Of Thinking and Revelations

Two days ago, walking home after a fine breakfast with some friends, I was approached by a homeless-looking guy – familiar experience for me. Just as I was rehearsing my friendly but possibly firm response to a request for handout of some kind, he reaches out and hands me a nice saran wrapped Quesadea. Hardly any explanation, just a look of mutuality in his face. He is sharing! I say thank you, aware my wife not at home right now, so lunch plans in place! As I continue the walk home I think a little more about this. Do I look homeless? Was he testing me? Had he seen me before, perhaps a recipient a couple years ago when I was handing out gift cards from Calgary Interfaith? Was God testing me? [I believe in angels you know].

Yesterday we had a sermon in church about a vineyard owner who hired workers throughout the day, morning, afternoon and evening, and at quitting time, end of the day he paid them all the same amount. Why should the early risers be paid same as the afternoon slackers? Good question, poised in Matthew 20 and preached by one of our members who happens to be a financial planner, one who meets daily with clients to plan and be good stewards of their present earnings. Our preacher of the morning identified this as a perfect illustration of what is expected of us at end of our days. It is not just an hours of service calculation. Longtime faithfulness or last minute faith commitment are equally important to our God who deals in grace. It was a sermon helping us not only with values and inner demeanor, including our attitude to one another, whatever the income bracket or financial situation. This coming from one in our midst added a special clarity easily understood by all. Lessons are everywhere. Sometimes beggars are gift givers, and experts will speak simple basic truths.

These last several months my faith community, the Mennonites, have been celebrating our history, “Anabaptism at 500.” As the celebrations got going, I suddenly, surprisingly have become more intrigued by the larger church history picture. Especially as there are some considerable variations in that sixteenth century narrative, it is obvious that our chapter (these 500 years), is not a full descript of what the Kingdom should be like! Ours is but part of the larger story, no matter how much we try to detail those exciting beginnings. Yes, it’s been an interesting 500 years, but as most celebrations go, the focus has been on us, even though our version is only one quarter of the 2000 years of denominationalism immediately following the resurrection of Jesus Christ (3000 years for the Mormons who were already in America at the time of Jesus). 

How is God communicating with us? As a Mennonite (yes one of those Anabaptists) I claim, and still very much appreciate, the belief that God is never satisfactorily understood via explanations; it must be by experience. This means we do not depend exclusively on systematic theologians to tell us how the incarnation works or how salvation was wrought by Jesus dying on the cross (although to varying degrees considerable emphasis on that in our circles also). Nope, beyond declarative explanations we have need to listen anew for what God may be telling us now, including implications for discipleship. We believe Jesus’ death was a consequence of His life and teachings, and to accept Jesus as savior is not merely a transaction to purchase salvation, but invitation to follow his teachings, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me”(Luke 9:23 NIV).

Our emphasis to follow Jesus as both Savior and Lord is interpreted as added legalisms by many fellow Christians, including Mormon friends who definitely claim the Savior but advocate going to war so as to protect God and country, Indeed there are scriptures which suggest that we not become too diligent or preoccupied with the good things we do - E.g. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). We have been saved... and indeed by grace and not by works. This is a scripture readily touted by those who would disagree with Anabaptists, Quakers, Jehovah's Witnesses and others of a peace stance because we have seemingly added some works, like pacifism. The rebuttal which us pacifists can offer our fundamentalist and/or conservative Christian friends is that they also live with an inferred works obligation, military service (and for Mormons an extra docket of requirements to get into a 'good place' in heaven). It's complicated. 

Pointing out these two differing perspectives among Christians can easily sound like old hat. Yes, to this day I still see the avoidance of these testy faith topics so as not to spoil a family dinner! Why bother replaying these old debating points? Why? Because this is not old! It is new; alive and contemporary especially in today's many different cultures of Christianity. We do not necessarily represent all viewpoints when we sit at family dinner table! Good example; I have several Christian friends in Calgary's South Sudanese community. These brothers and sisters affirm the peace position of us Anabaptists. However, from the relative safety of Canadian coffee shops, the atrocities by the 'other side' in their home country has become  legitimate reason to enter into tribal warfare. They see it as absolutely essential in order to create some order among the chaos back home. Old hat? Not at all; quite similar to many North American Christians today trying to justify the genocide being inflicted by the secular state of Israel on the citizens of Gaza.

