Mission with Prophetic Power: The Journal of John Woolman (SRSC 12)

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Mission with Prophetic Power: The Journal of John Woolman

Yet we must keep in mind that, for Woolman, planning was embedded within praying. I quote again one of Woolman’s most famous statements, “It is good for you to dwell deep, that you might feel and understand the spirits of people.” Our depth of dwelling is not just so that we are peaceful within ourselves—no, much more: The depth of our dwelling enables us to see and know another’s depths, which then guides the direction of the entire conversation. I think we might all benefit from intentionally investing in prayer, in honesty about our own feelings, and in reviewing a few talking points as we prepare to have a tough talk with an individual or group. Moving to the conversation itself, note that I use the phrase “share prayerfully.” Those two words are important. Our prayerful work is sharing . Woolman is explicit about this. In July of 1759 he writes of going alone to visit a few slave-owners. He recounts, “I went alone to their houses and, in the fear of the Lord, acquainted them with the exercise* I was under; and thus, sometimes by a few words, I found myself discharged from a heavy burden.” Numerous times Woolman mentions the value of “plain speech.” We are not Old Testament prophets who may have complete confidence in our own experience of God and feel compelled to pronounce “Thus saith the Lord . . .” upon others. We simply and sincerely offer our own sense of God’s work in our lives and in the lives of those around us. Yet at the same time, our sharing is prayerful . “Dwelling deep” is not just a matter of preparation. (2) Share Prayerfully During the Conversation