The following thought is a work in process. There might be a couple of holes in the pattern, but I think there is something there. Thanks.
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I have been thinking a lot about my hastening entrance into the world of "Christian" Academia. I have been thinking a lot about Luke 10:21 when Jesus states (excitedly) "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure." (emphasis mine)
I guess that my prayer is that I would not lose "it". I am confident that, as a developing leader, I need to be well prepared so that I might lead soundly and with confidence. For this reason, I long for wisdom and learning. But I pray that I might never forget that the secrets to the Kingdom are easy enough for a child to understand.
I've often wondered why children were so favored by Jesus. I've wondered if it was for their unashamed social interaction (the kind of fearlessness I see in the Kingdom). I've wondered if it was their humility (the kind that is unavoidable due to their status and the kind that is imperative to being like Christ). Today, as I read this passage in Luke, I wondered if it was for their innate sense of literal obedience to authority (the kind that would lead to unquestioning service of your master).
In regards to the latter, here is something I have observed in the 27 years I have lived on this great terrestrial sphere; the more you study something, the less you are able to take pleasure in the beauty and simplicity of your study. As you become wiser and wiser on your specific study, the more you tend to feel that you know it. The more you feel you know it, the more you tend to feel that you have power over it. The more you feel you have power over it, the less you will tend to find beauty in it (for if you know it and have power over it; it is less than you).
What does this have to do with Jesus and children? We must never lose sight of the fact that at the end of the day, children get "it". As hard as we will study it, as much as we read into it, at the end of each day children understand it. And I think there is something beautiful about a child's literal obedience to a simple call.
I pray that I might learn in humility and that I might become wiser in obedience. Lord, I pray that I might never lose sight of what you have held from the learned and wise and revealed to children. Lord, let me never lose sight of the Kingdom.
John 14:15
"If you love me, you will obey what I command"
Matthew 4:19a
"Come, follow me"
5 comments:
Fantastic words, Brandon.
I might also add that the Mountain Dew you gave me expired September 15, 2005. I didn't realize this until I took a huge swig last night.
I can completely relate to this!
Studying music is a good example of this...but as you learn the ins and outs you see the beauty of it from another side. For instance in Jazz...you learn the structures of the music, and practice arpeggios, polychords, all the modes, and patterns and then you can interact and play with friends to make music with creativity within the structure. It's a rush, fun, and very relational. You can know everything about music theory and be a terrible musician...and also have terrible appreciation of what good music is. Also, you can have a great knowledge of "western" theory but then you start to study hindustani ragas or African rythm and you realize there is mystery on musical analysis...also in regard to aesthetics in music.
I'm sure ministry is the same way in some respects. It's a lot different though too, because you can never know the thoughts of God completely, but you can know a lot more about God than we do when we are children in faith through His revealed Word. I think some of the mandate for this comes from being called to mature in Christ...to go from milk to meat, etc. I can definitely see where you're coming from, and I am praying the same prayer brother! Thank you for modeling humility in your pursuit of theological studies! Also, I have a great article you should check out by B.B. Warfield, if you're interested, on the "The Religious Life of Theological Students"...it rocked me. Let me know. I have a pdf of it I can email to you:)
In Christ
Noah
Wonderful words of wisdom. I empathize with you, as I have experienced this with different things in my own life.
Wanted to say "Hi" also! Miss you guys, but glad to hear you're getting settled.
Started a blog myself, check it out at http://heavenleeheartstrings.blogspot.com
Well said. You could express that thought about diminishing passion and wonder very well as a graph showing an inverse relationship between passion for a subject and time spent studying it.
Oh, and on another note, I got my whistle!!! It started kinda small and pathetic, but its getting better.
ok, random, but true story:
last night i had a dream that i was back at trinity with a task of sharing with a huge room of people something i had learned over the summer. they handed me a megaphone and after much thought, i proceeded to say, "i want to teach you all a game called 'who's in the pan?'"
seriously. thought you'd enjoy.
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