This week’s readings are Hebrews 11.1–3, 8–16 and Luke 12.32–40.

I’m quite fascinated by that line in Hebrews — that everything is made out of invisible things (v.3). It’s a gorgeous example of the rift in understanding between us and the world of the New Testament. I’m willing to put reasonable money on the fact that this isn't, in fact, a reference to quarks, muons, or any of the other subatomic particles we now know make up the universe around us — but can still only barely detect, let alone see. It seems far more likely that it's the spiritual realm that the writer has in mind here – the accepted ‘cause’ of everything for him and those around him.

And yet, the difference in theoretical framework may not matter that much — the point is the same:

There are certain self-evident truths about the universe that transcend the immediately visible, which we accept pretty much uncritically and use as the foundation for our lives and ways of being.

Now, I’m not about to start arguing against particle physics! But I do want to sound a note of caution about blindly believing in anything. After all, it’s not unknown for scientific theory to be disproved or superseded, or just fall by the wayside — victim to a paradigm shift: geocentric models of the universe… flat earth… phrenology… the ether… even classic Newtonian physics.

I think my point is this: Often, the fundamentals of our worldview — the things we treat as fact, especially in our rational, post-Enlightenment era — are, when we stop to examine them, actually articles of faith; and the frameworks in which they’re held are functionally religions. Perhaps they are even (more often than we’d like to admit) gods: worshipped, adored, and rarely questioned.

The flip side, of course, is that the things we tend to dismiss as ‘mere faith’  may by the same logic be capable of carrying far more weight and tangibility than we usually credit them with. And with that comes not just permission, but challenge: to live as if they were actually true.

To paraphrase Jesus, if we did that, if we were bold enough to live as though the things we claim to believe about the Kingdom of God were true, then there is no moment our lives wouldn’t reflect the truths of the Kingdom, and no moment in which we would be embarrassed if He were to walk suddenly and unexpectedly through the door.  Jesus even gives some indication what that might look like.  In this passage he starts with this, “Sell your possessions and give alms!” (Let’s not dwell again on that this week… but he really does keep going on about money!)  Then goes on with a parable of a master serving a slave.  It’s an image that would have been shocking to the point of offensive in Jesus’ day — perhaps akin to having it pointed out today that we all still rely on slavery (sweatshops, forced labour, supply chain exploitation) to maintain our lifestyle.

Is that shock perhaps delivered deliberately, to make us question the structures, hierarchies, and norms that we’ve simply just accepted?  Does it not bring us face to face with difficult questions like, Why is this person considered more important than that one? Why is this work dismissed as demeaning, and that work praised as honourable? Might I be the one called to let go of superiority, and do whatever I can in service of others?

The writer of Hebrews turns our attention to those who’ve gone before us who were willing to live that way. Those who placed their trust and sense of purpose in the hope that lay before them, and not the societal expectations that lay upon them. They followed that hope into new ways of being and doing. The writer calls it ‘faith’, and ‘righteousness’.

If we want to walk as they did, maybe it’s sensible to stop for a moment and take stock of our beliefs, and the foundations from which we view the world.  Maybe it’s worthwhile catching ourself in the midst of our habitual responses and asking ourselves, where did I learn this, and why have I accepted it?  What truth is it founded upon, and what truth does it make manifest in the world?  Does it help me walk more fully in the light of the Kingdom of God, and discover the person He’s calling me to be?  For it is the Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.