Thinking | 1

I’ve been thinking more about this idea of Phronesis and what it means to collectively think, feel and act like christ as a body. I’ve decided I’m going to start an ongoing series of blog posts that focus on one of the three specifically. Some may be long and some may just be a quick thought that relate to one of them. Either way, I hope they help us all figure out what it means to be a priest in the Kingdom of Heaven.

I like to think one of the things that the disciples thought, or maybe even whispered to each other (a dangerous thing to do around Jesus), as they listened to Jesus speak and watched him minister is “Seriously, what the junk is this guy thinking?” which probably led to the question “and what the junk are we thinking following him around?” These are naive questions, but I’d say they are great questions, even for the most mature of Kingdom citizens. Seriously, what was Jesus thinking? and what are we doing following him?

Back when I was in high school, Louie Giglio was speaking at a summer event series called Passion on the Hill. I went with several friends for a few of them and during one of them, while Louie was speaking, I noticed that one of the people I was with was frantically digging through her purse, then carefully checking her pockets, the ground around her, then back to her purse. She was obviously missing something and obviously not at all engaged in what was happening on stage. I asked her what was up and she said she couldn’t find her keys, which was kind of important because we came in her car. I told her not to worry because, since she drove, they had to be somewhere among us. Even still, she couldn’t focus. I’m sure there were a hundred different “what ifs” running through her head. What if someone stole them and took my car? What if I dropped them in a drainage grate? What if I never brought them in the first place and I managed to power the car with supernatural electrical pulses from my fingers and if I touch someone, they’ll die? Okay, the last one there is pretty absurd but you get the idea. In his book, The Way To Love, Anthony De Mello shares a very similar story of someone who is in a concert hall listening to a beautiful symphony and realizes they left their car unlocked. They’re so anxious about what could happen that they can’t enjoy the music. One of my favorite songwriters, David Wilcox, describes the same sentiment talking about someone who goes to the store to buy something specific, but gets distracted by “blue light specials” and after checking out, realizes they forgot the one thing they came in for. This has happened to me and it’s probably happened to you.

This is what life is like. We’re here for one reason and yet, we’re distracted so much by attachments that don’t really matter. Sometimes we’re so concerned about something like car keys that we completely lose sight of the bigger picture. We start thinking about protecting and maintaining our attachments (they can be material things, people, ideas, religions, etc.) that our role as agents of the Kingdom fades into obscurity. There’s beautiful music playing, yet, we’d rather listen to the noise. We run into the store for toothpaste and come out having spent hundreds on.. what did we buy again? We think ourselves into situations like this all the time.

This is how we think. Jesus thinks differently. He doesn’t get distracted by things that don’t really matter, even good things, or good works. He doesn’t let them get in the way of the purpose for which he was sent. Check out what Jesus does in Luke 4:31-44. He goes into a town called Capernaum to talk about the Kingdom. He goes to a synagogue and drives a demon out of a man, then to Simon’s house and heals his mother-in-law of a high fever. Then all kinds of people start coming to him to be healed of various things. The next morning, the crowd of people finds Jesus again and tries to convince him to stay, as there likely were many more people to be healed, people who believed in him and wanted to hear about the Kingdom. In verse 43, Jesus responds “I must proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.” (emphasis mine) Jesus doesn’t stay to heal more people. He leaves. The people were probably wondering “Jesus, what are you thinking? There are more sick people here, more people in need.” He’s thinking about the big picture. He knows there will always be another person to healed, or another sermon to preach, but he always remembers what he’s really here for and he’s not afraid to walk away from even good things to keep the Kingdom first. There’s something bigger he’s concerned about.

Another way this way of thinking is evident is something brilliant Luke repeats several times throughout his gospel. In Luke 9:51, he says that “as the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.” So here’s a goal, a destination, a very important one. Now, a LOT takes place before Jesus arrives at the gates of Jerusalem, 10 chapters of things. He visits a lot of people in different towns. He heals them, tells them about the Kingdom. Between towns he tells parables. He teaches the religious leaders in the synagogues. As you’re reading, just as you’ve probably forgotten that Jesus is on the way to a specific city, Luke reminds you. In Luke 13:22, 17:11, and 18:31, Luke says something to the effect of “on his way up to Jerusalem.” Luke wants us to remember the larger goal in the midst of all of Jesus’ ministry: getting to Jerusalem, because as we know, what happens in Jerusalem is one of the most important events in the Kingdom narrative. No doubt, Jesus was constantly thinking about the larger task at hand, even amidst all he was doing, and in chapter 19, he finally arrives in Jerusalem.

Thinking like Jesus means maintaining focus on the bigger picture, remembering our role in the Kingdom and keeping it first, even in the midst of good or bad distractions.




