Donald Wickham’s Blog

This is another quote from Missional Renaissance: Changing the Scorecard for the church” by Reggie McNeal.  It spoke a lot to me as I read it.

In the second film based on C.S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia, subtitled Prince Caspian, Peter and his younger siblings are transported back to Narnia to fight another battle against evil, this time to liberate the Narnians from the infringing Telmarines.  When Aslan finally shows up, he offers a chance for new beginnings for those who want to be transported to our earth.  At a climactic moment, King Peter realizes that his job is done.  He hands his sword to Prince Caspian, a clear signal that Caspian is the new ruler.  Peter departs Narnia, leaving Caspian in charge.

As I reflected on this scene, I realized how it captures much of the dynamic of the required leadership for the missional movement. (And any others, I might add!) Like Peter, we have been summoned to a conflict that predates us and involves many players, some not from this world.  Our decision to engage the forces at work inspires those who are trapped in a binding evil.  They dare to believe that things can be different.  The outcome of battle is secure, but it does not mean that we escape injury and harm in prosecuting the fight.  We have our role, our moment, but our part is transitory.  From the time of our initial engagement, the plan always is to hand off the gains and struggles to others.

The fight is not about us.  It is not our kingdom.  We labor for a King whose intentions are sometimes hidden.  Yet he is committed to the struggle and has joined the battle himself.  Knowing this grants meaning to our strivings and perseverance to carry on.  We push forward in the face of both mystery and certainty.  Just hearing “well done” from the King is reward enough.

(Note:  I’m reading on my Kindle and it doesn’t have page numbers. )

Tags:   battle · C.S. Lewis · Chronicles of Narnia · kingdom · leadership · mystery · perseverance · well doneNo Comments