Surfing the Edge of Chaos

There has probably never been a generation that has not imagined itself to be facing some kind of crisis, whether this crisis be economic, moral, political, social, or international, such as wars. When we face a crisis our instinct is to seek out safety, to find safe harbor before the storm hits. When the crisis is upon us we tend to circle the wagons and hunker down for safety. We expect God to lead us to safety in such times, and if not spare us from the crisis, then at least minimize its impact upon us.

But what if this is not the way God works in our lives? What if instead of fleeing from the storm God leads us into it? Our Scripture readings for Sunday, January 18 are stories about God calling the judge and prophet Samuel and about Jesus calling disciples. The readings below prepare us for these call stories by telling the story of why God raised up judges such as Samuel and leaders such as Jesus.

God called leaders and Jesus called disciples not so they could flee from the struggles of the people around them, but so they could engage these struggles and bear witness to God’s presence in the midst of struggle and need. In leadership theory deliberately engaging problems, issues and needs that have no easy answers or clear solutions is known as surfing the edge of chaos. The chaos generated by these crises forces organizations (and congregations) to either adapt to and face the crisis, finding energy and vitality as they do so, or to retreat and lose energy, risking death. The challenge is to engage chaos enough to find energy and vitality, but not so much that an organization will fall apart.

What crises are we facing? What kind of storm may God be leading us into? How can we find energy and life as we engage them? What risks may be involved?

Thursday, 1/15
Judges 2:6-15
II Corinthians 10:1-11

Friday 1/16
Judges 2:16-23
Acts 13:16-25

Saturday 1/17
I Samuel 2:21-25
Matthew 25:1-13

Read these verses of Psalm 139 each of these three days