So why hypothesize here? Certainly not because I am a debater nor a strategic thinker; only as illustration of what I hear and read about in the news and social media every day. The challenge is stringently before us. Speaking as a contemporary Christian committed to Jesus as Savior and Lord, the question is very valid, “How is God communicating with us?” A good sermon from a layperson is one example. And as indicated in recent posts, holy silence also important [i], and so are those surprise special unexplainable kairos moments [ii] which may well be the voice of God. So here we are, us Anabaptists fully part of, and also some differences with the larger Christian community. Among all these blogposts and dinner conversations I cannot but wonder about revelation. Yes, the R word, and I shall conclude with that..

According to sacred texts, God spoke to Moses at a burning bush, to John on the Isle of Patmos in the Bible's final Revelation, to Mohammed at Mecca, to Joseph Smith in New York. [.And there are more]. I wonder how our God - "I am who I am" (Exodus 3:14), and "from everlasting to everlasting" (Psalm 90:2 et al) is communicating to all, including those in other faith communions. No big tome for now, but I posit this because I must, and fully aware of another teaching of Jesus, quite humbling actually, "Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven“(Matthew 7:21). 

That's it for now. These paragraphs have come because I was energized by a sermon telling me to throw a little grace into my values, and also the homeless guy who provided my lunch the other day.

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[i] “And then a Moment of Silence”, https://www.jcfroomthoughts.blogspot.com/. July 13, 2025.

[ii] “Magic Words”, https://www.jcfroomthoughts.blogspot.com. August 16, 2025.

Magic Words

Interesting how old memories suddenly come to life years and years later.  I have one memory which is but a tiny incident, clear as a bell in my brain even though threescore and ten years ago – almost ancient history. I was in elementary school, one room country school house, grades one to eight and a few grade nine correspondence students, grand total of about 30 farm kids all in one room. I think I was in grade four, and one day our teacher was in conversation with the grade oners. “What is the magic word?” “Please.” “Yes, let’s all say it together." Just like that all the rest of us, everybody in that one room, we got to enjoy the little ones cheerfully repeating their life lesson. Nobody could deny they were learning a good thing.

Magic words; they do something hard to explain. It’s sort of an access code, a password to inspiration? motivation? picker upper? Whatever the descript, there are more examples that come to mind. I am aware of a word – words - that have become magic recently just because of habit. I take a walk every morning. Almost every day there will be at least one or even several encounters with people walking their dogs. Interesting, you can almost tell whether a person is anxious or confident about the creature at other end of the leash. I intentionally try for a little face contact and a greeting with the human if it seems right. On almost all occasions, even if the human is cacooned, I follow with another greeting, “Hi pooch.” That is followed by a little chuckle or other pleasant sound from the human and the winning look or tailwag from the canine. Then it is an occasion, perhaps to be followed by some pleasantries conversation or just lighter steps each continuing on our way.

And yet … even as I can think of a few more examples there is a waning thought, and the discerning reader may also be thinking so. It’s not only words! Several of my recent blogposts lean towards the giftedness of silence and the futility of noise especially in repeated restaurant or watering hole settings, where words are mere tools of restlessness. Words uttered at high volume and multiplied ad nausea are not magic. They are irritating, suggesting to me that I best broaden out this image of magic. Yes, magic moments are fully there in those several occasions just described, but magic exists in a context way beyond words, and probably worth looking at.

In my Bible is a telltale about words. In Genesis 11 God needs to deal with overt ambition among those early humans, fancy schemes and plans leading to no good, "Come, let us go down, and confuse their language there, so that they will not understand one another’s speech" (:7). On that occasion, although words may have been important in accomplishing many tasks, a great disservice was rendered when coming with questionable motivation from the wrong source.

