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Monday, February 07, 2005
More than Meets the Eye
It's an old cliche, but true anyway: There's much more to life than meets the eye.
Poets know it. Psychologists too. Even artists do. Who can ever look the same way at sunflowers and nighttime skies after drinking in Van Gogh's renditions?
When Jesus sat on a mountainside with his closest disciples to pray (in Matthew 17:1-9) they were stunned to see him suddenly glowing like the noonday sun. Things only got stranger when Moses and Elijah appeared out of nowhere to sit by Jesus, only for all three of them to be quickly enshrouded in a glittering cloud.
Topping it all off, God's voice boomed out of the cloud to say he was just delighted with the whole thing.
Now, no matter what you make of this episode, one thing is clear: Our cliche was validated! For three years these disciples had grown to know Jesus, trust him, and love him enough to follow him all the way to death if need be. But they'd never once had an inkling of his divine glory the way they saw it now. For one brief moment he could do nothing else but radiate God's own grandeur. Then, back to "normal" and swearing his men to secrecy about what they'd seen.
Of course, I believe Jesus was uniquely suited to reveal God's glory this way. But I also believe there are thousands and thousands of ways something like it happens in the presence of people whose spiritual eyes are open.
The past few days it's happened before my eyes. A woman in our church family is slowly dying, after 91 years of good life. She's dearly loved and greatly appreciated in her family, her church, and her community.
When I came here 11 1/2 years ago she anointed herself my personal deacon. "Everybody needs a deacon's practical works of mercy, and my pastor will not be left out." I gladly accepted that decree. Phone calls, meals, the inside dope... she was always available to help me find my way and stay fresh in my new job.
She also made sure in my first couple of months that I rode with her to meet a dozen shut-in people who needed to know their new pastor would tend to their lonely souls. Wide open doors welcomed me, thanks to her kind intervention.
At one time or another she held every official position in the church -- except pastor! She recruited and trained scores of people to carry the workload forward when she rotated into some new assignment. More recently she cheered them on from her sickbed on the sidelines.
Now, sitting by her side, talking and praying, I watched a mental slideshow of the reasons I love her so and will sorely miss her when she enters God's bright presence. I swear it was like looking into the shining sun, envisioning dear Janet Long aglow through the years with such a love for God and people that she found it impossible not to serve them.
Somebody said when I told this story, "I'd just love to see what heaven looks like a couple of days after Janet rolls up her sleeves and goes to work getting things organized." Amen to that.
posted by Jack Buckley at
3:08 PM
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