The Parable of the Choluteca Bridge
Everyone's favorite Emerger, Brian McLaren, takes center stage in a new 4-part video lecture called "Becoming a Missional Christian." It was an interesting talk, but one part really resonated.
This image was up on the projection screen behind Brian (without the "sample" on it; Brian can afford the licensing fee; I can't):
This is an aerial shot of the Choluteca Bridge in Honduras. In November 1998, Hurricane Mitch ravaged the area. 5,600 people died. 12,300 were injured and 8,600 disappeared. In addition to the loss of human life, 150 bridges were damaged or destroyed. The most modern of all the bridges, the Choluteca Bridge, survived intact but suffered perhaps the greatest indignity: the river moved right out from under it.
The bridge, apparently, was an engineering marvel, donated by the Japanese. For years, it was a perfect tool to achieve its purpose, namely, to get people from dry land on one side to dry land on the other. After the storm, the tool itself didn't change. It was so properly built, so perfect for its purpose, that not even the monstrous shifting sands around it could put even a dent in it.
But those very shifting sands did something else. They rendered the bridge purposeless. In fact, you can't even call it "a bridge" any more, since by definition a bridge connects two pieces of land separated by an obstacle.
Actually, more than that. If you look closely at the picture, you'll see that it now connects safe, dry land on one side to a raging river on the other. If you were to utilize the bridge now, not only would it not serve a purpose, it would literally lead you smack in the middle of danger.
Jesus is the Truth. Everything we, as His followers, do to live within and communicate that Truth are bridges. Everything. Bridges are good tools, and the more solidly they are built, the better.
They might even last for generations. Centuries.
But every now and then, not often, but every now and then, the earth will shift beneath our bridges. And when that happens, we must either be wise/courageous enough to adapt or risk irrelevance.
Or, worse yet, keep using our old bridges even when they now lead to dangerous waters.
If you have ears, then hear.
Grace and Peace,
Raffi
This image was up on the projection screen behind Brian (without the "sample" on it; Brian can afford the licensing fee; I can't):
This is an aerial shot of the Choluteca Bridge in Honduras. In November 1998, Hurricane Mitch ravaged the area. 5,600 people died. 12,300 were injured and 8,600 disappeared. In addition to the loss of human life, 150 bridges were damaged or destroyed. The most modern of all the bridges, the Choluteca Bridge, survived intact but suffered perhaps the greatest indignity: the river moved right out from under it.
The bridge, apparently, was an engineering marvel, donated by the Japanese. For years, it was a perfect tool to achieve its purpose, namely, to get people from dry land on one side to dry land on the other. After the storm, the tool itself didn't change. It was so properly built, so perfect for its purpose, that not even the monstrous shifting sands around it could put even a dent in it.
But those very shifting sands did something else. They rendered the bridge purposeless. In fact, you can't even call it "a bridge" any more, since by definition a bridge connects two pieces of land separated by an obstacle.
Actually, more than that. If you look closely at the picture, you'll see that it now connects safe, dry land on one side to a raging river on the other. If you were to utilize the bridge now, not only would it not serve a purpose, it would literally lead you smack in the middle of danger.
Jesus is the Truth. Everything we, as His followers, do to live within and communicate that Truth are bridges. Everything. Bridges are good tools, and the more solidly they are built, the better.
They might even last for generations. Centuries.
But every now and then, not often, but every now and then, the earth will shift beneath our bridges. And when that happens, we must either be wise/courageous enough to adapt or risk irrelevance.
Or, worse yet, keep using our old bridges even when they now lead to dangerous waters.
If you have ears, then hear.
Grace and Peace,
Raffi
Wow. I love the bridge story and how you connected it to modern Christian life.
Thanks for the kind words, inrepair. Stop by more often.
Grace and Peace,
Raffi