Lent Devotional 15

Born Again????

The classic New Testament passage where the words born again are used is John 3: 1-16. Here is the setting for the passage. Nicodemus, a big time Pharisee, comes to Jesus when it is dark. (Is that “dark” night or is that “dark” just plain ol’ lost? Good question.) He tries to butter Jesus up with some pretty flattering complements, but Jesus answers Nicodemus’ unasked question.  He says, “No one can see the Kingdom of God without being born from above or born again or born anew.” (The words in bold vary according to translation, but are all translated from the same Greek word anothen.)

Born again-from above-anew meaning???

Because I was a math major and had taken multiple math courses each semester, I had finished my major and minor at the end of the fall semester my junior year. So my last 1 ½ years of college I was able to take courses I wanted to take and not courses I had to take. In that time of choice I was approached by a banking recruiter about whether I would be looking for a job in a bank after graduation. I knew instantly that a bank, a desk, a shirt and tie everyday were not for me, but for the first time I began to think seriously about what I would do after graduation. I chose to take courses that would allow me to teach school. This was an easy choice because I was the son of two school teachers and many of my friends were preparing to be teachers.

This decision meant that my last semester at Florida Southern would be spent as an intern in a local High School. When I was assigned to Kathleen High School Dr. Betty Mason, the Head of the Education Department, brought me into her office and said “Mr. McCloskey you will be wearing a shirt and tie and pants that are not blue jeans to class”. My response was “I can be a good teacher no matter what I wear.” Her response was “Mr. McCloskey you do not seem to understand that what you think makes no difference. But to clarify matters further, if you want to graduate in May, you will wear a shirt and tie and no blue jeans when you practice teach.”

I had a choice to make. Buy a tie that would match my solid gold, green, and blue some-what dress shirts, or drop out. Later that day I went out and bought a tie. It was fluorescent pink, purple, and blue paisley. It was vintage ‘60s hideous and is still hideous as it hangs it hangs in my closet today, but I wore it.

There are some things I learned that semester as a Math Intern at Kathleen High School. First, that I was a good math teacher and could teach concepts and control the students in my classes. I was even enough of an authority figure that when a riot broke out on campus my class remained in the room and at their desks and I did not have to tie them up with that tie. Second, I was not cut out to be a public school teacher. I had no issue with submitting to the authority of the Principal “Doc” Harrison and being creative as a teacher, but I hated all of the “busy” paperwork I had to fill out. Imagine me rebelling against something like that.  Finally, at the end of that term I was offered a teaching position the following Fall, but I knew that “trappings” of a school teacher was a “makeover” that I was not willing to accept.

So I moved on and went to Seminary the following fall. After 35 years of ministry that fluorescent paisley tie still hangs among all of those other ties and is a reminder of what is really important in life.

(Sorry I have to run now and dress appropriately and get to the office to fill out Charge Conference forms to meet the deadline. Thank goodness God does have a really strange sense of humor.)  

Nicodemus wants a quick “makeover” that he can do. Jesus gives the option of a “makeover” from God. One option involved deciding what was acceptable and the other involved accepting what was possible. One is human and one is divine.

Born Again ???  What do you think?

Have a great day and

SHALOM,

Tom Mc