To say we are thinking outside the box is to box ourselves in. It’s cliché. It doesn’t mean much when we say it. Most times, all we’ve really done is move the box around and call it a day. Discerning what we do with the proverbial box is important when it comes to the topic of transformation.
It feels like we mostly settle for less when it comes to God’s transforming power. I’m inclined to think the main reason we do is because we have what we think we need. So, why should we do anything else with the box?
At the very least, playing with this assumed box keeps us from deepening our knowledge of God. On the more dangerous side of things, we run the risk of trivializing God and opposing the Holy Spirit.
That was part of Stephen’s claim to the high priest. Conspiring men of the synagogue made this meeting possible. They had Stephen arrested (Acts 6), they said, for claiming Jesus would destroy the temple. Stephen had the chance to speak for himself when the high priest asked him, “Are these things so?”
He then recounted God’s story we know in scripture. But he didn’t deny the accusation against himself. He couldn’t because Jesus was doing something. No, Jesus wasn’t coming to tear down buildings in anger or wrath. Instead, a new movement of God was at hand. This outpouring of the Holy Spirit would not be boxed in, not even if the temple was the box. As important as that place had been, the new reality of God’s kingdom turned our hearts and minds beyond it.
Now, it’s easy for us to look back and criticize those who argued against Stephen. They didn’t see how they limited God or opposed the Holy Spirit. We’re maturing in faith when we recognize we have those same tendencies. That we have traditions and practices and ideas we are sure God must be as committed to as we are. As such, we overcommit ourselves to preserving what we’ve created.
Of course, these aren’t unholy or evil things. But the challenge is to notice when we oppose the Holy Spirit’s movement while we cling to them. When the breath of God doesn’t fit our comfort or expectation, how do we respond? We may not arrest or stone someone; that’s what they did to Stephen. But I’m sure there are modern equivalents. When it comes to our shared ministry, how do we ensure we aren’t boxing God in? And what do we do if we realize we have?
Stay blessed…john
