Dear Trekker,

The title of this month’s newsletter, to begin a new year, is the title of a 2020 book so compelling I feel inspired to recommend it highly to each of my trekker friends. So, a book review (of sorts) is this month’s offering I share with you.

“Sharing“ is a wonderful word. We are blessed to enlighten and give to others. Our faith is very personal, but indeed never private. We live out our faith for others to see and follow in His steps. I’ve always loved St. Paul’s admonition to the Corinthian believers: “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” Oh, so powerful is this challenge. “Be like Jesus“ is my song, be like Jesus all day long!

A wonderful, special trekker friend placed J.R. Briggs, The Sacred Overlap, in my hands a few weeks ago. The subtitle is the mission statement by the author: Learning to Live Faithfully in the Space Between. The author (and my trekker friend who gave me and others the book) says: “I am learning that if I want to live like Jesus, I’m going to have to learn to navigate the middle. I still believe Jesus is who he said he is – more so than ever… while there are either/or scenarios throughout Scripture, the Christian life is also an invitation to a both/and existence.” (See page XXI of the introduction.)

Where am I going with this you may be wondering. Well, sometime about 60 years ago, I was a newly married, young officer in the United States Army. A pamphlet on “conjunctive thinking” crossed my path. I devoured its contents then, as I hope and pray you will devour and digest this MEN, and later this book I am recommending. The message of the pamphlet (which I can no longer find in my files) was this… if you want to understand the blessings and challenges of life you need to understand the conjunctivity of life, the both/and of existence and thought. This is not second nature to us. Particularly as believers in Jesus Christ, we are inclined strongly to think in either/or propositions. I recall Joshua‘s parting comments from Joshua 24: “Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness…but if serving the Lord seems unreasonable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, but for me and my household, we will serve the Lord (v. 14,15).” For sure, there is an either/or aspect to true faith. You believe or you don’t! But…the living out of one’s faith is where the conjunctive “both/and” come into play. Life lived is regularly not black and white. “Either/or” is a guide; “both/and” is an implementer. Let me be clear, this conjunctive thinking has been a lodestar for me and my walk with Jesus ever since I was enlightened by the Holy Spirit (I believe) upon reading the pamphlet 60 years ago.

As I have read (yes, devoured) The Sacred Overlap in the last few days, I said to myself: “Lord, you’ve done it again. What you laid on my heart years ago, someone else has now completed the task. I could have written the book, I said over and over again. But Briggs is better equipped, better informed, better disciplined than I, and he completed the task.” No doubt this has happened to you, trekker. What you could have done, somebody else actually did. Is there a lesson to be learned here? Yes, a conjunctive lesson, motivation must be addressed to successfully produce results. Inspiration must spring from the starting blocks to achieve anything.

As I reflect on my pilgrimage in conjunctive thinking, scores of my younger associates (and contemporaries) will attest, “Yes, Jim seeks to be a conjunctive both/and thinker and doer.” Let me illustrate… during my career of 30 years,, the question most asked of me by fellow, non-soldier oriented Christian friends was: “Jim, how can a Christian be a soldier?” Either/or thinking to the max! Similarly, my non-Christian associates would often say, “Oh, you were a chaplain?” Another either/or example. My response was something along this line, “No, I am (was) a line officer seeking to integrate my faith and profession of service.” I have concluded, without prejudice or rancor, the typical civilian who has never harmonized faith and profession doesn’t understand the essence of legitimate warfare is the defense to the death of one’s (and one’s national) values, not aggressive, conquering behaviors and actions to overpower and coerce.

Trekker, Briggs’ book covers the waterfront of life and Scripture. If one is new to conjunctive thinking (as many believers are), this book will be used to change your life. (Buy it today!) The Sacred Overlap is when two concentric circles converge and overlap. Two separates are forced to harmonize, to live together because both are true! E.g. man is both created “good” and “flawed” (sin) resulting from God making man not as a puppet, but with the power of choice! Man is both good and bad; we all know this no matter how theologians wrangle about two opposites with which we live every day, do we not? Read Romans 7 again if you have any doubts!

Briggs gives example after example from the life of Christ suggesting the both/and of life. Matthew says, Jesus Christ said, “Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30). Briggs goes on to pinpoint from John’s Gospel, the astounding nature of Christ’s teaching as understood by the disciples, so much so that many turned back. “On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?” John 6:60-64. Briggs says, which is it? Easy or hard teaching?

The invitational posture for discipleship according to Briggs is: 1) come and see; 2) come and die, and 3) go and do (pages 142, 143). It reminds me of the day long ago when I discerned Jesus’ form of discipleship from his perspective: 1) Follow me, 2) I will make you, 3) fishers of men (Mark 1:17). (And somebody else wrote that book too, I discovered years ago.)

On the book cover of The Sacred Overlap are these words: “Embrace the tension of living in two worlds.” So true trekker! In this world, but not “of it.” Balance between the here and now and the here after…breaking black and white into a mystical gray hue, yet always honoring Jesus and the Holy Spirit leading us into his likeness. Could this be the secret?

Trekker, this book is a must read for 2021. Briggs nails it on every page. I like the quote – “Almost always before people come and see Jesus, they need to know someone else who knows Jesus.” Let’s be that person today and tomorrow.

Always your friend on the conjunctive journey,

Jim Meredith