I have decided to post some of my past writings; those I think are relevant to recent events, exposing them to my current audience. One of the joys, but also the problem with blogs is their immediacy. As a result whatever was said in the past seems to be forgotten, out of sight out of mind if you will. At times, but not always, some of those things need to be remembered. As an author, sometimes I need to remind myself, as well as my readership, of some of my previous thinking. With that in mind I am posting this reminiscence on nexus points which I originally wrote back in the summer of 2003.
Of Nexus Points and Other Significant Moments
Nexus points are places where destiny and opportunity collide or from a Christian perspective where God’s call and man’s courage and will intersect. They are strategic moments that speak to the core of history and purpose, of decisions and the trying of men’s souls. They are opportunities to demonstrate in the moment of testing that your heart is true, that out of the fire comes precious treasure and not garbage to be swept aside. (1 Cor. 3:11-13)
I believe there are innumerable small and many major nexus points in all of our lives, and for some there will be a singular moment that will forever define them. It is often difficult to tell how significant any given test is until it is upon us. The best course is to approach each trial as if it will be the the supreme test and strive to the uttermost to do our best. We need to remember that our performance in small things sets us up for our larger decisions.
Also, these important moments are not necessarily single moments and the decisions that make them up are not necessarily single decisions but an important nexus point may take several hours, several days, or several weeks to work itself out and during that time a few or many decisions may bring us to the culminating moment, which if greatness beckons is the decision of our own choosing.
It is the characteristic excellence of the strong man that he can bring momentous issues to the fore and make a decision about them. The weak are always forced to decide between alternatives they have not chosen themselves. Dietrich Bonhoeffer
No, we are responsible for our choices, for the ripples that flow out from them, for good or ill, and for whether or not we have answered the call of God upon our lives, or have asked instead to be let off the hook of consequence. Many people spend a large portion of their lives trying to get out from under the results of a failed nexus decision when it is infinitely simpler to seize the moment and do the right thing from the start.
There you have it. I would argue that my thinking on nexus points has change a little since then. Not that they aren’t important, but when combined with yesterday’s post on the Will of God they fall into a balanced perspective that keeps them from being isolated moments of individual significance and instead fits them into the eternal tapistry of God’s making.
There is a new pope and I am working on something in response to Michael Novak’s article on the preconclave sermon by then Cardinal Ratzinger. It appears, at least to me, numerous nexus points are in the making. My but we live in interesting times.
