Called; January 19, 2020; ICCM; Pastor Rebecca Ellenson
I never met my husband’s grandfather, John Rautio. But I’ve heard a lot about him. He lived to be over 100. He wore a shirt and tie to the dinner table every day of his life. He was married for the second time in his 80s after his first wife died. He traveled to Mexico in his later years. By ethnicity he was a Finn. By vocation he was a carpenter in Ely, MN. What he was remembered for most was his sense of humor.
In case you don’t know, Finnish humor is a bit of an acquired taste. Evidently, he liked to say things like, Come again when you can’t stay so long, Here’s your hat, what’s your hurry? He was always ready to hire good helpers in his carpentry shop—especially young men with lots of experience, he would say with a wink. His saying that’s in my mind today, though, has a certain ring of truth. We are too soon old, and too late smart. He’s someone I would have liked to meet. He wasn’t an important person by any of the world’s measures. But he left a legacy of a strong work ethic, a quirky sense of humor, a patient quiet presence, and a respectful demeanor.
Gathering the wisdom we have accumulated in our lives to share with those who go on after us is one of the important tasks of the last part of life. If we can glean the smart part from the too soon old and too late smart and make sense of our experiences then we move from just smart to wise. The life work of our last years also includes mending rifts or broken relationships. Another task is to grow closer to God, letting go of the strivings of the ego.
Our lessons for today simply drip with the theme of God’s call and claim on life. We are meant for lives of purpose and intention. God’s gifts are given to us for our own fulfilment yes, but also for the world’s good and for the glory of God.
Listen again: You are a polished arrow—you are not just a plain stick but you are made for a purpose. You are a sharp sword—a thing of value and craftsmanship. You are hidden away in the hand of God—to be used by God. You are God’s servant, to give glory to God. You are a light to the nations. You are my chosen. You are called, sanctified saints, enriched in Christ, in speech and knowledge of every kind. You are strengthened, not lacking any spiritual gift.
Our identity in Christ is not just hinted at or promised, it is not dependent on how much we do, on getting it right. It’s right there—before we were born—all the way to the end. The message is redundant, repeated over and over so we get it! We are who we are. The trick is to live into that calling.
Vocation is often a theme we think belongs to the young or those in mid-life. What are we going to do with this one wild precious life? Yet the questions of the third stage of life include those of purpose and calling too. Those who are blessed to reach retirement and the elder part of life are also empowered. We are strengthened in Christ, we are purposeful instruments in the hand of God.
Parker Palmer wrote an essay a few years ago, just before his 78th birthday called, Withering into the Truth. The title comes from a poem by William Butler Yeats.
Though leaves are many, the root is one;
Through all the lying days of my youth
I swayed my leaves and flowers in the sun,
Now may I wither into the truth.
He started out by saying , When friends say they don’t know what to give me for my birthday, I always respond with the same tired old joke they’ve heard from me before, which causes them to sigh, roll their eyes, and change the subject. (Here’s a perk that comes with age: repeat yourself so often that folks think you’re getting dotty, when in fact you’re fending off unwanted conversations.)
Q: What do you give a man who has everything?
A: Penicillin.
Palmer says he doesn’t need gifts of a material nature. Instead he offers his gleanings of wisdom about living nearly 8 decades as a gift for others. He begins,
The Yeats poem at the head of this column names something I don’t want to forget. Actively embracing aging gives me a chance to move beyond “the lying days of my youth” and “wither into the truth” — if I resist the temptation to Botox my withering.
My youthful “lies” weren’t intentional. I just didn’t know enough about myself, the world, and the relation of the two to tell the truth. So, what I said on those subjects came from my ego, a notorious liar. Coming to terms with the soul-truth of who I am — of my complex and often confusing mix of darkness and light — has required my ego to shrivel up. Nothing shrivels a person better than age: that’s what all those wrinkles are about!
Whatever truthfulness I’ve achieved on this score comes not from a spiritual practice, but from having my ego so broken down and composted by life that eventually I had to yield and say, “OK, I get it. I’m way less than perfect.” I envy folks who come to personal truth via spiritual discipline: I call them “contemplatives by intention.” Me, I’m a contemplative by catastrophe.
To find our wisdom, to age well, involves letting our ego shrivel. Interesting. When we talk about our calling, our gifts, our vocation—we can easily move into the territory of the ego. I can do this! I feel called to that. The ego is an important driver for us in our working lives—pushing us on to achieve and accomplish.
My dad was sharing with me on the phone this last week about a group he attends each week at his church called Caring and Sharing. He commented on how accomplished most of the men in the group were in their careers, doctors, lawyers, professors, CEO’s. He said, “They’re PIPs, Previously Important People.” His gentle laugh spoke volumes. My dad himself accomplished all kinds of things in his working life. But his legacy is his positive attitude, his supportive and gentle manner, his tender heart full of emotion, and his simple trusting faith. What really matters in the end but loving others, growing closer to God and meeting the needs around us?
St Augustine said we were here to love God and enjoy life. Kurt Vonnegut believed we are here to be the eyes and conscience of God. Karl Jung, standing on the silent African veldt at dawn, watching the drifting rivers of animals moving in their timeless way, wrote that we are here to bring consciousness to brute being.
It’s so nice to be at a place in life when we don’t have to prove anything to anyone anymore. We are free to love, to grow close to God and to serve those around us. There are so many needs. Holly has tickets for the Hearts of Hospice Dance on February 15th. The tickets support the work of Hospice Mazatlan, a group that served over 160 families last year—160 families facing the death of a loved one with social services for family members, palliative care, counseling for the bereaved and so much more.
Last Saturday I was at the Organic market buying a pot holder from the organization called Floreser. It is a home for teenage girls who have been victims of abuse and violence. It is the only one of its kind in Sinaloa, and one of the few in the country. Its mission is to provide the girls with a place where they feel safe and can grow with their dignity intact. In Floreser, the girls continue with their studies, receive individual therapy, and are provided with outlets allowing them to develop to their full potential while living a healthy life full of possibilities. depends upon your continued help.
The woman selling the hand sewn items told me about her new-found purpose in life. She volunteers at the home and wakes up each day knowing that her contributions are important. She saw a need, knew she had gifts to share, and was overwhelmed with feelings of the joy of service. It just bubbled out of her. Not an “important” person, but a gifted one, equipped and strengthened for service.
We find our purpose by looking around us to identify the greatest needs and how they fit with our skill set and our particular God-given gifts. Vincent Van Gogh once said Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.” Even if you’re only here in Mazatlan for a few weeks or a month or two your input can make a difference and bring a better future for others. It can make a difference in your own life too.
Annie Dillard said, the way we spend our days is the way we spend our lives. Jesus asked the disciples who came to follow him: What are you looking for? Come and See—he invited them. We are invited likewise—come and see what God has planned for you. Claim your identity as God’s chosen ones, strengthened and empowered for service, enriched in every way.