LOOKING
THE WRONG WAY

Topics: Expectations; Kingdom of God; Repentance

Reference: Mark 1:14–18

I once visited a village in the Madras diocese. There was no road into the village; you reached it by crossing a river, and you could do this either on the south side of the village or on the north. The congregation assumed I would come by the southern route, and they had prepared a welcome that only an Indian village can prepare. There was music and fireworks and garlands and fruit and silumbum (South Indian martial art done on ceremonial occasions)—everything you can imagine.

Unfortunately, I entered the village at the north end and found only a few goats and chickens. Crisis! I had to disappear while word was sent to the assembled congregation, and the entire village did a sort of U-turn to face the other way. Then I duly reappeared.

That is what metanoia means in Mark 1:14–18. The reign of God has drawn near, but you can’t see it because you are looking the wrong way. You are expecting the wrong thing. What you think is God isn’t God at all. You have to go through a mental revolution; otherwise the reign of God will be totally hidden from you.

—Lesslie Newbigin, Mission in Christ’s Way (AbeBooks, 2005)