Oh, I did want to add that we did finally find the car keys. They were left in the car, in the ignition, in the on position. :)

Unholy Sonnet 12

12

by Mark Jarman

There was a pious man upright as Job,

In fact, more pious, more upright, who prayed

The way most people thoughtlessly enjoy

Their stream of consciousness. He concentrated

On glorifying God, as some men let

Their minds create and fondle curving shadows.

And as he gained in bumper crops and cattle,

He greeted each success with grave amends.

So he was shocked, returning from the bank,

To see a flood bearing his farm away--

His cows, his kids, his wife, and all his stuff.

Swept off his feet, he cried out, "Why?" and sank.

And God grumped from his rain cloud, "I can't say.

Just something about you pisses me off."

I like this poem because it makes me laugh, but also because I'm very interested in what it means to pray "the way some people thoughtlessly enjoy their stream of consciousness."

This poem can be found in this book.

The Kingdom Chiasmus

Disclaimer: Long, dorky post ahead. I admit it, I find poetic forms to be more exciting than a lot of things. But seriously, even if you're not the kind of person where words like rhyme, meter, villanelle, or sestina arouse your interest, this will be cool. I hope.

And you are---?
Henry Sutpen.
And you have been here---?
Four years.
And you came home---?
To die. Yes.
To die?
Yes. To die.
And you have been here---?
Four years.
And you are---?
Henry Sutpen.

Notice anything peculiar about the flow of this text? It comes from William Faulkner's novel, Absalom, Absalom! and it's a Chiasmus. A what? A Chiasmus. A Chiasmus is a kind of poetic form where the structure of the verse is reversed and ends with the same word or idea with which it starts. Arranging like this will help you visualize it:

And you are---?
Henry Sutpen.

And you have been here---?
Four years.

And you came home---?
To die. Yes.

To die?

Yes.To die.

And you have been here---?
Four years.

And you are---?
Henry Sutpen.

Did you know that the scriptures (especially in Hebrew) are full of these kinds of poems? I found one scholar who claims to have found over a thousand in the Old Testament alone. It's impossible to really know exactly how many there are due to the fact that sometimes they are easily lost in translation and while some are simple, some are incredible long and complex. One of the fascinating things about the original Hebrew language of the Old Testament is that writers did not use any kind of punctuation, or even vowels. Because of this, the only technique available to indicate the completion of one thought and the start of the next is a break in the line which, as you can imagine, is pretty limiting. But by using the concentric style of the chiasmus, the scripture writers were able to better group ideas and indicate the boundaries between them, and it sounds pretty. Here's one of my favorites from Genesis 7:21-23 that translates well into English (the ASV seems to capture it best):

And all flesh died that moved upon the earth,

both birds,

and cattle, and beasts,

and every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth,

and every man:

all in whose nostrils was the breath of the spirit of life, of all that was on the dry land,

died.

And every living thing was destroyed that was upon the face of the ground,

both man,

and creeping things,

and cattle,

and birds of the heavens;

and they were destroyed from the earth.

Here's a short one from Jesus himself:

"But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first."
-Matthew 19:30

These things are everywhere. Big and small. Now, here's where I may be stretching it a bit but as I began to think about this whole form of poetry, I began to think that, in some ways, the form itself is a kind of microcosm of the whole Kingdom narrative. In a way, the bible, or even creation in its entirety, is chiastic in nature. Here's what I mean:

In the beginning God created and it was good,

but the people fell and hoped for a messiah.

Jesus comes and announces the Kingdom of Heaven,
dies and then rises.

People put their faith in the messiah.

The messiah returns, the Kingdom of Heaven returns to earth in full
and God is with creation and it's good.

In the Kingdom Chiasmus, creation in harmony with God is at the beginning and end, with Christ at the center of it all. Kinda cool, huh?

Manifesto: The Mad Farmer Liberation Front

Manifesto: The Mad Farmer Liberation Front

by Wendell Berry

Love the quick profit, the annual raise,

vacation with pay. Want more

of everything ready-made. Be afraid

to know your neighbors and to die.

And you will have a window in your head.

Not even your future will be a mystery

any more. Your mind will be punched in a card

and shut away in a little drawer.

When they want you to buy something

they will call you. When they want you

to die for profit they will let you know.

So, friends, every day do something

that won't compute. Love the Lord.

Love the world. Work for nothing.

Take all that you have and be poor.

Love someone who does not deserve it.

Denounce the government and embrace

the flag. Hope to live in that free

republic for which it stands.

Give your approval to all you cannot

understand. Praise ignorance, for what man

has not encountered he has not destroyed.

Ask the questions that have no answers.

Invest in the millenium. Plant sequoias.

Say that your main crop is the forest

that you did not plant,

that you will not live to harvest.

Say that the leaves are harvested

when they have rotted into the mold.

Call that profit. Prophesy such returns.

Put your faith in the two inches of humus

that will build under the trees

every thousand years.

Listen to carrion - put your ear

close, and hear the faint chattering

of the songs that are to come.

