Brian Niece on 
Fire Fairytale
Theologian and consumate wit G.K. Chesterton once wrote, “Fairy tales are more than true – not because they tell us dragons exist, but because they tell us dragons can be beaten.” This idea comes to mind as I read the Hebrew Scripture lesson for the Second Sunday of Advent. Malachi 3:1-4 likens God’s coming to earth as a fire that refines metal. During this season of Advent we are called to believe again that the things which haunt us — whether they be real or not — can be beaten. The fire the prophet Malachi speaks of is not a fire of wrath. It is a fire that changes things for the good … for God’s glory.
It pains me to confess the sin of many Christian brothers and sisters who have plastered the phrase “Jesus is coming” on billboards or telephone polls, foolishly thinking this will somehow bring pagans to a change of heart. Malachi reminds us that the message “Jesus is coming” is not directed toward pagans. It’s a message for believers. And it is intended to bring about change. It’s a message that fosters hope, joy, and peace.
Malachi’s fairy tale of fire reminds me that we need to believe in fairy tales once again. We need to believe that all that threatens our existence can be beaten. This gives us hope. We need to believe that the mysterious can be real. This gives us joy. We need to believe that unbelievable transformation in ourselves can occur. This gives us peace.
As Christians we name this hope, joy, and peace “Jesus”: the one human being who made clear to the world that God became like us so that we might become like God. This truly is a season of good news. To believe that transformation from sorrow to gladness through a refiner’s fire is real, means to live like it. When we live like the fairy tale might just be real, it is great news! And when we do live like the fairy tale is real, we change all the time.
What do we need to change? As we think about our relationship with God , what do we need to change? It might well be that what we need to change is a basic need. We can’t get in touch with God by ourselves. Maybe we need to change our minds about ourselves in relationship to God. Maybe we need to remember (for the first time?) that “fairy tales are more than true.”