This is the Other MacArthur Calling

“…that we might receive adoption.” – Galatians 4: 5  

The Macarthur genius grants were just awarded, and some outstanding people were chosen to receive them.  In each case, I am deeply glad for their adoption as geniuses.  I love that they get money for five years to do whatever they want. I love that they are no longer slaves to the monetization of just about everything, including art and literature and genius.

I love the way the Macarthur Foundation is so like God in adopting geniuses and giving them inheritances, which lead them beyond slavery to freedom.  I also love the way God is like the Macarthur Foundation, adopting us and giving us inheritances, rich ones that are way beyond monetization in the first place.

I deeply respect the refusal of a growing number of people to be hypocritical about God.  They say they are spiritual but not religious and I do understand.  If they don’t believe or trust in a God, I am not going to push them so to do.  Why would I?  God doesn’t push us to believe or trust, so why would I?  Instead God creates us as choice-making people, including the capacity to make choices about whether to have God in our life or our language.   

Instead I’d rather say this is the MacArthur Foundation calling.  You are adopted by God to have an inheritance of freedom. Very few of us are that crazy about our earthly parents.  We are still longing for a happy childhood.  We are free to find surrogate parents all over the place in the form of mentors, teachers, guides and gurus.  Why not take the fellowship when God calls?

Prayer

Help me pick up the phone when you call, O God.  Amen.

ddauthordonnaschaper.jpgAbout the Author
Donna Schaper is Senior Minister at Judson Memorial Church in New York City. Her latest book is Prayers for People Who Say They Can’t Pray.