Saturday Night Theologian
15 May 2005

Numbers 11:24-30

On 19 September 1959, Cornell University physicists Philip Morrison and Giuseppe Cocconi published an article in Nature magazine entitled "Searching for Interstellar Communications." The date of this article's publication is widely accepted as the birth of SETI, the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence. Morrison and Cocconi reasoned that if intelligent beings existed elsewhere in the galaxy, they would probably develop advanced civilizations that emitted electromagnetic waves as a form of communication, much as humans first used radio waves and then began to use waves of other frequencies in the electromagnetic spectrum. They proposed building radio antennas that would scan the skies for signals that appeared to be artificial (as opposed to the naturally occurring background radiation), and soon such antennas began to be erected. NASA began to take SETI seriously by sponsoring small projects in 1971, and its support soon grew to millions of dollars per year. After NASA funding evaporated in 1993, private donors and foundations stepped in to support the project. Especially important was the advent in 1999 of SETI@home, a network of individual volunteers who committed to dedicate time on their own personal computers to aid the search for intelligent life. By distributing the computing burden among more than five million volunteers worldwide, SETI was able to process more data than would ever have been possible on even the world's largest mainframe computer. SETI@home is a modern example of the principle of delegating the workload among many people in order to improve the results. In today's reading from Numbers, Moses was exhausted, frustrated, and on the verge of burning out because of the burdens associated with leading the Israelites through the desert. After he complained to God, God offered a solution. God told Moses to assemble seventy elders, on whom God would distribute a portion of the spirit that currently resided on Moses. The spirit of God in this passage, as is typical throughout the Old Testament and in many parts of the New Testament as well, represents God's power that rests on an individual and gives that person particular abilities that are beyond those of an ordinary, non-spirit-filled person. The phenomenon of "prophesying," which is probably better understood in this connection as some sort of ecstatic utterance, was an indication of the divine indwelling, but it doesn't necessarily imply that the goal of the spirit's resting on the individual was prophecy in the normal sense of the word. On the contrary, the passage in Numbers clearly indicates that the "prophesying" was a one-time occurrence and served only to show that God had in fact distributed a portion of the burden of responsibility from Moses to the seventy elders. Some leaders today find it hard to delegate responsibility, preferring to do everything important themselves. Others assign tasks to other people, but then they micromanage those to whom they have assigned the tasks. Still others do in fact delegate responsibility, but then they worry intensely about whether those to whom responsibility has been delegated are doing their jobs. None of these leadership techniques is optimal, and sometimes they are downright destructive, either to the leader, to those who have taken on partial responsibility, or both. Effective leaders need to learn to delegate responsibility. They need to learn to recognize the gift of leadership (described in the Bible as God's spirit resting on someone) in others. Finally, they need to learn to trust that God's spirit, which leads them, will also lead others under their supervision to accomplish great things.

Psalm 104:24-34, 35b

Just over two weeks ago, the Nature Conservancy and the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology announced that the ivory-billed woodpecker, whose last confirmed sighting occurred about sixty years ago and which was thought to be extinct, has been observed and photographed in the Big Woods region of Arkansas. "Nature gives very few second chances, but this may be one of them," said Carter Roberts, president of the World Wildlife Fund. Despite this exciting discovery, the ivory-billed woodpecker remains critically endangered, and hundreds of other endangered and threatened species--including such familiar animals as the tiger, the black rhinoceros, and the whooping crane--are also in danger of extinction. What is unique about the ivory-billed woodpecker? It is the third largest woodpecker in the world, and the largest north of Mexico, with a height of 45 to 50 cm and a wingspan of up to 80 cm. Though similar to the smaller pileated woodpecker, its size and coloration mark it as a distinct species. Scientists estimate that each pair of ivory-bills requires a territory of approximately six square miles, and one of these birds may have a lifespan of 20 to 30 years. The rediscovery of the ivory-billed woodpecker caused great joy among birders and conservationists, and there is a valid theological motivation for their happiness, whether they realize it or not. The psalmist says, "May the glory of the Lord endure forever; may the Lord rejoice in his works." Diversity of species and habitat is a natural part of the created order, and human destruction of either, whether intentionally or accidentally, is an affront to the Creator. The diversity of nature is one of many ways in which nature itself praises God. Human indifference to the disappearance of species is one of many ways in which humanity disrespects God. The beauty of nature is part of the glory of God. May the diversity of nature, and the ivory-billed woodpecker that represents that diversity, continue to bring glory to God.

