.  He said some foolish things to reporters a while ago and he hasn't always made the best decisions publicly.  When he realized that he was throwing his career away, he fled the public eye and moved to Montana to refocus and restart.  He writes very beautifully about this in his song Shadow Days.  John Mayer is weird when it comes to relationships and the normal parts of life.  Why?  John Mayer is a genius.

Not so sure?  Go watch him play.  This is his gift, his sanctuary, his place in the world. He was made for this.   I appreciate his ability, range, musicality, stylistic creativity, and lyrics.  Why do we want geniuses to be everyday people?  Let Wesley be his reforming self, let Mayer be socially inept and awkward too.  Let Einstein have his crazy hair.

I was in the hospital room visiting with a church member whose child was very sick.  The doctor came in and he had terrible bed-side manor. When the doctor walked out I could tell that the mother was not comforted.  She wanted comfort and the doctor didn't give it.  I want that doctor. As a means of providing comfort to her, I told her that he was the kind of doctor that would get the job done.  He was a genius.  He probably spends so much time thinking about science that he doesn't have the time to pick up on social cues.  This is the kind of doctor that I want when my child is sick.  I don't want a Jerry Seinfeld or a Santa Claus.  Give me the awkward genius every time.  This is the same way I feel about the ‘Johns’- so gifted in their area that some other areas may lack.  I am not a genius and you aren't probably either, were just too normal for that.