By Rev. Debra Jene Collum
Chatfield United Methodist
Do you agree with that statement? I discovered a beautiful new book published by the Minnesota Historical Society which intrigued me and gave me the idea to base my children’s summer teaching series on this theme. “Rings of Heartwood: Poems on Growing” by Molly Beth Griffin, illustrated by Claudia McGehee, explores, through amazing illustrations, finely crafted poems, and factual reflections the normal but extraordinary transformations of growth in trees, bats, snails and more. For some reason, even though natural history and environmental education has been a part of my life, I never contemplated how a snail grew. Reading the poem and explanation set me on an adventure of using this book as the basis for teaching a small group of children what it means to be people who God helps to grow.
Because in God’s world everything does grow. Scientists even tell us that the universe is ever growing and expanding. Which seems to me to be exactly how God intends the universe to be. So when I meet someone who doesn’t feel the need to grow or who is so entrenched in some belief that even facts can’t change their minds; I get a little sad for them and for the universe. Because it seems that they aren’t participating in the ways God intends all of creation to participate in the mystery of the universe.
Because you know what is amazing? Even God incarnate grew! We don’t know a lot about the early childhood life of Jesus, the incarnation of God in this world. We know the stories of his birth and a strange story about a visit to the temple when he was a teen, but that is about it. Except for one enigmatic verse in Luke 2: “Jesus grew in wisdom and years, and in favor with God and with people.” Jesus grew! The incarnation of God grew. Even Jesus didn’t come into this earth perfected in maturity! Why should we think we shouldn’t grow, mature, change our minds, think new ideas, go on to perfection, as Wesleyans would say?
I absolutely love it when I see a child realize they have learned something new. Whether it is a scientific fact, a wonder of the universe, or a new way of thinking about something. I see that light go on in their little eyes, their smile getting bigger, and their way of being expanding. It is truly a delight. But even more, when I am in the presence of an adult, even one in their 80s, realizing that something they thought was truth is in fact not; first there is confusion, incredulity, sometimes shame, but always a sense of freedom and growth. Growth! And like a little child, their eyes light up, their smile grows bigger and they themselves seem to grow in wisdom and stature.
I am afraid we are in at time when people are becoming entrenched in thinking and believing even when what they think they know is harmful to their neighbor or their own well being. When people are afraid that changing something they thought was true or acknowledging that they were wrong would threaten their identity. Would make them look weak or silly.
That is what I am most afraid of right now. That we are all entrenching ourselves in a set of beliefs that have nothing to do with love of God, love of neighbor and love of self. And that we become so entrenched that even though we know deep within us we need to grow, we will chose to simply stay as we are. And then, sadly, the growth God intends for the people God calls beloved will stagnate. That brilliant light that shines in those who grow in wisdom will be dimmed.
How much better to endeavor always to allow the light of Jesus to be reflected in our eyes as we learn more and more what it means to be fully who we are intended to be. Lovers of God, neighbor and self, part of a growing and expanding universe God created for us to enjoy.
In God’s world everything grows, even Jesus … so maybe we should too.
And by the way, look up how a snail grows, it is fascinating.