“Judgement ~ Absence ~ Absurdity ~ Acceptance”
~Rob Bell’s summary of the themes of this parable
This speaker says “he wants us to allow this parable to work on us in possibly a different way than we typically have heard it explained. To allow it to slip in through the side door, so to speak…“
It is one of my favorite talks by Rob Bell, and I was inclined to listen again to it today (it’s been awhile) and I took some notes down, pausing at moments, in hopes of interesting the reader to give it a listen.
The “instigating incident of the story is one of grace, gift, blessing, abundance – the thing that sets everything in motion…it is…it is one of unmerited favor.”
“It is an absurd premise…it is as if he just rolled the dice…
“The joy is in the work…
“The joy is in the participation…
“In this story, ‘boss man’ wants everyone to participate. And when they do participate…he wants them to participate more…
“There’s risk baked into the whole thing, and the risk is based into participation…
“I knew that you were a hard (or cruel) man…
“Is there anything in YOUR reading about this parable that tells you that the owner is cruel, or hard?…
“Where did he get this idea?…
“No where in the story do you get an image of a hard man than is ruthless, but the opposite of that…
“What kind of world are we living in?“
~Rob Bell
“Is life an adventure you get to go on? Or is it a trial you have to endure?…
“Are the cynics right? Is it a cruel hoax… or is it ‘glorious to be here?’…
“Is your life a thing you just have to put up with…or are you the recipient of an extraordinary, abundant over-the-top (this breath you just took) gift?…
“The owner is absent, but also present…faith is both the absence and the presence…
“What is it you do in both the presence and the absence?…
I would add, that is both faith and faithfulness.
“Truly being here is glorious.”
― RAINER MARIA RILKE, DUINO ELEGIES AND THE SONNETS TO ORPHEUS
Thank You For Reading
Please Feel Free To Express Your Thoughts Below
