Paradigm Shift

We were at dinner the other night and one of the hosts said his experience with the orphans in Thailand made him a changed man. I was thinking about that the next day and remembered when there was a time in my business career when a popular business theme of “paradigm shift” appeared. This phrase was coined by T.S. Khun, a U.S. Philosopher of Science. Originally, he said it meant, “a radical change in underlying beliefs or theory”. American business redefined it as “a radical change in the way of thinking about something”.

To consider this further I wondered who in the Bible might have had a paradigm experience. The change in Peter at Pentecost came to mind. On one hand, Peter, while in the garden during Christ’s interrogation, denied knowing Him. At a later time this same Peter stood before thousands of people in Jerusalem, acknowledging who Christ was and encouraging others to do the same. Why the “radical change in underlying beliefs or theory” or “way of thinking”? Bible scholars attribute this to the anointing of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. As a result some (Biblical scholars) may say that in order to have a paradigm shift in your life you must be anointed with the Holy Spirit, manifested by tongues of fire and loud noises.

I’m not sure this was the paradigm event. Is there another way for anointing to occur? Is “anointing” a dramatic, noisy affair or could it be the just a radical change in belief or thinking about something? The only thing my Bible says the fire and wind did was give them the ability to speak in foreign tongues. Because they demonstrated bold actions after this event, people tie the two together. There was definitely a paradigm shift in Peter. But what caused it? What caused a man to change so radically that he went from being ashamed to speak in front of a few at a bonfire, to boldly speaking before thousands and eventually giving his life?

To find an answer, I took my search back to a few days before Pentecost. Now the experience I want you to consider as Peter’s paradigm shift occurs in the writings of John, John 21:15-17. This is where Jesus has a very personal confrontation with Peter. It was important enough for John to choose it to record from among the myriad of things happening during those days.

After reading John, reconsider this question: does a radical change in a belief or way of thinking and the strong convictions which follow, come only as a result of tongues of fire, winds, etc.? Or is it the moving of the Holy Spirit in your life through an experience that causes a paradigm shift?

Next, I considered the life of Martin Luther. Did he have a paradigm shift? We don’t know every detail of Martin Luther’s life I’m sure. I have never heard of a fire anointing of the Holy Spirit in his life. I admit I am not an expert on his life, but laying down in a mud puddle in the middle of a lightning storm doesn’t qualify as an experience which changed the way he thought about religion. That only started him on the journey. What came later in life did not occur with any fanfare or accompanied by fire and wind. Yet there was a paradigm shift that shook the religious world of his day.

Is it possible that the “shift” which takes place in a person life can be deep, emotional, radical, and life changing, without the outward appearance of fire and wind, which we would attribute to the Holy Spirit acting on a person’s life? Do we want to connect the two because it makes it easier for us to understand? When we can’t see the one, we don’t want to believe the other is possible? Is it just us? Once again I leave you where I am, with questions, questions, questions.

Question marks after words.

GP

February–Scout Camp

Scout Camp ended up covering most of two weeks. The 4^th – 6^th graders went away to an overnight camp for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of one week while the 1^st – 3^rd graders stayed home. Then the 1^st – 3^rd graders had a day camp at school for Wednesday and Thursday of the next week while the 4^th – 6^th graders stayed home. Friday of the last week was a holiday for everyone.

Kru Meow invited me to come stay with her at the overnight, but Gary and I decided I couldn’t afford to spend those two days away from school preparations. The students told me a few stories the next week of what they did.

At the end of that week I participated in the first day of camp for the 1^st – 3^rd graders.

That day they went on a trek in groups of about 7 -8. They went out to follow the arrows and find the route on their own. The smallest student in the school led the first group,

across the parking lot, out the school gate, and up the street.

After the groups took off, some of the teachers took off in another direction. They set up stations for the

students to do things at different points along the way. The Scoutmaster, Kru Ew, thought this

challenge was pretty funny. The rubber bands had something to do with the group collecting what was with them. They were all gone by the time we finished up with the last group so I didn’t see them actually collect them. There they were at the reporting station, though.

I ended up at the “senses” station. They had the students try smelling and touching things

blindfolded. They even had them sense things that weren’t there (Look out! You need to jump here!). Then they took off the blindfolds to let me show the students some optical illusions. That didn’t involve speaking too much Thai. I was able to get them to count birds and fish in that one Escher

drawing, but I didn’t quite understand the instructions on the paper they needed to stare at until Meow met up with us.

At the next station they had to answer some questions about nature and animals and sing a song.

Then they had to go across this narrow dam and around the teacher standing on it. Once the whole group was across, they started off, following the arrows again.

They stopped outside Malee’s house to have lunch. First some noodles. A little later they shared bowls

of green papaya salad. At the end they helped to

make some sticky rice with sesame. Yum.

For their last station they had to wade under a stick

placed low over the water. They all got a little wet doing this. That was ok, because they could dry out while we played some English games.

First, we played “Duck, Duck, Goose”. Several of Zoe had played that game before. I don’t know if they used the English words. Then we played 4 corners. Meow had made some nice numbers for the posts in the canteen to help identify the corners. We played until one boy stood near the blindfolded boy and told him, in Thai, which number to call.

They had some watermelon, sang some songs, and

then tried out Capture the Flag. We wondered if they were going to figure out how to play it. Some teachers tried coaching them a bit. Then, suddenly, we saw a quick little 3^rd grade girl running across the center line with the other team’s flag. The other team managed to steal the flag too, just before the time to quit for the closing.

The next day they did activities around the school, including watching The Jungle Book in English on a computer, downloaded from the Internet.

:J

March–Congratulation Day

We would know this as 6th grade graduation.

Finals were finished on Friday the 12th, so Monday, March 14, became the day to congratulate the 6^th graders and say good bye to everyone for the school year.

First, we had prayer and then the principal gave an opening speech. Then they sang a Thai song with the melody of “Blessed Be the Tie That Binds”. I’m not sure what it was in Thai. Kru Parn led it, slowly, while Pa Chiloom played the guitar. They sang 4 or 5 verses.

After that, there was some waiting around while the groups of girls got ready to do their hip hop dances to Christian music.

Some students said good byes to Paul, Ann, and Peter,

and Paul said good bye to us. Paul was the only one willing to go up front to receive the goodbyes or to give ones. He had his written out, and read it.

They will go to a school closer to their home next year.

At the end, the school gave certificates in nice

purple folders to the 6^th graders and everyone else gave them flowers, balloons, and other things. Annie, one 6th grader, had asked me to give them a cookie, so I gave them each a coconut macaroon wrapped in blue and red cellophane (makes purple?) and a purple pen or pencil. Can you tell the school color is purple?

The last unit I had with the 6th grade was about insects. One day they made “insect goggles” with sequins and egg carton pieces. The goggles were supposed to make their eyes look like the many eyes insects have. What do you think?

:J