Jesus invites his followers to pay attention to spiritual matters in the same ways we watch the skies for weather. We can read the skies, but we “do not know how to interpret the present time (kairos)” (Luke 12:56). The word kairos is not about chronological time, but about the appointed time, when God’s timing is right. Jesus shares this while also reminding his followers about the hard choices of following him. They’ll need to let go of wealth, family connections and anything else that hinders their faithfulness. Jesus seems to be saying, “I am the right time, and it’s now. So don’t let anything get in the way of our work.”
What will we make of the future? We live in a kairos moment – the right time to work together for the sake of our neighbors, the planet, ourselves and future generations. There’s a hope in not knowing that moves us to create a future where all people can thrive. A hope build on the vision of beloved community, care of neighbor and stewardship of the resources that God in Christ gives to us.
This message is excerpted from the Bible study “Scripture and nature: Teachers of faith” by Sara Olson-Smith in the January/February 2024 Gather magazine.
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