Having read a little bit of Søren Kierkegaard’s writing I’m coming to the conclusion that he was a fan of geese. Certainly, I’ve so far discovered at 4 parables based around the practices of geese. I read this one earlier today in Threshold of the Future by Michael Riddell. It’s my favourite of the geese parables I’ve read so far!
A certain flock of geese lived together in a barnyard with great high walls around it. Because the corn was good and the barnyard was secure, these geese would never take a risk. One day a philosopher goose came among them. He was a very good philosopher and every week they listened quietly and attentively to his learned discourses. “My fellow travellers on the way of life,” he would say, “Can you seriously imagine that this barnyard, with great high walls around it, is all there is to existence?”
“I tell you, there is another and greater world outside, a world of which we are only dimly aware. Our forefathers knew of this outside world. For did they not stretch their wings and fly across the trackless wastes of desert and ocean, of green valley and wooded hill? But alas, here we remain in this barnyard, our wings folded and tucked into our sides, as we are content to puddle in the mud, never lifting our eyes to the heavens which should be our home.”
The geese thought this was very fine lecturing. “How poetical,” they thought. “How profoundly existential. What a flawless summary of the mystery of existence.” Often the philosopher spoke of the advantages of flight, calling on the geese to be what they were. After all, they had wings, he pointed out. What were the wings for, but to fly with? Often he reflected on the beauty and wonder of life outside the barnyard, and the freedom of the skies.
And every week the geese were uplifted, inspired, moved by the philosopher’s message. They hung on his every word. They devoted hours, weeks, months to a thoroughgoing analysis and critical evaluation of his doctrine. They produced learned treatises on the ethical and spiritual implications of flight. All this they did. But one thing they never did. They did not fly! For the corn was good and the barnyard was secure!
He has said this so eloquently I won’t even try to add anything of my own! It speaks for itself.
Zoe has been doing some tidying this afternoon in preparation for the eventual packing that we need to do. In doing so she came across a piece of paper where I had made some notes quite awhile ago now.
Several months ago now we had an interesting meeting at Riga 1. It was completely different from the normal and involved us breaking up into small groups to talk about some of the things that Sarah had just been teaching about. I found myself in a group made up of my good friend Steve, two Latvian speakers and one older Russian speaking lady. Because of the all the translation we didn’t get very far down the list of questions, but we didn’t really need to.
The first discussion point was to do people who seem to believe that what is going to happen is “written in the stars”. It didn’t take much for us to all agree that this was not the case and that to some extent we all have the opportunity to influence our own lives for the good. This even goes for those who are disadvantaged in some way, even though it might be difficult. It was then that the old Russian lady came out with a gem of a comment:
When you’re down on your knees you have to stand up. Our job is to encourage and support people to stand!”
What a wonderful concept that is! People who have been brought to their knees due to difficult circumstances are not necessarily ready to stand on their own. If we force them to stand by dragging them to their feet they are likely to collapse again as soon as we let go. Isn’t it better for us to be beside them on their knees and gently encourage them to stand and be ready to catch them if they start to fall again? Isn’t that what showing love to others should be like?
It’s official! Having 2 small children and a full time job are not compatible with being someone who loves reading! I have now been struggling to slowly get through the same short book for about 3 weeks. The problem is that the only available time is just before going to bed, at which point I’m simply too tired to read for any decent length of time!
It doesn’t help that my books to read pile is getting progressively taller and that doesn’t begin to include the books I’d like to read that I don’t own yet!
So if and when I do get a chance I’ll be reading:
In Darkest England and the Way Back In - Gary Bishop
The Prophetic Imagination - Walter Brueggemann
How (Not) to Speak of God - Pete Rollins
Red Moon Rising - Pete Grieg & Dave Roberts
A Third Testament - Malcolm Muggeridge
I Believe in the Dawn - Edward Read
Discipleship - David Watson
Revolution - Aaron White & Stephen Court
Church Next - Eddie Gibbs & Ian Coffey
The list is not exhaustive, but are the ones I’m particularly looking forward to in the coming weeks and, more realistically, months. The two that jump out of those more than others are Muggeridge’s ‘A Third Testament’ thanks to a great article at theRubicon recently and Gibbs/Coffey’s ‘Church Next’ which I had to read the first chapter of at my assessment conference back in February and found fascinating.
I’ve been thinking a lot about my new appointment and have wondered exactly what it is that the Lord has in store for me while I’m there. Those who know me best would tell you that I am passionate about making disciples and about issues of justice. This seemed to be heading towards a ministry in places where the Army has always been at home, in the places where poverty is obvious, where the social problems are evident in society.
However, suddenly I find myself heading off to a pleasant historic town, as corps leader of a small corps, probably only for one year.
Yet as I reflect on my calling, I cannot help but remember how Zoe & I have discussed the possibility of moving to a market town type place. Not too small, but not too big! As I reflect I realise that there are people heading to hell in all areas of society, and that we in The Salvation Army sometimes forget that people came to us from all echelons of society in our earliest days, not just the ’submerged tenth’.
So I am constantly asking at the moment, “Lord what do you want of me?”
And so the most significant weekend in my almost 6 years in Latvia is over. Last night we witnessed the commissioning of 6 new officers of The Salvation Army. It was, without doubt, one of the most emotional and inspirational meetings I have ever been in. I’m sure the only commissioning that will ever top this one will be my own! The presence of the Spirit was evident and you felt a sense that there was a smile on the face of God at the obvious enthusiasm and depth of feeling of these 6 covenanted Heralds of the Good News!
This commissioning takes the officer total in Latvia from 8 to 14, and if you exclude the foreigners it makes it from 2 to 8, which is a significant increase. They have been 18 months in training but many more years in preparation and these 6 men and women from God have a mighty task! However, what is very clear is that they believe in a mighty God, through whose Spirit they will be able to accomplish the task He has for them.
The task ahead of them is incredible. 2 will be building up a Russian speaking ministry in Riga which is a city in which more than 50% of the population speak Russian as a first language. 2 will be off to a corps that has shrunk significantly in recent years, but has just moved to a new location and has great potential. 1 will be leaving the city behind and working in two deeply impoverished small towns where the Army is the only expression of the Church. The last will be building up the youth work in Latvia’s second city as well as being involved in developing the Lord’s work through the Army in some of the most impoverished areas of Latvia, along with the current corps officers.
God bless the newest captains of The Salvation Army and God bless His Army in Latvia and across the world!
At the end of a long post in my Google Reader this morning I came across the following gem of a prayer from Thomas Merton. Despite knowing where we will be living in just over 2 months much about the corps in Godalming is still totally unknown, as if the future beyond the middle of next year. So I’m joining with Thomas Merton to pray:
MY LORD GOD, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it. Therefore I will trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.
I pray that this will be my constant prayer at all stages of my walk with the Lord.
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