I’m finally reading Michelle Obama’s fascinating and inspiring book ‘Becoming’. At one point she tells of when the family joined Barack on one of his foreign trips, visiting Moscow, Rome and Accra in the space of a week. Returning to school, their 8-year old daughter Sasha wrote about her summer vacation, “I went to Rome and I met the Pope. He was missing part of his thumb.” As Michelle beautifully puts it “her view of history was, at that point, waist-high.”
Where we stand and where we look influences what we see. But so does our position in society, our experience and expectations, our belief in others and ourselves. In today’s Gospel reading Jesus suggests that Nicodemus needs a new view-point. To see the kingdom of God, we are told, requires a change of heart, a change in who we are.
Lent is traditionally a time of self-examination, a time to look inside ourselves, to know ourselves better and understand what needs to change. But I wonder what view-point we’re looking from, and how that influences what we see? Do we shine a bright light into the corners we’re ashamed of? Do we look to others as an inspiration for what we could be? Do we gaze out at creation and place ourselves within it? Do we kneel at the height of a child and see our need of God? Do we always look alone, or allow the love and perspective of friends to guide us? Do we look at Jesus, and see him looking back at us?
As you look at yourself, from old and new perspectives, I pray that this Lent you’ll see the kingdom of God.
Susannah Woodd
