“25 Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”; 27  “and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins.” 28 As regards the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. 29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. 30 For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, 31 so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy. 32 For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all. 33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! 34  “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?” 35  “Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?” 36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.” (Ro 11:25–36 ESV)

Probably all life’s cautionary training probes and provokes us to a Dichotomy: true, all is Machiavellian (fear works better than love, for the leader); true, betrayal is a given; true, a man’s enemies are the members of his or her own house; true, all is chasing after the wind. But Christianity honors the man or woman who despite all this Celebrates. Celebrates the community gathering (church); celebrates the friend network (collegiality); celebrates the romantic endeavors (dating); celebrates the advisory role (teaching, parenting).

To have a vision… for a family, for a “crew” from around here, for a friends’ network and simple place where what Anglicanism traditionally has called the “bonds of affection”, is to emerge from both the fear (“These folks… wow are they individually Big…”) and the casual rapport (“In a fit of mirth I thought this made sense…”). More, the Rorschach blot of the successful Pundit’s presence in the community… we do it, too: we blame the Parent, the Godhead, even: we are so starkly and incautiously reprimanded by nonsense “out there” that we learn to toe a finer line “in here”. Where the warmth still pertains. Where the mutuality still is present. Where the sense of a place to file away our complaint, still is Real. Because we can go sycophant all day around “Dad’s sins, Mom’s sins”. Only this, who taught you all you hold dear? Who greeted you, come tomorrow morning’s hangover, with a stern but loving expression on their face? Who risked their own Machiavellian wisdom or Wizard of Oz’s fancy threatening machine, to risk their own Reputation in the name of “being there”?

More, to have a vision, this is to go excited around both “Presence”, “Parents”, “Uncles, Aunts, Cousins”, and “new blood”. In a fit of ecstasy all we wish for is the place and circumstance to Introduce our Friends: the New Blood. Who themselves have lineage and pride of place, but it all pales in comparison, or so it seems. Therefore when things suddenly “get real”, when Fear starts to abide with the Self-Confident composure; when we see the militancy and the severity and the Discipline Manifest: when we see simple Genius doing hands-on and severe deeds; then, and only then, do we grow into our theological framework. We cease to have a back-and-forth imaginary Dialog with God or with a would-be parent-like final Judge; we start, instead, to feel the Pinch, to hear that God loves us not because we were “in the right”, were “wronged”, had a luscious “complaint” to file away; rather, that our own sins spell a more harsh coming apart at the seams; He is there and present in order to make logical and germane, both Discipline, and Mercy.