The book “Working the Angles” by Eugene H. Peterson is a work that causes the reader to take a look at their spiritual life and make an assessment based off of three identified aspects or angles of being a spiritual leader, that being; Prayer, Scripture and Spiritual Direction. The premise behind the book “Working the Angles” is that if you have these three areas of your life in order then you are equipped to be a better Pastor or Spiritual Leader. We all need tools that will help us combat the principalities and powers that exist in this world and that run contrary to the things of God, “Working the Angles” provides these tools.
Prayer life is an essential part of the Christian experience according to what is communicated in “Working the Angles” and when you really stop to think about prayer and what is actually taking place, it is no wonder that it plays such an important role in the life of the spiritual leader who is prepared to give sound direction and guidance based off of God’s word. Working the Angles communicates that “Prayer is an act in which I bring myself to attention before God”, (Peterson, pg 3). Prayer is given a position in the Bible by God that is primary. Before Jesus began to execute his earthly ministry he was in the wilderness fasting and praying to God the Father. If we are to follow the example of Christ then we will be in prayer over the things that are most important to us as well as things that are considered ordinary needs as we are commanded to do in Ephesians 6:18 “Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.”
Prayer is the way in which we communicate with God and we should not be, as Working the Angles communicates, so hasty to utter just anything while in the presence of God. Ecclesiastes 5:1 echoes the idea about being careful while in presence of God via prayer: Ecclesiastes 5:1 ”Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil.” In Mathew 21:13 Jesus is chastising those who have turned God’s house into a den of thieves instead of what is intended, that being a house of prayer: “And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.” We are in the presence of God when we pray and the spirit of God which lives in side of every believer communicates to God what words cannot: Romans 8:26-27. If it is true that we are in the presence of God when we pray then I am in agreement one hundred percent with Eugene H. Peterson when he states in “Working the Angles” that Spiritual Leaders should deny the request for common prayers as a way of preparing for the more important events or main events of the evening.
There are few things more important than communicating with God through prayer and when we treat prayer as an afterthought we are in danger of being in violation of the principles that God has laid out for prayer. As I take an introspective look at my own prayer life I can say that it is in need of a lot of maintenance if I am to be successful in finishing the race as a Christian. We all pray in times of crisis, even the non-religious types, but God communicates in Philippians 4:6 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” I need to give prayer more of a priority in my life especially if I am to lend spiritual counsel or advice to others. How can I show someone how to have a successful prayer life and the spiritual benefits of true Bible based prayer if I have not implemented this into my own Christian walk.
The second Angle discussed in “Working the Angles” is “Scripture”. Mr. Peterson makes the point that when we read scripture that we must remember that before there was the written that there was the oral means of communicating and that we must not mistake the practice of reading scripture with the act of listening to God. Only when we read the scripture with obedience in mind are we truly listening to what God is communicating in his word. As I read this section of “Working the Angles” I must admit that at times I am guilty of this very act of just “reading” as opposed to the more desirable “listening” that should be taking place. There is a difference between listening and reading and most people would prefer reading because there is not all that much involved, as far as the level of attention that is required, as opposed to listening which will be apparent to others if you are not doing so actively because of your lack of responsiveness to what is being communicated. Often I will read a verse or a chapter in the Bible and feel as if I have fulfilled a requirement of some sort by the mere fact that I read the text. After being presented with what Eugene H. Peterson communicates in the second angle (Scripture) of “Working the Angles” I will be more mindful of the application factor.
Mr. Peterson makes the point that even though we have more access to the scripture because of the printing press and technology this fact may be counterproductive because of the misunderstanding between reading and listening. People listened more in the past when they had to be more attentive to God’s word or run the risk of being accused of the act of not listening to God’s word because of their lack of responsiveness. Reading is not listening, thank you Mr. Peterson for making that clear to us all.
The last angle that completes the “Working the Angles” triangle methodology that Eugene H. Peterson presents us with is that of being a “Spiritual Director” and makes the point that as we accept the responsibility of being a Spiritual Leader that we will need to be prepared to give sound Spiritual Direction. Spiritual Direction does make demands of those that are receiving it. Spiritual Direction is given in the effort of providing guidance to those who are in need of it. There is a distinction that is made between Spiritual Direction and advice that masquerades as Spiritual Direction that Spiritual Leaders and Pastors are cautioned to be mindful of, point noted here.
God’s Blessing’s in Jesus Christ….
Brother Bush