In May, I was in New York listening to a bunch of folks at Redeemer Presbyterian Church talk through the intersection of their faith, their “secular” work, and theological education. At one point in the discussion, a person suggested that maybe what self-sacrificial love looks like in this transient world of ours is committing oneself to a place. I think there was something profound in that answer.
Such a perspective on commitment to community is reiterated in by Ajith Fernando in a fantastic, spot-on, drop-dead-perfect article in this month’s Christianity Today entitled, “To Serve Is to Suffer.”
His thesis is deceptively simple: not only is “suffering” something we should be made “aware of” as “that which happens over there and far away,” but the very character of “vocational fulfillment” in the kingdom of God is tied to service–often, suffering service as we carry forward the mission of the Suffering Servant.
Fernando speaks of the challenges incumbent on ministry, and claims that our post-industrial infatuation with efficiency and measurable results too often draws people away from seeing through callings to hard, pioneering work where tangible, measurable outcomes may reside 10 to 15 years in the future.
But more than this, living out our faith in the developed world that brokers no discomfort, we too often see suffering, discomfort, and pain as indicators that it is time to move on rather than indications that we are finally entering a stage in our relationships where the true transforming power of the gospel might begin to make itself known.
Because we leave when things get difficult, Fernando claims, “The sad result is that Christians do not have the security of a community that will stay by them no matter what happens.” He goes on:
Sticking with people is frustrating. Taking hours to listen to an angry or hurt person seems inefficient. Why should we waste time on that when professionals could do it? So people have counselors to do what friends should be doing.
Inefficiency is not the stuff of rousing report cards sent back to the denomination, but it is the stuff of family. Working through hurt and pain is not the stuff of growth charts, but it is the stuff of the community that brings to bear on its world the gospel movement from death to new life.
About a year ago our house church was going through some difficult relational issues. People would ask us how things were going. The response I developed was this: “We’re having some really hard conflict right now. Which means that we’re healthier than almost any church I’ve ever been in–because we’re actually having the conflict.” I think there’s something to that.
I’m sure you’re getting tired of me mentioning this book, but this is precisely the message (one of them, anyway) of “Luther on Vocation”–vocation is a cross that we take up in service to our neighbor and, just as God’s nature was made most manifest and incarnate in Christ’s cross, so God becomes incarnate in us as we take up our vocational crosses, whether in ministry or in any good and useful work at home or in the marketplace. This is a message that can never be over-preached, I think.
Judy, do you know if there’s a version out there on the interwebs for free? Public domain and all…
No, because it is actually a synthesis of Luther’s somewhat dispersed reflections on the topic. The author is Gustav Wingren (reprint by Wipf & Stock).
I see the Fuller lib. has a copy….
This is one of my favorite of Luther’s contributions to Christian theology. Thanks for mentioning it.