Saving Civilization?
In the mid-500s, missionaries from Ireland boarded small boats and began to come ashore in Britain and Europe. The once great Roman Empire had long ago gone dark. The great texts of classical Western civilization had largely been destroyed by the hordes of barbarians that had breached Rome’s borders. It was left to the Irish, in a story too few of us know, to “save civilization.”1 This story might be repeating itself in America. There’s a new flotilla of Christ followers coming ashore.
Hire a prophet.
Profits are like breathing, says Max DePree, former head of Herman Miller, Inc. They aren’t the goal of business. They are, however, pretty good evidence of whether or not an enterprise is alive. Prophets are another indicator of health. That’s right – prophets. Marshall McLuhan said every institution needs something like them.
God in a bowl.
When told that nature reveals the glory of God, Woody Allen replied that he only saw a giant restaurant. Fair enough. If someone can’t see God in the grandeur, try the granular. Rather than scraping the heavens, suggest that God can be found in a bowl of Cocoa Krispies.
No Labor Day.
If you love Labor Day you might not enjoy heaven that much. But don’t worry. Anyone can acquire a taste for eternity. The key is unpacking the origins of Labor Day, work and holidays. It also requires changing the way we imagine heaven.
