Conversion
4 even though I, too, have reason for confidence in the flesh. If anyone else has reason to be confident in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, a member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. 7 Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. 8 More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ
Philippians 4:4-8 (NRSV)
STORY
I am in my seventh decade of life, and during these years I worked a number of jobs including being a Virginia State Trooper, a United Methodist pastor in Pennsylvania, an army chaplain, a social worker for Allegheny County (Pittsburgh), a corporate librarian for Mellon Bank, and a college professor teaching religion and history.
Before entering the ministry, I was a Virginia State Trooper. I was assigned to Page County, Division 2, Area 14. My barracks was in Luray. The reader may be more familiar with Luray from the Luray Caverns, which was across the street from my barracks.
During the time that I was a trooper, the reader cannot imagine what I encountered, though I can assure you that it was not television police where a script writer concludes every show with a pristine outcome. Bad guy loses. Good guy wins. If it weren’t only so in real life! My time as a trooper, straight out of college, introduced me to the underbelly of life. A dark, evil, and foreboding life lived on the streets of Page County, the same as any county in our nation. It was also a county, like all counties, enveloped in the sadness and pain of innocent individuals.
When I began my theological studies, I had little time or interest in religious positions that present simplistic answers for the multiple heartaches in life, as if God would allow death on a highway, the sexual abuse of a child, the beating of a wife, the robbery of a store, the destruction of a life by addiction to drugs, the willingness to murder for either joy or self-interest or perhaps both.
This is why I introduce many of my theological commentaries with the following disclosure:
From Trooper To Theologian
On a personal note, I was called into theological studies from a career as a state trooper. This transition has been the litmus test for all my theological writings, for it made me mindful that biblical interpretation and theological positions must parallel what people experience in daily living. Therefore, my guide is that my theology must be able to dwell on the streets of Page County, where I was assigned as a state trooper, for this is where people live; this is reality. If a theological treatise that I compose cannot live on the streets of Page County then my theology is misguided, for the streets are real. The sermons, meditations, and devotions that I write must reflect the reality of daily living, offering encouragement and answers that are authentic and pragmatic.
DEVOTION
I grew up in a Christian home where from birth I always knew Jesus. Therefore, I do not have what is considered a traditional dramatic conversion experience. I consider my relationship with Jesus to be an evolving relationship, in which I became more cognizance of his presence in my life. Unable to point to a conversion experience, I can point to what I call “watershed experiences” where my understanding of my Chrisitan faith was significantly enhanced. One of those I just related that being a state trooper has significantly influenced my theological perspectives on life.
In our reading this morning we have the Apostle Paul sharing a watershed moment in his life when he realized that the only thing important to him was knowing Jesus. Dr. Joseph Weber, my New Testament professor at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C., instructed us not to look to the drama of Paul’s conversion as recorded in the Book of Acts, instead read how Paul himself described it in Philippians. In Paul’s own words we learn how his life was transformed.
In the scriptures we have many accounts of watershed experiences. When Moses encountered the burning bush. When the hot coal touched Isaiah’s lips. When David was confronted by the prophet Nathan. When Elisha was anointed by Elijah. When Peter had his rooftop experience in Joppa. These were all faith changing, theological changing, experiences.
The same Holy Spirit is working in our lives this day.
Points to Ponder
> What are the watershed moments in your life
> How have they changed your relationship with God
> How have they influenced your theology
Please share other Points to Ponder so I can update my list
Please share your thoughts with me – if you desire I will publish them for others to read anonymously or first name only or your entire name as you choose