The Fox and The Hedgehog (March 17, 2019), Rev. Peter Heinrichs
Luke 13:31-35 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
31 At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.” 32 He said to them, “Go and tell that fox for me,[a] ‘Listen, I am casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish my work. 33 Yet today, tomorrow, and the next day I must be on my way, because it is impossible for a prophet to be killed outside of Jerusalem.’ 34 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! 35 See, your house is left to you. And I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when[b] you say, ‘Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.’”
The title is a reference to a fragment attributed to the Ancient Greek poet Archilochus: πόλλ' οἶδ' ἀλώπηξ, ἀλλ' ἐχῖνος ἓν μέγα ("a fox knows many things, but a hedgehog one important thing").
The title of my sermon today comes from a fragment of an ancient poem by the Greek poet Archilochus who was widely popular for his wit and punchy epigrams. Archilochus lived nearly 700 years before Jesus and it is just possible that Jesus was aware of Archilochus’ poetry. Jesus, after all, grew up in Nazareth, hardly more than an hour’s walk from the busy, cultured and Greek-speaking city of Sepphoris in lower Galilee. The fragment from Archilochus goes this way: “a fox knows many things, but a hedgehog one important thing.” It means that foxes are wily but easily distracted while hedgehogs are patient and focused on one vital thing. Even in our own time, our 21st century, the fox and hedgehog epigram fascinates. Books have been written and social and economic theories based on foxes and hedgehogs. Economist and social commentator Jim Collins wrote an influential book in 2001, called Good to Great, arguing that business leaders who hold “the big picture” and understand the “essential mission” of their own business lead their companies from “good to great.” He cites Archilochus and calls such business leaders “hedgehogs.” He calls his business model “the hedgehog concept.”
So when Jesus in today’s text from Luke’s gospel calls King Herod “that fox” he intends that we should not be concerned with Herod’s threats against Jesus’ life. The fox may know many things, but Jesus has the one essential thing, the thing Herod has no power over. What is the one important thing Jesus has? He has his direct experience of God to guide him. This is his only option; his only plan. There is no Plan B.
Let’s pause for a moment. Ask yourself this question. Do you want to be a fox or a hedgehog? To know many things or to know one important thing? The question won’t be all that unfamiliar. I believe it’s fair to say that many of us would prefer to see ourselves as an attractive creature that is clever and quick. And to be sure, we do seem to lead fox-like lives: busy, hyper aware, juggling crazy schedules and googling best strategies to protect and enhance our experience.
Have you ever stopped to consider the price we pay for trying to keep up with the foxes? Think about church for a moment. Have you noticed that when we pray in church, how often we pray for others, that they may be healed, supported, restored, justified, or remembered at peace. This is a lovely thing, but rarely does anyone stand up and admit, I want these things for myself? Or say, I’m tired of running here, there and everywhere. Of trying to figure things out; I admit I’m not clever enough to have all the answers; there has to be a better way! Why do we hide our own “deficits”? Do we think God doesn’t see?
How scary would it actually be to pray on our own behalf?
And how funny it is to think that we foxes come to church with a secret desire to learn how to be hedgehogs! We lead fox lives “out there” but come here to discover our inner hedgehog! We long to know that “one big thing” that hedgehogs know. But we’re hesitant to ask for it. What is that about? And what is it that we are truly seeking?
Here’s the one big thing I have to offer. There are no secrets from God. There is nothing you cannot ask for. God embraces everything in you. You are God’s one big thing.
It’s this way. I once lived in a city where some parents said the schools were dangerous and many of the kids were troubled, so they threatened to send their own kids to private schools or move out of the city. I loved the response from the superintendent of schools. I have never forgotten. I heard him say this publicly and privately. He said: Parents are sending us the best kids they have. They’re not keeping the good ones at home. So we intend to treat the kids we have as the best. There is no Plan B.
That’s how God sees you. You are the best God has. God has no Plan B. So why would you get all shy about asking about Plan A?
The only question is whether you feel you need a Plan B – any plan other than God. And remind me -- how has Plan B worked for you thus far?
Jesus’ voice is firm but gentle in the text this morning as he mourns the choice of many around him – just as a mother hen grieves that her chicks do not listen to her invitation to gather under her protective wings when the fox is sniffing around outside. For her chicks have made another choice. They’d rather keep up with the foxes. You can imagine how that turns out.
So what of us? How is it to turn out for us? Are we willing to embrace our own lives and see what God has in mind? What if our only job is to look at our Plan B fears and defenses as they come up and then let them go as far less than the real thing?
Why then our fox lives would be behind us and all there is left is to be God’s one great thing. Why, oh why, would we want to be anything less than that?
