Sunday, December 15, 2019

“Change of Perspective” (Isaiah 35:1-10)


Metaphors play a significant role in the spiritual life.  Spiritual directors and the mystics use metaphors to help sojourners understand where they are on the spiritual journey.  We see this in the scripture of our Bibles.  For example, our reading this morning we hear the prophet Isaiah using a metaphor to bring across a significant meaning to the exiles in Babylon.  Remember that the exiles were yanked from their homeland where they witnessed the destruction of homes, businesses, and even their place of worship—the Temple.  They were taken to a strange land where their captors spoke a language they did not understand.  They were told they could not go home.  There they were stuck with no way home.  Imagine how they must have felt . . . depressed.

In spirituality it is often a “high place” where the “holy” is experienced.  This is called a “mountaintop” experience.  Martin Luther King, Jr., in the last speech he gave before he was killed, said these words about his experience of the “holy”: “We’ve got some difficult days ahead.  But it really doesn’t matter with me now, because I’ve been to the mountaintop . . . I’ve seen the Promised land.  I may not get there with you.  But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the Promised Land.”  King shared that he had been to the mountaintop and had experienced the holy.

If the “mountaintop” is the epitome of the spiritual experience, then the valley . . . the desert . . . is the low point in the spiritual experience.  Deserts are desolate places . . . dry and arid . . . nothing grows . . . and, the landscape is drab and colorless.  It is a place where it is a struggle to survive.  This is the metaphor that the prophet Isaiah uses as he talks to the people about their situation as exiles in a strange land.  They are in the desert . . . a parched land.  In fact, all of the descriptions that Isaiah uses depressing examples that exemplify being in the “desert”.  Often people who are depressed speak of being in the desert of their journey.  This was where the exiles were.  They were in the desert and it was depressing.

It was Isaiah’s job to bring to them words of hope.

I don’t know how many of you ever saw the 1998 movie, Pleasantville, but it is a wonderful movie that is quite deep in its message even though it was a comedy.  Pleasantville is an old black-and-white 1950’s sitcom—sort of like, Leave it to Beaver—that happens to be teenager David Wagner’s favorite show.  He is addicted to the show and watches it every chance he gets. Pleasantville is a simple place, a place where are the citizens are swell and simple-minded folks, a place where the word “violence”, and life outside of Pleasantville, is unbeknownst to its inhabitants . . . things are perfect down in Pleasantville.

One evening, the life of David and his obnoxious sister Jennifer take a bizarre turn when an eccentric repairman hand them a supposed magical remote.  After a quarrel between the two, they accidentally zap themselves into the world of “Pleasantville” . . . now they are stuck in the show with no way out.  It is a black-and-white world where everything just keeps repeating itself in predictable ways.  The two of them must adjust to the 50s lifestyle of repressed desires and considerably different societal values as they try to find a way home.  It ain’t the 1990s.

David, having seen all the shows, works hard to fit in.  His sister, on the other hand, just cannot fit in . . . it is too binding, too restricting . . . too boring . . . too depressing.  Instead of fitting in, she lets it all hang out.  Things begin to change.  Soon, as the people begin to experience new things, color begins to show up . . . a rose here, a green tree, blue sky.  As the people in Pleasantville begin to change, they too begin to find color in themselves.  The black-and-white world that they live in is suddenly becoming vibrant and colorful . . . exciting . . . and, filled with new opportunities to experience the world beyond Pleasantville.

What brings the change?

The change comes as the characters are willing to view the world around them . . . to view those around them . . . in a new way.  They get a new perspective.  From the drab black-and-white world where they exist, they discover a beautiful and exciting world with new possibilities and adventures.  Suddenly the world explodes from their small corner of it into an expansive new world.


This is the message that the prophet Isaiah attempts to bring to the people of exile.  Were you listening to the words he spoke: “The desert and the parched land will rejoice; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom.  Like a crocus it will burst into bloom.”  Feeble hands will be strengthened . . . fearful hearts will be made strong . . . the eyes of the blind will be opened . . . the deaf will hear . . . and, the lame will run like deer.  The prophet tells them out of the desert they will come to paradise.  In other words, what is to come is better than what they are experiencing and what they could ever imagine.  This will be the scene when they return to their homeland.

It will be a time of great joy.  Isaiah proclaims to the people: “They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads.  Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.”  It is coming, says the prophet, so grab on and believe . . . have hope and discover the joy.

That was the message of hope that Martin Luther King, Jr. attempted to share with those who were listening to his last speech . . . it is coming . . . and, when it comes there will be great joy . . . so, hang on!  Dream.  Hope.  Believe.  This is the message of Isaiah to the exiles.

Metaphors . . . out of the valley we climb to the mountaintop . . . out of the darkness light shines . . . from the stump comes a shoot . . . from death comes new life.

What metaphors would we use to describe the world we are living in today?  What metaphors would we use to describe our own lives?  Listening to some people we seem to be living in a time in which we are wandering through the desert . . . wandering through the wilderness . . . in dark times.  Times that some would describe as hopeless.  Times that feel like an old 1950s black-and-white show in which we seem to be spinning our wheels and getting nowhere.  I don’t think I can argue any different . . . and, yet, I hear the words of the prophet . . . I have the scriptures before me . . . I have the story of Jesus—his words, his example, and his promise of a better world . . . a great big technicolor world—the kingdom to come.

That is the promise we are striving towards.  That is the goal of the season of Advent . . . to get us to find the hope in what is yet to come . . . what we are working towards as the followers of Jesus.  A better place.  We are called upon to embrace the promise before us . . . to grab hold of the metaphor . . . and, to change our perspective.

A change in perspective can go a long way in seeing the world and others around us in a better way.  It is all a matter of how we view things.

On this ranch there were two little boys eking out an existence with their parents.  Both really wanted a pony for Christmas.  They had been really good and were certain that they would get a pony.  On Christmas morning they both ran out to the barn knowing that they would find the pony . . . but, all they found was a huge pile of manure.  Stunned, they just stood there.  Finally, the older boy started walking back to the house . . . sad and dejected . . . certain that there was no pony.  But before he got to the barn door, he could hear a lot of hooping and hollering behind him.

Turning, he saw his little brother knee deep in the pile of manure . . . throwing it left and right.  “What are you doing?” he asked.  “There is no pony!”

This did not deter the boy, he kept reaching down grabbing manure and throwing it out exclaiming, “No!  Look at the size of this pile of manure . . . there’s got to be a pony in there somewhere!”

It is all in the way you look at things . . . the perspective you use.  Isaiah is asking the exiles to see their plight in a new way . . . to see the promise of what is to come . . . to find the hope in the word of God.  If they can do this, they will see the world around them in a new way.

So, it is with us on this Advent journey.  Out of the desert there will come paradise . . . out of darkness there will be light . . . and, we will reach the mountaintop.  We will get to the Promise Land.  This is what gets us through the tough times . . . through the darkness . . . through the desert.  And, when we get there, we “. . . enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown on our heads.  Gladness and joy will overtake us, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.”

That is why we make the journey of Advent . . . to discover its promise, God’s promise.  It is a new perspective . . . a holy one.  Let us find the joy.  Amen.

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