The Caves

Everybody has a testimony.  A story of how they got to where they are today.  When athletes talk about their paths to the major leagues, or professional basketball or football, they share their testimony from infancy to adulthood in their chosen profession - usually including a bump or two along the way and they often thank those who have supported them on the journey.

Paul relates his multiple times, but I really enjoy the way he shares it with the Galatians.  For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it.  I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers.  But when God, who set me apart from my mother's womb and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, my immediate response was not to consult any human being.  I did not go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went to Arabia.  Later I returned to Damascus.

Then after three years...  (Galatians 1:13-18a)

The most amazing word in Paul's testimonial story is a little word I have over looked time and time again.  Its the word

'in'

"But when God, who set me apart from mother's womb and called me by his grace, was please to reveal his son in me... 

Almost always, when I think of testimonial transformations, the terminology used is 'the son was revealed to me,' that somewhere, outside of my normal existence someone told me about Jesus.  And, the implication is that Jesus remains on the outside, like a shimmering coat of chain mail, protecting the bearer from arrows, but Paul's description is that Christ was revealed in him, inside his innermost being; the change from persecutor to proselyte was an internal transformation so powerful that he needed three years just to figure it out. 

Is this real?  Did this really happen to me?  How can I tell anyone that I'm changed and that my attitude is different, no longer an adherent of salvation by law, but now by grace?  How can I face the Gentiles whose murders and imprisonments I've been supervising?

Paul's inner change is heroic and multifaceted and if any self-respecting adherent to The Way (name for early Christianity) came across him, they would probably throw him out on his ear.  He's no superhero.  His past is as checkered as a chess board.  His past precludes him from speaking or acting on behalf of us. 

Paul was not a superhero Christian, but then again, which of our biblical 'heroes' of the faith was?  Gideon?  Needed multiple different miracles in order to convince him to engage in his 'warrior-like' calling.  Joseph?  Arrogant, spoiled brat who alienated almost everyone who came into contact with him during his early years?  Esther?  Beautiful, but hesitant to speak.  Mary?  Just a young girl with a good singing voice.  David?  Murderer, braggart, adulterer, stripper.  (2 Sam. 6:20)?  How can these people be heroes?  Why doesn't God choose the strongest, the smartest, the most beautiful, the richest - to lead the people of God?

In my opinion, God is willing to use empty vessels.  Those who are afraid, those who are broken, those who are young (if you notice, many of the great biblical heroes are, in fact, young people), those who seem unfit for leadership - they are the ones God uses because he can fill them.  In their testimonies, they can speak of the ways that God has revealed himself in them - not just to them.  And when God has filled them with himself, they in turn are ready to be changed.

Changed to do what his good, perfect and pleasing will is (Romans 2:2)

Notice how Paul puts it to the Philippians, "Therefore (in light of everything that I've just written regarding have unity and the same attitude of servanthood as Christ) my dear friends as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfil his good purpose."  (Phil. 2:12,13)

Heroes are changed from the inside out: first their will is changed and then their action.  Will without action is a lazy, lukewarm faith.  Lots of hot air but little rising balloon.  Action without will leads to a constant stream of complaining which, in turn, actually turns people off from the Christ who is working inside of them.  God works in us to transform our will, personal and collective, to turn outwards to those who are in need.

Now, what can the church do about this?  How can the collective soul of the 21st century Way be transformed (and re-formed) to reflect God's inner workings?

We can take our time with those who are seeking.

In Tasmania, one of the first things that we did was to take a tour of some enormous cave systems in the Huon Valley.  Located just southwest of Hobart, the Hastings Caves park rangers give guided tours through the caverns.

We had an interesting tour guide.  With twenty-five other people, he lined us up outside the mouth of the cave and gave us the safety rundown.  Stay with the group, don't touch stuff, try not to hit your head.  The guide was in his fifties, probably a second job for him; a bit hippy-ish, I think, but as we walked through the caves, it became aware to us that he really did not like his job all that much.  He forced us to hurry past some of the stalactites that would have made tremendous photographs; instead of letting us visualize our own pictures in the shapes of the stalagmites (like seeing shapes in the clouds), he told us what we should see.  All the while, he kept pushing us forward so the next group could come in.  We wanted to go slower, to take in the surroundings, even to meet some of the other people on the journey, but Senor Tour Guide would have none of that.  By the end of the tour, I'm pretty sure at least two of the older folks were stumbling back up the stairs just to avoid his biting rejoinders about not being able to stay with the group.

I wanted the tour to change me; he wanted to tour to be over. 

It happens at church sometimes.  We want to get people through the 'membership' classes.  In four weeks, supposedly they can see enough, meet enough people, learn enough to be part of the group.  And, be hit up to volunteer for all the committees that are running short of members.  We open the scriptures, the doctrines and tell them what they ought to see, perhaps we don't allow them to imagine how their own experience plays into their faith journey.  Sometimes we, as congregations, hurry people through the in-filling of the Spirit, not out of maliciousness, but because we want to move the next group into the kingdom.

Perhaps it's time to slow down?

Our theme for the weekend for NOVO was superheroes and learning how God makes changes within us, so that we can make changes in the world outside us.  I'm looking forward to perhaps having a dialogue with whomever is reading along about the myths of Christian 'superheroes' and how we view God's continuing activity in us.