When I was attending seminary...
Illustration
When I was attending seminary a distinguished black theology professor from a prominent seminary in New York came to speak to the student body. He ws discussing Liberation Theology, and stressed over and over again that it came out of the unique experience of oppression; The God of history is always on the side of the oppressed, standing against the oppressor.
After his lecture, we had a roundtable discussion. A young, white, suburban student asked over and over again, "but how can I understand that perspective, when that is not my situation?" Finally in desperation the professor said, "Well, maybe you need to start thinking about yourself all over again."
We all are confronted from time to time with the need to re-think our positions "all over again." You can't crawl back into the womb, but you can have a transformed heart. If the Ninevites could start over, so can we.
After his lecture, we had a roundtable discussion. A young, white, suburban student asked over and over again, "but how can I understand that perspective, when that is not my situation?" Finally in desperation the professor said, "Well, maybe you need to start thinking about yourself all over again."
We all are confronted from time to time with the need to re-think our positions "all over again." You can't crawl back into the womb, but you can have a transformed heart. If the Ninevites could start over, so can we.
