Not Probable, But Believable

December 27, 2015

Snow crunched as we walked to the truck. Christmas morning, 5:30am, 4 degrees, and a full moon had the landscape glimmering and welcoming in mystical, frozen sort of way. Little is like the sharpness stars take on when the air crackles. Thus an unexpected gift, I gave no thought to fifteen minutes earlier while pulling on boots next to the fire knowing the outside is cold enough to freeze nose hairs. Moments, when the world enters into sharp focus is unbelievable, yet believable.

Belinda drove as I tossed one alfalfa flake after the other from the back of the truck. Cattle followed until they figured one flake is as good as another and got to eating. Settled into routine, I wondered, then remembered a friend using a clip from C.S. Lewis’ The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe where Lucy Pevensie first walks through the Wardrobe, to open the Advent season in her church. When Lucy backs out of the wardrobe into a place of snow, so unexpected, the moment becomes mystical. As she chances movement away from the wardrobe and into a wonder snow filled forest, she comes upon a lamppost. Forest, snow, and a lighted lamppost, unbelievable, but Lucy is standing in its midst, therefore believable.

Leather gloves only go so far in the cold and as numb fingers dropped the last flakes I wondered more and stumbled upon the Pauline letter of Colossians and the words, “As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Bear with one another… forgive each other… be thankful… teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God.” Maybe it was the cold, maybe the numbness was spreading, but in the dark of Christmas morning, the thought of compassion and kindness coupled with humility and meekness was unbelievable…yet… believable.

Imagine your, mine, our community where every person lives in a warm home? We all know this reality is not probable in our time, but don’t we all know it is possible?

Maybe the idea that no one goes hungry is not probable, but it is possible.

That no one knows violence is not probable, but it is possible.

A healed land: no smog, no pollution, clean rivers and mountains may not be probable, but is it not possible?

And that all folk are healthy, and able to go to a doctor, any day, any time, might not be probable, but it is possible.

Yes, a reality of the entire world living in peace, with full bellies, clear starlit skies, and health is unbelievable,
but it is possible, and because of that…

Believable