For other discussions of this passage, click here, or here, or here.

Acts 2:1-21

There is nothing more exciting than starting a new venture with friends and colleagues who share a common dream. Whether it's a computer company started in someone's garage, or a political movement that begins with the identification of a widespread problem and an imaginative solution, or an innovative approach to solving a seemingly intractable social problem, starting a new work is exhilarating. The possibilities fill the participants with wonder, and the expectations inspire commitment to the dream. And a dream is exactly what it is. It is not yet realized, and it may seem unreachably remote, but that's where the dream comes in. The church was born on the Day of Pentecost, but it didn't all begin there. For fifty days prior to Pentecost the followers of Jesus had gathered together to pray, to talk, to fellowship, and to dream. How can we channel the power of the resurrection into this new body, the church? What goals should we set? What in our wildest dreams do we think we can accomplish? How will we know when to start this new work? These might have been some of the questions that Jesus' followers asked themselves in the days leading up to Pentecost. They might not have had a blueprint for the expansion of the church, but they did have dreams. They dreamed of a world in which the kingdom of God that Jesus preached about would be realized. They dreamed of a world that embraced the spirit of love and justice that Jesus himself had taught. They dreamed of a world where saints and sinners worshiped God together. What kind of a world do Christians dream about today? Are we satisfied with the status quo, or do see a need for radical change? I for one dream of a radical change, one that is rooted in the teachings of the Old Testament prophets, and especially in the words and deeds of Jesus. I dream of a church that welcomes saints and sinners into its arms and loves them. I dream of a church in which the intolerance of narrow-minded, self-righteous pseudoprophets is rejected and tolerance of those with different points of view is not only promoted but even superseded by respect and love for our fellow human beings. I dream of a church that sees the suffering in the world and resolves to do everything in its power to meet the needs of the poor, weak, and sick. I dream of a church that rejects nationalism as a form of prejudice in the same way as it has already rejected racism and sexism (in theory at least). I dream of a church whose leaders courageously speak out against violence and hatred, which seeks to make friends rather than persecute enemies, and which is perceived by those outside the church as characterized by love. The church was born at Pentecost in the midst of many dreams, and it needs to be re-born today--and in every generation--in the wake of new dreams. The church needs new dreams and new dreamers: are you up to the challenge?

For other discussions of this passage, click here, or here, or here.

John 7:37-39

In mid-February, former Haitian prime minister Yvon Neptune, claiming that he was a political prisoner, began a hunger strike, which lasted until he was rushed to the hospital on March 20 and agreed to begin eating again. On April 17 he recommenced his hunger strike, and though he was on the verge of death at last report, his hunger strike continued in mid-May. Under ideal circumstances, a healthy person can survive for a few weeks without food. However, no one can survive without water for more than a few days. During the Feast of Tabernacles, a pitcher of water was carried from the Pool of Siloam to the Temple as a reminder of God's provision for the Israelites in the desert, in particular, the story of God's providing water from the rock. When Jesus proclaimed himself to be the source of living water during the Feast of Tabernacles, he was reminding the people of God's provision, but he was also claiming to be a unique source of life and refreshment. "Living water" is an expression that means "flowing water," water from a stream or a spring rather than a stagnant pool. Thus, it is water that is cool and refreshing, as opposed to the tepid water that often came from a cistern. "Living water" also implies water that restores life, evoking images of the 23rd Psalm or of a cold glass of water offered to a thirsty traveler. The evangelist interprets Jesus' statement as referring to the gift of the Spirit, which the glorified Jesus would impart to his disciples, an act traditionally associated with Pentecost (although presented differently in the Gospel of John itself). Jesus says that he is the source of this living water, but notice what else he says: "Out of [the believer's] belly shall flow rivers of living water." The water is not just a gift that believers receive, it is also a gift that they pass on to others. An encounter with God is not something to be horded, but something to be shared with others. As we celebrate the gift of the Spirit during the season of Pentecost, and as we are grateful to God for touching our lives, we must also ask ourselves, in what way are we sharing God's spirit and touching the lives of others in Jesus' name?