Simplicity

     Greetings in the name of our Living Lord.  I think I am finally getting a handle on the balance of work, school, homework, and friends.  Classes are going well and I am especially enjoying my one on the Bible in the Early Church.  It is with Dr. Kloha and I just really appreciate how he puts things.  The other day in class I had a moment that is forcing me to admit something my friends have been trying to get me to admit for quite some time now.  The Lord has given me a gift for taking deep theological ideas and putting them into very simplistic ways of speaking.  I am just a simple man with a simple mind, and so I for my own benefit must understand the complicated things we are talking about in class in a more simple way.  However, it is then easier for me to explain these simple concepts to others to help them see the more complicated things as well.  We were discussing how one of the early church fathers described the Bible as pieces of glass.  Each verse or passage is a piece of glass, and when you fit all of these pieces together you get a mosaic picture of a king (or Jesus).  So the whole of Scripture is working together to show us this picture of Jesus, the King.  However, this church father said that early heretics were using the same pieces of glass, the same scriptures, and rearranging them to make a picture of a fox or a dog.  So we were discussing this idea of how do we make sure we are properly interpreting scripture to still show the picture of the King.  We also discusses some of the church writers who were not heretics but still had a few things that just went a little different route.  So sticking with the same analogy, we were trying to figure out how to talk about how these guys were moving pieces around so that the picture of the King was still there but just not as clear.  The most simple idea came to my mind and so I spoke up.  I said that if you have this picture of the king, you will most likely have a background to give the picture of the king some context.  I said this fits with scripture because not every word of the scripture points directly to Christ. These are a lot of historical records and stories that are included as well.  So I said what some guys or writings, like the Epistle of Barnabas, are doing is trying to take the pieces of the background and force them into the king, which then distorts the picture of the king.  My friend Stein who sits next to me and is a literal genius, looked at me in shock.  To me this was so simple I don't know how no one else didn't think of it, but I guess  I just have to admit that the Good Lord uses my simple-mindedness to help explain some things in a unique way.
       Other than that I am just taking life one day at a time.  I have now had my first two placement interviews.  I was beginning to get anxious and nervous of the whole process and thought of being an actual pastor; however, these interviews really helped to calm my nerves and realize, one it is still several months until May and that the Lord is with me wherever I go, and in whatever I do.
      I do have to admit fourth year is just a weird year of my life.  I miss vicarage and want to be back out in the ministry just working instead of being in classes, and yet I can't actually imagine what life will be like once I know I am completely done with classes and am no longer a student.  It is good to be back with all the guys both from my class and the new guys of the 1st and 2nd years.  The brotherhood that is formed in this place is like no other I have ever found anywhere.  Vicarage also helps you learn how important those relationships are and how strong they need to be once you leave this place and are out doing full time ministry.  It is a unique part of our formation.
      I am just going to leave you with this idea for the day, just something to keep int he back of your mind and ponder on.  Who has been the biggest influence on you as you strive every day to live your Christian faith in your actions and words?  Who is that one person (or maybe a couple people) who just lived life in such a way that you stopped and told yourself, "Now that is a Christian man or woman"?  It is something I have been thinking about a lot lately and it is a good thing I believe to remember all those special people God puts in your life to be a blessing to you and your faith.  Blessings on your week as you try to be a person that can influence others in their faith.  In Christ our Lord, Amen.