Stepping Stones

Our church is showing the Truth Project video series, sponsored by Focus on the Famiy. The videos are fairly well done. There are some things I don't agree with, or agree with the way in which it is presented, but it has been a challenging series for me as I watch, process and discuss the information within the group I'm part of for this series.

Last night's video was about history. Del Tackett, the speaker for the series, basically states that history has been or is being revamped by historical revisionists, who leave God out of the picture, or distort true history in order to prove a point. I thought it was pretty interesting, although I would add that often we as Christians do some historical distortion ourselves. I think that's part of history...the attempt to understand that history and then apply it within one's life.

Anyway, at the end of the video, Dr. Tacket quotes William Bradford, leader of the Pilgrims of the Plymouth colony. The quote states, "Last and not least, they (the Pilgrims) cherished a great hope and inward zeal of laying good foundations, or at least of making some way towards it, for the propogation and advance of the gospel of the kingdom of Christ in the remote parts of the world, even though they should be but stepping stones to others in the performance of so great a work."

Our discussion group had a terrific time mulling over this quote. The idea of my life being a "stepping stone" is so contrary to the individualist nature that permeates our culture today. We tend to see ourselves as islands, making our own destiny. Or maybe a moutain peak, resting on the shoulders of those who have gone before..but failing to recognize those who will come after.

There's amazing wisdom in acknowledging those who have gone before and those who will come after and humbly accepting a vision of being a "stepping stone" in history. Success, when defined in a vacuum, is personal and exclusive. It's about financial success, being "in the know" and very much individualistic in nature. Success, when viewed within history and a community of faith is much different. Financial success is balanced out against how the poor are cared for. Being "in the know" is balanced with love that acts upon knowledge for the benefit of those in need. Decisions today are made in conscious consideration of what has been done before and the impact these decisions will have on what comes after.

I struggle to view myself as a stepping stone. The very purpose of a stepping stone is that it be stepped on. Not all that appealling to me, quite frankly. But this thought also provides an odd freedom. I can see my life and my call in history, in community. My responsibility is not to change the world, but to stack my stone in the pile and let God change the world.