A Little Child Shall Lead Them

A Little Child Shall Lead Them

Isaiah 11:1-10   Romans 15:4-13    The researcher and sociologist Brene Brown gave a TED Talk about a year ago that went viral, since it struck a deep chord in many.  I will show it after the service today at 11:30am, if you’d like to see it – back here in the sanctuary.   She talked about the value of vulnerability.  So many of us are paralyzed by shame or fear when hardship or change occurs. She says our capacity to be vulnerable is the biggest human hurdle to fully living, to being courageous, to connecting to others, and to being powerful.  Today, the industrialized Western world is the most in-debt, out-of-shape, addicted, and medicated adult cohort in history.  And when we feel anxious or sad, we numb those feelings.  But if we are able to feel worthy in the midst of being vulnerable, if we can be open and honest about ourselves, then we are better able to be creative, to be loving, and to grow. We usually equate vulnerability to weakness, when actually, “vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity, and change.”     

Here are Brene Brown’s words defining ‘vulnerability’:  “Vulnerability…when I ask people what is vulnerability, the answers were things like sitting with my wife who has Stage III breast cancer and trying to make plans for our children, my first date after my divorce, saying I love you first, asking for a raise, sending my child to school being enthusiastic and supportive of him and knowing how excited he is about orchestra tryouts and how much he wants to make first chair and encouraging him and supporting him and knowing that's not going to happen. To me, vulnerability is courage. It's about the willingness to show up and be seen in our lives. And in those moments when we show up, I think those are the most powerful meaning-making moments of our lives even if they don't go well. I think they define who we are.”

‘Vulnerability.’  Consider the cornerstone of our faith: Jesus, our gentle savior and teacher, tortured, abused, and then strung up on a cross to die.  Talk about vulnerable!  We worship a suffering servant, willing to go into the depths of sorrow, weakness and death for us.  But he is ‘enough’; he trusts he is worthy and with God through all of his trials and sorrows.  Consider the focus of this season: a little child born into an impoverished family in a cattle stall on the edge of civilization.  Our faith is rooted and grounded in openness, in vulner-ability, in shedding armor and defenses and fences and barriers.    Then hope and a new future can unfold.

An example of this comes from Pastor Rick Warren from the Saddleback Church, who was asked what he felt thankful for this year.  He responded, “This year became the worst year of my life when my youngest son, who’d struggled since childhood with mental illness, took his own life.   How am I supposed to be thankful?  God doesn’t expect me to be thankful FOR all circumstances, but IN all circumstances.  There’s a huge difference.  The first attitude is masochism.  The second shows maturity.  We’re not supposed to be thankful for evil or sin, or the innocent suffering caused by these things.  But even in heartache and grief there are still good things that I can be thankful for.”

Out of times of great vulnerability and being brought low, we can still discover ways to be open to God’s spirit of hope and transformation.  We can still see a star on the horizon that moves us forward.  Jesus takes us by the hand and reveals to us the value of an open heart, a trusting gaze, the willingness to risk and to reach out, even if we might get hurt. We are taught to be courageous and confident in our love, ready to be humbled in the service of God’s hope and grace.

Throughout the bible we hear stories of people going through experiences of extreme vulnerability – stories of losing loved ones, being held captive, grieving, being wounded or humiliated, being knocked off a high horse.  And we meet people who in the midst of their trials and humiliations, believe they are ‘enough’, they are worthy of love, and they are open to God’s Spirit. Out of this comes astounding creativity and power.  We remember Abraham and Sarah being told by God to uproot from their home and family at age 90 and 100 and to journey to a strange land.   Consider Jacob wrestling with the Spirit of God.  Joseph is thrown into a well by his brothers and is then thrown into prison, before rising to be one of the most powerful rulers of Egypt.  Moses goes into exile as a poor shepherd and experiences the holy in a burning bush. King David screams out in grief for his son Absalom, who betrayed him and was killed in battle, until his general had to order him to simmer down for his troops.   The prophet Elijah collapses under a tree in the desert and asks to die, before God’s angels bring bread and water.   Jesus cries tears of blood in the garden of Gethsemane, asking to be spared.   Talk about vulnerability!

The message the Brene Brown discovered in her research and that the Bible teaches, is that when we are able to be honest and open about our vulnerability, about our weaknesses and failings, then we do not have to be ashamed.  We can grow through our difficulties and even find joy and creativity in the midst of hardship.   We can be ‘wholehearted,’ unafraid to welcome life and to trust our spirit, no matter what we undergo.  We discover depth of soul.

Let me tell you this story to illustrate this, a story of courage, compassion and openness in the face of great trial….that leads to rescue and faith.  Lieutenant Colonel Fermin Carangan is the Commanding Officer of an Air Force unit tasked to provide air support for the islands of Samar and Leyte in the Philippines. On the morning of Friday, November 8, he and his troops were in their office near the Tacloban Airport on red alert, having been informed of the incoming Super-Storm named Haiyan (local name: Yolanda). Here’s how he narrated his ordeal.

