Brotherhood Offerings
Last night's Bible school sessions produced another gem I would like to pass on.
The object lesson this time involved measuring devices from Susanna's kitchen, plus a white enamel pitcher and a ceramic-like serving bowl. One by one, Ernest lined them up on the table on the platform--a glass two-cup measure, a plastic two-cup measure, smaller cup measures in plastic and stainless steel, then an aluminum tablespoon measure. With input from the audience, he listed what is similar about each of the measuring containers, after noting that they have differences--in size, in what they are made of, in beauty, in shape, etc. but all of them started out empty and, after he carefully poured water from the pitcher into each one, they were filled.
From Romans 12:3, we learned about the measure of faith, which comes to people by hearing, which comes by the Word of God. The object lesson, the Scripture, and the suggested truths all related to how the Spirit of God speaks to the church--one of the themes related to "Growing by the Word"--the overall subject for this Bible school term.
People acquire a measure of faith by hearing, and hearing comes by the Word of God. Each person in a brotherhood receives "water" from the Word, and each, in turn, will bring this "water" in whatever measure it was received, and offer it for the good of the whole. To illustrate this, Ernest emptied the water from each of the containers into the bowl. Then he asked if there was a volunteer who would come up and retrieve the same water that was originally contained in one of the measuring vessels. The impossibility was obvious, just as is true when people bring their own "offerings" of Spiritual insight into the context of brotherhood. Each individual offering melds together into a whole that contains a wealth of insight. The blending softens the lines between varying opinions, and after the process is complete, no one can retrieve intact their own original offering, for it has been changed (moderated or enhanced, perhaps) by the offerings of others.
Ernest referenced briefly the fact that the concept of brotherhood in a body of believers was one of the defining characteristics of early Anabaptism. This contrasted sharply with the top-down heirarchy of authority present in the organized church the Anabaptists came out of.
One illustration we heard last night provided a picture for how brotherhood offerings can work. Ernest was in Nicaragua recently when a group of Omar's brothers gathered on the eve of his meeting with a US investigator who was coming into the country to interview Omar. I wrote about Omar's story (I used another name.) in an earlier blog post with the title "Most Wanted Christian Brother." Omar had made himself known as the person who committed a murder years ago in California, and a lot of uncertainty surrounded upcoming events, especially since his willingness to talk had the potential of implicating others who did not wish to be exposed.
In the meeting with Omar, each of the Christian brothers provided input on what they believed was the right course of action. Widely divergent opinions emerged. Late in the process, one quiet brother, Marcelino, said simply that he had come across a Scripture that morning that he thought might help Omar. He gave the Scripture. The group disbanded without a consensus having been reached. Pablo, the pastor, told Omar that he would have to arrive at a decision himself.
That night Omar wrestled mightily with his decision. (The decision to follow through with restitution was not in question, but the particulars of how to do it were not clear, especially because of a threat on his life if he met with the investigator.) Then he recalled the Scripture humble Marcelino had shared, and he found clarity.
Ernest told us that he has, on occasions when an issue was being discussed that involved a lot of emotion, told individuals that they are welcome to share their thoughts, but that they should quiet their hearts before they do so. Insuring a good outcome when testiness (pride?) lies just beneath the surface of brotherhood interactions, sometimes requires that kind of leadership.
In general, when issues are being considered in a group context, I am all for getting things "on the table" where they can be examined, challenged, argued, supported, dissected, clarified, etc.
I'm not worried about it being a hurly-burly process if I feel assured that there is an underlying unity of commitment to finding the Lord's will, underlying humility before all, and respect for others. But I know the feeling too of wishing that a particularly outrageous contribution would be promptly countered--by someone who has more authority than I do.
Ernest's "measure-of-faith offering" picture is compelling. Now if I can just figure out what this means for a Beachy woman whose husband is not likely to speak his own mind, or even less likely, his wife's mind, in a public gathering. . . . The unity of commitment, the humility, the respect--those are clear. But my individual offering--when to speak what I understand God to be saying--for that I'll have to continue to rely on the Spirit's promptings in each individual situation. He knows a safe route through the minefield of Proper Gender Roles. I don't always.
When I think about it, that really isn't second-best at all. Perhaps the willingness to live with ambiguity can be one of my brotherhood offerings. The measure of faith I have been given so far allows for that.
