But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children.
- From Galatians 3
John Beilein, who in about ten years has become the greatest basketball coach in history, for the University of Michigan (and maybe, for all sports) simplified his approach as follows:
"It's all about the process."
You teach a process, a system . . . a system that can be learned. You develop ways to measure and track performance and improvement. You study deviations from the process, in order to identify areas to change, so that you can get continual improvement.
Like the Total Quality Management movement in manufacturing, which came into vogue in the 1990s (plus a whole plethora of other very good innovations in management), Coach Beilein realizes that a sound process will ensure constant advancements in performance.
I've always felt that God is the ultimate process improvement expert. He is a galactic consultant that helps us find our weak spots, develop our strengths, and therefore strengthen our grip, and perfect our game. But it's His game, His rules . . . His process.
Everything had to be done in its proper order. Humanity was always impatient. We feel like we have more wisdom than our Creator. But, try being a member of Michigan's team, and telling the coach you have a better approach . . .
In telling His story, God likes to start at the beginning. The Old Testament begins with the words "In the beginning." And the Gospel of John also begins with "In the beginning." They are talking about the same events, but from different perspectives. But God begins at the beginning, and slowly reveals a little more of His plan, little by little, all in good time, all in the proper order.
We still think we know it all. We nearly blew the world up, probably many times. We have not solved hunger. We do not fully understand how the ecosystem works. We've probably had countless near-misses on unleashing dangerous pathogens into the human network. All we need is guidance from God . . . but we refuse it, again and again.
John described Jesus - - - he knew Jesus, walked with Him, got to know Him as well as anybody, in three years of daily interaction with Him. He said that Jesus was full of "Grace and Truth."
Grace and Truth. What beautiful words. Grace - - - acceptance, undeserved favor. Jesus us full of Grace, which means He loves being near us. Any of us. All of us. I like to thank Jesus would even walk up to Hitler, melt his heart . . . and change history.
Truth - - - that which is not a lie. He saw Himself, and others clearly. He knows what is wrong, and how to fix it. Jesus has such knowledge, that He can cure any disease with just a touch . . . and while He does amazing things through His understanding of Science and Nature, it is so far above us that we call it a miracle. Whatever He says to you, you can count on it. Take it to the bank.
At the end of the Twenty-first Century's second decade, we are stuck in the same rut we started out in, twenty years ago. Columbine knocked our feet out from under us. 9-11 gave us a taste of Armageddon. Daily images form the war zone, and from the hideaways of terrorists, showed us, first-hand, the very worst that fallen humanity is capable of. Images pelted away at us, day after day - - - X-rated was no longer a rarity. By the age of eleven, the average child has seen anything, and everything, imaginable. Mass shooters proliferated. Our elections have gotten more and more bitter, as the Global economy seems to be overtaken by Global divisions that grow more and more dangerous.
It's as if the Tree of Knowledge has been unleashed to the modern age: infinite knowledge and ideas are within reach of all of us. The "f-word" is commonplace . . . and the most horrible motives are now linked to the most innocent of expressions (Baby It's Cold Outside).
Everybody's a criminal. Everybody's crazy. Everybody's sinister. Everybody's "The Other." Everybody cannot be trusted. Everybody's a narcissist. Everybody's violent. And Everybody's a racist.
We mock Grace and believe there is no such thing as Truth. We crave both and condemn anybody we think may lack either . . . and act as though we are deserving of neither.
Into this setting . . . as He has done over and over again . . . for two Millennia now; The Son of God comes. He re-enters a world, over and over again . . . that has no Grace, and no truth.
And He offers both to us, in abundance.
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