Going backward to go forward…

I got the family van stuck in a snowdrift yesterday. Not big-time stuck, just sorta not-going-anywhere stuck. No big deal…I grew up in this climate, and learned to drive in the snow. So I did the things that I’ve learned work – cleared away the snow that was hanging the vehicle up, and then backing up a little bit to make a sort of path so that I could gain momentum, overcome the obstacle of the snow in front of me, and move forward. It worked, and I was able to drive myself out of the predicament.

Sometimes, in life and faith formation as in driving, it seems like we have to go backward to go forward. We get hung up and stop making progress, and we have to step out of the comfort of the way we thought things were to face discomfort, unless we want to stay stuck where we are until we run out of gas and die. (Sorry, that came out grimmer than I thought it would. Still…)

This week we are going to continue exploring the question “Who Is Jesus?”, with a bit of a side trip into linguistics and the process of learning a new language. So if you are feeling stuck, or even if you think it might be amusing (in a “spectator sport” kind of way) to watch other people rock back and forth, trying to get unstuck, come out on Sunday morning. The coffee is tasty, the goodie tray is the best kind of roulette, and the company is outstanding. The teaching…well, that depends on how deeply stuck in the snowdrift the guy at the front is.

Peace,

Tim