Cans or Can'ts?

I was recently reading something written by Menno Simons, a leading voice in the early days of Anabaptist in the 1500s. He began this piece of writing by explaining that he was writing because he was forbidden, by his Roman Catholic government, to preach.

This morning I was reading Ps. 71 and came to verse 15. One of the translation options for it is put into English this way, "My mouth – it will recount your faithfulness, your deliverance all day, because I don't know how to write." (It is a notoriously hard verse to translate.) In this psalm, the writer is an old man considering his past and speaking in the present. Translated this way, this verse seems to be saying, "I'm so old I can't write anymore, but I will continue to speak of your faithfulness!"

These are examples of people, in very different contexts, who are choosing to focus on what they can do rather than what they can't do. As I reflect on the past 19 months of can'ts I wonder how much time has been spent (wasted?) focusing in the wrong direction. I'm not suggesting it is wrong to lament the can'ts which are often so hard. But a focus on the can'ts doesn't move us forward.

There have been many innovations in the past 19 months. Those who have focused on what we can do have innovated in the areas of technology, therapy, medicine, and even church life.  Some families are more connected now than ever because they've discovered online gatherings. Churches are reaching people online who never used to engage with church at all. Doctors are saving the time of patients by offering online consults. Art galleries have offered virtual tours to people all over the world. Music creators have gained vast new audiences by focusing on what they can do.

As I go through the coming days, weeks, and months and come face to face with limitations and road blocks telling me I can't do something, what innovation or discovery could I make if I don't focus on the obstacle and, instead, turn my creative thinking to what I can do.

As a church, we face limitations and road blocks due to COVID-19, due to decreased funds, due to limited volunteers, and due to dramatically changing times and ways of interacting in society more broadly. What would it look like for us to engage each of those cant's by instead turning our attention to creative exploration about what we can do and be?

There's no clear answer to that last question, but it is clear that we won't get to any exciting new cans by focusing on the can'ts.

Before you go, please listen to one example of how this is happening through Covenant people:

Our monthly breakfast and lunch programs were put on hold for a while. This fall, they have been running again, but on a take-out-only basis. Many of those who came to these programs for food were just as excited for the offer of fellowship around tables in a welcoming space. That was no longer available to them. As a result, several people who genuinely need a good meal weren't motivated to take the effort to walk to the church.

I stopped by one Thursday at lunch to see how things were going. I learned that the numbers of those served were pretty low because people had no where to eat when they came to get the meal. They missed out on the table fellowship and found it hard to walk back to where they came from with their meal. The can't was hindering our ability to serve and their ability to receive what was offered. In light of this, I learned that one of the volunteers had adapted their program. Rather than focusing on the fact that they can't offer a warm place to gather, they went out to find those who weren't coming. They knew (or found out) where pockets of people who could use a good meal were gathered and took the meals to them. Their focus on finding a creative can has allowed that team to continue to share food and the love of Christ to those who need both. (Reread Matthew 18:12-14 to reflect on just how much this reflects the way of Jesus!)