I remember another incident, a college classroom setting, this a number of years later, but also kind of once upon a time. It is Dr. David Schroeder [i] explaining something about movement of time. I see him sitting beside his desk in front of the class speaking in his gentle plodding manner, fully focused on the lesson of the day. Nobody was bored in this full classroom of young adults as he spoke. There is kronos, time moving along (tik tok tik tok), and there is kairos, an occasion which is a special moment somewhere in that time flow. It may be an incident, an inspiration, healing, or even a crisis or disappointment. It is a blic in time, perhaps beyond comprehension but somehow recognized as special. Words cannot quite describe it. The Bible, of course is not a mere chronology of events; it is a recording of those significant moments. [To this day an invaluable lesson. I wish many of today’s Christians might have been in that classroom on that day]. Perhaps we can think of kairos moments as magic moments - slightly more inclusive and perhaps more accurate than magic words.

I am in need of one of those moments, any day soon would be fine! The daily news is not good. I read headlines in New York Times and at times find myself relieved that so far the President of the United States has not yet curtailed this historic informative news publication. The era of us good lifers, post WW2 baby boomers, is nearing its end. A new way is descending on us (possibly WW3)? Interestingly as I write these words, U.S. and Russian Presidents are in meeting in Alaska, the northernmost state once purchased from Russia – providing for all to see an image not so remote from Donald Trump’s proffers of purchasing Canada. 😬 Among all these high-power games and sabre rattling I find myself in many minority opinion-casts; family members and friends, fellow Christians rising up in offensive defense whenever I state my apprehension about the autocrat the Americans have re-elected for themselves, now in office and indeed as dangerous to democracy as predicted. I write now in slightly more contentious times than at beginning of these blogs a few years ago when I promised lightheartedly I would “say it as I sees it.” Is there a kairos or magic moment?

Given the current socio-political environment along with both fearmongering and also avoidance stances, there are options. In recent conversation with a friend we agreed that we have reason for thanksgiving. Options are a luxury we still have; many in this world do not  (e.g. Ukraine, Gaza, South Sudan). Mostly we still have the freedom to worship God, the One above many names, who is ”from everlasting to everlasting” as cited in Psalm103:17 and a whole number of other places. Even among us believers we are many-striped in our devotion, including those who hail once more the end of time, not at all unlike one of the variances proclaimed back there in the sixteenth century [ii] and a number of times since. In these times-a-changing (again), and even as I appreciate those simple "everlasting" words, I hope and pray that we not be so busy philosophizing, predicting, and doing things that we miss the kairos moment.

I am ready to begin a kairos exchange, looking for ‘blics’, perhaps little testimonials about a life-changer moment either personal or observation of something happening around us. If a moment comes to mind and you are willing to share on this platform, I would enjoy reading it in Comments below. If you prefer a personal note, I am also there in FB Messenger. Please?

Addendum

It is now several days after I pressed the publish button. This morning's Bible reading revealed to me an error in my 'thinker' and therefore a slight miscommunication in this post. My request for a kairos exchange is a mistake - and similar to an error made by the disciple Peter after Jesus was transfigured before them on the mountain.  A very convincing kairos moment, I would say, including an appearance by the Old Testament Saints, Moses and Elijah. As recorded in Matthew 17, Peter the high-energy slightly impulsive disciple so cozy and so convinced about this divine occasion that he offers to build a couple of booths (:5 RSV, shelters NIV) for Jesus, for Moses and for Elijah - just to make it all very clear! "No need, no need", my wife and I both agreed as we talked about this scripture. Mountain top experiences need not be demonstrated with statues or buildings or smart headlines or...  and neither do kairos moments need to be lined up in a kairos exchange, 😌 I thought to myself. Even with that transfiguration drama, the invitation to the disciples, and to us, comes from within a cloud, ‘This is my Son, the beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!’ (:5b). The best way is simply to speak with one another of what the Beloved may be telling us. 

[i] David Schroeder (1924 – 2015) longtime professor at Canadian Mennonite Bible College (now CMU). See more on topic in one of his publications, Learning to Know the Bible (Scottdale, PA: Herald Press, 1967).

[ii] William Loewen, Free Radicals, a historical podcast highlighting events from the fringes of church history. https://www.freeradicalspod.com/.