Drawing Fish Pictures in the Sand

March 24, 2009
 
Dear St. Paul’s Family,
 
Recently, our older daughter Grace (8 years old last Wednesday!) was playing around with her recent discovery of acronyms.  She had fun taking the letters of every name in the family and assigning corresponding descriptors for each person.  I glimpsed at her sheet and saw the following acronym for my wife:
 
not Juicy
not Edible
So cool
Same as the one on top (again, not juicy)
Is a good teacher
Cool
Awesome
 
Pretty comical, I thought.  Jessica thought it was a hoot.  Then I saw what Grace did to my name:
 
Mild
Awesome
Good speaker
Really awesome
not Edible
not Yummy
 
I’m not sure what qualifies me as “not yummy,” but I suppose I’ll take it as a compliment.
 
Grace’s playful exercise reminds me that acronyms have been helpful mnemonic devices since the earliest days of human language.  The example that jumps to mind is from first century Rome, in which persecuted Christians communicated to one another through a seemingly innocuous symbol.  When a Christian was out in public and they wanted to determine if a nearby person was a fellow believer without drawing dangerous attention from Roman observers, they would use a stick or their foot to draw a swooping arc in the dirt.

Then, if the other person was a Christian, he would covertly respond by completing the picture.

To the Roman public, it would look simply like two nutty people drawing a fish on the ground.  But to the early church, this was a symbol with deep theological meaning.  Fish, in Greek, was spelled ΙΧΘΥΣ, or ICHTHUS in English.  And this word was – you guessed it – an acronym.  Separating the letters, one could fill in the following words:
 
I:  Iesus
CH:  Christos
TH:  Theou
U:  Uios
S:  Soter
 
Translating the words into English, you get the following profound theological statement:
 

“Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior.”

The two strangers could walk away, having found their mutual connection in Christ, while escaping certain persecution and death.  
 
Both in symbol and in sentence, the earliest Christians bet their lives on the conviction that Jesus of Nazareth was no mere human.  He was more than a compelling teacher, and more than a celebrity healer.  He was the promised messiah, the agent of a new kingdom, and the means to a restored relationship with God.  Such an affirmation demanded sacrifice and risk from these fledgling followers , more so than anything we face today.  

But we, too, are tempted to compromise our convictions for the sake of personal convenience, our devotion to God in the face of societal pressures, and our integrity and discipline in exchange for career convenience.  Put most simply, it is still easier to disown our allegiance to Christ than to be fully committed to it.  That’s why the season of Lent is so important.  It is, itself, a mnemonic device.  We remember the story of Christ’s passion with clarity and presence, and greet him with palms, eat with him at the table, betray him with a kiss, follow him to Golgotha, and experience the transformative miracle of the empty tomb.  It is a story worth remembering, and ultimately making our own.  

Let’s make this journey together, and:
 
Let’s
Experience
New
Transformation.
 
Grace and Peace,
 
Magrey   




UPSIDE-DOWN SERIES CONTINUES
We continue with our Lenten series with Jesus’ fascinating parable from Matthew 20:1-16.  Come discover how God’s grace is the great equalizer among people, regardless of their past.  The sermon is titled, “Equality:  The First Will Be Last.”
  
EASTER LILIES
We are currently taking orders for Easter lilies in honor or in memory of loved ones.  The cost is $12.00, and they will once again be provided by Rhoadside Blooming House.  Contact the church office by Monday, April 6, with your order.
 
VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL
This year’s VBS is called “Crocodile Dock” and promises to be the biggest and best one yet!  Come this Sunday to see how you can help with donations or your time.  For more information, contact Jill Chalstrom.  
 
GIRL SCOUTS LASAGNA DINNER
Join the Girl Scouts in the Fellowship Hall for their annual fundraising dinner.  Delicious Lasagna, and all the fixings, will be served for $7.00 per adult and $3.50 for children.  Tickets are available at the door.