How are an impatience with the present, herding cows with a Honda Accord and Paul Tillich's Eternal Now connected with leadership? Well, let me explain ....
Lately, I've been caught in a (what I believe to be) common experience of either remembering distant days (wistful pining for the past) or wanting the future to get here ... fast! What has partially precipitated this impatience with the present has been an unsettling series of seemingly unfortunate occurrences with our family fleet of cars. We have had all three of our family automobiles in the shop for 8 different major repairs in the last 1.5 months. Ugh! And, to add tax preparation as well as the busyness of Holy Week and Easter (however blessed this is for a pastor), the present has been somewhat of a burden.
Yet, I've been reminded recently, through my daily prayer and Bible time as well as the wisdom of Eckart Tolle, of the importance of experiencing the full joy and blessing of the "Now." We do not have the past. We do not have the future. The gift that we can most effectively accept and use is the "Now." So, bemoaning the status of our automobiles or wistfully remembering a time when the burdens of the moment were not so great may be okay behaviors in which to temporarily indulge. But, these activities do not help me know the full blessing of the "now."
Paul Tillich in his collection of sermons entitled The Eternal Now writes of the importance of living "in Christ" (a phrase from Paul's letters). When we live "in Christ" we experience every moment in God's presence with the Spirit breathing through us. We taste eternity in every "Now" as a Jesus follower. The issue is whether we attend to this sense of living in God "now" or not ....
So, I want to live in God's "Now" more. Not in the "now" of automobile problems or burdened schedules. I want to live in the fullness of faith and hope and love.
A leader best leads when she lives in this "Now," tasting of the eternity of God and letting the Ultimate Leader (the Spirit) guide her as she listens to God in the "now." History teaches us much wisdom. Future dreaming gives us much energy and hope. But, it is the "Eternal Now" that is THE time for leadership to occur. In this "Now" do we have access to God fully. In this "Now" do we have the ability to follow in Jesus' footsteps. In this "Now" do we have the opportunity to let God's Spirit breathe through us.
Let me illustrate living in this "now" by telling my cow story. It was a late night this last winter. My wife and I were driving to our home in the country. We came upon a familiar intersection about a mile from our home. Our headlights hit upon what seemed to be a dozen pairs of reflecting eyes about 200 feet in front of us and about the height of our car. "What in the world is THAT?!!" we both said. We drove further. And, discovered that it was a small herd of cows that were coming up a gravel road toward the main highway. If they would reach the highway, it might have been a disaster for them and for any vehicle encountering them.
So, not considering the lateness of the hour, not worrying about our future, not hoping for a better time and more convenient conditions (snow was many-feet high all around us), we simply inched our Honda Accord toward the cows, honked its Honda horn, turned the cows around, and moved them forward, down the road. It took about 20 minutes to guide them safely toward the dirt easement that led them to their pasture. We then drove further down the road to the farmer who had responsibility for the cows and told the family about the incident.
The leader takes whatever circumstances and conditions in the "Now" and acts. Leading and herding and guiding others toward safety and "green pastures" (Psalm 23:2) or places in which they can grow and flourish.
May you live in the "Eternal Now" of God's daily gift to you.
What have been "Eternal Now" moments for you?
Thank you for reading and for posting comments ....
Peace, Doug
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Loved the cow story as a good reminder to be alert and present - particularly with those we claim to serve and support in Jesus' name.
ReplyDeleteLoved the cow story having herded a fair number of cows myself, although never with a Honda. Interesting....May I add a similar story and message?
ReplyDeleteAs a child on the farm we'd invariably be eating dinner and the phone would ring with the message or a family member would yell, "The cows are out." The table would clear and we would assume our roles, often coming in much later to a cold dinner. It happened frequently enough that it didn't seem odd to us. But one day a visitor was stupified as the table emptied, not knowing the role that he was to play in this process. I relate parts of this story to several ways in which a church might function in the NOW. One is that despite our best plans, we must be ready and alert to serve the Spirit's call and change our direction. Holding onto our own plans and stability(eating dinner) might just find us doing major repairs (replanting the garden)later because of it. Alternately, the comfort of familiar roles which are not clearly articulated may leave newer or visiting members confused and feeling out of the loop. Here is an opportunity to see with another's perspective, and overtly invite others to step into a role. It's an opportunity to witness, teach, and show compassion. "But I'm not prepared, I haven't thought it over, I'm not a Bible scholar." But the opportunity is NOW. We need to move beyond our comfort zone, and believe that God will equip us with the tools, imperfect as we are, to use the situation to God's glory.
Thanks, Bill.
ReplyDeleteAnd, AMEN! Penni. What a great lesson for our churches!
Peace, Doug