The object lesson this time involved measuring devices from Susanna's kitchen, plus a white enamel pitcher and a ceramic-like serving bowl. One by one, Ernest lined them up on the table on the platform--a glass two-cup measure, a plastic two-cup measure, smaller cup measures in plastic and stainless steel, then an aluminum tablespoon measure. With input from the audience, he listed what is similar about each of the measuring containers, after noting that they have differences--in size, in what they are made of, in beauty, in shape, etc. but all of them started out empty and, after he carefully poured water from the pitcher into each one, they were filled.
From Romans 12:3, we learned about the measure of faith, which comes to people by hearing, which comes by the Word of God. The object lesson, the Scripture, and the suggested truths all related to how the Spirit of God speaks to the church--one of the themes related to "Growing by the Word"--the overall subject for this Bible school term.
People acquire a measure of faith by hearing, and hearing comes by the Word of God. Each person in a brotherhood receives "water" from the Word, and each, in turn, will bring this "water" in whatever measure it was received, and offer it for the good of the whole. To illustrate this, Ernest emptied the water from each of the containers into the bowl. Then he asked if there was a volunteer who would come up and retrieve the same water that was originally contained in one of the measuring vessels. The impossibility was obvious, just as is true when people bring their own "offerings" of Spiritual insight into the context of brotherhood. Each individual offering melds together into a whole that contains a wealth of insight. The blending softens the lines between varying opinions, and after the process is complete, no one can retrieve intact their own original offering, for it has been changed (moderated or enhanced, perhaps) by the offerings of others.
Ernest referenced briefly the fact that the concept of brotherhood in a body of believers was one of the defining characteristics of early Anabaptism. This contrasted sharply with the top-down heirarchy of authority present in the organized church the Anabaptists came out of.
One illustration we heard last night provided a picture for how brotherhood offerings can work. Ernest was in Nicaragua recently when a group of Omar's brothers gathered on the eve of his meeting with a US investigator who was coming into the country to interview Omar. I wrote about Omar's story (I used another name.) in an earlier blog post with the title "Most Wanted Christian Brother." Omar had made himself known as the person who committed a murder years ago in California, and a lot of uncertainty surrounded upcoming events, especially since his willingness to talk had the potential of implicating others who did not wish to be exposed.
In the meeting with Omar, each of the Christian brothers provided input on what they believed was the right course of action. Widely divergent opinions emerged. Late in the process, one quiet brother, Marcelino, said simply that he had come across a Scripture that morning that he thought might help Omar. He gave the Scripture. The group disbanded without a consensus having been reached. Pablo, the pastor, told Omar that he would have to arrive at a decision himself.
That night Omar wrestled mightily with his decision. (The decision to follow through with restitution was not in question, but the particulars of how to do it were not clear, especially because of a threat on his life if he met with the investigator.) Then he recalled the Scripture humble Marcelino had shared, and he found clarity.
Ernest told us that he has, on occasions when an issue was being discussed that involved a lot of emotion, told individuals that they are welcome to share their thoughts, but that they should quiet their hearts before they do so. Insuring a good outcome when testiness (pride?) lies just beneath the surface of brotherhood interactions, sometimes requires that kind of leadership.
In general, when issues are being considered in a group context, I am all for getting things "on the table" where they can be examined, challenged, argued, supported, dissected, clarified, etc.
I'm not worried about it being a hurly-burly process if I feel assured that there is an underlying unity of commitment to finding the Lord's will, underlying humility before all, and respect for others. But I know the feeling too of wishing that a particularly outrageous contribution would be promptly countered--by someone who has more authority than I do.
Ernest's "measure-of-faith offering" picture is compelling. Now if I can just figure out what this means for a Beachy woman whose husband is not likely to speak his own mind, or even less likely, his wife's mind, in a public gathering. . . . The unity of commitment, the humility, the respect--those are clear. But my individual offering--when to speak what I understand God to be saying--for that I'll have to continue to rely on the Spirit's promptings in each individual situation. He knows a safe route through the minefield of Proper Gender Roles. I don't always.
When I think about it, that really isn't second-best at all. Perhaps the willingness to live with ambiguity can be one of my brotherhood offerings. The measure of faith I have been given so far allows for that.
posted by Mrs. I at
6:15 AM
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