--Nancy Beach
Some of my creative team was picking me up at Lakeside so we could drive to Willow together, so I rode to the West Ohio UMC Annual Conference with a friend and colleague of mine. During the drive, we talked about life, ministry and relationships. At one point, she bluntly said that she thought I had become "resigned" about certain areas in my life. Whereas I didn't like to face that truth, I knew that the word "resigned" was a good description of how I felt. I was losing hope. I thought about that through Annual Conference. "Me resigned? Even cynical?"
On Tuesday my creative team team picked me up and we were off to the Willow Arts Conference. And in the very first session, Nancy Beech said these words:
"Cynicism lacks courage."
Ouch.
Cynicism is popular right now. I think in our attempt to be authentic, in our attempt to be honest, in this "question authority" culture, to be a cynic is almost cool. This is even true in the Church. It is almost a virtue to be against things.
But that is not the gospel.
I'm not sure I could make the argument that Jesus was a cynic in any way.
And I'm supposed to be like him.
Nancy pointed out that teachers, artist, musicians, usually by our wiring, are more negative; A bit more cynical. "More likely to wear black."
But here's the thing: if we, who are the church, aren't filled with hope, if we who are the church don't see the positive in people and situations and even institutions... then where is the hope? This is especially true for those of us who are leaders.
Leaders are brokers in hope.
Now, this is not, "Jesus will kiss you boo boos and make everything right" kind of hope.
This is not "Happy, Happy, Christian" kind of hope...
But it IS being deeply rooted in the truth that the Kingdom of God has come near. It is now possible for us as ordinary human beings to live in the presence and under the reign of God.
So for my 40th birthday (tomorrow), I have decided to crucify cynicism.
Now, I know it will rise again. I know there will be times it will come out. But I refuse to feed it. I refuse to deal in it. I refuse to wallow in it.
Rather, I want to deal in hope.
2 comments:
BTW, the statue is of Antisthenes.
I am glad that you want to "deal in hope." It does take courage to go against the flow and not be cynical.
I read this on June 24 in Oswald Chambers "My Utmost for His Highest."
"Jesus never trusted human nature, yet he was never cynical nor suspicious, because he had absolute trust in what he could do for human nature." He could offer hope!
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