Advent Devotions

Today’s author is Prince of Peace member Paul Sponheim.

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God– what is good and acceptable and perfect. For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members of one another. Romans 12:2-5

Paul is talking about how our knowing experiences a fresh reclaiming of the Jesus history. Does that require violating the continuity of time? We’re talking about the historical reality of the Christ. For many of us at Prince of Peace, the story of Jesus was first given to us by a mother speaking of “the old, old story.” That was true certainly for me. I remember my mother’s Bible stories and years later I remember the story she would tell me in responding to my Concordia religion teacher when he raised critical questions (Reverend Dr. Sydney Rand). These words still bear the infinite truth of the Jesus story.

The text makes clear that this is a communal process. “Minds” suggest that there will be differences in what we remember. So a process of sorting and reclaiming will be involved. We have the help of commentaries and interpretive studies and the world lives again in our renewing. I think there is a sense in which we are to become like children again. 

Paul is worried about the sin of pride and strongly urges that each of us not think of ourselves as superior in this process. We at Prince of Peace are calling a new pastor. Though we don’t know the candidate’s name if we are not on the call committee. I have been on three call committees here and I know the passion of commitment ran deep at each of them. There’s also the challenge of being charitable with each other in the pastor’s first six months or so. May we remember that we are members one of another and treat each other with charity. 

Paul’s ultimately decisive argument appeals to distinctiveness in the communal gatherings. As we get to know each other better and better, we will understand that Prince of Peace will be healthiest when the members listen to each other. Prince of Peace is at its best when the members share the insights of faith that bring us together here. We are all making a contribution to that communal life which is at the heart despite striking differences in how we “spin” our share, and also a contribution to divisive distinctiveness.

So the trust that we learn to expect from our children will remind us that we are all children. I think we need to be alert to differences that enhance the common body. We know something about this communal process. For we share the economic reality that nurtures Prince of Peace as well. I am thinking of how each of us learns to maximize trust when speaking with our financial advisors and those advisors will expect to hear mention of the golden warning against trying to “time” the market. Yes, we are members one of another. Economically, and spiritually. We should be optimistic about this sharing process. Paul doesn’t shy away from using ambitious adjectives; good, acceptable, perfect. After all, we are talking about discerning God’s will for Prince of Peace.

Going back in order to go deeper: ponder prayerfully Chief Seattle in his call for reparations:
“Teach your children what we have taught our children– that the earth is our mother. Whatever befalls the earth befalls the sons and daughters of the earth. If men spit on the ground they spit on themselves.
“This we know: the earth does not belong to us, we belong to the earth. This we know: all things are connected like the blood which unites one family. All things are connected.
“Whatever befalls the earth befalls the sons and daughters of the earth. We did not weave the web of life. We are merely a strand in it. Whatever we do to the earth, we do to ourselves.” (Adapted from original statement by Chief Seattle in 1854)