Dear Friends,

            My favorite journal, The Christian Century, to which I was introduced as a student at Iliff in 1972 by the pastor who was my supervisor for my Field Education piece, continues to provide me with food for thought, material that touches my spirit and deepens my faith in the God we know in Christ. I refer you to the “Century Marks”, p. 8, “What Abe Might Say” article in the February 24th issue.

            This feature notes what a Lincoln biographer thinks President Lincoln might say to the current occupant of the Oval Office. “… Take time for contemplation and reflection amidst the pressures of the office. Don’t rush into solutions for the formidable problems. Value ambiguity, the ability to see reality in its complexity- that is a sign of humility, not weakness….”  Sounds like equally valid counsel for we who seek to serve in the Church today in 2009, as well.

            Is there any among us today who minister in the Body of Christ who do not wish we had a few more moments each day to reflect… plan… act with more intentionality to  the ever-increasingly frenetic demands for our attention today?  When we simply respond to the cacophony of noises, we are more reactive than thoughtful, more seeking to respond to the loudest noise instead of reflecting well-thought out responses to the issues that impinge upon us and those whom we serve.

            In our increasingly complex and inter-dependent world, when we simply react with little more than a fleeting thought, we run a greater risk of having the problems we’re dealing with become more difficult to resolve and more painful to deal with… before the next crisis de jour manages to distract us. While it is rare that we know all the facts before we need to make a response, we should not react too instinctively, either, for we can often find ourselves needlessly making a difficult choice that much tougher.

             We clergy… and other religious leaders… often find it difficult to embrace ambiguity… for a variety of reasons. One is the notion that our faith gives us certainty. Another is that we tell ourselves that good leaders must be decisive and not hesitate in making strong and clear-cut decisions. However, the older I become and the longer I serve, the more comfortable I become with the notion of “ambiguity” and “mystery”.
I’m also persuaded that our better decisions often come about when we take time to listen: to God, each other… and especially those who see the world… or the situation at hand… differently than I do. If I can set aside my need for certainty, my idolatry of self and the ill-advised need for certainty, I have found that the decisions are better, there is more “ownership” by all people involved and there often is something closer to “justice” as an end result of our deliberations.

            So what do you think? How might your ministry be different, maybe better, if…

            *   You spent more time in contemplation and reflection?

            *    You could see reflection and contemplation not as an interruption to your
                  decision-making, but an integral part of it?

            *    You could see that complex issues have always been with us… and we do
                   little good for God’s reign by prematurely pushing simple answers on very
                   complex issues?

            *    You could see ambiguity as a gift from God… and not as one more thing we
                   need to wrestle into submission?

            As always, I invite your questions or comments. How can we help each other to better embrace these truths for our season of service? May Christ’s spirit bless you and all you serve in this Lenten Season.

Shalom,

Tom Macaulay
District Superintendent