Expect the end of the world. Laugh.

Laughter is immeasurable. Be joyful

though you have considered all the facts.

So long as women do not go cheap

for power, please women more than men.

Ask yourself: Will this satisfy

a woman satisfied to bear a child?

Will this disturb the sleep

of a woman near to giving birth?

Go with your love to the fields.

Lie down in the shade. Rest your head

in her lap. Swear allegiance

to what is nighest your thoughts.

As soon as the generals and the politicos

can predict the motions of your mind,

lose it. Leave it as a sign

to mark the false trail, the way

you didn't go. Be like the fox

who makes more tracks than necessary,

some in the wrong direction.

Practice resurrection.

Thanks to Dan Roge for sharing this poem with me.

You can buy Berry's books here.

Phronesis

feel.

like-minded.

attitude.

a view of things.

mind.

concern.

All of these words/phrases have something very interesting in common. Not only are they all found in the book of Philippians, but they're all a different translation of the same Greek root, Phronesis. Here they are in context: (phronesis in italics and if you're not in for a sermon-length blog post, now's you're time to bail)

"It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart, for whether I am in chains or defending the gospel, all of you share in God's grace with me." 1:7

""... make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose." 2:2

"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus..." 2:5

"All of us who are mature, should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you." 3:15

"I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me." 4:10

I find it amazing that, as far as I can tell, of all the times this word appears in Philippians (and there are several more I haven't cited), it's never translated in the same way. Clearly, this is a word that is way bigger than the English language can faithfully represent in one word, or even one phrase. Another thing that is overwhelmingly clear is how important Paul regarded the idea of phronesis, how central it was to the gospel he preached. Before I get into what I think Paul's getting at, let's refer to our dear friend Wikipedia to see what it thinks of phronesis. We find that the word is deeply established, as in going back to classical philosophy.

"Phronesis is the capability to consider the mode of action in order to deliver change, especially to enhance the quality of life. Aristotle says that phronesis is not simply a skill, however, as it involves not only the ability to decide how to achieve a certain end, but also the ability to reflect upon and determine that end."

The phrase that stands out to me in this explanation that seems to fit well with the scriptures is mode of action. So it seems to me that for Aristotle, phronesis is both the wisdom to know what is good, as well as the skills and habits needed make good happen. I think Paul not only gets this, but takes it to all kinds of new levels. In just the aforementioned instances of the word, phronesis is a feeling, a special kind of unity, a world-view, an attitude, concern for one another, a mode of action, all with one focus: Jesus. I've heard one pastor sum all these up nicely saying that phronesis is the collective Christ Pattern. This goes so far beyond "What Would Jesus Do?". . .

It's thinking like Christ.
Feeling like Christ.
And Acting like Christ.

From here, the true meaning of phronesis just snowballs out of control into this huge but beautiful thing I can't begin to grasp. My understanding of this seems so small to me but here's two things I notice about it.

1. Phronesis is not something you do alone. Just look at these passages, or better yet, read the whole book of Philippians, Paul is always adressing or talking about a group of people. We call this the church. Phronesis doesn't occur when one person succeeds in being Christ-like for a moment but when the church is united, together in pursuit in being Christ to one another. In chapter 4 Paul addresses two women who, evidently, had some kind of conflict between them.

"I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to agree with each other in the Lord." v. 2

The phrase agree with each other, you guessed it: Phronesis. I don't think Paul is saying "Christians shouldn't have disagreements." I think he's saying something like "In Christ, you have so much you already agree on, so don't let something come between you and purpose for which God calls you." Paul tells the Romans in Chapter 5,

"Live in harmony with one another." v. 5

Again, phronesis, and again, it's church-wide. It's about dying to yourself for the sake of the phronesis of Christ's church, which brings me to the next point.

2. Phronesis has an end. (or a grander purpose, or an aim, or whatever you want to call it) I think Paul clearly defines this purpose in 2:14-16, saying

"Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life..."

These words echo back to Sinai where God makes a covenant with Moses and tells him that if he keeps it fully, Israel will be a "kingdom of priests and a holy nation." In all the complexity of all that phronesis is, it's purpose is really quite simple. Be like Christ so you can be Christ to the world. I love that fact that even though Jesus changes everything, our role and purpose in life is the same, to be agents of the Kingdom of God. Only now, we can actually do it. No more excuses. Israel never came close to keeping that covenant, but Jesus fulfills it fully. This is why Jesus can say absurd things like "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." (Matt. 5:48) He's telling us to just be who we already are, a Kingdom of priests, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars...

If we can just accept and remember who we already are in Christ, well then, something is bound to happen and it's called the Kingdom of God and it's called phronesis.

This is just a taste of what this word means to me and all of us as a church. I could go on and on and I've only just begun to understand. But that's what this blog is about. How do we do this together?

How do we have such a view of things?