Amen
Luke 13:31-35 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
31 At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.” 32 He said to them, “Go and tell that fox for me,[a] ‘Listen, I am casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish my work. 33 Yet today, tomorrow, and the next day I must be on my way, because it is impossible for a prophet to be killed outside of Jerusalem.’ 34 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! 35 See, your house is left to you. And I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when[b] you say, ‘Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.’”
The title is a reference to a fragment attributed to the Ancient Greek poet Archilochus: πόλλ' οἶδ' ἀλώπηξ, ἀλλ' ἐχῖνος ἓν μέγα ("a fox knows many things, but a hedgehog one important thing").
The title of my sermon today comes from a fragment of an ancient poem by the Greek poet Archilochus who was widely popular for his wit and punchy epigrams. Archilochus lived nearly 700 years before Jesus and it is just possible that Jesus was aware of Archilochus’ poetry. Jesus, after all, grew up in Nazareth, hardly more than an hour’s walk from the busy, cultured and Greek-speaking city of Sepphoris in lower Galilee. The fragment from Archilochus goes this way: “a fox knows many things, but a hedgehog one important thing.” It means that foxes are wily but easily distracted while hedgehogs are patient and focused on one vital thing. Even in our own time, our 21st century, the fox and hedgehog epigram fascinates. Books have been written and social and economic theories based on foxes and hedgehogs. Economist and social commentator Jim Collins wrote an influential book in 2001, called Good to Great, arguing that business leaders who hold “the big picture” and understand the “essential mission” of their own business lead their companies from “good to great.” He cites Archilochus and calls such business leaders “hedgehogs.” He calls his business model “the hedgehog concept.”
So when Jesus in today’s text from Luke’s gospel calls King Herod “that fox” he intends that we should not be concerned with Herod’s threats against Jesus’ life. The fox may know many things, but Jesus has the one essential thing, the thing Herod has no power over. What is the one important thing Jesus has? He has his direct experience of God to guide him. This is his only option; his only plan. There is no Plan B.
Let’s pause for a moment. Ask yourself this question. Do you want to be a fox or a hedgehog? To know many things or to know one important thing? The question won’t be all that unfamiliar. I believe it’s fair to say that many of us would prefer to see ourselves as an attractive creature that is clever and quick. And to be sure, we do seem to lead fox-like lives: busy, hyper aware, juggling crazy schedules and googling best strategies to protect and enhance our experience.
Have you ever stopped to consider the price we pay for trying to keep up with the foxes? Think about church for a moment. Have you noticed that when we pray in church, how often we pray for others, that they may be healed, supported, restored, justified, or remembered at peace. This is a lovely thing, but rarely does anyone stand up and admit, I want these things for myself? Or say, I’m tired of running here, there and everywhere. Of trying to figure things out; I admit I’m not clever enough to have all the answers; there has to be a better way! Why do we hide our own “deficits”? Do we think God doesn’t see?
How scary would it actually be to pray on our own behalf?
And how funny it is to think that we foxes come to church with a secret desire to learn how to be hedgehogs! We lead fox lives “out there” but come here to discover our inner hedgehog! We long to know that “one big thing” that hedgehogs know. But we’re hesitant to ask for it. What is that about? And what is it that we are truly seeking?
Here’s the one big thing I have to offer. There are no secrets from God. There is nothing you cannot ask for. God embraces everything in you. You are God’s one big thing.
It’s this way. I once lived in a city where some parents said the schools were dangerous and many of the kids were troubled, so they threatened to send their own kids to private schools or move out of the city. I loved the response from the superintendent of schools. I have never forgotten. I heard him say this publicly and privately. He said: Parents are sending us the best kids they have. They’re not keeping the good ones at home. So we intend to treat the kids we have as the best. There is no Plan B.
That’s how God sees you. You are the best God has. God has no Plan B. So why would you get all shy about asking about Plan A?
The only question is whether you feel you need a Plan B – any plan other than God. And remind me -- how has Plan B worked for you thus far?
Jesus’ voice is firm but gentle in the text this morning as he mourns the choice of many around him – just as a mother hen grieves that her chicks do not listen to her invitation to gather under her protective wings when the fox is sniffing around outside. For her chicks have made another choice. They’d rather keep up with the foxes. You can imagine how that turns out.
So what of us? How is it to turn out for us? Are we willing to embrace our own lives and see what God has in mind? What if our only job is to look at our Plan B fears and defenses as they come up and then let them go as far less than the real thing?
Why then our fox lives would be behind us and all there is left is to be God’s one great thing. Why, oh why, would we want to be anything less than that?
Amen