Big, Hairy, Audacious Hope

Scripture — Isaiah 2:1-5 (NRSV)

The word that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
In days to come
the mountain of the LORD’S house
shall be established as the highest of the mountains,
and shall be raised above the hills;
all the nations shall stream to it.
Many peoples shall come and say,
“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,
to the house of the God of Jacob;
that he may teach us his ways
and that we may walk in his paths.”
For out of Zion shall go forth instruction,
and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
He shall judge between the nations,
and shall arbitrate for many peoples;
they shall beat their swords into plowshares,
and their spears into pruning hooks;
nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war any more.
O house of Jacob,
come, let us walk
in the light of the LORD!

Devotion

Many years ago, I attended a leadership seminar. I was following along nicely until the facilitator started talking about _bee-hags. _ He used bee-hag as if everyone would know what it was. I looked around the room to see others nodding with approval. I didn’t say anything, for fear of looking ignorant. Of course, I was ignorant. I had no idea what a bee-hag was.

Later, I asked a friend from the seminar, “What in the world is a bee-hag?” He laughed before explaining that BHAG is a term found in Jim Collins’s book, Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies. BHAG stands for “Big Hairy Audacious Goal” (p. 93). Collins explains that truly successful, lasting companies don’t just have little goals. Rather, they have BHAGs. He writes, “A BHAG energizes people – it reaches out and grabs them in the gut. It is tangible, energizing, highly focused. People ‘get it’ right away; it takes little or no explanation” (p. 94).

Inspired by Jim Collins, I’d like to propose that the second chapter of Isaiah gives us, not a BHAG, but a BHAH (which I’d pronounce as bee-haw). Yes, not a “big hairy audacious goal, but “big hairy audacious hope.”

The big, hairy audacity of Isaiah’s hope is seen, first of all, in its global scope. Often, the Jewish prophets spoke of future blessings for the nation of Israel. But Isaiah envisions “all the nations” being impacted by what’s coming in the future (2:2). “All the nations” and “many peoples” will decide to “go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob” (2:3). Now that is a gigantic hopeful vision, don’t you think?

Why do the peoples of the world want to do this? Because they are yearning for God’s truth and guidance. They’re going to the house of God so “that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths” (2:3). Really?! Remember, we’re talking about the “nations” here, the Gentiles, the people who generally are not eager to learn from the Lord or follow the Lord’s ways. But in Isaiah’s audacious, daring vision, even the Gentiles are hungry for God and God’s truth.

When the nations come before the Lord, who will be their judge and arbitrator, something even bigger, hairier, and more audacious will happen. All the peoples of the earth will “beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks” (2:4). They will take their tools of war and turn them into tools for growing crops. In today’s world, Isaiah might say that all peoples will turn their tanks into tractors, their cannons into cultivators. Why will the nations do such a unique and surprising thing? Because “nation shall not lift up sword against nation” (2:4). When the nations follow God’s guidance, there will be no more wars. As it says in Psalm 46:9, the Lord “makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear.”

So then, wouldn’t you agree that Isaiah’s vision in this chapter is a BHAH? It’s filled with big, hairy, audacious hope!

What difference should this hope make? We find Isaiah’s answer in verse 5, “O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the LORD!” Notice what Isaiah did not say here. He did not say, “O house of Jacob, someday we will walk in the light of the LORD.” Rather, after laying out a stunning vision of the future, Isaiah says, “So let’s walk in light of this vision right now. Let’s live right now in light of what God will do in the future.”

This wonderfully represents the spirit of Advent. In this season of the year, we look back, remembering how the people of Israel hoped for God’s action in their future, which was fulfilled through the advent of Christ. At the same time, in Advent, we also get in touch with our own hopes. We yearn for the day when all peoples on earth will turn to the Lord, when all of us will follow God’s ways, and when wars will be no more.

Oh, how wonderful it would be if all people on this earth should willingly and gladly turn their weapons into farming tools! To be sure, that is a lot to hope for. In fact, it’s a big, hairy, audacious hope. It’s hope from God. It’s Advent hope.

Find all Life for Leaders devotions here. Explore what the Bible has to say about work at the unique website of our partners, the Theology of Work Project. Reflection on today’s Life for Leaders theme can be found here: Arrogant Pride and Self-Sufficiency (Isaiah 2ff.).