25.06 | Behind Bristling Eyebrows

Luke 7:18-50

‘What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who are dressed in splendid clothing and live in luxury are in kings’ courts. What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.’

Luke 7:25-26

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In the basement beneath their church building, Reuben Lance taught Eugene Peterson the art of spiritual direction.¹

Eugene Peterson was among the spiritual giants of the Twentieth Century. He authored 30 books, including his epic full translation of the entire Bible—verse by verse—from the original languages.² He was renowned as a deep spiritual thinker, a master craftsman of spiritual direction, an artisan of the soul. 

When Eugene was twenty years old, he returned home from university, with some strong feelings emerging in his soul. He couldn’t quite understand or process what he was experiencing, so he started looking for an older mentor figure to help him navigate this.

He began with his pastor. His pastor told him that his problem was sex. Eugene, while not pretending any perfection in this area, quickly realised that this wasn’t his problem (although it seemed to be his pastor’s problem), and that a weekly berating about sexual sin wasn’t going to get him anywhere.

His next attempt was an older man in his church community. He was known as something of a local spiritual guru, lauded in church meetings as a man of particular spirituality and depth. Their first meetings included long monologues of the man’s theological views. Again, this friendship didn’t last long.

It was then that a friend suggested to him that he meet with Reuben Lance. Reuben was a local handyman, with bristling red eyebrows and beard furnishing his stern face. He never smiled, sat silently at the back of church, and disapproved of much religion. But the friend was insistent, and Eugene was desperate. And so he asked Reuben if they could meet and talk. This began a summer of biweekly meetings, Eugene sharing and exploring these yearnings of his heart, and finding Reuben to be—behind his intimidating appearance—a man of exceptional prayerfulness, authenticity, and curiosity. Reuben came to define the art of spiritual direction to this pastor, who in turn impacted the lives and ministry of thousands. 

Reuben didn’t look the part, and was overlooked in church; but he was a pioneer in the Kingdom.

Today’s stories speak of two similar characters that the religious could not see.

Like John the Baptist. Remember that John lived in the wilderness. Remember that he may have taken a Nazirite vow, which would have meant long and likely unkempt hair. He wore camel skin clothing. He preached of wrath and judgement, and ate locusts and honey. If John walked into an average church meeting, people would get uncomfortable. They’d hope he’d sit somewhere else. He’d likely be drinking coffee by himself beforehand, and you bet he’d not be the first name on the preaching rota. 

And yet, hear what Jesus saw: among those born of women none is greater than John. John was the gateway into a new way of being, baptising people out of the ways of the world and ready for the Kingdom of Jesus. 

And like the woman who anoints Jesus’ feet. In Luke’s words, ‘a woman of the city’. In the Pharisee’s words, a ‘sinner’. In our context, she’d be wearing the wrong clothes, have the wrong hairstyle, smell of cigarettes and cheap perfume, and swear on the way in. She’d make the religious and middle class uncomfortable, and would overstep the ideals of social or religious etiquette in her over-the-top expressions of gratitude.

And yet, hear what Jesus saw: she loved much. The woman is an exemplar of the kind of lavish, abandoned worshiper that is leading the way into this new Kingdom of freedom, joy, and grace. 

Be aware, my friends. Sometimes we walk among giants of the Kingdom without realising it. They may not look like we expect, but behind the external eccentricities, if we learn to see, we find ourselves among the bristling pioneers of the inbreaking and irreligious new world of God.

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Reflect:

Who comes to my mind that makes me feel a little uncomfortable.

Ask the Spirit to help you see them as He does. Lay down all that you have, and pray in what He gives you.

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Pray:

Father,

Teach me to see;

But not like everyone else does.

Teach me to look less at

Beauty,

Credentials,

Charisma,

And ability.

Teach me to be less impressed by the vain and vacuous,

The temporary and the religious.

Rather, 

Teach me to see like Jesus:

To see the prophet beneath the camel skin;

And the worship leader in the sex worker;

That my eyes,

Father God,

Be as yours,

As I become like your Son.

Teach me to see,

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen

Old Testament: 

For those also reading the Old Testament this year, your additional readings are here:

Isaiah 17-20 | Proverbs 17:10-16

1. Spiritual direction is the process of accompanying another on their spiritual walk. It is different to mentoring and coaching, specifically looking to help the person identify the unique work of the Spirit of God in their life in this moment, helping them to navigate their way deeper into the invitations of God. The Celtic word for ‘spiritual director’ was anmchara, meaning ‘soul friend’.

2. The Message