Four Virtues when Dealing with Change and Time

I downloaded a few audio clips featuring the general sessions and panel discussions at the 2004 Emergent Theological Conversation. I listened to the first clip, and found a short sharing by Mark Douglas, a teacher in Christian Ethics, very helpful. He talked about four virtues that he felt was necessary for those who were a part of the emergent dialogue. Two of these virtues deal with the past, one of them deals with the present, and the last one deals with the future.

· Gratitude

None of us will be where we are today, were it not for the fact that the people who came before us thought these things before and helped us to get where we are. When we are dealing with change, we need to be thankful to those who have come before us. If it were not for them, we wouldn’t have come this far. If it were not for what they’ve done, we wouldn’t even be in this place to criticize them.

· Forgiveness

The people who came before us may not have done everything right. They may not have found the answers to everything, and what worked for them may not work for us in our own context. We may not agree with everything that they have done or not done. But we need to learn to forgive them for these things. We need to recognize that they couldn’t give us all the answers we need in our context because they are not us, and we shouldn’t expect them to.

· Humility

We have to expect that the people who come after us will be dealing with the same problems with us, that we are dealing now with the people who came before. Do not expect then, that we will have all the answers and will solve all the problems. We need to learn to be humble and accept that what may work for us now, may not work for those who come after us. Let us leave all the solving of history and change to God, who will deal with these issues in His own time and wisdom.

· Hope

A lot of us are driven by a feeling of bleakness, fear and doubt about the future. We are uncertain about the future. We need to trust and believe that the future will work itself out, because God is working in time. He will do whatever is necessary. Let this be our hope, that God makes all things beautiful in His time.