We were out of the office at 6 am Friday observing. Winds brought by Yolanda were already strong around that time. We (the Air Force troops in Tacloban) were prepared for the possibility of rescue missions days before the expected landfall of Yolanda. Just before 7 am, the rains started to pour, so we took shelter. Around the same time, we noticed that water was slowly entering our office, so we went out again. Then suddenly, we saw that the water was getting higher and higher, until we were forced up to the ceiling of the building. We had to bore holes on the ceiling just to get up there, and I was the last one up.

Suddenly the building collapsed and I saw my men falling into the surging water and very strong winds. There was also no more roof on top of the building. I was able to hold on to a piece of wood – a truss which I forcibly removed just before I was taken by waves and the strong current.  I didn’t notice that my two junior officers were now gone. Both were fresh graduates and they were beside me before we were swallowed by the water. Then I saw one of my soldiers trying to hold on to an uncollapsed wall of another destroyed building. I tried to reach for him but the current was too strong and there was confusion and hysteria.

I was going farther and farther out into the sea and all I saw were tips of coconut trees starting to disappear into the swelling water. Suddenly, I saw a child hugging tightly to a floating coconut tree. By a stroke of luck, the current led me to the child, and I was able to pluck him from his very unfortunate situation. He then held on to the piece of wood I was myself holding on to. Then we floated until we were out there in the middle of nowhere.

At sea, we went through another hell. We were slapped by waves, great big waves from all directions. We were also toyed by swirling winds. And we couldn’t help but drink a lot of salt water. I was now getting so tired. And so was Miguel (the boy’s name). He was just 7 years old. Too young to die, I thought. I thought of my family. I prayed to God to take care of my wife and kids. I thought I’ve done to them what every father could – that is, to take good care of them.

Then I looked at Miguel. He was trembling hard due to the cold. His very young body could not just cope up with the elements. He said, “Kuya, I will sleep now. I’m so tired already.” Then I thought, maybe I survived because of this child. Without him I could have given up. Maybe he’s the reason I’m still alive because God wants me to make sure this child will live. I shouted at Miguel’s ears: “Don’t sleep! You can do it. Look, we are near land already.”   Then I pointed at what I thought was another wall of swell, just to lift the spirit of Miguel. And then I realized that it was indeed the shoreline!! I thought: there really is a Powerful Being!

You wonder who saved whom in this story: did the colonel save Miguel, the little boy, or did the boy save the colonel by pushing him to keep striving?  Being brought low, being tossed into the waters of chaos, can actually bring us closer to the source of life and meaning.  Trauma and grief do not have to be a cause of shame or despair, but can transform our inner lives.   We are loved by God; we are worthy; and we are whole, even if we are dragged down.  

Rick Warren continued his talk on Thanksgiving in this way:  “I’m thankful that God sees all I go through.  God cares.  God grieves with me.  I’m thankful that even though I don’t have all the answers, God does.  I’m thankful that God can bring good even out of the bad in my life, when I give God the pieces.  It’s God’s specialty.  God loves to turn crucifixions into resurrections, and then benefit the whole world.  God never wastes a hurt if we give it over.” 

God works through our hurts and grieves to create a new reality.  This is our hope and our vision.  In our scripture this morning from Isaiah, we hear of a ruler, a messiah who is coming after a time of warfare and destruction.  Instead of a warrior in chainmail on a warhorse, we hear of a little child who shall lead them…a vulnerable child.   How strange this is…but also how wise.  By being as receptive to life as a child is, then we are able to be open to what is emerging, new and true.  We are open and ready to receive God’s spirit in our lives, and to tap into inner peace, security, and creativity.

Shame, on the other hand, causes us to turn from God’s offer of wholeness and joy.   When we accept forgiveness, and when we trust God’s love to enter into our hearts; then we are fed and renewed by God’s grace.  Yes, it is dangerous, yes it is scary, and yes we might get hurt.  But we also might truly live and discover God’s presence and love. 

George Herbert from the 17th century expresses this in a poem:

LOVE bade me welcome; yet my soul drew back,

      Guilty of dust and sin.

But quick-eyed Love, observing me grow slack

      From my first entrance in,

Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning

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      If I lack'd anything.

'A guest,' I answer'd, 'worthy to be here:'

     Love said, 'You shall be he.'

'I, the unkind, ungrateful? Ah, my dear,

      I cannot look on Thee.'

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Love took my hand and smiling did reply,

      'Who made the eyes but I?'

'Truth, Lord; but I have marr'd them: let my shame

      Go where it doth deserve.'

'And know you not,' says Love, 'Who bore the blame?'

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      'My dear, then I will serve.'

'You must sit down,' says Love, 'and taste my meat.'

      So I did sit and eat.

In this Advent season, we are invited to sit and eat; to feed our souls, and to let go of our shame and despair – in the name of the one who took our sin and shame upon himself.  We can admit our mistakes and trespasses, without judging ourselves as unworthy or defective.   Like a star we shine with God’s divine light and radiance within us.   

In closing Brene Brown says:  "To me, vulnerability is courage. It's about the willingness to show up and be seen in our lives."

So let’s show up this season with courage.  Our savior leads us toward this truth, this holy joy, and this hope.

The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him,
   

the spirit of wisdom and understanding,
   

the spirit of counsel and might,
   

the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.