Connecting

             Oh, the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! (Romans 11:33)

 

            I’ve told several people where I work that I like working there because I get the treat of listening to their lectures. They think they’re just explaining, but I’m blessed with the opportunity to learn. And while I’m no longer impressed with many scientists or experts who seem to talk about themselves and their theories, I’m in awe of folks with lower degrees or no degrees who can explain to others how dirt, fertilizer, or plants work. And it’s not just plant folks. I’ve attended conferences where the speakers spent time with us in the halls and listened as they explained – and felt like crying when they asked me a question and seemed to actually listen to what I said.

            Undoubtedly, there’s someone, or some sort of person, to whom you listen with respect. You know the feeling. And, you might know the feeling of having declared someone a nincompoop, and then discovered that he/she is a leading authority on the subject, and you wonder how.

            In today’s passage, Paul – who is no slouch when it comes to reason, knowledge, or wisdom, waxes enthusiastic about God’s wisdom, knowledge, judgment, and ways. And while I know that what Paul says is true, there seems so little reason to join Paul in his joy in my day-to-day life. Or King David in his. I don’t seem to be able to think deeply about God when I’m cashing out customers or seeing how many boxes I can assemble. Some would say that there’s not enough margin in my life. I must accept that criticism.

            However, what comes to mind is that Paul worked as a tentmaker with Priscilla and Aquilla. He traveled with Barnabas, Timothy, Luke, John Mark, and who knows how many others. He had people he could talk to about God and people who could remind him to think about God. You and I do, too. But sadly, most of the time our discussions about God tend to be like one of two memes I’ve seen. The first is the “awareness-raising” meme that says, “This meme is raising awareness about _____.” The second says something along the lines of “Don’t look back or down, look up.” The problem is that neither provides any content for the person being advised. We think this sort of thing absolves us from having to think of something better to say. We’ve encouraged them! It’s like we’ve given a starving person a Tic Tac. We’ve done our good deed, let them figure out how to make a three-course meal out of it.

            I have no doubt I’m as guilty as anyone else. I don’t want to connect with people. I don’t even what to connect with God – not if it means taking time and effort on my part. But that’s what love does. Love takes time. Love puts forth an effort. Love connects. I suspect most of us need to practice connecting, and one of the things that is involved in that is to stop speaking or meming without content.

            And where will we find that content that lets us connect? We’ll find it by listening to what God – and His disciples say. We’ll find it in Scripture. We’ll find it in the words of others who have followed Christ. We’ll find it by looking  for it.