Grace and the conversion of pig's ears into silk purses

Over at the wonderful ASBO Jesus conversation we have found ourselves discussing whether God intervenes to make up for the Christian church's shortcomings.  I found myself remembering a couple of stories that I've been told or been a part of.

Derek, Lyn's son, did not meet up with Lyn for some ten years during his teenage years.  This separation was largely due to a decision made by Lyn, but still it caused great anguish on both parts. At one level, there can be no good that can come from the separation of children from parents, but Lyn told me of the amazing development in Derek over this period. During that ten years he had obviously wanted to spend time with Lyn but couldn't meet up.  Consequently, he had learned how talk, ask questions, give time for answers and be interested in others... (how many teenage boys offer more than a grunt in communication?) A silver lining or a 'severe mercy'?

The second story happened to me. About 5 years ago, I went for a promotion at my previous university. I didn't get the job and the way that I didn't get the job was horrid (a message left for me on a mobile phone answering machine. To make things worse, the message was left on someone else's mobile phone not mine!) There followed a painful period where I had to come to terms with the fact that any chance of progression at that university was over for me and, given my age, I was probably going to struggle to get to another university and get promotion there.  All sorts of 'demons' about my feelings of self worth ripped into me. I spent a miserable year 'plodding on'.  Looking back now, I can have a more balanced reflection on the mistakes that I made and the insensitive folly for the dean of the school there.  What I remember with more gratitude, however, was how God met me in that wilderness and used that time to speak to me in a new way, offering me a new way forward, offering me a new relationship. I'm not sure that I would have heard his still small voice without missing out on that job. I still haven't been promoted. I still struggle with the pain that my vanity and consequent lack of worth from that detail causes me. But there is also a joy in that story, a joy of a relationship recreated, a new pilgrimage started upon and I am glad that that painful year came my way.  CS Lewis wrote of a "severe mercy" I can understand that now.

Sometimes God transforms horrid situations (I think of when he healed my son, Pat of meningitis), but often, he just walks through a situation with us, grace somehow seeping into the situation to bring beauty - maybe not to us, but someone else? And sometimes, I sense that Jesus weeps, sharing the agony of a fractured world; grief stricken that he can not change the situation without denying our freedom... there's a grace to be found in weeping beside our Lord... it changes something in the situation, even if we can't quite spot what it is that has been changed.

Comments

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So, for me, I'm challenged by the high value that I put on success, doing my job well, being praised for doing a good job. It's all too important to me. Now, maybe I could think about giving up my present job and going for a less prestigious one? I think that the work I'm doing is what God has called me to do, but maybe I could do it in a different context (not a university). Now, I might be able to explore that idea further when I go on retreat next week, but I might also be able to experiment with some ideas. Just giving up my job would, I think, be too extreme, but what could I do that would try out a new way of valuing 'success'? Two options spring to mind. I've got to write a report on a project that I've been involved in. I don't think that I'm going to write a good report (too long to explain why) and I've been delaying, putting off the evil day when I'm criticised, and maybe found wanting by colleagues I value, maybe I won't be asked to do a project again? How will I handle that? Secondly, I'm going to try to organise some time over the winter to take my work up to a community house I know well. What will it be like to fit my academic research writing within the rhythms of a 'monastic' day?

So what explorations or experiments could you try to test out your emerging 'ideas'?

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'Who of you is left who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not seem to you like nothing? But now be strong … Be strong, all you people of the land,' declares the LORD, 'and work. For I am with you,' declares the LORD Almighty… And my Spirit remains among you. Do not fear…. and I will fill this house with glory,' says the LORD Almighty. … 'The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,' says the LORD Almighty.

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The second story happened to me. About 5 years ago, I went for a promotion at my previous university. I didn't get the job and the way that I didn't get the job was horrid (a message left for me on a mobile phone answering machine. To make things worse, the message was left on someone else's mobile phone not mine!) There followed a painful period where I had to come to terms with the fact that any chance of progression at that university was over for me and, given my age, I was probably going to struggle to get to another un iversity and get promotion there. All sorts of 'demons' about my feelings of self worth ripped into me. I spent a miserable year 'plodding on'. Looking back now, I can have a more balanced reflection on the mistakes that I made and the insensitive f

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The second story happened to me. About 5 years ago, I went for a promotion at my previous university.

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There followed a painful period where I had to come to terms with the fact that any chance of progression at that university was over for me and, given my age, I was probably going to struggle to get to another un iversity and get promotion there.

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I was probably going to struggle to get to another un iversity and get promotion there.

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Wise man have their mouths in their hearts, fools have their hearts in their mouths.